Helsinki Card

Helsinki Card is a city card with a number of benefits that will help you to discover and experience Helsinki plus save money, time and energy during your visit.

The whole city with one card:

• FREE Audio Sightseeing Tour or Guided Tour SAVE 28€
• FREE unlimited travel on metro, buses, trams, trains inside Helsinki and ferry to/from Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
• FREE entry to major Helsinki museums and sights
• FREE Helsinki Card guide book (maps and complete tourist info)
• Discounts -20% -15% -10% in restaurants, shops, tours, car rental, sauna and concerts.

• The NEW Helsinki Card Region is your ticket for public transport in Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa
• More about NEW Helsinki Card Region!

Prices and validity 2012

Validity	Adults	Children (7-16 years)
1 day / 24 hours	36 €	15 €
2 days / 48 hours	46 €	18 €
3 days / 72 hours	56 €	21 €

More about Helsinki Card

Suomenlinna, Helsinki

Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands (Kustaanmiekka, Susisaari, Iso-Mustasaari, Pikku-Mustasaari, Länsi-Mustasaari and Långören), and which now forms part of the city of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who enjoy it as a picturesque picnic site. Originally named Sveaborg (Fortress of Svea), or Viapori as called by Finns, it was renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for patriotic and nationalistic reasons, though it is still also sometimes known by its original name. In Swedish-speaking contexts, the name Sveaborg is always used.^[1]
The Swedish crown commenced the construction of the fortress in 1748 as protection against Russian expansionism. The general responsibility for the fortification work was given to Augustin Ehrensvärd. The original plan of the bastion fortress was strongly influenced by the ideas of Vauban, the foremost military engineer of the time, and the principles of Star Fort style of fortification, albeit adapted to a group of rocky islands.
In addition to the island fortress itself, seafacing fortifications on the mainland would ensure that an enemy would not acquire a beach-head from which to stage attacks. The plan was also to stock munitions for the whole Finnish contingent of the Swedish Army and Royal Swedish Navy there. In the Finnish War the fortress surrendered to Russia on May 3, 1808, paving the way for the occupation of Finland by Russian forces in 1809

Useful Words & Phrases in Finnish (Suomi)

First, the pronunciation of Finnish phrases:Finnish (Suomi) has regular pronunciation without many exceptions. Usually, Finnish words are pronounced just like they are spelled. Keep these differences between Finnish and English vowels in mind when pronouncing Finnish phrases:A: pronounced like the u in "cup"
Ä: sounds close to the a in "hat"
E: pronounced like e in "hen"
I: sounds like i in "tip"
Y: close to the u in the British pronunciation of "you" with tight lips
Ö: pronounced like the u in "fur" with tight lips
Finnish/Suomi Greetings & Small TalkHello: Hei.Goodbye: Näkemiin.Yes: Kyllä.No: Ei.Thank you: Kiitos.You are welcome: Ei kestä.Excuse me: Anteeksi.My name is ...: Nimeni on ...Nice to meet you: Hauska tavata.
Finnish/Suomi Travel PhrasesHotel: HotelliRoom: HuoneReservation: Varaus Do you have any vacancies today?: Onko täksi illaksi vielä tilaa? I'm sorry, I don't speak Finnish: Anteeksi, en puhu suomea.No vacancies: Ei ole tilaa. Passport: Passi Airport: Lentokenttä Train station: Rautatieasema Bus station: Bussiasema Where is ...?: Missä on ...? Ticket: Lippu 1 ticket to ... : Yksi lippu ... Train: Juna Bus: Bussi Subway: Metro
Finnish/Suomi Numbers & Days1: yksi, 2: kaksi, 3: kolme, 4: neljä, 5: viisi, 6: kuusi, 7: seitsemän, 8: kahdeksan, 9: yhdeksän, 10: kymmenenMonday: maanantai, Tuesday: tiistai, Wednesday: keskiviikko, Thursday: torstai, Friday: perjantai, Saturday: lauantai, Sunday: sunnuntai

Helsinki Map

The Best Attractions in Helsinki, Finland

Looking for unforgettable attractions in Helsinki, Finland? Let's find out which attractions in Helsinki are the city's best attractions, and which Helsinki attractions you definitely need to visit on your next Helsinki trip...here are attractions for every taste.

