| Page Views: 4,515 Last Visit to Helsinki: September, 2009 I Used To Live Here | Where Slavic charm & Nordic simplicity meet by annase - last update: Oct 14, 2009 |
My Helsinki | The street corner of "Erottaja" and "Bulevardi" |
Helsinki is the city where I was born. It’s always felt like home to me, although I have spent most of my life somewhere else. I love so much about it. It's full of gorgeous cafes selling the best cafe latte and the biggest ever cinnamon rolls in town, bars that are at the same time totally mad and great such as the one offering heavy metal karaoke twice a week, lovely landmarks and icons amongst which I grew up such as the white church on top a set of stairs at the Senate Square, the Russian Orthodox Church overlooking the harbour, the large cruise ships sailing between Finland and the neighbouring countries, lots of different languages, ethnic groups etc. =)
There is also a restaurant called Lappi ("Lapland") that prides itself on its reindeer dishes. There are charming restaurants serving Finnish and Scandinavian cuisine; restaurants/bars where you hardly ever meet people from anywhere else except that particular district/area; hot and trendy night clubs; a bar that is entirely made of ice (!); popular hangouts of the bohemian artists, the media professionals, architects and other fashionable people.
The cuisine on offer in the city is unbelievably varied: there is Russian, traditional Finnish, trendy Finnish, Mexican, Chinese, Italian, American, Indian, Nepalese, Turkish, Thai and even Eastern European, as well as lots of high class a la carte restaurants serving only the best and highest quality French inspired cuisine whose chefs pride themselves for using real butter and cream - none of this low fat tut.
At the same time, although the city is full of all these influences from all the other parts of the globe, there is something distinguishably Finnish and amazingly sweet about the whole city. Most people are very environmentally minded; they either cycle or use the public transport, which is very good and cheap. They eat healthy food and do regular exercise.
One of my fondest and earliest memories of the city is that I'm sat down on the steps next the Helsinki Cathedral on a beautiful summer day, snacking on sweet sugar snaps and strawberries that me and my mum has just bought at the outdoor market next to the sea. I must have been under 5. I also remember the colour and the smell of sea, the naked 'Havis Amanda' statue next to the market square, the faint yellow icebreakers that float silently in the sea on the other side of island Katajanokka when they are out of work during the summer months, the red and yellow commuter trains and the green and yellow trams that are now obsolete... Helsinki is so my favourite city in the world! A city with a sea view Because Helsinki is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea, it has several kilometres of coastline as well as and picturesque archipelago. In the city centre, the market square offers a great views up to the sea. Most of the shoreline around it has no major buildings on it and it has been constructed in several places to make it more open. The market square is the place where all the small boats leave for the neighbouring islands and the much bigger white, red and blue cruise liners leave for Sweden and Estonia. Some of the most luxurious cruise liners plying the world's oceans were built in the shipyards not so far away from this spot. |
|  | Influences from East Helsinki is definitely different from other cities in Europe. I have only noticed how many influences it's got from the East after not living there anymore, as I look at it more from an outsider's perspective. Throughout its 459 year existence, the city has been influenced by currents both from the East and the West. Because the city is located relatively close to Russia, Russian influences can be seen everywhere. Despite the fact that Finland was ruled by its Western neighbour, Sweden about 600 years and only about 100 odd years by its Eastern neighbour, Russia, it is the colourful influences of the latter that can be observed in many places. There is a massive Russian Orthodox church on a hill that overlooks the city harbour. There are several oldy worldy velvet-curtained Russian restaurants as well as a Russian tea house near the market square, serving imperial specialties such as caviar and blinis.
Seasonal variation - a city of contrasts
The seasonal changes in Helsinki are starkly contrasting. In the winter, life in Helsinki dies down. Even though the unusually overpowering darkness might be rather exotic and somewhat mysterious to the occasional tourist to start with, in the long run it can become hugely depressing and you just wish that the Winter would end right then and there. At least towards the end of the year, the town will be decorated with plenty of Christmas lights to brighten up the city scene.
It certainty is freezing cold in the Winter. You might prefer to stay indoors most of the time and snuggle up on the sofa under the blanket when it's crisp and snowy outdoors. It really gets so cold in Helsinki that that the sea freezes over and the main waterways need to be kept open with the help of not just one icebreaker, but several!! I mean, how many cities there are in Europe that experience such a severe temperatures?! Not many to my knowledge. In the summer, the city gets surprisingly hot and sunny. The warmth and permanent daylight cheers the city up. No wonder Summer is welcomed with open arms. |
More recent influences Although the majority of foreigners living in Helsinki are originally from the neighbouring countries Estonia, Russia and Sweden, it is getting more and more multicultural as more people from other parts of the world have adopted Helsinki as their home town. You can now hear Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, French, Chinese, Thai.. around which is soooo good for someone who's used to living in a multicultural society.
