31.05.22
A previous business trip to Helsinki in mid-winter many years ago brought back recollections of a dark, sleepy and silent metropolis where by mid-afternoon the light was already fading by early afternoon and people shuffled around clad in heavy winter coats, scarves and mittens to keep out the bitter cold.
Helsinki however in summer was a different proposition. It was full of light and vibrant colours as its inhabitants shed their winter clothing for lighter apparel to stroll through parks or down wide, trendy boulevards or just sit at an outdoor cafe enjoying the sunshine and watching the world go by.
The capital’s inhabitants seemed to be in a particularly good mood that morning as their country had just become the World Ice Hockey champions again, beating Canada in the final the night before. It had been strange to see the normally stoic and serious-looking Finns waving flags, singing and dancing joyously in the train which had brought us from the airport the previous evening to the Central Railway station where further festivities were obviously planned.
Helsinki only became the capital of Finland in 1812, on the order of Tsar Alexander 1 of Russia (Finland only became independent in 1918). Destroyed by fire, the town was completely rebuilt in a style worthy of a capital.
Replenished by an excellent and fully-organic breakfast at the centrally-located Helka Hotel (recommended), we headed out through the verdant Esplanade to the Market Square on the South Harbour quayside the harbour. There ,we jumped on a ferry for a 15-minute voyage to the Unesco World Heritage-listed Suomenlinna sea fortress. Here, in addition to the great views of the Helsinki Bay, you can learn much about the Finnish power struggles with Russia and Sweden during the 17-19th centuries.
Back on dry land some 2-3 hours later we had a satisfying fish soup down by the quayside (beware of the pesky seagulls who swoop in to pluck food from your fingers).
The next key attractions on our list – the nearby Uspenski Cathedral, the main Cathedral of the Finnish Orthodox Church, built in 1868, and the Helsinki Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral in the nearby Senate Square were both closed, unfortunately. We then wandered back to the hotel past the souvenir and gift stores in the nearby Design District, clustered in and around the Esplanade and explored the boutiques along trendy Korkeavuorenkatu.
Just before our departure for the Tallinn ferry the next day, we still had time to check out two further attractions: the Tempelliaukio kirkko (the Church in the Rock), an unusual place of worship excavated out of the bedrock and capped with a low-domed copper roof, and the Sibelius Monument, a silver installation resembling a vast cluster of organ pipes in tribute to Finland’s most revered composer.
Insider Tip:
Most people take the designated ‘Blue Route’ turning left when they get off the Suomenlinna sea fortress ferry, but for great windswept Baltic views and quiet picnic spots, head the other way to the western reaches (keeping a polite distance from the residential blocks).You can wander round the entire fortress for free, although museums charge a fee.
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