helsinki
by call_me_rhia
The capital of Finland is a city with two names - Helsinki (in Finnish) and Helsingfors (in Swedish) – and roughly half a million inhabitants. It’s on the southern portion of country, right on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, opposite Tallinn in Estonia, to be precise. Despite having been founded in 1550, nothing remains of that period. I would say that Helsinki is a city of culture (there’s tons of museums), but not much of charm: glorious sights are really few… I did not like it entirely, but appreciated its nature: parks, bays, beaches and even a very friendly cemetery.
A Few Facts About Finland
by starship
Finland is a country of approximately 5.2 million people with about 560,000 of them residing in Helsinki. Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. Finland has been a Sovereign parliamentary republic since 1917 and currently has a woman President, Ms. Tarja Halonen!!!
Of the population, about 92% speak Finnish, while only 6% speak Swedish. Signs and most definitely maps frequently are written in both Finnish and Swedish. I feel quite foolish about just recently understanding that "Helsingfors" means Helsinki in Swedish!!
A few helpful words in Finnish:
Hello ~ hei
Thank you/Please ~ kiitos (pronounced 'key-toes')
Where is ~ Missa on ....?
You're welcome ~ tervetuloa
Restaurant ~ ravintola
Unlike most of the surrounding Scandinavian countries, Finland has adopted the Euro as their unit of currency (EU - European Union). Finland adds a VAT (Value AddedTax) to the sales price of goods. If you live outside of of the EU countries and Norway, and you spend 40 Euros or more in one store, you can recover the money charged as VAT. Present the merchandise and sales receipt (s) at the appropriate office in the airport. Or, present your cruise card or passport for identification before reboarding your ship, and ask for the appropriate "Global Refund Check" which you can cash on the pier or receive a credit on your credit card account. The refund is between 10 - 16% of the purchase price. For more info. on this, check the following website:
www.globalrefund.com
Most shops are open from 9am to 9pm; open-air markets 8am to 8pm with some closing for about 2 hrs. 2pm to 4pm. The natural beauty and peacefulness of Finland is etched on my mind! The verdant and very serene countryside, the mirror-like "Porvoonjoki," River was an unparralled sight. The friendliness and the excellent English spoken by many Finns had a special way of making us feel at home. It's just a beautiful country!
Alexander the II
by inuit
In the Senate Square you will a very nice statue of Alexander the 2nd who was the Russian Tzar who ruled Finland in late part of the 19th century. The Finns show alot of respect to this man the liberal ways and respect he gave the Finnish langaue, culture and self autonomy. snow falling on the statue
1) Visit the Kiasma musueam of...
by corky_128
1) Visit the Kiasma musueam of modern art.
2) Visit Suomolinnan sea fortress (Brillant UNESCO site)
3) Visit Tallinn, Estonia on a day trip (1.5 hours by sea ferry for €50)
4) Visit Fish market
5) Visit the church in the rock Going to Tallinn, for a daytrip!
Start by having a cup of...
by samsonite
Start by having a cup of coffee in hotel torni. From there, take a good look in your map and travelplans. Cup goes gor 20 FIM. Expensive but worth it. Restaurant Salve´s breakfast. Just sit in a table, order one of those breakfasts and you will be satisfied. Being in helsinki, you propably have a hangover, so try a traditional koskenkorva shot in case of emergency.
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Art Nouveau in Katajanokka
Interior (1)
The Flag of Finland (6 December 2010)
Copper Roof
