Helsinki surprised me.  I came here expecting very little and discovered that it is a jewel of a city.  There is much to see and do, the Finnish are pleasant, happy and helpful, and the town itself is quite hip. Our first stop was to the Saturday market, set up along the harbor.  Here, the locals were selling fresh flowers, fruit and veggies, handmade crafts and some things we weren't too sure about.  It was good fun to walk through and see (and smell) what Finland was about.  After this, we walked up to Uspenski Cathedral, an ornate brick Russian Orthodox cathedral.  We meandered around the exterior of the cathedral, admiring the vantage point given to us of the Helsinki area, and then discovered the gilded iconic interior.  We then walked several blocks to the Lutheran Cathedral and hiked up its many, many, many steps, only to once again be rewarded with a fine view of Helsinki.  After walking around this cathedral, we took some time to wander the streets, discovering the Temppeliaukio Church, quarried out of bedrock.  Having visited all the churches we could handle for one day, I used my women's intuition to guide us to the local Flea Market where we found it to be just like those in the U.S.  Lots of used clothes and used shoes.  But it was fun to walk around with the locals, seeing who was buying what.

Helsinki is extremely easy to get around - by foot or public transportation.  They have tourist information scouts walking all throughout the city, donning green aprons with a big 'TOURIST INFO' logo.  You can stop and ask these 'Helsinki Helpers' for advice, directions, etc.  They are free, found everywhere and offer their services from June - August.  They even carry maps and brochures!  Where else could one find such passion among locals?

 

Custom Search