By Kristen / October 20, 2019 Like it? Did you know that Finns drink the most coffee in the entire world?! You can never exhaust Helsinki. Phone: +358 (0)294 500 501. Tourists can watch them as they weave. Closing times differ each evening from 5 pm 8 pm so check beforehand. You might not know but Finland was given the vote to host the Olympics but the competition was canceled because of World War II and invasion of the country by the Soviets. Originally created by Karl Fazer, Fazer chocolate has been around since 1922. Thank you :-), Hi Nayana, thanks so much for reading! Today, its simply called the Helsinki Cathedral or Helsinki tuomiokirkko. Before visiting Helsinki, I wasnt aware of Finlands long and complex history before it became an independent country. During my week in Helsinki, I boarded the ferry with Tallink Silja to take me over to Estonia. It is I basic sense a room having a sauna stone which may be heating using wood or by electricity. They first began making a worldwide appearance in the 1950s when London Evening News picked them up as a comic strip in their paper. There are four Moomin cafs in the capital and they are also building one at Helsinki Airport. Its free to gain entrance. A statue was built by Eila Hiltunen and was unveiled to the public in 1967 for everyone to enjoy in the park now known as Sibelius Park. Audio Engineering Society 2023 Conference in Helsinki. Thanks for letting me know and I've now updated my posts :) Sophie x. We got a week pass that allowed us to hop on and off whenever we needed. You can visit on a personal note or a group tour level. This is not just any ferry, its a huge ship that boards thousands a day. Situated at the center of Helsinki, it is an ideal location for you to view to Finnish designs and even purchase topnotch products. Visit the many viewing platforms for an epic view including the highly Instagrammable , Climb the city walls and towers, there are many places to do this but I recommend, Visit the Town Hall Square to see colourful old buildings and drink a Glgg (hot wine). The cathedral was built into rocks within Helsinki's City Centre. To the surprise of most people, they decided against a sauna and wanted a library instead! Your blog was refreshing taking me down memory lane. Its from a body of water far from the main dock and filtered so dont worry about it being dirty. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Address: Pohjoisesplanadi, 00130 Helsinki, Finland. The average Finn drinks eight cups of coffee a day but its definitely more of a social thing than to stay awake. The museum is open all summer and this is when trained guides are decked in traditional garb can tell you about life and work in rural Finland over the last 400 years. They have a bakery where locals go shopping for their daily bread and a restaurant next door that serves up a tasty all-you-can-eat breakfast. Suomenlinna is a giant maritime fortress spread across seven islands. So what is a sauna? Carl Ludwig Engel was the architect who designed the park and in 1818 it was opened. A subterranean house of worship carved right out of the bedrock. So you can imagine what it becomes seeing a collection of them. Check out the Design District just below the Esplanadi: Across just a few city blocks are some 200 design-oriented shops, galleries, buildings and attractions. Jansson created the Moomins in the 1940s and wrote eight novels, many short stories and picture books. Although I was a guest, all opinionsand photosare my own. You can check Suomenlinna ferry times on the official website too. I loved learning all about Finnish wildlife and seeing all the animals, even if they werent real lol. Design District offers you the opportunity to have these products and more! Please see my disclosure policy for details. This settlement still houses about 1000 people today. Eye-catching features of this structure is that it is a red-brick towered building, whose spires and towers are capped with stunning 13 gold cupolas. It is one highlight for American tourists as the 48-meter high tower which has a clock on it is the first the numerous designs which was brought forth to actualize Americas first skyscraper, the Saarinens 1922 Chicago Tribune Tower. It also had the most eye-catching architecture. wants to go to Now, a little company called IKEA (haha) made Swedish meatballs world-renowned as coming from Sweden but the Finn also has them here too. There are awesome saunas for your visitation. Old Market Hall is located close to the popular Old Market Square, just by the waters of Etelranta, and was open in 1889. I would definitely recommend getting here for sunset (which seems to last forever) and watching the skylight on