Finland – Helsinki

Helsinki City Card

This is a great card if you plan on seeing a lot of mainly Museums and using public transport around the city.

It gives you free access to 25 sites and free use of all trams, buses, Metro within the city, and the Suomenlinna Ferry.

The city central area is quite walkable and very pedestrian friendly, so its easy to see that area. However of you want to see sites further out e.g. Olympic area, Sibelius Monument, Opera House, Suomenlinna Island etc then you need to take paid transport/ferry or be prepared for a long 40 mins walk.

If you’re not into Museums (the card is predominately the 15 Art galleries and Museums of all kinds in Helsinki), then maybe it’s not for you.

Tram/bus rides are relatively cheap and can be bought at the stop usually. So if you are more into seeing the outdoor stuff eg harbour, parks, monuments and important buildings from the outside then give the card a miss.

Costs are:

• 1 day 51 Euros
• 2 days 63 Euros
• 3 days 74 Euros

However, and this is a big however, do the sums beforehand.  Helsinki is an expensive city for non-Scandinavians (who are probably used to these prices in their own countries). The trip to Suomenlinna sea fortress and island on the ferry and entrance into the Museum on the island is 38 Euros alone. The Atheneum Art Museum is 17 Euros and the Panorama bus tour 32 Euros alone .

Click here for the link to the Helsinki card site here 

So just these three alone more than covered my two day card. If you do just these then you are saving and the more attractions you visit , then you save even more. There’s also no queuing for tickets with the card.

You get a free downloadable guide to the city and a free tram/Metro map to help you around and understand the city – what more do you need ! ?

In all honesty you will need 3 days to see everything included on the card and there is still a lot more and equally important stuff to see eg the Cathedrals and Esplanade Park that are free and are must see’s.

Personally, I used my 2 day card for only four of the sites, the hop-on-hop-off bus and around 6 tram trips. It still saved me around 45 Euros and would have been more if I had wanted to go in a few places that I passed by but just skipped them. My little brain can only take so many art galleries in 3 full-on sightseeing days!

Where to stay in Helsinki

Helsinki is a little spread out as it is not a “tall” city. You may find some great deals on more outlying areas eg Espoo but unless you are adept at taking public transport and find the bus stops out in advance that could be a disadvantage.

I saw a great deal at a 4 star hotel with fabulous facilities outside of town. I then realised that the bus stop was a fair distance as the hotel was more of a coastal resort and the distance by bus whilst not expensive was time consuming to get in/out of the centre. It wasn’t near a Metro either so despite the great deal the extra transport costs and times discouraged me from taking it up.

Hotels north and south of the Esplanade Park will be within walking distance of the central sites but may be a little more pricey than those 10 mins further out and on a Metro/bus link. Certainly you have the best (and very expensive) 5 star hotels here too eg Kamp Hotel

Remember that if you buy the Helsinki card your public transport will be included so that will be the bonus and transport is reliable, clean and safe. The tram network will take you to virtually all the places you will want to see. They have modern trams but often the old heritage ones are just so enticing – you’ll want to ride a bit of Helsinki history and I loved using them.

Areas like Toolo. more north of the centre will be near the Opera and Olympic areas if they are you focus. They have good tram/bus links.

Kamppi to the west of centre (with a Metro, tram and good bus links) are worth considering as they have a good range of 3-4 star hotels at great prices. It’s a little more residential but in effect you could walk into the centre if you wanted,

Much further to the south, near the coast (UllanLinna, Kaviopuista and the big Marina), it is the preserve of locals in their expensive houses and residential apartment blocks so there are few if any hotels in that area.

Where I stayed in Helsinki

I chose to stay in Kamppi for several reasons.

There were plenty of hotels in this area, despite it still being quite a residential area for the locals. Hotels are not cheap in Helsinki – they can be expensive like most things here  The place I found was offering a great deal too.

This time I wanted to relax a bit more after over a week in Russia staying at hotels and eating at their restaurants or nearby. I wanted something more akin to an apartment where I could also wash some clothes but also relax in a more homely environment and cook my own meals .

As food in restaurants is expensive here I didn’t want to eat out every night of my three days. I’m glad I made that choice as after looking at a few menus in restaurant windows the prices were shockingly high, along the lines of Norway and Sweden.

I needed a Metro line to get around town if needed (although I ended up using the bus and trams instead as they had better connections). I also needed something near the main train station as I was arriving there from St Petersburg Russia and wanted to get to my location swiftly with my luggage.

So, with all these in mind I searched and found the perfect place

Forenom serviced apartments

I stayed in Forenom serviced apartments in Lapinlahdenkatu street in Helsinki. Click link here for info. The price was really good, I had a lovely apartment with full kitchen with fridge, dishwasher, microwave and full set of crockery, tableware and cooking utensils. There is a comfy lounge and tv, excellent wifi but no air con (and it can get warm in Summer here). It ended up being a little noisy due to the school and kiddies playground nearby. I was usually up before the morning commotion started but on my last day with a lie-in I was woken by the kids arriving.

I have noticed that the apartments have been renovated since my visit. They were ok when I was there but now they sport new furniture and superbly modernised kitchens and bathrooms, so even better value.

There is a communal washing /drying room with machines in the basement and like all Finnish homes it has a communal sauna there too.

