Helsinki

One of the highlights when visiting Helsinki is the island of Suomenlinna with its historical fortress and museum. Apart from the museum and the historical buildings it’s also a pleasant place to walk around and enjoy the nature which is just a short boat trip away from the centre of Helsinki.

*Traditional houses on Suomenlinna island.*

Panoramic view on Suomenlinna fortress in April.

In March it’s still possible to have snow and freezing weather. Most of the times it will be dry but it can be around freezing point during the day. To get to the island just use your normal ticket for public transport for the boat.

The city centre of Helsinki is not really big with a couple of streets nearby the harbour which offer the main highlights in the architectural aspect. For example the white Helsinki Cathedral, the red brick Uspenski Cathedral, the city hall and presidential palace.

It’s just nice to walk around, enjoy the buildings and the Esplanadi Park. Food is delicious and in general restaurants and cafés offer good service. Only the price level can be quite high with about EUR 3,50 – EUR 4,- for a cappuccino, EUR 7 for a piece of cake and a main course in an average restaurant is about EUR 20 to EUR 25,-.

The best way to experience a local market is to give a visit to the Old Market Hall which is next to the harbor. Even if you don’t want to buy food it’s still nice to walk around in the old historical building. The shops offer different local delicacies like fish, seafood, and sweets. Good to keep in mind is that this market is closed on Sunday.

A second market is at the harbor. This market is mainly meant for tourists who want to buy some souvenirs. It’s also a place where you can get for Helsinki standards quite cheap drinks and local food. Only the places where you can sit down are not so fancy and not always inside so the weather should be good.

When all the sights are visited it’s also possible to visit a Finnish sauna in the city center to relax.