Helsinki; a city surrounded by nature and waterways and known for its design-oriented state of mind and peaceful ambiance. This beating heart of Finland really has a one-of-a-kind character, due to its influences from both Europe and Russia. Because of that I felt like Finland was a tad different compared to other Scandinavian countries.
Even though Finland has only conquered its independence in the last century (which makes its culture relatively new) the people seem to be deeply rooted in their customs.
Take a day or two (or three) to discover the many sides of the Finnish capital. Don’t stay too long either though, or at least keep in mind that the capital (and Finland in general) is freakin’ expensive. No matter where you go though, make sure to take this list along with you!
The island of Seurasaari
Helsinki is one of the best capitals in Europe to enjoy nature and tranquility. If you’re into that; you absolutely have to check out Seurasaari: an open-air museum which is a fantastic place to get your daily dose of nature and learn about Finnish rural culture and history on the side.
Seurasaari is situated on an island just outside of the city center, amidst the many waterways. The number 24 bus will bring you here from the city. You then only have to cross the bridge and you’re there on the island. The old buildings of Seurasaari show pieces of the Finnish history of housing. It’s free to walk around, but if you want to go into the houses or some other museum areas, you have to pay the admission fee.
After a couple of hours of wandering along the forest paths and watching the squirrels and birds pass by I felt very relaxed. Therefore I would totally recommend a couple of hours over there for sure!
Temppeliaukio Kirkko (or the ‘Rock Church’)
The underground ‘Rock Church’ is built inside of a massive block of natural granite. Fun thing is that it’s located right in the middle of a pretty ordinary Finnish residential square. The Temppeliaukio Kirkko – as called in Finnish – was designed by architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen in 1968.
The architects chose a rocky outcrop rising above street level, and blasted out the walls from the inside. Incredibly enough the structure is barely visible from outside, with only the copper dome poking out of the rock. You don’t need a lot of time to walk around, but the idea and construction is quite impressive nonetheless.
Uspenskin Cathedral
Whether approaching Helsinki from the sea, or walking around town, the gorgeous red-brick towers and classical golden onion domes of this orthodox cathedral can be easily spotted from many sides in the city, since the cathedral is mounted on a hill.
The Uspenskin Cathedral was built in 1868 as a Russian Orthodox church, and now serves the Finnish Orthodox congregation. The building is not only impressive from the outside, but also full of religious decorations from the inside. Since it’s so stuffed, the vibe is very mysterious as it often is with orthodox churches. Beneath the little square around the church is a lovely park too if you want to take a break.
The cathedral is situated in the distinguished area of Katajanokka – an upscale neighbourhood next the city center. Don’t forget to check it out as it is worth wondering around. In the harbour there are some modern icebreakers – tied up at the quays during the summer season – which you can admire from up close.
Design Museum
This museum offers all you need to know to understand the design evolution in Finland. The museum is close to the Central Station and its collection is informative, well put together and very pretty in all its simplicity.
The permanent display on the ground floor gives a good idea of last century’s history of Finnish design. I didn’t realise there are so many everyday items that have been designed in Finland originally. You can find Marimekko textiles by Annika Rimala, scetches of an early Nokia phone, the classic orange Fiskars scissors, glassware of many artists, the popular Finnish bike Jopo and a whole lot of Angry Birds.
Fun thing to see is the Maternity Package, that is given to all Finnish mothers and their newborns. Another great feature is The Ecologies room; filled with examples of ecological, renewable materials from Finlands most abundant resource: wood. Don’t skimp of the cafeteria, as it serves everything on ittala products
Helsinki Cathedral
This shining beacon that rises above the city is worth a small visit. As it is a Lutheran one, don’t expect a lot of decoration on the inside (although the ginormous pipe organ is a sight to behold); nonetheless it’s an immaculate construction. That said, it’s situated near the shopping area and the Uspenskin cathedral and the stairs in front of the building are great to have a break for a moment. If you come around the Christmas days; on the square in front of the church you’ll find a great Christmas market too!
Eating weird Finnish stuff
If only for the weird names, for example (seriously, just try to announce that):
Mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie), lohikeitto (salmon soup), kaalikääryleet (cabbage rolls), karjalanpiirakka (rice pies), korvapuusti (cinnamon and cardamon buns), perunalaatikko (sweetened potato casserole), puolukkapiirakka (lingonberry pie), omenalörtsy (apple donuts) or anything with salt liquorice!
Fort Suomenlinna
Travel back in time for a day and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site-noted Fortress of Suomenlinna. Although this may sound like a military activity, the place is actually more like a national park. It only takes 15 minutes by ferry to reach the place from the city center.
Upon arrival you’ll find a tourist office where you can get maps of the islands in case you want to hike a bit. And you should do so! Besides the remaining defence walls of the fortress, there’s a church, wooden houses that were used as cafes and shops and a dry dock were the ships were built in the old days. Personally I really like The Toy museum. It’s cute, it stars a lot of Moomins and they also have a cozy café.
Dress warmly since the wind on the island can be brutal, no matter the season!
Fall in love with Moomins and trolls
Forget about ittala; for me the best export product of Finland are the Moomins for sure. The family of fairytale creatures of the Finnish illustrator Tove Jansson are beloved all over the world, but obviously especially in Finland.
If you’re a real die-hard fan you might consider to visit the town of Tampere in southern Finland, where a new museum opened last year dedicated to the original artwork by Jansson. But even in Helsinki you can find the little blobnoses everywhere around the city, just like other fantasy like creatures such as the trolls!