1. Helsinki's Suomenlinna Fortress

Wiki Creative Commons

Built in the 1700s on 6 islands, Suomenlinna Fortress is to this date one of Helsinki's most popular and famous attractions open year-round. There are about 800 inhabitants and you can enjoy different museums, shops, cafes, and restaurants for. To reach this Helsinki attraction, take a ferry from Helsinki's Market Square. Suomenlinna fortress is also one of Finland's UNESCO world heritage sites.

2. Helsinki's Historic City Center

Sxh.hu / Nyee

One of the first things Helsinki visitors talk about when returning home, is the historic city center of Helsinki. The city center of Finland's capital dates back to the 1600s and offers you attractions and sights at several locations in the middle of Helsinki: City Hall, Helsinki Cathedral, the Market Square, the Old Market Hall and the Presidential Palace!

3. Töölönlahti Bay

Cepolina.com

Impossible to pronounce for non-natives, but wonderful to visit: Töölönlahti Bay in Helsinki. The park around Töölönlahti Bay starts directly in Helsinki, and is a popular destination even for Helsinki residents! Besides a quiet and relaxing afternoon, Töölönlahti Bay also offers visitors the colorfully planted Winter Garden, the Sports Museum and the Finnish National Opera, the Olympic Stadium, Finlandia Hall and the Linnunlaulu district of the wooden villas.

4. Hietaniemi Beach

Many think that Finnish weather is too cold for swimming. No, along with warm summers, Helsinki offers over 310 islands and a coastline close to 100 kilometers long. Helsinki visitors and locals alike love the swimming beaches here, and the most popular beach is Hietaniemi Beach (short "Hietsu") which every Helsinki local knows. If it's too crowded for your taste, visit the other big beach at Seurasaari. The beaches are popular attractions for families.

5. Museum Island Seurasaari

Cepolina.com

Seurasaari is an island. But not just any island - it's Helsinki's museum island, one of the biggest attractions in Helsinki. The open-air museum Seurasaari shows Finnish traditions and buildings from the 1700s to the 1900s and offers visitors workshops and events for the whole family in summer. Seurasaari is also the location for annual celebrations like Christmas, Easter and Midsummer's Eve in summer.

6. Linnanmäki Amusement Park

Linnanmäki Amusement Park in Helsinki is a very popular attraction for families with children, and offers the beautifully illuminated "Carnival of Lights" each October concluding the summer season (open May - late September). Make sure to experience the Carnival of Lights with your children, if you can. There is also a special winter event in February.

7. Helsinki's Old Town

© Jonik, CC License

Helsinki's Old Town (Arabianranta area) is a popular attraction in Helsinki. There's not much "old" here, as a matter of fact, Old Town is now a modern part of the city showing new Scandinavian architecture and design in Finland's capital. Old Town is the attraction where Helsinki's past now meets the present.

8. Helsinki Central Railway Station

One of Helsinki's most recognizable attractions is the Central Railway Station in Helsinki. It opened in 1919 and has four granite guards at the main entrance. Today, Helsinki's Central Railway Station is considered to be one of the most admired Finnish architectural works. National and international rail services are available here. The new Ice Park with skating & live entertainment (Nov-March) next to the train station is a great attraction in winter!

How to Get from Stockholm to Helsinki

(and from Helsinki back to Stockholm...)

By Terri Mapes, About.com Guide

See More About:

• stockholm
• helsinki
• city to city
• transportation

Silja Line Ferry Stockholm to Helsinki

Public Domain Image

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To get from Stockholm to Helsinki and back, travelers have mainly two transportation options. Each choice has pros and cons, so let's find out which way is best for you to travel between Stockholm and Helsinki...

1- Stockholm to Helsinki by Air

Many direct flights between Stockholm and Helsinki are operated by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Finnair. They're also usually the cheapest flights available between these two cities, starting around $130/£80. The flights from Stockholm to Helsinki or from Helsinki to Stockholm depart several times a day and only are an hour long. Quick and easy, but not the cheapest way.