fire! Prohibition was still in place and so alcohol was banned. The Sea Fortress, known as Sveaborg or Viapori in Finnish, was constructed on the Susiluodot islands. The National Library of Finland is the oldest and largest library in Finland. The Rock Cathedral illustrates this attitude best, but theres a thriving culture that really deserves a bit of investigation. The journey is only ten minutes over the sea and youll be transported into another world. When else can you say youve taken a dip in a thermal pool overlooking the Baltic Sea?! I would personally avoid weekends as its filled with kiddies running around and screaming all the time. Now, Helsinki is not like any capital city youve been to before. Hello and welcome to this post beloved blogntravel reader! What to Do in Helsinki in Winter Day-drink some glgi at the Christmas Markets Like many countries in Europe, Finland has joined in on the Christmas market fever. A popular independent in Helsinki, they are really ethically conscious too. You can take a walking route around the island, passing traditional farmhouses, churches, windmills, and log huts, they even have their very own sauna and public swimming pool. I loved the fact I could cook for myself here when I didnt fancy eating out at a restaurant. Huvilakatu is a rainbow street in Helsinki that is one of the most photographed streets and translates to villa street. Further away is the park-like Hietaniemi cemetery. Another is that records were set on this ground. So, come along with me on this Helsinki bucket list and Ill show you around all the things to do in Helsinki you cannot miss! The National Library of Finland. You wont be left behind the tracks as this museum revel stage after stage the evolution of computers. The large skating rink is a great place to test your skating skills against the . Market Square, visit one of Helsinkis most iconic sights One of Helsinki's most iconic sights and a must-see during any visit is Market Square. An abstract monument to a symphonic composer. ( Photo: Nelli Kentta) When asked if he would want to compete again in Eurovision, the rapper responds firmly, "I don't think so, I won't compete again with a new song . This is one culture in Finland and is believed to have multiple health benefits. YES! The newer part of the building Rotunda was constructed in 1903 by Gustaf Nystrm. It was not over until 1918, when the Russian took over and renamed it Suomenlinna meaning the Finnish Castle. The television, communications, health, finance, information dissemination even exploration. It was founded in 1951 by Armi Ratia and hopes to bring confidence to those that wear it through its colourful and bold patterns. Very interesting place to see. The port of the harbor is one point of attraction because there are always fishing boats with fishermen who sell fresh seafood from the boat. Ateljee Bar is open from Monday Thursday 2 pm 1 am. Its home base is in Vantaa in Finland and has been enjoyed by Finns throughout the country ever since. Over 150 years since its inception, the museum holds a comprehensive record of the Finnish Design and architecture in the post-war era. 10 Top Things to Do in Helsinki EUROPE / FINLAND Eliza Marin 14 May 2020 View Helsinki is a city with a distinct and charming atmosphere and a particular finesse, making it like no other place else on Earth. There were also the life works of Magritte on display, a Belgian surrealist artist, which was hugely popular. I loved flying with them here as they had a great entertainment system to watch movies while you fly. Click here to read all about the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn and how to book! So, when I found out there was a Moomin Cafe in Helsinki, I pretty much skipped right over there. If my library looked like this back home, I think Id make camp and never leave! Read more about Cafe Regatta in my post here. Its actually an archipelago of 330 islands by the Baltic Sea! Design District reveals Helsinkis strength in Scandinavian design as you would find interesting classics and trailblazers. Temppeliaukio was the result of a post-war design competition, won by Suomalainen Brothers and was inaugurated in 1969. Do well to check it out this summer and dont forget to take some memorial photos especially at the on the steps of the building. Friday 2pm 2am. The whole studio was decorated in the Finnish style, including Marimekko bedding, which came with a kitchen and its own balcony and a beautiful view. The city's most popular art gallery, filled with international modern works. You can gaze at this gorgeous building from the outside with its gold onion domes, or pop inside to marvel at the interior with its high ceilings. 