A cozy city in the north of Europe
Luca has a close family relationship to Helsinki and every year they fly every to the cozy city. I used the chance to learn more about Finland and its beautiful capital Helsinki when we did a family trip for a few days. We stayed in the Hotel Scandic Meilahti which we liked very much. Our first day there started with a great breakfast. After that, we took a metro to the center because there is a metro station in front of the hotel. Very surprising for us was that we had to buy the tickets in an app. As the center of Helsinki is small, the most beautiful places could be reached by walking. First we walked through the market place nearby the harbor which was one highlight for us. We bought some souvenirs for Mandys family and there was also the possibility to eat some freshly caught fish. A few meters away there was a lovely old market hall called Vanya Kauppahalli which we visited and definitely recommend.
The water side of Helsinki
During the day we met a friend of Mandy who did a semester abroad in Finland. We went to the harbor where some ships started and we decided to do a shipping tour. There was the possibility to do daily trips, for example to Tallinn or to small islands with beautiful coasts. In the end we did a trip to the little island Suomenlinna which has a great nature. We saw a wedding couple with its guests which was a very special moment on the island. There are as well very interesting museums to the history of Helsinki that remain us of the defense at the war. In the end of the day we visited the old rail station to bring our friend to the train and its worth a visit.
See and be seen – the Esplanadi
The next day we went to the center again and walked down the Esplanadi which includes two parallel streets and in between a very pretty park. There are many lovely cafés from where this streets can be seen. We saw a talented singer who sang live in the park and we listened a long time to him. As we were three woman we decided to use the chance to go for shopping in the big shopping center Stockmann. It is located in the end of the Esplanadi and is a must-be for fashion enthusiasts. Another attraction we saw is the dome which is a very impressive building.
Porvoo – well worth a visit
A little village approximately 50 kilometers away in the east of Helsinki is called Porvoo. It was found 800 years ago and is the second oldest city in Finland. We decided to spend our last day in this small city and took our rental car to visit it. Famous about Porvoo are the red wooden homes at a river which is a great place for taking pictures. Unfortunately we haven’t had luck with the weather because it rained frequently. In the historic old town are many cute shops and cafes so we went to a cafe and had cake and come drinks there.
Things you should have done in Helsinki
- visit the market place and the market hall Vanya Kauppahalli
- eat freshly caught fish
- do a shipping to an island
- walk down the Esplanadi and visit the shopping center Stockmann
- listen to a live singer in the park