Shops were nearby, in fact the Kamppi commercial centre, 8 mins away, has lots of stores and a big supermarket. It also has the Metro station and a big bus transport hub underneath for travel,  even to outside the city.

The hop-on hop-off bus stops nearby and there are two tram stops within a few mins of the apartment.

The door code to get into the block is sent a couple of days beforehand so bear in mind you need an internet connection if you are travelling when it is sent.

I would stay here again if I wanted an apartment setting. Maybe next time, having done the apartment experience, I’ll try for a hotel and use the cheaper cafes for eating that I found on my travels around the city.

How to see Helsinki

I had three days in Helsinki to explore and see all I could in that time.

I would say this is enough time to see the main attractions, although I did feel a little rushed to fit them all in. Helsinki is very walkable and the sights are fairly well connected by public transport but I prefer walking everywhere and taking in the atmosphere.

It thus took me longer to see everything than if I had used more public transport. My Helsinki card gave me free access to all buses and trams and the ferry.

I split my visits into 3 sections.

• The north, where the Olympic Stadium, Sibelius Monument, Opera and Ballet house, Finlandia Hall, Parliament, Museum of Contemporary Art, National Museum of Finland and the Rock Church are located.
• Central, where the Esplanade Park, Presidential Palace, City Hall, Harbour, the two Cathedrals, Ateneum museum and North Harbour bay is
• A day for Suomenlinna Island fortress (it’s huge) and a bay trip

Yes, I got to see most of these sites but, to be honest, after seeing so many art galleries and museums in Russia for a week, from where I had just come, I was a bit Museumed out. I  decided to visit just one of the main 3 galleries here, which I reckoned was the best according to my research for content.

I did use the hop-on-hop-off bus which also came free with my Helsinki Card but that was mainly to get to the Sibelius Monument (bus 24 takes you there also). One day I just stayed on it for the entire trip from start to finish just to see what it entails. It passes by virtually everything you will want to see. It also gave me a trip around other parts of the city i.e. the southern park, which is mainly residential, but pretty, with beaches and classy houses on view as we passed by.

It went past the cruise ship terminal. Not a must see in itself but I did get a great view of a huge ocean-going liner as we dropped off a few tourists there – an added bonus!

Day One in Helsinki

First day was actually my arrival day so I didn’t have a full day sightseeing. My train from St Petersburg (see link here) got me in around 10 am so after dropping my bags off swiftly at the bag storage area at Helsinki train station I headed into town.

The bag storage in located inside the terminus but at the very right hand side (arriving) of the station and down one floor by lift. It’s easy to use, taking coins for predetermined time spans in self-select and operate lockers of differing sizes, so best to have coins ready as I did.

My check-in was at 3pm so I put them in for 8 hours to cover my sightseeing time, before I would need to retrieve them to take to the apartment. Be warned there are signs saying bags will be removed and you will be fined if you overstay your prepaid time, so don’t risk it.

So bags stowed and needing a walk after the 3.5 hour train journey, I set off to explore Helsinki.

Helsinki Central Train Station

My first impression once I had left the art deco styled train station dating from 1919, was one of surprise. The station inside itself seemed small for such a big city but once outside I realised I had only seen part of the interior.

It’s huge green (copper?) coloured clock tower rose to the skies above me and massive art deco style statues either side of the main entrance were a wonder. At night the lanterns held by the statues are lit up and form an artwork in themselves.

The walls of massive pinkish/beige granite blocks stood out in their functional form. The central front arch with glass paned insert reminded me much of Kings Cross station in London. The whole building formed a classic 1920’s look and I was impressed.

The feel of the building and the associated decorative brickwork definitely put me in a Scandinavian setting.

There was another surprise, however, waiting for me.

Maybe because I had just spent 7 days in a pristine, well ordered Russian environment where street begging, druggies, homeless etc are removed from view quickly and dealt with, I was not expecting the next sight.

As I left the station I saw what were clearly rough sleepers and drug users in small groups hanging around the corners of the building and sitting around the square in front. I was approached for “spare change” from one dishevelled drunk and as I moved around the square to look at the building more, several other druggie types were eying me.

I was clearly a tourist as no-one else was admiring the building and taking photos and the commuters seemed to use the side pavements, to avoid them, rather than cross the square. I definitely thought to myself  in despair “what kind of city had I arrived in?” and what was the rest of the city going to be like.

This was not what I had heard about and defo not on my radar as typically Finnish.

I remember thinking back to when I arrived in Oslo, Norway many years previously. The same scenario of a lovely train station but loads of drunks, druggies and bedraggled weirdos with fearsome dogs hanging around the exterior.

I had the same deflated thoughts in Oslo and went on to see a beautiful city. It was just that area of the city that attracted these types.

Luckily, the same happened here. I only ever saw this at the train station exterior area, so bear that in mind if you get the same unexpected sights on leaving the station.

Outside on either side of the station are the stops for city buses and further afield.

Kamppi Centre

However the Kamppi Centre station just 5 mins walk away is the real bus and coach hub for the city and for intercity lines including those to St Petersburg.

It is located next to the Plaza Narinkka, which also houses street artwork, a small design museum and a modern designed chapel. There is a great shopping Mall inside and it also has a good supermarket. Convenient for me has my apartment was only around 6 mins away so I shopped here several times for foodstuffs.

Finnish National Theatre Helsinki

Literally next door to the train Station is another cultural building of Helsinki.