Despite being the capital, the city is still small and intimate. It is lively, but not bustling. It is easy to explore the city by foot or even a push bike. Cycling is much safer than in many other cities in Europe due to marked off road cycling routes. Helsinki - a green city There are numerous parks in Helsinki. You can find one almost around every corner and even in the most densely-built areas. Some of the parks include the centrally located Esplanade Park (Eteläesplanadi-Pohjoisesplanadi), Eira's park (Tehtaankatu-Laivurinkatu), Sibelius Park (Mechelininkatu-Merikannontie), Kaivopuisto Park (Iso Puistotie-Ehrenströmintie-Itäinen Puistotie), Kaisaniemi Park (Kaisaniemenkatu-Unioninkatu, nr the central railway station), Fredrik Stjernvall Park (Merikatu-Merisatamanranta), Tehtaanpuisto (Sepänkatu-Laivurinkatu), Ensipuistikko (Wecksellintie), Neitsytpuisto (Vuorimiehenkatu-Tehtaankatu), Kolmikulma Greens, the Central Park (Lääkärinkatu), the Old Church Park, Kanavapuisto (Kanavaranta-Kanavakatu), Sinebrychoff Park (Bulevardi), Lastenlehto Park (Lapinlahdekatu-Ruoholahdenkatu), Topelius Park (Topeliuksenkatu), Humallahdenpuisto Greens (Paciuksenkatu), Sammonpuistikko (Sammonkatu-Ilmarinkatu-Runberginkatu), Hesperia Park (Mannerheimintie nr. the Opera House), Karhupuisto park (Viides linja). The list goes on and on..
There is even a relatively small and unknown Leninin Puisto ("Lenins Park"). Yes, it is the Russian chappie. Recently, I heard that people are collecting names in order to get a statue of Lenin erected in the park.. Well, we'll have to wait and see what happens..) It is located along Vesilinnankatu. Architecture - street pattern Helsinki as it is today, is for the most part the creation of two guys, Johan Albrecht Ehrenström and Carl Ludvig Engel. Ehrenström is responsible for the city's symmetrical street pattern and its wide streets and multitude of parks. Engel has had a lasting impact on the cityscape with his elegant, tall and symmetrical buildings of neo-classical style. He ended up designing over 30 public buildings including the houses surrounding the Senate Square including Helsinki Cathedral, the Senate (now the Palace of the Council of State), the library and the main building of Helsinki University as well as a load of private houses. All these buildings have had a huge impact on all later developments in Helsinki and are a significant part of the cityscape. Cultural events Helsinki is also a cultural city, with a plethora of events taking place around the year. The June Helsinki Day, the Helsinki Festival, the Helsinki International Film Festival 'Love and Anarchy', the Night of the Arts, the Sibelius International Violin Contest, Musica Nova Helsinki, Concerts in the Park, the Children's International Theatre Festival and the Day of the Rose and the Book all follow one another. In addition to the festivals, there is also the regular cultural output of countless theatre and dance troupes, some of the world's finest orchestras and choirs, rock concerts, films and the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. Non-cultural events ;-) In addition to the cultural events, Helsinki hosts several other events, including the October Herring Festival, Naisten Kymppi (Women’s 10K run) outing, the Helsinki City Marathon, the provincial fairs that take place on the Senate Square, the Midsummer festivals, the May Day carnival and the annual Samba carnival. | | |
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| Pros: | "Small, intimate, cosmopolitan, more and more international and multicultural, loads of parks and lovely art nouveau architecture" | | Cons: | "Expensive, small, monocultural, freezing cold and depressingly dark in the winter" |
annase's Helsinki Travel Tips
 annase's Helsinki Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for annase about Helsinki | | | | |
807Wheaton Fri Jul 11, 2008 21:54 UTC
We were impressed with Helsinki when we visited last September. The shops were very nice, everything was clean, the people friendly and we enjoyed Suomenlinna Island. Best Wishes from Augusta, GA. | osocafe Tue May 27, 2008 14:42 UTC
Terve, nice page and beutifull description of your City. näkemiin. | Gillybob Tue Jan 8, 2008 14:25 UTC
Fantastic page with lots of really useful tips - I'll be taking a good few of them with me in March. Gillybob greetings | y2ketan2007 Mon Nov 26, 2007 16:43 UTC
Thanks for the tons of information and the wonderful pictures.Seems like a terrific city. |
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