Length: 7 days
Tour Company: Over the Horizon
Tour: Finland Self Guided
Traveler: Dave
Places visited:
1 – Helsinki
2 – Helsingin Tuomiokirkko
3 – Uspenskin Katedraali
4 – SkyWheel Helsinki
5 – Kauppatori
6 – Havis Amanda
7 – Vanha Kauppahalli
8 – Helsingin Satama
9 – Esplanadi
10 – Pohjola Insurance Building
11 – Helsinki Central Station
12 – Suomenlinna
A quick flight from Copenhagen lies Helsinki. Again I flew with Norwegian Air and the process was nice and easy with self check in and bag tagging at the airport. Once the bag tag is put on the checked bag, you take it to the belt, scan it, and it takes it away for you. You can then proceed to security which was super quick and easy. There were 12-15 security lines, each fully staffed, and barely anyone in line. I was through security in 2 minutes and off to find a quiet place to sit until I had a gate assignment for the flight.
Entering Finland through Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is no issue when coming from Denmark as there is no need to clear immigration. There are a few different exits in Terminal 2, Exit 2A and 2B. They are not next to each other and they have their own baggage claims. Make sure you pay attention on the aircraft as to which baggage claim you will need to use.
After getting my bag, I headed for the train station to get my ticket into Helsinki. The Kiosk has multiple languages and a quick link button for Helsinki Central Station. The ticket from the airport is 5.00 € ($5.71) and is valid for an hour. The train takes about 25 minutes to get from the airport to the central station, which is the last stop so you can’t miss it. There are multiple trains that head from the airport to the central station and take different amounts of time depending on the route, so there could be 11 – 13 stops and take 25 – 30 minutes to get there. Seating is open, so grab a seat and relax all the way to Helsinki.
Helsinki
After researching hotels/hostels/etc. I found myself with a great apartment I found on Airbnb. The apartment is close to Senate Square, 1BR, 80 sq m (860 sq ft), w/ Private Sauna and is hosted by Mari, who is extremely helpful, provides an amazing place, and leaves plenty of tourist information in the apartment. The apartment has everything I could need in a place to stay and it quite comfortable. If ever in Helsinki and you’d like a great 1 BR apartment, I highly recommend staying here or at one of Mari’s other 32 listings in the area.
For a PrePaid SIM card, I chose to go through ELISA. Finland has some of the fastest, most modern, and unlimited 4G coverage in the world. I went down to their shop and I got the Unlimited data for €1 ($1.13) per day. As long as you don’t use voice or text, the SIM card was €6 ($6.78) for 6 days. Setup was pretty easy as I used the WiFi at the apartment to look up the APN information:
Name: FI – ELISA Web
APN: internet
Proxy:
Port:
Username: <blank>
Password: <blank>
Server:
MMSC:
MMS Proxy:
MMS Port:
MMS Protocol: WAP 2.0
MCC: 244
MNC: 05
Authentication Type: PAP
APN Type: default, supl
A few of the places I visited for food and drinks were:
Memphis Hesari: Located on the corner of one of the busy shopping streets, Kluuvikatu and Yliopistonkatu, Memphis Hesari concentrates on burgers, salads, and barbecue. I decided to try their chicken burger since most of the beef burgers have a sriracha mayonnaise or some other form of spicy topping. The burger came with a local bakery’s hamburger bun, chicken fillet, avocado aioli, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, pickled onion, tomato, pickles, and fries. The food was cooked well and tasted good, but with the aioli, melted mozzarella cheese, and the pickled onions, it was hard to hold on to the burger. With each bite, the ingredients wanted to slide out of the bun. I probably would not go back for another try. Total for the meal was €20.00 ($22.88)
Ravintola Pompei: This very small Italian shop for pizza and pasta is run by Italians. The food is fantastic and the service was good. I had the calzone, which has ham, mushrooms, and eggs. The crust was perfect and the fillings were flavorful. I would definitely go back for more. Total for the meal was €17.00 ($19.45)
Ravintola Kolme Kruunua: Kolme Kruunua (Three Crowns) is a traditional Finnish restaurant. I decided on the Reindeer Tenderloin which is prepared very simply with just some salt and pepper, served medium rare, with red wine sauce and creamy root vegetable hash. The whole meal was fantastic. The meat was tender and juicy, the root vegetable hash was the perfect texture, and the sauce was light, but very flavorful. I opted for the “French Toast” a.k.a. Rich Knights which is described as a traditional Finnish dessert in a style of Poor Knights made from fresh sweet bun and served with strawberry jam and whipped cream. The bread was light, fluffy, and had a soft golden brown color to it and the jam and whipped cream were sweet and went well with the French toast. Total for the meal was €50.00 ($57.20).
