4 things to do in Helsinki, Finland

I feel that Finland is sometimes overshadowed by its Nordic siblings Norway and Sweden but it is a very nice and interesting place to visit! The ship docked for four days in Helsinki, a walkable, small city located in a country for whom Santa Claus is a national hero (you know, reindeer can’t live on the North Pole because it’s too cold. However they thrive in Finland and therefore, this is where Santa really lives). Finland is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union with one million of the country’s five million inhabitants living in Greater Helsinki. Although Helsinki is the country’s largest city, it still feels small and quaint. If you’d like to visit Helsinki, here is what I recommend you do:

--Churches: There are a number of interesting churches to visit in Helsinki. The first is the Lutheran Cathedral which demands attention on the Helsinki skyline. The church was initially built in the 1800s but was recently refurbished. The exterior is more ornate than the interior, which reminds me of the Lutheran church I attended growing up: reserved and unassuming with green furnishings (not sure what the significance of the color green is for Lutherans but this is always what I find).

Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki.

View of the Lutheran Cathedral on the Helsinki skyline.

I also visited the Church on the Rock, which is a church literally dug into the side of a rock. The Rock Church is minimalistic, unlike the Uspenski Church. Upsenki is a Russian Orthodox church and if you read my postings about St. Petersburg you understand how much Russians like their ornate furnishings. Upsenki was a bit more reserved than the churches I visited in St. Petersburg but much more decorative than the other Helsinki churches. P.S. all of these churches were free (big thumbs up!).

Inside the Church on the Rock in Helsinki.

Front entrance of the Church on the Rock.

Upsenki Church in Helsinki.

--Suomenlinna Island: A UNESCO World Heritage site, Suomenlinna Island was once one of the greatest sea fortresses in the Baltic. Work began on the Suomenlinna fortress in the 1700s by the Swedes but it took forever to complete. When the Russians showed up in the early 1800s, the fortress wasn’t finished so Swedes didn’t even put up a fight and conceded Finland to the advancing army. And so began Russian rule of Finland. I only spent a half day on the island but you could spend the whole day if you brought a picnic lunch and checked out the sites including the beaches and swimming holes.

Inside the Suomenlinna fortress.

Monument on Suomenlinna Island.

View of Helsinki from Suomenlinna Island.

--Markets: Market Square and the Old Market Hall were full of freshly picked raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Fresh fruit may not sound like anything to write home about but I’ve been living on ship rations basically since January and cannot eat another melon variety. Berries were calling my name in Helsinki and these markets were the places to get them! Market Square also has a section selling souvenirs. Available souvenirs include reindeer items including antlers, skins and jerky (no, I didn’t purchase skins or antlers but reindeer jerky was good!).

View of Market Square from the Upsenki Church.

--Go to Tallinn, Estonia: Tallinn is only a two hour ferry ride from Helsinki so I spent one day in this city. Why not add another country to my list this summer?! Read more about Tallinn in my next blog post.