Wed 9th Jul 2008
- Helsinki Travel Guide & City Information
HELSINKI (HELSINGFORS)
Helsinki, the White Daughter of the Baltic and the capital of Finland, has wide boulevards and a beautiful blue harbor. The city centre is built on a windblown peninsula and many of the sights are within walking distance of each other. The plan of the down town is a clear one and cordial Finns, most of whom speak at least English, help you around. Although Helsinki was founded in 1550, as a trading center, most of its architecture is rather modern and some even avant garde: Helsinki became the capital of Finland in 1812 and the whole centre area war rebuilt, much in the Empire style.
Around Senate Square you'll find delightful neoclassic architecture in a cathedral and the government buildings. Part of the charm is the relatively low architecture, you cannot find any skyscrapers. Sea is a major element, be sure to stop at the Market Square by the sea and the Havis Amanda Fountain. With population over 500,000, nearly a million if you count the metropolitan area, Helsinki combines many of the best sides of a small and big cities: you'll find your way around easily, yet the city offers a wide variety of activity especially during the summer.
Helsinki has several great museums, beautiful churches, parks, theatre, opera, shopping possibilities and historic sights, such as the Sea Fortress of Suomenlinna. You can also experience the Finnish cuisine, try especially fish and reindeer dishes, along with many others like suberb Russian kitchen. Helsinki has also several nice pubs and clubs to visit. With four very different seasons, the streets and bars, as well as the people, are usually livelier during the summer than winter.
The surroundings of Helsinki offer a lot too. Several lakes and the evergreen forest give a special character to the countryside. The Old Town of Porvoo and the area around Lake Tuusulanjärvi, especially the home (Ainola) of famous composer Jean Sibelius, are the prime ones. With more time than few days you could explore the other parts of Finland, there are plenty of possibilities from active trekking holidays to quiet relaxing stay at some cottage by a beautiful lake or the archipelago. Helsinki serves also as an excellent jumping point to Tallinn and even to St.Petersburg or Stockholm. Rest of Finland is, of course, full of possibilities