| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
The Helsinki that greets today's visitor is one of the most vibrant and prosperous cities in the world, with one of the highest standards of living and the world's highest literacy rate. Locals still refer to Helsinki as "a big village," but it is hardly the country town it was only decades ago. With all its bays, inlets, and offshore islands, Helsinki is almost surrounded by water -- or at least you may think so. Water does envelop Helsinki on three sides, and it grew up around a natural harbor overlooking the Gulf of Finland. The half million people you see walking about -- at least in summer -- are the best educated, the best clothed, the best fed, and the best housed on earth. Helsinki may stand at the doorway to Russia, but its cultural links are firmly in Scandinavia. It was originally founded in 1550, halfway between Stockholm and St. Petersburg, on orders of the Swedish king Gustavus Vasa, who established it as a buffer zone between Sweden and what was at the time called "the Russian menace." A city of wide streets, squares, and parks, adorned with sculpture, Helsinki was one of the world's first planned municipalities and is noted for its 19th-century neoclassical architecture. Because the city is relatively compact, most of it can be explored on foot. From the capital of an autonomous Grand Duchy of Russia, Helsinki was transformed in 1917 (the year of the Russian Revolution) into the capital of the newly independent Finland. Today it's not
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | The 16th Century The city of Helsinki was founded by a Royal Decree issued on 12 June 1550 by King Gustavus I Vasa of the developing superpower, Sweden. He ordered merchants of the towns of Porvoo, Tammisaari, Rauma and Ulvila to move to the mouth of the river Vantaa in the parish of Helsinge (Swedish Helsingfors , meaning the "Helsinge rapids"). The thriving trade centre of Tallinn on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland had long been an eyesore to Sweden, and the King desired to capture much of its trade and relocate it to Helsinki, which was not only conveniently located halfway into the Gulf, but also provided an outlet from the rich hinterlands of Finland. Although this founding motive was effectively lost in 1561, when Sweden conquered Tallinn and Estonia, Helsinki nevertheless developed into a smug, moderately successful trading port. The 17th Century In 1640, Sweden took action in order to display its new status as a superpower, and the Regency government of the young Queen Christina reformed many Swedish cities, incorporating wider lanes and more impressive façades of buildings. In Finland two notable things happened. The Gymnasium in Turku was upgraded to a Royal University, and the city of Helsinki was moved from the rapids at the mouth of the river Vantaa to the outer islands; a place called Vironniemi ("Estonian Point"). Its name reflected the closeness of Estonia and its fishermen, who habitually sheltered there. Both the Finnish University and t
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| When To Go (Source: Fodors) | Top | Finland's tourist season commences in June, when the growing daylight hours herald the opening of summer restaurants and outdoor museums, and the start of boat tours and cruises. Summer is by far the best time to visit Helsinki, the Lakelands, and the Southwestern Coast and Ålands, which come out of hibernation for the long, bright, but not overly hot, summer days. Take note that restaurants in the bigger cities are often closed in July. A special draw in the Lakelands is the Savonlinna Opera Festival, held in late July or early August. Finland can also be exhilarating on clear, brisk winter days. For a real treat, visit Lapland—home of Santa Claus—in December. Operating on a different schedule altogether, the tourist season in the north focuses on winter events, when the snow is deep and the northern lights bright. Ski trips in Lapland in early spring are popular and many resorts offer tourist packages. Summer weather in Lapland offers a different repertoire to the traveler, when the snow and ice of the north give way to flowing rivers and greenery. The Midnight Sun Film Festival in Sodankylä offers round-the-clock screenings in tents. You can expect warm (not hot) days in Helsinki from mid-May, and in Lapland from mid-June. The midnight sun can be seen from May to July, depending on the region. For a period in midwinter, the northern lights almost make up for the fact that the sun does not rise at all. Even in Helsinki, summer nights are brief and never really dark, whe
