Helsinki Cathedral – built as a tribute to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and known as St Nicholas’ Cathedral until the independence of Finland in 1917.
I’m posting aboard the Tallink Silja ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn–a 2 hour cruise across the Baltic Sea.
I spent the last day and a half in Helsinki and I think that was long enough for me.
A lot of shops close on Sunday and Monday in Helsinki, and most shops had reduced hours or were completely closed for summer.
I don’t understand why people go on vacation at a time when the weather’s at its best in their country (then again, I guess if you live there, you enjoy the Winter).
“At its best” means: sun, rain, thunderstorms, blustery wind. I was chilly, sweaty, soaked, and I leave with a sunburn and a suitcase of dirty clothes for the rest of my trip since I had to wear all of them.
Still, I found Helsinki interesting. It’s not one of those places that I leave with the feeling that I’ll return, but I’m glad I went.
I kept comparing it to Prague, Budapest, and Oslo–the only other cities I have experience with that I think could be similar. I thought the architecture and general spirit was much more interesting in those cities.
But, I got to relax by the water, do some yoga and connect with a different culture. All my vacation goals accomplished. So I’d say it was a successful trip.
There were a few gems that made my time in Helsinki enjoyable and pleasant.
I loved that I heard the sound of ship horns and seagulls, that the city is surrounded by water, and that when I saw movement at the end of a city street, it ended up being a cruise ship passing. Did you know the city is on a peninsula and also covers 315 islands?
Sunrise and sunset. I was obsessed with this. I hardly slept (The sky was still not dark at midnight and it started to get bright again a little after 3am). I had to wear sunglasses at 7am and 9pm – the sun was that bright.
9:30pm!
11:30pm!
This Moroccan/Middle Eastern restaurant was such a great spot. Aside from being one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, the atmosphere was super friendly and laid back; it was so hard to choose a meal, especially when I wanted to share a tangine or mezze plate with a goup of friends (I went with the grilled halloumi and orange blossom salad with roasted veggies, eggplant caviar, bulgur and whipped meyer tahini). The restaurant recently published its own cookbook, complete with pictures from the markets in Marrakesh. The food was so good and the place was so cute that I had to buy the cookbook. Stay tuned for recipes!!
This yoga studio was right around the corner from my apartment. I took a couple of classes in Finnish and one in English. The interesting thing about yoga in Helsinki: it was hard for me to find regular yoga–they were all hot. I guess the Finnish love saunas and so basically this is like doing yoga in a sauna. I knew I had made a big mistake when I showed up in my yoga outfit and everyone was wearing shorts and a sports bra. I sweatted. A lot.
A little cafe down the street from my apartment. I popped in to get out of the pouring rain and fell in love with the chill vibe. Couches, soothing music, tea and hummus and grilled vegetables. Loved it. Side note: the hummus game in Helsinki is really strong. I had amazing hummus at every place I ate. There is also a hummus recipe in my Sandro cookbook, which will be the first recipe I try. Right on!
Along with Sandro, this place tops my list and is a must-visit. It’s the cutest little shop with all things home and eclectic. There’s even a cafe with coffee, cinnamon buns and salads (I skipped the salad and went straight for the cinnamon bun).
Mattolaituri in Kaivopuisto Brunnsparken.
I had marked this place on my map, but wasn’t stressed about going there. I ended up walking along the waterfront and kind of stumbled onto it. A true oasis where I sat for a few hours (sunburn) reading my book, watching the sailors go by, sipping some coffee, and just relaxing.
Högbergsgatan.
This street ended up being one of my favorites. I was convinced Helsinki was too touristy for my tastes, but after wandering the streets, I found this one and fell in love. Cute organic stores, cafes, clothes, home goods–it has everything. A great place to beat the crowds mulling around the center of town.
I made a quick stop at the Finnish National Art Gallery to see an Alice Neel exhibit they currently have, along with a few Finnish works of art. It was a nice way to get a little culture in.
So now I’m on my way to Tallinn. I’ve only heard good things about this town, so I’m pretty pumped. As long as there’s yoga and hummus, I’m sure I’ll be fine.