This summer, I'm tagging along on a cruise to Scandinavia, the Baltics and St. Petersburg. I've picked all my excursions, but I've got some extra time in Helsinki and was hoping to visit a sauna and have the true Finnish experience.
Anyone have ideas where might be easily accessible to do the whole thing (travel to and from, included) within 2-3 hours of the cruise port and/or city centre? No need to be a particularly touristy one - I did a neighbourhood Hammam in Marrakech and appreciated (not sure if that's exactly the right word) the fish out of water feeling...
Recommendations for a good place for authentic food nearby would be appreciated - I'd love to wander until I find that little gem, but I just won't have the time, sadly.
I'm normally a church & castle gawker, but the tours are covering most of those, so I'm looking for moments of real life! I'm also under 35, and I love seeing what makes a place what it is - the history/architecture, etc. Truthfully, cruise vacationing isn't normally my preferred mode, but the opportunity to be the cheaper 3rd bunk was too good to pass up! I will take the trip as my Tapas tour of the region - getting a little taste so I know what I MUST visit again in future!
Other stops, if anyone has additional ideas:
Stockholm, Sweden
Tallinn, Estonia
Klaipeda / Memel, Lithuania
Mariehamm, Aland Islands
Karlskrona, Sweden
Kristiansand Norway
St Petersburg, Russia
Copenhagen, Denmark
Oslo, Norway
Thank you for ideas!