The National Theatre hosts plays and performances of international and local magnitude and is set in a large open square with a statue of one of Finland’s most famous playwriters Aleksis Kivi. He  is regarded as a national writer of Finland and his birthday, 10 October, is celebrated as Finnish Literature Day. Praise indeed !

There was no performance on during my stay that I wanted to see. A walk by here, especially if you are on your way to the Botanical Gardens behind the theatre, is a pleasant wander away from the built up areas.

Conveniently my first stop was to be literally across the road from the train station.

Ateneum Art Museum Helsinki

This is just one (although the largest) of the three museums that make up the Finnish National Gallery. The other two being the museum of contemporary art Kiasma (more on this one later) and the Sinebrychoff Art Museum.

Here, this museum has the biggest collections of classical art in Finland, click here for opening times etc. Being the art culture-vulture that I am, I was eager to see this place. I had decided to restrict myself to just this art Museum in Helsinki – there are even more than the three I mention here!

The exterior of the building reminded me of many of the buildings I had passed by in St Petersburg that morning and its yellowish coloured walls was also in keeping with St Petersburg. However look up and study the walls more intently and you will notice the unique design of dozens of statues and medallion shaped embossments of famous classic painters and sculptors.

Inside it is more subdued and took on a rather artisan, homely feel in many areas, in the way the exhibits were displayed. Modernist art was big here and as usual, when entertained by this type of art, I was entranced.

The museum is on three levels and sectioned by date and temporary exhibitions which I also got to see.  There is also a bistro serving snacks, lunch and evening meals as well as just coffee and drinks.

I learned something new here. I noticed the artworks had descriptive plaques next to them in four languages. I recognised Finnish, Russian and English but was confused with the fourth. I just had to ask an attendant what that language was!

She happily told me that it was Swedish. I probably looked confused and wondered why Swedish was used, considering it is such a minority language in the world. I would have understood, Chinese, French or German  …. but Swedish?

I naively asked, is that because Sweden is their next-door neighbour and presumably they get a lot of visitors. She politely replied that it was because Swedish is actually an official language of Finland (although not used much). There you are !

Finnish art from the 18th to 20th Century is extensively depicted here and easily its most voluminous collection. Despite not knowing any of these artists I was captivated by their artworks. The experimental works were vivid and in my humble opinion gave me as much enjoyment in their composition as many similar works by world-famous artists.

There is one very famous painting here by Vincent Van Gogh of a street where he lived before his death. The Museum is actually famous for being the first Museum to acquire a Van Gogh and display it in a collection back in 1903.

After eventually prising myself out of the art gallery, I reluctantly headed away down a street to the right of the building (facing it with the railway station at my back).

This lead me down an interesting pedestrianised street with the grandiose 1930’s style brown brick and glass building of The World Trade Centre on my left and eventually the Stockmann store (high class dept store) on my right. The street itself was a mixture of grand 19th century, 1930’s brick ,and modern concrete buildings with cafes and stores lining the route.

I was tempted just to peek inside the Stockmann dept store but the rather plush pavement café belonging to it and the people exiting in rather refined  clothes made me hesitate.

I was dressed rather bedraggled having just  put on comfy travel clothes for my train trip from Russia that morning and felt decidedly underdressed in running shoes and cargo trousers. Maybe another day when I felt better dressed.

At the end of this street you come across “the Swedish Theatre” . You can’t miss its with stucco exterior with a circular design at one end and the rather office like sides, full of plain windows and walls.

It actually puts on performances only in Swedish – yet again reminded of the official status of the Swedish language here!

Next door to the theatre was the beginning of the beautiful, long, leafy Esplanade park .

Esplanade Park Helsinki

This long finger of a park stretched all the way down to the square that faces the main harbour area. It holds many statues of artwork or famous people but is also just a place that locals clearly relax in on the benches .

One of the most famous Finnish poets Eino Leino has a statue here as well as Zacharias Topelius, another poet and novelist and Rector of Helsinki University in his day. His statue however is not of himself but a representation of two naked females cast in bronze, called Fact and Fable.

The park is lined outside with some of the most prestigious hotels and shops in the city and its grandiose and somewhat dense pattern of regular same-height buildings, gives it an almost Parisian Champs Elysee feel.

One of Helsinki’s top hotels- the Kamp Hotel (an unfortunate name for us English speakers!) – is located here. If you are tempted to splurge then it does have a restaurant and café that overlook the park. The price list is very much on the high side though, so be warned,

The famous park café, Kappeli, looks like a stylish small villa built at the very end of the long central walk. It was still expensive for me but was actually quite busy with locals. Just goes to show the different lifestyle prices between Finns and us Brits.

South Harbour

Unsure what to call this area as it seems to go by two names.

It is the main harbour from where most of the local ferries leave, including the big one to Suomenlinna island fortress. It is  called Etelasatama (South Harbour) and Kauppatori (Market Square), as the main market sits in front of the harbour expanse.

Here are also located many of the most important govt buildings and several monuments and fountains.

Havis Amanda Fountain

The Havis Amanda is regarded as one of the most important and beloved pieces of public art in Helsinki.

Cast in bronze, is a sculpture of a mermaid standing on seaweed, as she rises from the water,, Around here are four fish spouting water at her feet, surrounded by four sea lions, also spouting water. It all rests in a fountain made of granite.