• Compare flight prices from Stockholm to Helsinki
• Compare flight prices from Helsinki to Stockholm

2- Stockholm to Helsinki by Ship

If you have some time to spare while traveling, there's a 16 hour long ferry connection between Stockholm and Helsinki leaving in the afternoon and arriving the following morning. The Viking Line and the Silja Line ferries both cover Stockholm-Helsinki (and Helsinki-Stockholm). Both cruise lines include on board services such as bars, restaurants, different types of cabins, and duty-free shopping.The Viking Line offers cheaper cruise prices but uses older ships; Silja Line cruises are more expensive but also offer more elegance. Booking a weeknight cruise ticket from Stockholm to Helsinki is cheapest, and there's another discount if you buy a round-trip ticket. Starting around €40, this is a cheap way to get from Stockholm to Helsinki or back, but not very fast. (You could also take a ferry from Stockholm to Åbo, Finland, and make your way south to Helsinki from there by bus or car.)

3- Stockholm to Helsinki by Train

There are no train connections between Stockholm and Helsinki. Take a look at the map of Sweden and imagine where the train would have to go...

4- Stockholm to Helsinki by Car

Much like the train method, there's no direct land connection between Stockholm and Helsinki. You'll have to take the 16-hour ferry if you want to take your car with you. Vehicle rates are reasonable, especially on the Viking Line. Ferry destinations suitable for this option would be Helsinki City Center or Åbo, Finland.

5- Stockholm to Helsinki by Bus

Sorry, buses are not a viable option. The only other option apart from flying is taking a ferry. If you're on a budget, try the cheap Viking Line and book a ticket as a foot passenger on a weekday

Travel to Finland

Finland has 1,250 km of coastline and is located in Northern Europe. It encircles the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea, and Gulf of Bothnia. Known for its unspoiled wilderness, there is something in the Finnish air that is bound to attract you.
Although the country enjoys an edge over most of the European countries, there are few areas in Finland that have remained remote and underdeveloped. Helsinki is the modern capital of the country and it will not be wrong to say that this is essentially an activity hub.
If you travel to Finland in winter, what you experience will be totally different from what you experience if you travel to the country in summer. Summers are arid and hot. And winters are cold but they are dry.

Best time to visit Finland
The best time of the year when you will find most of the travelers flocking to this place is between June and August. This is the time when summers are giving way to chilly winters. This is also the time when hotels are all decked up to make them look inviting to the tourists. It appears as though Finland never sleeps. So, if you are planning to visit Finland during this period, make sure that you book rooms to avoid the last minute rush.

Places of interest in Finland

• There are many places in Finland that will mesmerize you with its beauty. Some of the places you can visit when you travel to Finland include the following

-Turku
This is one of the oldest towns in Finland and has medieval castles, museums, cathedral, boat bars, and a night life that can be equally captivating.

2. Jyvaskyla

Jyvaskyla is known for its architectural splendor and Lakeland University. Take a tour of the town and explore its history.

3. Lakeland

Finland is home to as many as 188,000 lakes. As such it offers ample opportunity to indulge in some of the activities that people long for. These may include boating, swimming, canoeing, and fishing etc. In addition to the places of interest mentioned above, you can try visiting the following places too. However, you need to have enough time.

Tourist attractions in Helsinki

You can visit the following places of interest in Helsinki, Finland. They are -

1. Fortress of Suomenlinna
2. Rock Church
3. Ateneum Art Museum
4. Marimekko
5. Hakaniemi Market Square
6. Uspenski Cathedral etc
   
   Attractions in Vantaa, Finland
   
   Check out the following places in Vantaa.
   
7. Fazer Chocolate Factory
8. Heureka Finnish Science Centre
9. Pyhan Laurin Kirkko
10. Akvaariolinna
11. Flamingo Entertainment Centre etc
    
    Attractions in Tampere
12. Pyynikki Park and Observation Tower
13. Finlaysonin Tehdasalue
14. Galaxie Center
15. Vapriikin Museokeskus etc
    
    Finland Levi Attractions
16. Kid's Land
17. Levi Ski Resort
18. Inghams Mini Husky Experience etc
    
    Finland accommodation
    
    
    You will find hotels of different categories when you travel to Finland. These may be 5 star, 4 star, and 3 star rated hotels. Budget or economy hotels are common too. Settle for a hotel after comparing rates and services.
    Getting there
    
    There are many airline companies that fly between European destinations. The best is to book a round trip. Tickets are generally cheaper if a Saturday night stay is included in your trip.