Ravintola Savotta: When I arrived in Helsinki, I started to check out restaurants in the area. I came across Savotta (logging site), which is traditional Finnish restaurant located on the Senate Square facing the Helsinki Cathedral. While browsing the menu, I came across the Slow-braised bear meat from Finland in Sahti beer stock, with potato with sea-buckthorn berries, organic yellow and purple cauliflower, asparagus tips, wild forest mushrooms, potato cakes, and smoked ham. The bear is sourced from the Kainuu region of East, central Finland, on the Russian border. There are only 150 Brown Bear permits granted per year and the restaurants must buy the meat directly from the hunters. Bear is not available in stores. Savotta and their sister restaurants have around 80-90% of the hunters selling the meat to them. The food was amazing. The bear meat was soft, tender, full of flavor, but not gamy. The vegetables were fresh, the potato cakes were soft inside with light, crispy outside edges, and the sea-buckthorn berries packed a tart flavor punch to stir up the dish. I’m so glad I made the trip to Savotta to try this dish. I would definitely recommend visiting Savotta and trying any of their food. Total for the meal was €70.00 ($79.75)
Attractions that I visited:
Senate Square
Senate Square is the main square directly in front of the Helsingin Tuomiokirkko (Helsinki Cathedral). It serves as a popular meeting spot since you can see it from almost everywhere in the city. Plenty of people hang out on the numerous steps of the church and overlook the area. Numerous tour buses are constantly parked along the square white tourists take pictures of the Alexander II statue, the cathedral, and the surrounding area.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Helsingin Tuomiokirkko
The Cathedral (Helsingin Tuomiokirkko) is located on the Northern side of the Senate Square and is the stage of national and academic festive services and one of the most popular tourist sites. The church is part of Helsinki”s Empire era center and a landmark for those arriving by sea. It has become the symbol of the whole of Helsinki. Earlier called St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, the current main church of the Helsinki Diocese was completed in 1852. The Kazan Cathedral located in St. Petersburg is considered to be the model for the neoclassical style of the church. Sculptures of the twelve apostles guard the city from the roof of the church.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Uspenskin Katedraali
Uspenski Cathedral was completed in 1868 and is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. With its golden cupolas and red-brick facade, the church is one of the clearest symbols of the Russian impact on Finnish history. The exterior is not elaborately decorated, but is still striking with its red brick walls and green domes, and gold cupolas. There are 13 cupolas in all, representing Christ and the twelve apostles. Inside, the cathedral houses a rich display of icons and other typical Orthodox decorations, including an impressive array of chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling. One of the icons is believed to work miracles. The central dome is held aloft by four monolithic granite pillars.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
SkyWheel Helsinki
SkyWheel Helsinki is a 40 m (130 ft) tall Ferris wheel that takes riders on a 10-12 minute trip that costs €12.00 ($13.75). I did not actually ride the SkyWheel, but did check it out while I was in the area.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Kauppatori
Kauppatori (Market) is an outdoor market with goods ranging from fruits and vegetables to fur pelts and clothing. There are also some food vendors for ice cream, crepes, etc. Also in this area are the ports for site-seeing boats, ferry to Suomenlinna (the sea fortress), lunch/dinner cruises, etc. The fruits and vegetables looked great and there were plenty of different vendors.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Havis Amanda
Havis Amanda is a bronze mermaid statue that was installed in Helsinki in 1908 as the central part of a granite fountain with four sea lions and the mermaid rising out of the sea on a pedestal of seaweed with four fish at her feet. While it originally drew much criticism, the mermaid has over the years become immensely popular, and is today widely considered an icon of the city, and its most beautiful and important piece of art.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Vanha Kauppahalli
Vanha Kauppahalli (Old Market Hall) opened in 1889, even though the date on the building is 1888. There was a construction delay that caused it to open in 1889 rather than the intended 1888. The hall was constructed because of a new consciousness about food hygiene, but it was also hoped that the market trade would become better organized if moved indoors. At the time of opening the hall had 120 stalls as well as 6 shops in the central gallery. Regulations stated that vendors were allowed to sell meat products, eggs, butter, cheese and garden produce. At the turn of the century, some of the fish trade from the outdoor marketplace was also moved into the hall. Today, 20 years after Finland joined the EU, the product selection at the Old Market Hall is better and more varied than ever before. You can find many different products inside, including fresh meats, fish, cheeses, coffee, vegetables, breads, pastries, etc. There are also some small cafés in the hall to enjoy.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Helsingin Satama