The sculpture’s intention was  for the fountain to symbolize the rebirth of Helsinki in 1908. 

It is rather strangely now within the roundabout of tram tracks so watch out for the trams if you want to cross the tracks to see it.

Harbour and Market Square

Looking across the flat expanse in front of the harbour sits the City Hall bedecked in the blue and white of the national flag and the President’s Palace (in Yellow). Next door to the Palace is the low-rise, columned building of the Presidential Guard.

What fascinated me was that the Palace is not cordoned off. I could walk up to the windows and even Knock on the panes or doors (I didn’t !). I guess Finland has such few world enemies that security is not paramount here.

Here on the market place is a monument commemorating the visit of the Russian Empress Alexandra. Erected in 1835.

It’s a granite obelisk with a gilded two headed eagle and globe. Remember that Russia ruled Finland at the time.

In front and around the obelisk is Helsinki’s main market. It sells everything from tourist souvenirs, to handicrafts, to homewares and foodstuffs and even has a couple of takeaway stalls.

I have to say it is the smallest city market I have ever seen with only around 30 small tented stalls with a large open air car park for the venders next door.

Vanha kauppahalli – Old market Hall 

This was a little treasure of a find.

It is basically the Old Market Hall and has now been transformed into a mall of mainly food stalls and small eateries.

It has kept the old building’s high walls and windows and now small stalls fill the internal space selling all types of foods and wares. The most interesting were the food stalls selling all manner of canned Finnish foods from fish to bear meat and fresh vegetables and drinks,

I found a stall selling reindeer meat in cans and offering tastings to the many bemused (and probably shocked) tourists wandering the walkways. If you need lunch or a quick coffee and snack then this is a real Finnish way to indulge.

Boat and ferry harbour terminus

In front of the Market square, the ferries to the islands and harbour tours dock and in Summer this is a busy little place.

Ferries are fairly frequent but also expensive. Luckily my Helsinki Card included a harbour trip and the ferry line to the island fortress. The bustle of ferries arriving and departing and crowds mingling nearby in the market square gives the area a city feel.

Bigger international ferries tended to be moored further away from the front of the quayside. Several were clearly car carrying ferries too.

Views from the boats back to the rather plain style but well organised quayside show how buildings line the edges for the fantastic sea views.

Several larger hotels are located on the outer sections of the harbour facing  the sea, no doubt for the views. It was also clear that several prestigious apartment blocks were here too. Their price no doubt reflected the vista they captured!

Helsinki Skywheel

Set to one side of the harbourfront was a Ferris Wheel and a recreation area. Here was a huge public terrace with café and deck chairs that overlooked the front of the harbour and two swimming pools.

Like most cities nowadays Helsinki has its own Ferris Wheel. Sad as it may be I have never been on a Ferris wheel, despite passing the London Eye (London’s Ferris Wheel) virtually every day when I worked in central London. I’ve avoided them as I’m not good with heights but I decided I had to overcome it and get on board .

The wheel gives you great views of the harbourfront and associated buildings but as you rise higher the whole of the city comes into view. I could see across to the Cathedral in Senate Square and across to the South Harbour and suddenly I got a good perspective and layout of the city before me.

The only issue I had was that the glass in the windows had a blue sheen to them, presumably as a screen for the sun. This however meant that all my photos from above came out in an annoying blue haze, hence none of them are shown here, apart from a couple that I managed to get through a small, clear glass, side window.

Uspenski Cathedral Helsinki

Near to the Ferris Wheel, and in fact you get a great aerial view of it as you circle on the Ferris Wheel, is the uniquely shaped Uspenski cathedral.

Unusual in that is it built of red brick – as opposed to the cream coloured concrete or stucco on the majority of buildings here. It is uniquely angular also with small turrets, small gold onion domes and jutting angles, built up a slope with green copper coloured roofs and turret tops.

It stands out colour and design-wise despite it not being a modern building, in fact it was finished in 1868. It was designed by a Russian architect and built from the bricks of a ruined fortress on the Aland Islands between Sweden and Finland. The bricks were ferried over in barges – all 700,000 of them – and today it stands as the main Cathedral of the Eastern Orthodox religion in Helsinki and Finland

The walk up to the Cathedral is along a long incline. When you reach the foreground of the building there is then another long climb up a wide flight of external steps. On religious days there are also stairs via steps in the internal hallway that climbs the side of the slope. Either way a climb up steps here is unavoidable.

On a point of interest, the other Cathedral here in Helsinki is also reached via a long climb up wide steps – has Helsinki got a thing about important churches being built aloft and accessed via steps!

At first, for me, the exterior looked rather gloomy due to its dark coloured bricks and I assumed the interior would be similar.

After a few minutes of slowly climbing the steps I arrived at the flat concourse to one side and got marvellous views over the rooftops of the city. I can understand now why it was built on the high promontory of rock overlooking the harbour and city.

Inside I was met with a somewhat similar scenery of Orthodox Cathedral interiors to what I had just seen in Russia the previous week.

Lots of painted wall murals and iconography on the walls of many saints and the abundance of gold in its decorative images and colourings.

The main altar was very ornate and beautifully carved, although I could not get close to it as it was roped off.

Again, as in Russia, there were various framed paintings and small shrines that people were briefly praying in front. They then often kissed the painting or touched it quickly in reverence, before crossing themselves.

