Helsinki Favorite Tips by maria-belgrade

Bilingual signs

Favorite thing: Finland is bilingual country, so everything is written in Finnish and Swedish language. That goes for street names sighs, bus/trams/metro/train stops, public notices… everything! So, since Finnish language is very strange I recommend looking out for Swedish posts and maybe, just maybe you will be able to understand something. Luckily, everyone speaks excellent English and many Finns can speak other languages, so you won’t get lost.

Information for tourists

Favorite thing: Helsinki Tourist Board has done a great job by putting these people on the photo on the streets. Whenever you see a guy or a girl wearing this vests you can approach him/her freely and ask anything regarding Helsinki. Their job is to help tourists find their way to places of interest and provide useful information about the city and it’s history! BRAVO!

P.S. Needless to say, they work only during summer months.

Christmas tree Yoghurt

Favorite thing: Believe it or not, in Finland you can treat yourself with the Christmas tree yoghurt! Although it takes a minute to adjust to the new taste, this stuff is really great! The color is peach and it is very thick. It has a “pine” aftertaste but it’s really a must!
This on the photo is ½ liter cup, and it is bought at Hakaniemi indoor market / Kauppahalli.
Besides this one, there's a lot of other flavors to choose from!

Clean your shoes, then take it off!

Favorite thing: Since Finland is “famous” for it’s poor weather, no wonder practical Finns installed this in front of almost every building.
So, rule number one: clean your shoes!
Rule number two: take your shoes off when entering someone’s apartment! And although it seems silly to the rest of the world, it is only polite thing to do in Finland.

Mobile phones and Internet

Favorite thing: Finland is technologically highly developed country so if you need to stay in touch with people from all around the world that won’t be a problem. Mobile phones work perfectly and Finns really use it like crazy. Who said that Finns are quiet not talkative? Their mobile phones are as good as glued to their ears! Internet connection is widely accessible, even in some shopping malls. If you ask me - paradise!

Reindeer meat

Favorite thing: This is one of the Finnish specialties, and when in Finland make sure you try it at least once. It is very tender and tasty….

Hockey - national pride!

Favorite thing: Hockey is national pride game in Finland! So, if you want to impress your hosts, make an effort and learn a thig or two about the game. They’ll love you!