Hello, what are some of your favorite sights in
Helsinki? Anyone done a boat tour of the archipelago?
Have you visited the town of Savonlinna? The Olavinlinna Castle looks like a neat place to visit.
Thinking about Finland as my 1st overseas trip. Thanks
I was only in Helsinki for a brief stop, and we took a bus tour around the city. It was not one of my favorite places we visited; there isn't much for old Hanseatic charm there like there is in other places on the Baltic Sea. The things we did were: stop at the Sibelius Monument, Temppeliaukio (Rock Church), and then the Market Square on the sea harbor. I am sure there are many other things to do and see there, but it just wasn't one of my favorites. If I went back to Finland, it would be to go further North into Lapland to see the scenic areas of the country. And more west of Helsinki to the towns of Turko or Ulvila. I honestly didn't see enough of the entire country to give a good overview, but if it's your first trip overseas, there are many other places more interesting, just my opinion, of course.
I saw the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress from our bus, and you can take a little boat ferry over to the island it sits on and roam around.
I've spent more than 10 days in Helsinki since 2022. Obviously, I like the city. However, I think most people will find it less of a "wow" than Stockholm and Tallinn (for two examples). I am a big fan of art and of Art Nouveau architecture, with both of which Helsinki is well supplied. There's also good contemporary architecture. I spent a lot of time walking around, gaping at the pretty buildings. Those preferring much older architecture may find Helsinki somewhat disappointing.
Unfortunately, I haven't been to any of the places you mentioned. On both of my visits I traveled to Finland on the overnight Stockholm-Turku ferry (rather than going straight to Helsinki). I can vouch for the beauty of the archipelagos at both ends of that trip but cannot comment on the Helsinki archipelago.
The two other significant Finnish cities I visited were Turku and Tampere. Both are interesting but probably not worth lengthy stays for most visitors.
If you enjoy museums, you should investigate Finland's museum card, which is valid for a full year. It covers over 300 museums and costs 86 euros. https://museot.fi/museumcard
We had a very nice three day weekend in Helsinki several years ago- for us the highlights were taking a boat trip out to walk around Suomenlinna, visiting the Tempelliaukio mentioned above, the silent chapel, and walking around and seeing the beautiful architecture. I'm not a big shopper but also came home with quite a bit from the Marimekko and Iitala shops. We also did a day trip to Tallinn which I definitely recommend if you have the time. An interesting experience was trying Lappish food... it was a bit heavy on meat options for me but it was fun to try it.
"I honestly didn't see enough of the entire country to give a good overview, but if it's your first trip overseas, there are many other places more interesting, just my opinion, of course."
Susan, what are some other places in Europe that you've visited and would recommend? Especially, ones that may be better-suited for a slow walker. Do you have any experience with Spain or Italy (Florence)?
Hi Greg--
Yes, I have been to both Italy and Spain. In 2018 we spent 3 weeks in Florence, where we rented an apartment in a local neighborhood within walking distance of the main sites, it was part of a 3 month trip in Italy. We were never bored and saw the best of what Florence has to offer. We happened to be there on Easter and saw the festivities. I've been back to Italy 2 other times.
Spain; Barcelona, Valencia, Andalusia area, Marbella, Madrid, and Segovia. Also spent time in the Basque Region: Hondarribia, Guernica, and San Sebastián.
As far as being a slow walker, if you can get up and down stairs (in some places), but Florence is fairly flat, and over cobblestones, you should be fine in Florence.
Spain is varied as far as walking; some towns are hilly.
I don't want to steer you away from what you want to see, but I just think that Finland wouldn't be my first choice for a first time in Europe.
Actually, the cobblestones would probably be an issue. But, I chose Florence to see the Accademia, Uffizi Gallery, and El Duomo. I do enjoy art museums. And, I heard that you can go to an 'Opera dinner' there, which would be incredible.
However, I know that Madrid has the Prado Museum with works by Velasquez etc., which would be awesome to see. Plus, I do have a little bit of Spanish ancestry - but I hear the pickpockets are bad in Madrid, idk. I also have German ancestry, although it seems more expensive to fly there for some reason, same as Austria.
