A Taste of Finland
Helsinki
In this post we will cover the capital of the happiest country in the entire world. Is it really as good as people say or just a waste of time?
Let me tell you a little about Finland and my time there. In total, I spent 3 days in Helsinki and I have something to say.
On the first day, the city seemed extremely boring and completely unsympathetic. The reason for that was a wrong street and part of the city to walk through and that I was completely exhausted after two flights with a stopover in Warsaw, Poland. Thats why I decided to go with a ferry to Tallinn, Estonia. The trip took about 2 hours and normally costs 20EUR per person.
If you need to get to the city center there are several options. First, you can always take an Uber/Bolt and it will cost you around 40EUR, the ride will take around 20 to 30 minutes. Another option is a public transport. There are express bus shuttle services and direct train to the central station (which is conveniently placed right in the center of the city). You can buy tickets for couple of Euros at the counter or through the app called HSL (actually very nice to use and move around the whole metropolitan area of Helsinki) - 10/10.
Two days later I returned back to Helsinki to see the city from a different perspective. I can say one thing - it was very surprising. Very beautiful streets and gorgeous promenades with lots of musicians and other street artists. Everything is very clean and everyone around is happy and extremely polite. The architecture is reminiscent of imperial Russia, namely St. Petersburg, but unlike the latter in Finland, each building is in perfect condition.
On the first day, the city seemed extremely boring and completely unsympathetic. The reason for that was a wrong street and part of the city to walk through and that I was completely exhausted after two flights with a stopover in Warsaw, Poland. Thats why I decided to go with a ferry to Tallinn, Estonia. The trip took about 2 hours and normally costs 20EUR per person.
If you need to get to the city center there are several options. First, you can always take an Uber/Bolt and it will cost you around 40EUR, the ride will take around 20 to 30 minutes. Another option is a public transport. There are express bus shuttle services and direct train to the central station (which is conveniently placed right in the center of the city). You can buy tickets for couple of Euros at the counter or through the app called HSL (actually very nice to use and move around the whole metropolitan area of Helsinki) - 10/10.
Two days later I returned back to Helsinki to see the city from a different perspective. I can say one thing - it was very surprising. Very beautiful streets and gorgeous promenades with lots of musicians and other street artists. Everything is very clean and everyone around is happy and extremely polite. The architecture is reminiscent of imperial Russia, namely St. Petersburg, but unlike the latter in Finland, each building is in perfect condition.
Helsingin Tuomiokirkko (Helsinki Cathedral)
Opened in 1852, it became one of the most famous structure in Helsinki. Seen from almost any part of the city, the cathedral finishes an amazing skyline of the city.
Opened in 1852, it became one of the most famous structure in Helsinki. Seen from almost any part of the city, the cathedral finishes an amazing skyline of the city.
List of places worth visiting:
- Shop in Helsinki's Market Square (Kauppatori)
- Temppeliaukio Rock Church
- Museum of Contemporary Art (Kiasma)
- Korkeasaari Zoo
- Central Park
- The Gallen-Kallela museum
- Suomenlinna (Fortress)
For dinner, I went to a Finnish fusion restaurant called "Toca" situated in the central area of the city. Awesome tuna tartare on artichoke mousse, fresh salmon with wasabi ice cream, pork cheeks with asparagus and vanilla ice cream with rose petals for dessert. Very calm and cozy atmosphere inside made the time spent there even better, every second was enjoyable
In conclusion I would say that Helsinki is a definite must visit and there is a plenty of things to do. Surrounded by gorgeous nature this modern built city has lots to offer. Tons of aesthetic places to go out and have a nice meal and plenty of museums you can spend the whole day in.
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