15. They do some incredible cinnamon buns in Cafe Regatta, Caf Esplanade and Caf Succs. During the Russian Empire, when Helsinki was part of the Great Duchy of Finland, it was called St. Nicholas Church and was built in celebration of Tzar Nicholas I. Suomenlinna, known as the Fortress of Finland is an island. It is more like the face of Finland and even a big attraction to neighboring Nations. As you make your way through these nine rooms you can goggle at silver, jewellery, coins, medals and armour. Id leave at least half a day to explore, or even a whole day. To find out all the top places to eat and drink in Helsinki, you can read my full guide of restaurants and cafs here. Kauppatori Market Square - Set aside some time to look at this site of local importance. If you arrive into Helsinki by rail, the ice park is one of the first things you'll see. There are many Marimekko stores around Helsinki and even one in Helsinki airport if you decide to take some home with you. The Moomins are more than just a tourist fad in Finland, theyre a national icon! If youve never been to a sauna, its essentially a wooden box that is heated up by logs on a stove to create steam. Seurasaari Island is one that you can walk over to and its like going back in time. It took some two years to build the Gallen-Kallela house precisely between 1911 and 1913. Also, have a laugh when you visit their bathrooms. Its open in the summer season 9 am 6 pm daily. Tove Jansson, the creator of the Moomins and the original Moomin Mama came from Helsinki, so you need to get acquainted with these guys fast. Marimekko is a design house in Finland, which is celebrated worldwide for its prints and colours including the iconic poppy print. I want to inspire you & turn your wildest travel dreams into a reality through my travel guides! Did you know that Helsinki also hosts the largest coffee festival in the world? It is such a striking building with the history of bringing in modern marketing methods into Helsinki. One of the districts in the downtown area is the Vallila District, a visit to this area makes one of the top things to do in Helsinki. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. One of the top things to do in Helsinki for art lovers is a visit to The Finnish Museum of Photography. Of most churches in the whole of Europe, Temppeliaukio is significant and stands out. Externally the building is shaped in an astonishing circular fashion while the interior contains wooden benches and a captivating altar bearing a bowl and a thing metal cross. If you have the cash to upgrade your ticket to business, I would! Hostels include Eurohostel, My Hostel and CheapSleep Hotel. Helsinki ice park. Its a striking byzantine revival building, worth checking out even if you dont need to do any shopping. The island has a blue route you can follow to see the highlights. Tarvasp, as it is also known was unveiled to the public in 1961. But, it gave me energy and it was a once in a lifetime experience, as in I will never do it again haha. Dont worry. Address: Korkeavuorenkatu 23, 00130 Helsinki, Finland. Lyly opening times for the public sauna differ so check the website for details. One of the most interesting places on the surface of the earth. The Helsinki Central Park (Keskuspuisto) is one massive park. This makes what to do in Helsinki if you will love some shopping timeout. It sits proudly in Senate Square, which was also built in the Czarist Empire and you can see a statue of the Tzar in the middle. This is crayfish season, and the shellfish is paired with Akvavit in a surprisingly complicated set of rituals. The site has been as original as it was back then, no exaggerations. The Esplanadi Boulevard is such a thrilling place to be with visitors and residents coming to have some relaxation, picnic and to be entertained to the brim. Currently, they are considered as fixed antiquities and you will also find a good number of them scattered around the park. Well, this is one of Helsinkis seasonal dishes, this makes what to do in Helsinki for seafood lovers. This area is becoming dense in population though. 1. As the symbol of Helsinki, this is a must-do. I stayed at Aallankoti Hotel Apartments during my stay. When I visited, they had a marvellous exhibition around the works of Frantiek Kupka, a Czech abstract artist. Here, there is so many choices on what to eat from pastries, cereals, sausages, scrambled egg, yoghurt, fruit and even hot dishes like noodles. By: Sophie Pearce Last updated: August 27, 2022 HELSINKI, FINLAND shares This post may contain affiliate links. It also has really accessible opening times compared to most places in the city. 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