Finland’s capital and the largest city, Helsinki with a population of around one million is an enchanting place to visit. The weather here is so chilling that around two pm, the sun almost disappears. Most Finns are not quite fluent in English and not much used to foreigners, however they are very friendly and quite inquisitive if you are an Indian. However, you can start your conversation about the weather, but the cold breeze might make that a difficult process, though the easiest one could be to negotiate about the local mobile brand, Nokia.
Helsinki was founded by the king of Sweden, Gustav Wasa, in 1550 on the Gulf of Finland around 450 years ago. The city is a blend of old and modern architecture, that tells the story of its annexure as a Russian empire in 1809.Several monuments are a tribute to modern Finnish architecture.
The must-see on the city’s itinerary includes the monument build with 600 hollow steel pipes in a wavy fashion , paying homage to the music composer, Jean Seibelus.The important landmark for goodwill is the Olympia stadium, created for the Olympics in 1952.The city is full of high class design halls, museums, antique shops , art galleries. Being in the city make it a point to visit the kiasma museum of contemporary art or Arabia tableware and glass exhibitions. The Helsinki cathedral is also another distinct and beautiful landmark.
The city is not very big, so the preferred way to travel the city would be on foot and the entire city can be viewed in almost two days. However for a budget tourist, the best way would be a Helsinki card that offers you free access around the city by any mode of transport.
The most indispensible part of the city is the Helsinki Sauna culture. The city has one million saunas, almost equal to its population. It is such an inevitable part of their lives that every two Finn houses share one. The sauna ritual is a 2-3 hours soak followed by a dive into the lake. However as a word of caution-don’t try the dive.
The mornings in Helsinki can be a shopper’s paradise, with the harbor area hosting open markets with musicians playing on the streets who are highly obliged to play on your requests. Helsinki is a safe city to enjoy at late nights with mugs of coffee. Another must-view is the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress by an enjoyable ferry ride of around 15 mins around the tunnel, it was created on 6 islands and formed a major armed force base for Sweden.
The Finns are liquor lovers with no shortage of pubs and bars with their varied sauna culture. However it’s not easy being a vegetarian tourist in Helsinki, though the city hosts around 5-6 Indian restaurants. But your best choice would be McDonalds.
From late night strolls to street music, Helsinki is an enchanting experience! ENJOY