Slowly, this blog has been becoming more and more of a travel blog, and I can't say I'm too gutted about that! The Erasmus student scheme has just turned 30 years old, and it got me thinking how grateful I am to have been able to study in Oslo as part of it. It's opened up places, people, ways of thinking and travel opportunities I would never have had- this weekend I'm going on a free (yes, FREE!) trip to Copenhagen with the café I volunteer with, and if that's not excellent payment for a few shifts I don't know what is...
But enough about Denmark, this post is all about Finland, with a little bit of Estonia thrown in for good measure! I went on a lil mini-break last week with a friend, as it was a part of Scandinavia we'd both wanted to visit for a while. I wasn't really sure what to expect, Helsinki is a bit like Oslo in the sense that it's often overlooked by it's cooler Scandi neighbours, Copenhagen and Stockholm, but I would have to say it's a hidden gem!
We spent two of our three days in Helsinki, exploring the main touristy spots, and wandering around to get a feel for the city. My favourite things to do were:
1. The sea fortress Suomenlinna
This is definitely worth a few hours exploration- think clambering through old tunnels with just your iPhone for light, sea views, and a stark, fascinating beauty of this remote place with such a rich history. The ferry there is fun and it's super cheap, so bonus in the notoriously expensive Scandinavia!
2. Wandering around Senate Square and looking around the cathedral there
It's one of those 'must-see' sights in Helsinki- the city centre is pretty small so you'll probably have inadvertently passed through here a few times! You definitely won't have been able to miss the cathedral which dominates the skyline
3. Ambling up the Esplanadia which leads off from Market Square
Market Square and its gorgeous old Market Hall are something you should definitely devote a while to- sample some Finnish delicacies, walk along the promenade, and then wander up the leafy boulevard back towards the city centre- there's loads of cute cafés and shops to look in as well. Downside of going away with a guy is that there far less likely to want to look in the shops... I feel so deprived...
4. Having a drink in the Ateljee rooftop bar
What is it about a rooftop bar that I love so much? I like rooftops in general for the views, and bars are always nice, but put those two words together and suddenly I'm totally fine with paying obscene amounts for a cocktail and freezing my ass off outside to make the most of the views.
This was honestly one of my favourite parts of the weekend, just relaxing and taking in the stunning Finnish skyline.
On one of the days, we got the ferry to Tallinn in Estonia for the day, and I was initially going to include it in this post. But this underrated place completely deserves a post of its own because wow I sure fell hard for that gorgeous city. I may have, possibly, preferred it to Helsinki... you'll understand when you see the photos of the old town because it's honestly like something out of a fairytale!
Honor xxx
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