I stood back and watched discreetly how people moved from one icon to the other, prayed for a few minutes with lots of bowing, crossing themselves and kissing of the object then moved on to another. A system of worship that I was not used to seeing so it entranced me for a while.

The interior was so quiet despite the numbers of people worshipping. I often felt like the only tourist there, so I felt I had to be discreet also in my photo-taking. Amazed that it was even permitted to photograph in an Orthodox Cathedral as many, world-wide, do not permit it.

Uspenski Cathedral is claimed to be the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe, although it doesn’t feel that large on the inside. The name derives from the Old Slavonic name “Uspenie” meaning Dormition, (Dormition of the Virgin Mary). Worth a visit for its unique colouring and setting, but remember it is closed on Mondays.

Ravintola Sipuli area

Walk back down the steps and turn right and you are on the area of the old port again. This time there is a long line of terraced buildings akin to harbourside warehouse buildings. Indeed I suspect that’s what they were, but now they are converted to a mixture of restaurants, bars, events area and small offices.

The red brick designs almost match, colour-wise, Uspenski Cathedral, a stone’s throw away and are a great stop off point for a drink and bite to eat.

If you want to go back to the South Harbour area, you cross over the small Love Bridge. Here lovers have attached a padlock, signifying their love, to the mesh in the structure of the bridge. The display and idea has been copied in many cities from the one over the Seine River in Paris and here is Helsinki’s version.

Halkolaituri area Helsinki 

The whole area here overlooks what, in my mind, must be one of the most desirable living locations in Helsinki. The views are of the adjacent marina with small yacht and sailing craft moored alongside the quayside. The well maintained higher buildings on the opposing bank are clearly prestigious

A walk along here takes you out of the bustle of the city and into a seascape view, which is exactly what I did, enjoying the panorama on the way

North harbour (Norra Hamnen)

If you are a sailing person then here is where you will no doubt want to moor your boat – and probably live on it here too.

The setting is picturesque with the near offshore islands displaying their greenery. Nearby is a Marina with its private boats bobbing in the water and heritage restored boats moored opposite.

Yet more stylish apartment blocks line the promenade of what is the island that Uspenski Cathedral sits on and I even noticed a few Embassies located here too.

The sea views in Summer are glorious though I have seen pictures of it in Winter when the sea often freezes over. Luckily nearby is located the base for the nuclear powered ice breakers.

A boat trip round the bay (free with the Helsinki Card), brought me up close to them with views to the Zoo on one island, on the other side of the harbour.

Seeing the boats moored alongside the quayside and the pretty marina encouraged me to take a long walk along the whole seafront promenade. It was so peaceful with a wide well maintained walkway and only the clanging of the metal cables against the metal masts resonating in the air

It was easy to forget you were in a capital city as the atmosphere felt more akin to a quaint, country, sea resort.

Helsinki street scenes

From here I only had one thing left to see today and as it was getting late I needed to press on to get there before it got too dark to take photos.

It’s worth noting that there are so many solid Scandinavian style buildings around the central area. Just passing by them I noticed their grandeur and their importance was obvious. No need to go inside them as they didn’t necessarily have worthy interiors but here are a few I passed by.

The Supreme Court of Finland

The old Parliament Building, now just Govt offices

The Bank of Finland

Vanha Kirkko, The Old church (oldest existing church in Helsinki) from 1826

Now for the piece de resistance – the main act !

This building is virtually the symbol for Helsinki despite it being finished in only 1852.

Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral

This Cathedral was built in a neoclassical style, adorned with bright white walls and topped with an iconic green dome.  It can be seen from many points around the city due to its elevated position on what is a huge raised slab next to senate Square

Again, you will need to climb a vast set of steps to get to the actual cathedral. Once there, you have a magnificent view over the rooftops of the adjoining central area of the city.

This building replaced a smaller one dating from 1724 and its present bells were the original ones, transferred to its belfry from the old church.

I learnt that its design was supposed to be similar to St Isaac’s Cathedral and Kazan Cathedral, both in St Petersburg. Having been there the day before I can see the vague resemblance. It doesn’t help in the comparison that St Isaac’s is built of dark stone and has gloriously over-the-top decorations and paintings inside.

The Kazan Cathedral is of cream coloured stone outside and quite dark inside with columns, so again the resemblance is patchy.

Nicolas I, Tsar of Russia, donated the ornate altarpiece to the Cathedral. Click here for the link to tourist info for this Cathedral.

With such a grand exterior and wow factor I was expecting opulence inside. However inside it is very understated and simple in design and colour. The walls reflect the exterior in being plastered in white (a very Nordic restrained style of decoration I had come to notice).

There were several large pieces of ornamentation but they felt more art gallery/museum placed than a Cathedral. I was surprised, actually, at how little there was to photograph, apart from the massive church organ and altar piece.

The interior was spacious and, unlike the nearby Uspenski Cathedral, there were hordes of tourist who were often loudly chatting.

Impressive from the outside with great views, the interior lacks the grandeur I expected. However, having seen photos of the Cathedral beforehand I was glad to have finally visited it .

If you catch a blue sky day as I did, then the photo, like mine, will show off the stark white exterior gloriously.

Senate Square

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Senate Square used to actually be a cemetery. It wasn’t until the grand city plan for Helsinki was designed that it was re-designated as a city centre public square.