Helsingin Satama (Helsinki Port) is the home of the Eastern ports of Helsinki. This is the body of water between the SkyWheel, the Kauppatori, and the Old Market Hall where various ferries, cruise ships, and other boats are docked.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Esplanadi
Situated in the heart of Helsinki, the Esplanade Park serves as a promenade for visitors and a place to relax for the locals. The park and the Espa Stage host many popular events, including the Marimekko Fashion Show in June and the Jazz-Espa concert series throughout July.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Pohjola Insurance Building
The Pohjola Insurance Building was built in 1901. Every molding, windowsill, and doorway on the exterior of the building is adorned with a carved stone beast. “Pohjola” refers to a mythic land from the Finnish epic the Kalevala in which the Northern region of Pohjola was ruled by an evil witch. It was also believed that the roots of the World Tree could be found in Pohjola, which may explain the many reliefs of trees across the building’s facade. The word refers to any northerly direction. Given its mythological namesake, it’s no surprise that the Pohjola Insurance company agreed to adorn their building with lasting statues of monsters, fools, animals, and nature. (Source: Atlas Obscura)
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Helsinki Central Station
The Central Railway Station, a pearl among Helsinki’s art nouveau buildings, was designed by Eliel Saarinen and opened in 1919. The construction of the Railway station was however started already in 1905. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers daily, making it Finland’s most-visited building. It is also estimated that over 400 000 persons check the time when passing from the 48,5m high clock tower daily.
The station is covered with Finnish granite, and its distinguishing features are its clock tower and the two pairs of statues, the “Lantern carriers” by Emil Wikström, holding the spherical lamps on both sides of the main entrance.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) Sea Fortress is situated on a group of islands off Helsinki. Suomenlinna was built during the Swedish era as a maritime fortress and a base for the Archipelago Fleet. Work on the fortress began in 1748. When the Winter War broke out in 1939, the forces stationed on Suomenlinna included anti-aircraft and artillery units. The fortress was a base for the Finnish submarine fleet. After the Continuation War (1941–1944), only a few military units remained in Suomenlinna. In the mid-1960s, the Defence Forces announced that it would be vacating the fortress completely. When the Suomenlinna Coastal Artillery Regiment moved out in 1972, Suomenlinna was turned over to civilian administration. Among the Defence Forces units, only the Naval Academy remains in Suomenlinna to this day. Renovation of Suomenlinna began, and buildings were overhauled for residential use.
Suomenlinna was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1991. During the Finnish era, the fortress has developed into one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland. There are 45 marked places on the islands (in addition to the private residences and buildings) that include 4 ferry sites, 6 museums, 13 restaurants and cafés, 7 shops, 5 art and craft galleries, 10 other services, 6 sights, and 9 conference and banquet facilities.
Getting to the island is quite easy. I went to the Kauppatori ferry dock and purchased a round trip ticket from the kiosk. A round trip ticket costs €5.00 ($5.72) and is good for 12 hours. The ride from the dock to the island is about 10 minutes and the ferries run on a schedule of about every 10 minutes. Most things on the island are free, but the museums have an entrance fee. I visited the Vesikko Submarine museum, dry dock observation area, Great Courtyard / Ehrensvärd’s tomb, Kustaanmiekka sand banks and artillery, King’s Gate, the Manège of the Military museum, and the Suomenlinna Church. I was able to explore all the sites, except inside the church as it was reserved for a wedding all day and only guests were allowed inside. I also purchased a combo ticket for the submarine and military museums for €7.00 ($8.00). There is plenty of interesting things to explore if you want to spend 1/2 to a full day on the island. I recommend a visit to Suomenlinna if you’re ever in Helsinki.
For more pictures, check out my album on Facebook.
I hope this gives you some inspiration to take a trip to Finland. For photos from the entire trip, check out all my albums on Facebook.
Please share with your friends using the links below. If you have any questions or comments, please reply using the box below.
Thanks for reading!
Over The Horizon, LLC 