What to do in Helsinki?

[TheMexican]

Any advice?

 

I'm trying to figure out my shore excursions and would like to know what people liked in this city.

 

What is worthwhile visiting and what isn't?

 

Thanks a bunch!

[mountainhouse]

There's a separate forum for Baltic Ports. Might get more answers there. Have fun!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=192

[NH Cruiser]

We did the Baltics cruise last year. I arranged for a driver (http://www.kovanen.com/www/en/henkiloliikenne.html) to pick us up at the pier for a two-hour tour of some of the outlying areas. This was just a driver, who read a little information about the stops but he was definitely not a guide which I knew in advance.

 

We stopped at the Rock Church, Sibelius Park, Olympic Stadium (took the elevator to the top of the tower for some great views of Helsinki), Parliament House, Finlandia Hall (you can't go inside), and Uspenski Cathedral. We were dropped off at Senate Square. We toured the square and the Lutheran Church, then walked to Market Square and the Esplanade. We took a taxi back to the ship.

[Andee]

During our day in Helsinki, we enjoyed:

Rock Church, Uspenski Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Senate Square, Lutheran Cathedral, City of Helsinki Museum, Market Square and the Esplanade.

[fern]

Last summer we were in Helsinki and we bought tickets for a guided bus tour from the tourist office. It was an excellent tour and we thought it was very good value. We were taken to all the main sites and the guide was very informative.

[cruisemom42]

We had a lovely day weatherwise in Helsinki, and enjoyed it very much. I don't know if it would be so enjoyable on a rainy day (which is pretty frequent, I gather...)

 

We took the shuttle from the dock to the dropping off point (at the Swedish theatre, on the Esplanadi). We were dropped right next to the place where the double-decker bus tours start. We bought tickets for the tour and, at a fraction of the cost of a shore excusion, we got a terrific guided tour that included stops at the Sibelius park, the Church in the Rock, and the Senate square, where we saw the Lutheran church. We departed the bus at this point (the tour was basically over) and walked over to the market (Market square). We bought food for lunch and ate it in the park that runs down the center of Esplanadi, then strolled the market some more for souvenir shopping. Lots of dried reindeer meat, fur hats, and clever things carved from wood and horn.

 

I found the shopping along Esplanadi great, so I packed off DS on the ship shuttle and stayed behind to do more shopping (Marimekko, Iittala, Stockmann's department store, etc.) Then enjoyed a coffee at an outside cafe before heading back.

 

Since it was such a nice day, we considered taking the ferry over to Suomlinno( sp?) fortress, but just felt there wasn't enough time. I think it would have been enjoyable if we were more ambitious, but wouldn't recommend it on a rainy day.

[easy22]

ditto the above. the bus to the tourist office and then the 3T tram ticket was a great deal and it took us to all the points of interest. loved shopping the gourmet food dept in the basement of Stockman's. got reindeer pate and Finnish mustard. try the Finnish blue cheese. they'll give you a taste. it is the best blue cheese i've ever had. we bought a small piece for an afternoon snack.

[Scarlotte]

go to this site and download the pdf file. http://www.hel2.fi/tourism/en/esitteet_Helsinki.asp

 

This is one of the best guides I've ever seen; and i felt like i knew the city before I got there.

 

We bought the 3T (the 3b does the same route, only backwards) tram pass for 6 euro. this enabled us to get on/off tram all day. we also got the free tram guide which told what sites were near each stop. But the great stuff doesn't stop there. the pass also enables you to take the ferry to suomenlinna island. this trip was fabulous. the ferry ride gives you the chance to see the city from the water (our ship was dock outside the town). also, the island is lovely to walk around. Apparently this pass also enables you to use any public transportation; but the 3T was enuff for us.

 

have fun

[2dogcarol]

If you need any wine or other liquors there is a great liquor store in the basement of Stockman's that has wine from countries all over the world.

