Hei hei is hello in Helsinki

Our trip to Finland begins in its capital. We are excited to experience a place that neither of us have visited.

Helsinki has a quirky and fascinating vibe. It is filled with a mixture of architectural design styles, unique food offerings and tons of activities and cultural events. Amazingly, it does not feel crowded or noisy. Although it is not designed on a grid it is easy to navigate through the different neighborhoods. The sun still shines into the late evening in August allowing for long days filled with lots of adventures. Helsinki is part of a 300+ island archipelago and it has the northernmost metro system in the world.

We covered all our religious bases by visiting Jewish, Lutheran and Catholic houses of worship. It was explained to us that the Finnish are accepting of all religions. The Finns believe everyone is a citizen of the country and no one is defined by their religion.

The Helsinki Synagogue was built in 1905 and is a three story building of an eclectic style. The interior reflects some Finnish and Russian influences.

There are several Lutheran churches including the iconic Cathedral at the north end of Senate Square, It has become the symbol of Helsinki (it was being renovated at the time of our visit).

The Catholic Church was built in 1939 and has a spire that is retractable. This was specifically created to keep it from being destroyed or used as a landmark during the Winter War with Russia. The interior is clean and stark.

Finland was part of the Russian Empire for more than a hundred years. During that time, Carl Engle, a German architect, was chosen by Tsar Alexander I to design Senate Square and the Cathedral in the neoclassical style. Today, the buildings are still used as government offices, a branch of the National Library and the main building of the University of Helsinki. It is just a few blocks from the market square. This is a daily outdoor market filled with souvenirs, seasonal produce and some food vendors. It is at the harbor next to ferries to small islands and close to all the cruise ships.

We took the ferry to the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, a UNESCO heritage site. It is a 15 minute ride to a grouping of four islands. The views of Helsinki and the Baltic Sea during the short ride are serene and lovely. The fortress’s history is long and involved. The museum has exhibits from the Swedish Era, the Russian Empire and current day. Along with the museum, there are more than three hundred private homes on the island, lots of green space, walking trails and cute cafes. Yes, hot chocolate and blueberry cake were part of our visit.

There are many parks throughout the city and locals enjoy biking, walking and relaxing in all of them. We have passed many a picnic and group sports activities on our way to nowhere in particular (I mean a cafe for a coffee and a snack!) Two parks in particular had extra bonuses. Tähtitorninvuori Park or Observatory Hill was once a lookout point for invaders, now a great viewpoint to the Baltic. The old observatory (now a children’s science center) is there. The wide variety of mature trees, the sloping lawns and interesting sculptures add to its appeal. The other park with an often-visited sculpture is Sibelius Monument. The Finn’s proudly dedicate sculpture and statues of national artists, authors and musicians. These monuments are represented in numerous parks around the city. In the upscale residential neighborhood of Töölö, Sibelius Park has a monument dedicated to the composer Jean Sibelius. It is 300 joined steel pipes with different textures and carvings. It seems to appear like an organ or a sound wave. There is also a small bust of the composer next to the sculpture.

Across from the park and on the waters edge is the charming Cafe Regatta. A perfect spot for coffee and a small selection of sweet or savory treats. They recommend the cinnamon roll… delicious!

Lapland is not part of our adventure, however, the restaurant Lappi is a great substitute. From the street it is an unassuming storefront. The minute you open the door, you have stepped into a rustic Lapland cabin. The offerings include reindeer many ways. I stuck to classic salmon soup and a Lapland salad with smoked fish and smoked cheese. I stopped at smoked beer! The beer was impossible to pronounce…it was tasty and at 6% alcohol easier to pronounce after it was finished; give it a try.

An amazing start to a ‘Finntastic’ experience.