The Finnish capital Helsinki is one of Scandinavia's most alluring destinations. It is compact - an hour's walk takes you from the beaches to the suburbs and its grid layout makes it really easy to navigate. It is spread across a cluster of promontories and peninsulas. It has clean, wide avenues lined with architecturally beautiful buildings.
Helsinki is the most densely populated area of Finland - it has 500,000 inhabitants. It covers 800 square kilometres but only half of that area is developed. The rest is parks, forests, shoreline, and lakes. It is one of the greenest cities I have ever visited. The air is really crisp and unpolluted and the waters are bright blue and clean. As an outdoor city, in my opinion, Helsinki has few rivals.
Helsinki, known as the Daughter of the Baltic, stands at the doorway to Russia but its cultural links are firmly in Scandinavia. We found it to be refreshing, modern, and lively. It is a perfect destination for families - clean, safe, and on a small scale with many car-free areas in the city centre. There are also lots of beaches and places to paddle in the water.
We loved taking ferries to the islands - Suomenlinna being a highlight, having lunch at the open-air stalls in Market Square, strolling through Esplanade Park and watching the street performers and enjoying the midnight sun.
We were lucky enough to be in Helsinki at Midsummer and were able to experience their great Midsummer celebration at Seurassi Open Air Museum - bonfires, Finnish culture, music, and dancing - it was a night to remember.
Summer in Helsinki lasts from May until mid-September. The weather is pleasant - warm and sunny and in late June there are 19 hours of sunlight.
The friendliness of all the people we met there was remarkable - not only hotel staff but also passers-by who all seemed to speak perfect English - overwhelming.
Helsinki is renowned for Scandinavian chic. It has the hottest saunas, slickest mobile phones, a tram service with a bar and a railway station that inspired the sets in a Batman film. We loved this place - the last stop city before the Arctic Circle.
Quick Tips:
We used the websites
www.finland-tourism.com and
www.visitfinland.com to plan our holiday.
Take an umbrella - we had fine weather but a little bit of rain most afternoons. Also take plenty of cash - Helsinki is comparable to either Paris or London - not cheap.
Restaurants are good - everything from high quality to intimate bistros, from exotic ethnic to fast food. Prices to eat out are comparable with those in most European capitals. Try the smoked fish or reindeer meat - both delicious.
The tourist office -
www.hel.fi/tourism is open daily. They have lots of information in many different languages on things to do, transport, etc. We picked up loads of useful leaflets and maps. They also sell tickets to events, air, bus, and cruise tickets and the Helsinki card.
The Helsinki card provides unlimited access to all local public transportation and has discounts on some activities. We bought a tourist transport ticket - available for 1, 3, or 5 days. You can hop aboard trams, buses, the metro, and the ferry to Suomenlinna. We bought a 5 day ticket, costing 18 euros per person. Children under 7 are free and a parent with a stroller also goes free. We didn't really get full use of the ticket though. We walked almost everywhere most of the time and would have been better off just buying single tickets when we needed them.
80% of the water in Finland is classed as being exceptionally clean. Finnish tap water is of the highest quality and can be consumed throughout the country - you can really save on bottled water.
Helsinki enjoys mild and sunny weather from June to September. Temperatures range from 18-24 degrees centigrade, but in the evenings the temperature drops. There is a long twilight mid-June to mid-July. The best time to travel is June for very long, sunny days.
Finnish and Swedish are the official languages of Finland. General knowledge of English is widespread however. Most tourist information and many brochures are available in English.
Try the fresh strawberries and cherries from the open-air stalls in Market Square - delicious. Also the ice-cream is wonderful - buckthornberry is a local speciality.
Take a cruise - since Helsinki is the capital of a country of 188,000 lakes, it too is best seen from the water. You will pass innumerable little islands and navigate many peninsulas.
Best Way To Get Around:
Helsinki Vantaa Airport is 12 miles north of the city centre. We got a minibus taxi (seating eight people) which cost 29 euros (one way). It was really comfortable - leather seats, spacious, and a knowledgeable and friendly driver. Alternatively you can take a bus - catch the FinnAir bus which costs 5.20 euros per person, leaves the airport every 15-20 minutes, takes 40 minutes but only stops a couple of times. One of the stops is the Central Railway Station.
The city is really compact and very easy to get around on foot. There are trams, buses, metros and ferries - public transportation here was ranked number 2 in all of Europe in 2003.
There are lots of bus tours and sightseeing tours by boat. For an orientation tour without a guide take the tram 3T. This takes you past 35 major city buildings and monuments. You can pick up a leaflet on this tram journey from the Tourist Information Office. It lists all the stops and what to look out for at each stop - really useful. We boarded at Market Square - it costs 2 euros per person and the full loop takes 45 minutes. The tram leaves every 5-15 minutes but only runs in summer.
There are 900km of cycle paths in the city. You can hire a city bike (standard bike without gears, bright yellow in colour and you won't miss them at the bike stands). You put in 2 euros deposit, take your bike and when you return it to one of the stands throughout the city you get your money back. It is a great idea.
Harbour tours give a waterside view of Helsinki. We went on a Royal Line cruise - they have two big windowed ships each accommodating 250 passengers. Sit on the top deck - it can get windy even on sunny days - but the views are great. Our tour - Helsinki By Sea lasted 90 minutes and cost 16.50 euros. There was a commentary in Finnish and English and lovely views of the city, yachting areas, harbour and the big ice-breaker ships they use to smash the ice in winter and keep Helsinki harbour open.
Walk as much as possible to enjoy the simple and elegant architecture. The city streets are a joy to walk - quirky, imaginative, and interesting.