Helsinki is such a charming city. I’ve heard many said “It’s not too large and not too small”, but of course more than that, Helsinki is filled with vibrant places and happenings. Are you visiting Helsinki? I have a shortlist of places that you might like to start with. I usually take guests to follow this route and they’ve always enjoyed it. You can easily extend this as a full day tour as there are many other interesting places around to visit.
- Helsinki City Museum
Located at Sofiankatu 4, just across the Market Square area, here you can discover Helsinki’s history. Informative and intriguing displays will show you Helsinki since year 1500 up to now. Quite interestingly, the building was once the Stockmann shopping center. It has multiple floors and beside the permanent exhibitions you can also find temporary exhibitions. Depends on your interest, you can spend easily one hour here. Entry to the museum is free. From the museum you can walk and visit the white Cathedral. There are also many gift shops in the area.
- Kauppatori (Market Square)
Here you can find an array of merchants offering food, crafts and fresh produce. Fill up your hunger with salmon soup, or try the local’s favorite fried little fish (muikku) with fried potatoes. Donut filled with jam (possumunkki) with a cup of coffee is always a delight. In this market there are many artists selling their handmade creations, as well as vendors who offer typical souvenir merchandise. The locals visit the market to buy among others vegetables, breads, fish and fresh flowers. If you are a foodie like me or you have extra time, walk a bit south along the Eteläranta street and visit the recently renovated Market Hall. The place offers authentic atmosphere and you can find many delicious food from handmade chocolates to ready-to-eat dishes for your picnic on your next destination: Suomenlinna.
- Suomenlinna
From Kauppatori, you can go to Suomenlinna, an island about 20 minutes by boat. Suomenlinna is a maritime fortress which is a Unesco’s World Heritage. I usually visit it several times a year, and whenever I go I use the Helsinki City ferry, literally the public water bus. When I visited last time, the ticket was valid for two ways on the same day. Make sure you check when the last boat will depart back to Helsinki (I think it’s before midnight), and make sure you don’t miss it (sure!).
It’s an open island so there is no entry ticket. Even though there are many visitors especially during the summer time, finding a peaceful spot to enjoy picnic is always possible. Extend your visit by enjoying the museums, galleries and craft shops. You would also enjoy restaurants and cafes there, quite many to choose from. Be prepared to walk and wear comfortable shoes, as you can move around Suomenlinna on foot only. Bringing a bottle of water would be handy. You might want to reserve at least a half day or, if your schedule is really tight, minimum three hours, for a nice exploring of the island.
I’ll share more favorite spots in Helsinki in my coming blog posts.
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