Helsinki: The Northern Gateway to the EU and Scandanavia!

After the noise and bussle of Tokyo and Japan, Helsinki was a welcome change. Helsinki is a relatively small city located on the edge of the sea. Clearly, in the past the location was chosen for it´s defensability. Nowadays, in a post cold war environment, Finland is a good jump off point if you want to visit Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia on the way to Russia.

Helsinki is designed around an old town centre with large squares that invite people to stop and look. There is great architecture and street art that is worth stopping for! Transport is easy and all the main sites are located on a handy bus loop system so that with one ticket you can hop on and hop off.

It´s a good idea to allow more than a few days to explore the sights and enjoy the ambience of the city. The highlight is the harbour tour which takes a few hours as it meanders around the many islands and historial points. It´s a good way to see major landmark buildings which perch on the edge of the port.

Helsinki is a good place to so some shopping, if you have a few spare euros. If you like music, head to the Free Record shop where the staff are friendly and like most of the locals they speak English fluently.

Helsinki night life is vibrant with many cafes, bars and interesting night time food stalls. The locals are friendly and happy to engage with tourists. It is worth remembering that strict lockdown laws for bars mean that you need to be in a bar before 2 am or you will not be able to get in! It is worth wandering around the small centre early to find the place you want to hang out in.

Helsinki feels safe to walk around at night. There does not seem to be the culture of the aggressive violent drunk. The Locals are obviously accustomed to vistors and are happy to give and advice and have a yarn. It´s well worth dropping in, especially if you are flying to Europe via Japan!

For more information then go to: http://www.visitfinland.com and see the images in the CADT gallery.