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| How To Get There (Source: WCities) | Top | Getting There The Helsinki airport is a short drive from the city itself and is served by at least 12 airlines and four rental car companies. By Air Located 11 miles ( 19km ) north of the town center, Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport ( +358 9 682 701 / http://www.helsinki-vantaa.fi ) houses two passenger friendly terminals ( Domestic and International ) linked by a walkway and filled with numerous shops, restaurants, pubs, and even a sophisticated wine bar. A 35 room hotel ( +358 9 818 3600 / http://www.scandic-hotels.com ) is onsite, and the airport is also equipped with a modern business center and numerous conference facilities ( +358 207 629 732 ). Airlines serving Helsinki-Vantaa include: Aer Lingus ( +1 800 474 7424 / http://www.aerlingus.com ) Air Canada ( +1 888 247 2267 / http://www.aircanada.ca ) American Airlines ( +1 800 433 7300 / http://www.aa.com ) Blue1 ( +358 20 585 6000 / http://www.blue1.com ) British Airways ( +1 800 217 9297 / http://www.ba.com ) Finnair ( +1 800 950 5000 / http://www.finnair.com ) KLM ( +1 800 225 2525 ( US ) /+1800 447 4747 ( Intl )/ http://www.klm.com ) Lufthansa ( +1 800 803 5838 / http://cms.lufthansa.com ) Northwest Airlines ( +1 800 225 2525( US ) / +1 800 447 4747( Intl ) / http://www.nwa.com ) SAS ( +1 800 221 2350 / http://www.scandinavian.net ) Sterling.dk Airline ( +457 033 3370 / http://www.sterlingticket.com ) United
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | Helsinki, despite its status as a capital and world-renowned political summit centre, is actually quite a small city. For a tourist this is ideal, as nothing is too far from anything. For example: the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art , in the center of the city, is a five-minute walk away from the Finnish National Museum . Then again, if you walk in the other direction you are not far from a number of restaurants, clubs and cinemas. Furthermore, if you are not of the walking kind, you are quite likely to find a tram that goes in your direction, and taking a tram is definitely an experience. Art Helsinki has countless museums and should be able to satisfy both the most particular and the most demanding art lover. For a look at contemporary art, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art will be an interesting place to start. Then again, if you have your sights set on something less avant-garde , more in the line of fine art, The Museum of Finnish Art, Ateneum might be a better place to start with its work by artists ranging from Auguste Rodin to Akseli Gallen-Kallela and more. There is a multitude of galleries in Helsinki, especially in the Uudenmaankatu area. Cinema The recently opened Tennispalatsi has 14 screens, including Finland's largest screen, with a surface area of 176 square meters. Kinopalatsi , which has 10 screens, is the second biggest cinema complex in Helsinki. Besides these, there are of course many other smaller theatres and in most of the
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| Getting Around (Source: Frommers) | Top | Discount Passes Visitors to Helsinki can purchase the Helsinki Card, which offers unlimited travel on the city's public buses, trams, subway, and ferries; a free guided sightseeing tour by bus (conducted daily, year-round); free entry to about 50 museums and other sights in Helsinki; and free ferryboat access and entrance to the Suomenlinna Fortress. It also includes discounts on access to the airport via the Finnair airport bus transfer and discounts at selected restaurants and shops. The Helsinki Card is available for 1-, 2-, or 3-day periods. The price of the card for adults is 29€ ($38) for 1 day, 42€ ($55) for 2 days, and 53€ ($69) for 3 days. A card for children (age 7-16) costs 11€ ($14) for 1 day, 14€ ($18) for 2 days, and 17€ ($22) for 3 days. The cards can be bought at approximately 50 sales points in the Helsinki area, including the Helsinki City Tourist Office, the Hotel Booking Center, travel agencies, and hotels. For further information, check with any Finnish Tourist Board worldwide or the Helsinki City Tourist Office, Pohjoisesplanadi 19 (tel. 09/169-37-57 ). You can also buy a Tourist Ticket for travel within Helsinki over a 1-, 3-, or 5-day period. This ticket lets you travel as much as you like within the city limits on all forms of public transportation except regional buses to far-flung outlying townships that include Espoo, Kauniainen, and Vantaa. A 1-day ticket costs 6€ ($7.80) for adults, 3€ ($3.90) for children 7 to 16; a 3-day ticket costs
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