On either side of the square sits the present days offices of the Prime Minister of Finland and the Cabinet Offices, in a building from1822. Facing it across the square, sits the main University building from 1832. The wo buildings are identical and thus form mirror images of each other across the square.

Both are grand classical styled buildings and with the third side being taken up by the elevated Cathedral, the large square makes a magnificent impression.

In the centre of the square sits a statue of Emperor Alexander of Russia from 1894. It was built in honour of his commitment to the autonomy from Russia of Finland in 1863, which led to its eventual Independence in 1917.

This creative monument also represents his reforms and comprises Alexander on a pedestal surrounded by figures representing law, culture, and peasants.

Getting this statue in the foreground with the Cathedral in the background was a difficult shot given that the sun was shining directly into me at that angle.

The view looking down into Senate Square from the Cathedral steps was impressive. However the sight of lines of coaches parked on its perimeter gave it an almost car park feel that spoiled the vista.

Thus my first day in Helsinki came to a close. Light was fading and I had to get back to the train station to pick up my bag for the 10 min walk to my apartment near Kamppi and check in.

I had packed a lot into the first day, albeit at a whirlwind speed and I needed a rest. Stopping off at the big supermarket in the Kamppi centre was on on the list of things to do and to get back to the apartment to eat and sleep.

Midnight Sun in Helsinki

The start to my day commenced with a surprise!

I woke spontaneously and saw that the room was lit with daylight. I at first panicked that I had overslept as it was daylight, even though I still felt tired.

So I looked at my watch and it said 3 o’clock. I was startled that I had slept through till 3 in the afternoon – that was unusual for me. I realised my alarm had not gone off and checked it and my phone said it was 3 o’clock … but 3 am ! .

I was now totally confused.  Was it 3 pm – the sky was light when it should be dark, or was it 3am like my phone was saying.

Totally confused, I got out of bed and looked out the window. The sky was blue but the street looked as if was in partial shade. Street lights were strangely on but the street was deserted and silent.

Had there been a mass evacuation and I had missed it?  Had everyone been killed off in a biological attack but somehow I had survived  …… the stuff that went through my befuddled mind was shocking ! Something is wrong here, but I couldn’t work out what in my semi-slumber state.

I turned on my laptop, just to get a third confirmation of the time and it said 3am. …. So I was right, the alarm had not gone off because it was not past 8am. So why was the sky in daylight if it is 3am in the morning???

Then I suddenly realised what was what. This was the famous Midnight sun where Finland has near daylight at night during Summer, due to its proximity to the North Pole.

The child in me said I just had to get a couple of pics of this to show to my friends back home, where this never happens. So stepped out onto the balcony and got my memento of this weird and wonderful spectacle.

What a start to the day – luckily I managed to crawl back into bed to get the rest of the night’s sleep!

Day two in Helsinki (northern area)

I knew today could involve a lot of walking as the sites I wanted to visit were not far enough apart to warrant using a tram between them but just that bit further apart to involve a good 20 mins amble between each site.

I’d do a combination of walking (which I love to soak up the urban scene and atmos) and public transport.

I knew the hop-on-hop-off bus stopped just down the road from me and it was included in my Helsinki card.. This meant I could take this bus and get off at the Sibelius Monument in the north area of the city. This was as far out as I needed to go and was too far to walk. I could then start my sightseeing from there, working my way back towards the centre.

Alternatively I could catch the 24 bus but not knowing where the bus stop or monument was to get off at the right place was a bit daunting. At least the h-o-h-o bus would defo stop nearby and announce it. I heard tram 8 takes the same route but I also heard it was temporarily suspended as they were renewing the tracks to that area of town.

So I waited at the stop, jumped on the h-o-h-o bus and easily got to the monument, noting the nice but somewhat plain apartment blocks on the way.

Sibelius Monument.

Jean Sibelius is the most famous Finnish composer (the only one?). I had listened to his most famous work – Finlandia – many a time and  was excited to get to see this artwork memorial to him. He lived 1896 to1957.

He is credited with helping Finland create its national identity, along with other artists and playwriters of the time, and forge its independence from Russia in 1917.

Probably the most celebrated Finnish citizen internationally, he became world famous in the 1920s. He even had his image on a banknote of the then Finnish Mark currency and his birthday is a celebration day throughout Finland. Fame indeed!

His home is even now a national building and was opened as a museum in 1974.

Here, in the aptly named Sibelius Park, a dual memorial was erected.  It resembles silver organ pipes and is made of over 600 pipes welded together.  It is supposed to make a soft tonal noise from the reverberations of the wind on windy days, (no wind on my day, so sadly no tones to be heard). To one side is a silver representation of the composer’s face in a stylised sculpture attached to a large long carved rock.

The setting is rather simple as it is in a large clearing of the mostly tree covered park and if you were not looking for it, you may even walk past it nearby and not realise it was there. However given the huge numbers of tourists who flock here in the Summer you won’t miss its location – just follow the crowds!

The park leads down to the water’s edge and has views over the nearby small marina.

Olympic Stadium area. 

The walk from the park to the stadium was a good 25 mins but it passed along residential streets, where I got a further urban/local’s feel for the city.

The stadium itself is nothing special in that it is just another oval shaped massive arena. It is just that these Games commemorated a lot of important first and events.

