Overview
The ultimate way to arrive in Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is by boat via the Baltic Sea. The approach is extraordinary. The Silja Line is a luxury passenger ferry that runs daily between Stockholm, Sweden, and Helsinki in both directions. Once you set foot in Finland, you’ll probably be the closest you’ve ever been to the Arctic Circle.
Helsinki is a very compact and pleasant city. About a million people live there, and it has a great energy without being too frenetic. What you’ll enjoy most about being in Helsinki are the Finnish people; they have such an excitement and willingness to share their passion for their country with you. As far as European capitals go, there isn’t much travel information on Helsinki, but it’s nice not to feel weighed down by what you think you need to know. Just enjoy having a clean slate and listen to what the people in Helsinki tell you.
Highlights
Sporakoff: Taking a tour of the city is the perfect way to get a clearer picture of which parts of town you’d like to explore. Like a lot of cities, Helsinki has tour buses, but it also has the Sporakoff, which loosely translated means “beer tram.” Koff is a Finnish beer brand, and you can purchase the beer on the tram. Travelers can pick the tram up near the Central Railway Station. The entire journey around the town takes about 45 minutes, and you’ll see most of Helsinki’s notable tourist sites along the way.
Senate Square: Built in the 19th century, Senate Square is the heart of the city. In Senate Square, you’ll find the Lutheran Helsinki Cathedral as well as the government building, the Council of the State. Finland has only been an independent country since 1917; it was ruled first by Sweden and then Russia.
The Sauna: Traveling is most rewarding when you get to truly immerse yourself in a culture, and to do that in Helsinki, you’ve got to take your clothes off. In Finland, the sauna is an active social experience. Swimming suits are actually prohibited. That is, you have to be naked. The Finns go to the saunas first for relaxation, and then for the cleansing. It is a very popular pastime. After steaming themselves like lobsters, true Finns then head out to the sea, where they’ll take a quick dip no matter how cold the water. For the final twist on this Finnish pastime, after cleansing all those toxins, the traditional way to end the sauna experience is with a beer and a sausage.
The Esplanade: The Esplanade is Helsinki’s most picturesque boulevard and a very popular destination for out-of-town visitors. Finnish design institutions Iittala, Marimekko and Artek all have shops along the Esplanade.
The Arabia Factory Shop: You can drop a lot of cash in Iittala, unless you know where the discount factory shop is. Get on the No. 6 tram at the Esplanade, and you’ll be at the impressive Arabia factory shop in six minutes. The Arabia factory shop is home to Iittala and several other Finnish manufacturers’ products at discount prices.
Hotels
Sokos Hotel: When choosing a hotel in Helsinki, it’s important to stay in the city center, as that’s where all the action is. The Sokos Hotel is in a fantastic location, within walking distance of more than 800 restaurants. Sokos Hotels is the biggest hotel chain in Finland, 39 hotels in 26 cities all around the Finland and also one in Tallinn, Estonia. All hotels are located in city centres or at leisure sites, and have good transport connections.
Web site: www.sokoshotels.fi
Food/Restaurants/Bars
The Covered Market: Markets and food tell you a lot about people - their culture, habits and quality of life - and the covered market is the perfect place to discover what the Finns like to eat and drink. The covered market in Helsinki has stood on the banks of the city’s South Harbor since the 1800s; generations of families still own the same stands. Did you know that the Finns drink more coffee per capita than any other group in the world? Their bread of choice is rye, and when it comes to candy, Finns love licorice. As you’d imagine, they eat a lot of fish in Helsinki, because of the city’s location on the Baltic Sea.
Saslik: Finland has been influenced by Russia, as well as her Scandinavian neighbors, and Helsinki boasts many Russian restaurants. Of these, Saslik is the best. A typical Russian meal begins with various starters, like Baltic herring and pickles with honey and sour cream. One entrée highlight is bear wrapped in bacon with an assortment of berries. Saslik has been around for 30 years and, though semi-touristy, is a dining experience like no other.
Eat&Joy Festival: Jari Etelälahti and Aki Arjola, some not-so-typical Finns, started the annual Eat&Joy festival to promote Helsinki’s ever-changing restaurant world. The multi-day food and media event brings together good food, fine wine, fun-loving people and the arts.
Zetor: The Zetor bar and restaurant, described as a “tractor bar,” is decked out in farm machinery, hence the name Zetor, an old tractor manufacturer. You won’t find any honky-tonk music there, but you may be able bust a move to some Finnish tunes. Bands often perform there.
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