[lionheart]

Port: Helsinki, Finland

Schedule Date: June 7, 2006 (Tuesday)

Schedule Time: 9:00-6:00

Currency: Euro (available onboard)

Tour: On-own

Money needed: 50 Euros; exchange $63; 1.25E=$1

Docked: Hernesaari C Ship Dock

Other ships in port: 2-HAL-Amersedam and Princess-Star Princess

Public Holiday: No

Time change: +7EDT

Average temperature: 68/48

Things to see:

1) Cruise ship entering/leaving Helsinki (islands/Fortress). Helsinki founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa to rival Tallinn.

2) Kauppatori Market Square (ferry)

3) Senate Square (Finest neoclassical square in Europe)/Tuomiokirkko-Lutheran Cathedral (top of steps;senate building on left; university on right’ small blue building w/slanted roof, far left corner from 1757 survived Russian conquest)-completed 1852 (9-6) Free-Café Krypt

4) Uspenski Cathedral-1868 (Biggest Russian Orthodox in western Europe-inside fine icons) (b (10-4) Free

5) Temppellaukio Church-1969 (Rock Church) (Blasted out of rock; air-raid shelter below) (10-8) Free

6) National Museum of Finland (Museovirasto) (11-8) 6 Euro/4 Euro (student)-café-ground floor: café/treasure trove (coins, medals, weapons) and temp. Exhibit. 1st floor main entrance-prehistory (archaeological)/Realm (Finnish culture from Middle Ages to 20th century) 2nd floor land and people 9rural life) Realm (20th cent.). 3rd floor temp exhibits. (Kansallismusee)

7) Stockman’s Dept. Store (by shuttle drop-off point)

8) Suomenlinia Fortress (10-6) Greatest fortress in Swedish Empire (1748)

9) Walk by Central Railway station/ Kiasma museum of Contemporary Art

10) Finnish Tourist Board (Etelaespland) by Kauppatori. (mobile tourist kiosk at the pier)

11) Finland Mint (Rahapaja Moneta) UnionStreet/Aleksanterinkatu. 32, 00100. (9-13) (14-17)

Ferry: Kauppatori (HKL) Leave: 1000;1100;1200; 1:00. Back From Fortress:;11:20; 12:20;1:20. Cost: 3.80 Euros pp. Tickets are sold at the ferry pavilion at the Market Square (summer season only), HKL Service Points at the Central Railway Station and Itäkeskus as well as from the City Tourist and Convention Bureau, address Pohjoisesplanadi 19. Ferry 15-20 min. ride

Shuttle—about every 20 minutes. Travel Time-15-20 minutes

Dock 9:00-Shuttle 9:30-Helsinki-10:00—Mannerheimvagen (or Mannerheimintie) street take north, make right on Pesplanadi (or Pohjoisesplandi). Esplande Park on left. Make left on Unionkatu. One block up (by Senate square) intersecting street Aleksanterinkatu. Look for Rahapaja Moneta (coin shop). After coin shop take Unioninkatu towards market (Kauppatori) left on Nesplanafen/E.esplandi. Ferry in market square to Suomenlinna (public ferry HKL). Explore island. Leave island. Back to market square. (N)esplanade road past Swedish embassy, past presidential palace towards Uspenski cathedral off of Kanavakatu. After inside visit, back track and head to senate square/Lutheran cathedral. After inside visit, cross Unionkatu to Yiliospistonkatu (down 4 blks) make right on Keskuskatu, make left on Kaivokatu by train station (central railway station). Straight to Mannerheimvagen, make right (Mannenheimintie). Past (on right) Kiasma museum contemp. Art. Straight on left national museum of Finland (Museovirasto). After visit, south on Mannerheimintie make right on Arkadiankatu, make right on Temppelikatu (toward rock church). After rock church. Back track to Mannerheimintie going into Mannerheimvagen road past Stockman’s dept store and back to shuttle pickup.

 

Dock 9:00-Shuttle 9:30-Helsinki-10:00—10:00-Coin shop-11:00 Ferry—12:20 Ferry back from island—12:40-market square-12:50-Uspenski—1:20-leave-1:30-Senate sq.-2:15-leave-2:30-Musuem history-3:30 leave-3:45-Rock-4:00-leave rock-4:15-Shuttle pickup-5:00-last shuttle-6:00-Sail-away.