Helsinki held the games in 1952 because they were originally planned for 1940 but WW2 stopped that. London held the intervening 1948 Olympics.

It was effectively a belated celebration. For the Soviet Union, China, Indonesia and Israel, among others, these were their first Olympics as nations. It was the first appearance of Japan and Germany after being barred in 1the 1948 Games.

So the prestige of a first time of nearly all new nations was on Helsinki’s shoulders and apparently it was a really successful Olympics.

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I could see the stadium from the outside and the side area and pitches as it is now a civic sports area. The entrance area was being renovated.

A statue, in bronze, of a running Paavo Nurmi, nicknamed the “Flying Finn” was stood elegantly to one side.

He set 22 official world records at distances between 1500 metres and 20 kilometres, and won 9 gold and 3 silver medals in his Olympic career. He was never beaten in his 14 year running career in cross country and the 10,000 metres. I do hope he got more than just a statue for that incredible feat of athleticism.

From here it was to be a quite long walk down back towards the city centre.

I could take the tram or bus and just see the next few buildings, as I passed by them, as they all faced the main road. However I noticed that the Toolo Bay was a pretty looking lake and there was a lakeside pathway to follow for part of of my route.

This would give me wonderful views of water, tress and ducks as I followed it and also pass by some of the buildings I wanted to see.

Across the road from the Olympic park was where it started, so off I trundled. The walkway was indeed very countryfied and leafy. If it was not for the imposing buildings I met on the way I would have felt as if I was in a countryside setting.

The Finnish National Opera and Ballet

This modern and quite rectangular building was not what I was expecting. I have always envisaged Opera Houses as being ornate buildings a few centuries old and dating from the times when it was invented. This one was definitely not that.

From the back, where I first saw it walking along the lakeside path, it looked like a cross between a botanical gardens glasshouse and the end of an atriumed shopping mall. From the front it looked akin to a 1980s low rise office block. In fact the only thing giving it away was the large sign stating it was the Opera House.

I had no plans to go inside and merely wanted to see what Helsinki’s version of an Opera and Ballet House was. In truth it was a bit too plain and functional for me but then Scandinavian design can often be just that. Time to roll with it I guess! Click here for the official website info

Outside near the lake was an open air amphitheatre for Summer productions. The setting against the lake and parkland on a warm Summer eve must be idyllic. Unfortunately I had to give that some thought as today was a bit rainy and cold.

My park walk was becoming enjoyable. The peace was welcome as I could hear the car noise faintly in the background, as nearby was one of Helsinki’s busiest main roads, running parallel to the park.

I could see my next site ahead through the open area of the trees and it was much bigger than I thought it would be.

Finlandia Hall 

The approach through the park and onto a large tarmacked area at the back of the Hall, where it faces onto the lake, gave me a huge vista of it in one go.

It looked like a low rise airport terminal. Large picture windows slotted along a huge expanse of long white wall. Only a creative mid section broke up the symmetry of the white marble and granite structure. This was a huge conference centre and impressively well maintained.

The front of the building, facing the main road, resembled a depot with offices above. The simple and functionalist style of Scandic design was very much evident in this edifice also. The Opera House and this building all looked quite new and clean as if built within the last 30 years.

I knew I would have to leave the park eventually as the next site was on the opposite side of the road.

The National Museum of Finland

Across the road lay this museum. The exterior looked like a mix between a big church hall and a city hall built of grey stone block walls with a tower. Whilst it was included in my Helsinki card I felt I was going to see enough today. I read it contained Prehistoric artefacts and treasures from the medieval times to the 20th Century, so it didn’t particularly float my boat for interest.

The statue sitting between the museum and the nearby Parliament caught my eye.

This was of Kyösti Kallio, a Finnish politician who served as the fourth President of Finland from 1937–1940. He was a prominent leader and served as Prime Minister four times and Speaker of the Parliament six times.

Talking of the Parliament, that was my next place to see. The area around it was undergoing some big redevelopments and so I could only get a photo from the other side of the road.

Parliament building Helsinki

This brown monolith of a building seems out of place in Helsinki. It is clearly a design from the 1920s, having opened 1932 and sits tall and wide by itself in an open area facing the main road.

The design incorporates a façade of 14 tall slender columns that line the frontal area. The windows are set behind the columns with only small circular ones at the top of each column. The whole effect is one of a very heavy and almost ominous looking building.

In July and August there are guided tours bookable in advance. Click here for the Parliament official website for more info

I had now finally arrived at my last destination on my long walk down to the city centre from the north area, arriving near the train station.

Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and the Music Centre 

This museum was again included in the Helsinki Card but I had arrived late in the day and it was nearly closing time. It is a cultural centre with thematic annual exhibitions and monthly exhibitions so it really depends what’s on show for what experience you get.

It has lots of inspirational paintings, sculptures and other displays from around the world in the roving exhibits. Its fame is to be Avant Garde and a little different so you will see different artists and creations of contemporary art on each visit.

Opened in 1998, the museum is housed in an iconic, curvilinear building and set in a flat open grassed area – you can’t miss it. Click here for opening times and official website 

The next door Music Centre is yet another glass and steel structure dedicated to concerts and music events. It has several auditoriums and set next to the modern office and residential blocks behind it and the Museum gives the area a very futuristic look.

