Helsinki is the capital of Finland, one of the nations that border the Arctic Circle. Here, winter is a bitter season when during the measly five to seven hours of light each day the sun barely gets more than forty degrees above the horizon. Conversely, summer means seventeen hours of daylight, and the infinitely preferable time of year to visit.
Where to Start
The easiest place to begin looking around Helsinki is in Senate Square. This is basically the middle of town and all of the other attractions are easy to reach from here. Senate Square is the home of the palace that doubles as the Senate, and is also the primary building of the prestigious University of Helsinki, a tourist attraction in itself as it was designed by Carl L. Engel, possibly the world's greatest architect.
Also designed by Engel was the nearby Helsinki Cathedral, a soaring testament to the money and energy once lavished on these visible homages to the Church, built in the mid nineteenth century.
Museums
Walking distance from the cathedral are the National Museum and the Ateneum Museum, which are dedicated to the (often turbulent) history of Finland and the country's modern artists, respectively.
Finland has the highest per capita number of museums on the planet, so you won't be able to help stumbling across a few, even if you do prefer to avoid them.
Other Places to See
Hame Castle is a slightly spooky legacy of Medieval times in Finland. The moat is still intact, as are the turrets and dungeons which were used to house prisoners of the state, a tradition continued in the late nineteenth century when the entire castle was converted into a high-security prison. An interesting sightseeing opportunity, but a slightly sad one too.
A more fun option is Linnanmäki, which is Finland's oldest amusement park, and its most popular, with over a million visitors passing through its gates annually. With thirty-six rides and various concession stands, its a great day out, and its location on the hill overlooking the city makes it a pretty good lookout as well.
Drink
For the best hot chocolate in the city, head off the beaten track to Sandros Cafe, which is near the White Church in downtown Helsinki. Although the cottage-style décor is strangely at odds with the owner who looks like a character from the Sopranos, the rich drink made with real dark chocolate and rich fresh cream is a calorie-packed delight that will take the edge off the sub-zero cool-season temperatures.
Hotels
Hotels in Helsinki are fairly reasonable if you book online. Rates average around €80 per night, and surprisingly the hostels (shared rooms with single bunk-beds) aren't that much cheaper, with some selling for an extortionate €40 a night – an average hostel room in Europe shouldn't be more than €20.
Discuss Helsinki in the 'Destination Helsinki' Group.
Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Helsinki, Finland.
(Photo:iStockPhoto/scanrail)