My day now finished here. I was back near the Kamppi Centre just across the road. Just enough time to pop into the supermarket there on the way home to pick up a few things for my evening meal and then a well earned rest on the comfy sofa in the apartment.

Day three in Helsinki

This was going to be a day dedicated to one place.

The site is so large that it needs several hours just to walk around it and take in all the natural beauty, the sea views, the old buildings  and also involved a roughly 30 min ferry trip to get to it .

Suomenlinna

This is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site and can only be accessed by ferry.

The island has for centuries been used as a protective defence for the city as any attack from the sea has to approach it to get to the city.

Now, a little history lesson is needed to explain why this collection of island has been such an important military aspect of the area and the change of hands over the centuries.

This collection of eight islands (some now connect by sea bridges), sit about 4 km southeast of Helsinki in the Baltic Sea.

They were originally called Sveaborg (castle of the Swedes) in 1748 as it was owned by Sweden – The Finns called it Viapori by contrast. The Swedes built the first fortress here as a defence against their long term rivals the Russians. Sweden also ruled what is now Finland.

However in the Finnish War of 1807 Sweden lost the islands and Finland to the Russians, who then gave Finland semi-autonomy within the Russian Empire. The Russians invested heavily in enlarging the island fortress and making it a larger military base.

When the Finns took it over from the Russians, on their Independence from them in 1917, they renamed it Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland).

There you have the history – so now let’s get to see some of this island.

The ferry leaves the South Harbour at fairly regular intervals and as Suomenlinna was included in my Helsinki Card I made good use of the trip. As it plies out of the harbour and looking back you get a new perspective of the skyline of the city from the water.

The sea route takes you past the small islands dotted at the entrance to the open sea, many of which were inhabited with large houses and big restaurants.

Many of the islands here are lived on by locals and their boats moored in the small marinas of each island is their method of transport off the island. What an idyllic way to live !

The ferry stops of at a couple of other islands on the way so make sure you are getting of at the main island for the fortress, museum and outbuildings.

The approach to each island is stunning as you get to see them from the waters edge and some have picturesque sea facing buildings and small marinas.

The approach to the main island is eerily quiet. You steadily steam up to the outer walls of parts of the fortress and it is clear you are heading towards large fortifications, The buildings gradually get bigger as you skirt the outer areas .

The boat then turns towards an inlet and the walls now reach to the water’s edge. The heavy blocks of granite reinforce the feeling that this place would have been impregnable in its day.

The walls are also becoming angled and terraced as you approach the harbour. The feeling is that you have passed one set of fortifications only to now face another set of walls.

The main island contains so much to wander around externally as there is a small community living here anyhow. Around 900 people actually live on the islands and around 300 of them work here also.

The main museum is located in the governor’s house and features period furniture, paintings and settings of the 1800s. The mannequins placed among the pieces in period costumes feel somewhat strange given their postures but I suppose lend a bygone air to the rooms.

The walks around the island are long and often without signage, so get a map if you can. Many of the old outbuildings that were once barracks, general quarters and storage areas have been converted into cafes and shops. Many are artisan stores so the more unusual gifts can be bought here and they are also owned by people living on the island.

One set of buildings face towards the other very nearby island that is connected by a bridge to one side. More walking will take you to the fortifications, gun emplacements and sea views back to the mainland.

There is even a quaint old church here, which I did take shelter in and then explore during a short downpour of rain.

Finland’s last submarine

The island contains an unexpected historical piece. Here is a submarine, open and ready for internal exploration. The fact that it is not in the water but raised on a platform on the land gives it you full view of the whole submarine, hull and all.

The Paris Peace Treaty of 1947 forbade Finland from having submarines, so the Finnish submarines were scrapped, with the exception of the Vesikko, the one here. Launched in 1933, Vesikko was restored as a museum and opened to the public in 1973.

It was Finland’s last submarine and although it now can have subs it has decided not to incorporate them in its navy. It is thus the only Baltic state without submarines.

The walks around the island bring you back to nature. The low cliffs and fields have been left to return to wild flowers, trees and bushes.

I spent quite some time following what were only tracks along the sealine, looking out to the grey Baltic Sea and enjoying the tranquillity and birdsong.

I spent around 3 hours on the island as you can cross two bridges to two smaller islands for more exploring. The site is extensive so give yourself plenty of time to take in the natural beauty and historical importance of this place.

For more info on tickets, ferries etc click on the link here to the official website  

However remember that if you buy the Helsinki Card, then Suomenlinna is included in it According to which number of days to buy the card for, the entrance/ferry charge for this attraction on its own could cover a substantial part of the cost of the Helsinki Card.

Well worth, therefore giving the Helsinki Card some serious thought.

The chance to sit down on the ferry on the way back was a welcome relief as after 2 weeks of walking through the sites of Russia and Helsinki I was ready for my flight home the next day to recuperate.

Getting to the airport is simple. Trains leave from the main train station fairly regularly and take you to the terminal.

Well, that was Russia and Finland completed in one trip.

I would seriously advise you to hop over to Finland if you are visiting St Petersburg or vice versa (Visa applicable). The train service between the two cities was easy, modern and a great way to see more of both countries.

You can fly but why see the interior of two anonymous airports when you get the superb scenery from your window on a clean and efficient train service.

Below are some related posts on nearby places to visit. Click on the pic to view.