Finland, Helsinki: attractions, photos and reviews from tourists. What to do in winter Helsinki - from snowmobiling and ice-hole diving to hockey and an ice skating rink in the city center What to see in Helsinki in winter
“The weather outside is frightful...” - the words of the famous Christmas song ring in your head all day long, the first snowball is swirling outside, and you can’t wait to get out the tinsel and decorate everything around. Clearly, it's winter! Winter comes slowly to Helsinki, the city is in no hurry to cover itself with a blanket of snow, but everything around says that Christmas is coming.
About a week before the first day of winter, all central streets, shopping center buildings and windows of ordinary houses begin to be decorated with all kinds of glowing garlands, huge natural fir trees line up at Stockmann's, Christmas melodies sound from everywhere, and stores are filled with Christmas paraphernalia.
The main attraction and a favorite attraction for children is the Stockmann Christmas display. Two or three huge windows, behind which the real action takes place with toy animals in the lead roles, every year amaze children's imagination with new inventions of their creators. Children stick to the bottom edge of the display cases to get a better look and have time to press different buttons that activate the next action behind the glass of the display case. Viewing is open from 22.11. to 27.12.
Photo: https://stockmann.wikispaces.com/Saatavuus
Opposite Stockmann, the Three Blacksmiths Square is enveloped in the smell of roasted almonds in sugar, mulled wine and ginger biscuits from year to year. A great place to warm up with a glass of hot mulled wine (non-alcoholic version is also available) after window shopping.
The festive bazaar is located on Senate Square further down Aleksanterinkatu Street. It’s so nice to walk between wooden houses with all sorts of goods that accompany the spirit of Christmas: warm knitted socks and other items of clothing, traditional Christmas delicacies (such as kalakukko - a special holiday pie made from rye dough with fish), crafts made of wood and metal, toys and much more. other. Here you can take a photo with Jolupukki (that’s the Finnish name for Santa Claus), taste Christmas rice porridge with cinnamon, drink another glass of glögi (mulled wine), ride a free carousel, run around the huge Christmas tree in the very center of the square and even go to the sauna. The Christmas market is open from 2.12. to 22.12.
Photo: http://www.stadissa.fi/tapahtumat/33473/tuomaan-markkinat
The main store with souvenirs and a whole department dedicated to Christmas is Kankurin Tupa on Pohjoisesplanadi 35. Here you can find all kinds of decorations for Christmas and New Year, as well as everything related to Mumiy Trolls.
Every year a wonderful ice skating rink is built in the center of Helsinki. It is located right on the station square. Here you can rent skates or bring your own. The condition of the ice is carefully monitored and cleaned regularly. Music is playing, and the skating rink itself is decorated with glowing garlands. This is great entertainment for families with children and couples in love. During a break, you can go and warm yourself up with a cup of hot cocoa in the cafe, which is located right there. Opening 04.12.
Photo: http://www.jaapuisto.fi/info/media.html
Winter family activities include several forest walks in different parts of the city. If you want to get involved in the local culture and also breathe in the fresh forest air, then be sure to go on one of these walks. For example, on the island of Seurasaari, where in addition there is also an open-air museum. During this walk, children will be able to look into a fairy tale and learn how Christmas used to be celebrated. The island can be reached by direct bus from the center. Bus number 24 departs from the Lasipalatsi stop (near the Sokos shopping center), and you need to go to the final stop. The walk will take place this year on December 10th. from 12 to 17 o'clock. This event is free.
Photo: http://www.stadissa.fi/tapahtumat/33277/seurasaaren-joulupolku
Suomenlinna Fortress hosts its own events. It will be interesting for children to follow the gnome’s path using a special map. The map is obtained from the Suomenlinna information center. Children will be given prizes for completing the trail between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.! You can take part in this specially organized event from 12/2/17 to 01/07/18.
On December 13, according to tradition, Lucia is crowned, who becomes a young girl with blond hair. She personifies Saint Lucy, who brings light and joy to everyone who needs it. Lucia's coronation will take place at the Cathedral at 17:00 and will continue with a procession through the center of Helsinki at 18:00. In addition to everyone else, the procession will include Christmas gnomes and horse riders.
One of the most interesting new products is the Moomin cafe chain. All cafes are based on stories about the Moomins, beloved by the Finns, and have a good play area for kids. Parents can expect coffee and desserts, and children can enjoy toys and books (about the Moomins, of course!), as well as illustrations on the walls and dishes. The cafes are actually very nice, calm, small, and therefore uncrowded.\
When you need a real snack, the buffet comes to the rescue. With children this is the best solution, because... you can be sure that there is something for everyone. In the very center of Helsinki, on an inconspicuous small street next to the university, there is the Kaverna cafe. On Mondays and Tuesdays the price is lower than on other days.
In Helsinki, any restaurant will be well prepared to serve guests with children. Strollers are welcome, there are also high chairs for feeding, toilets are equipped with changing tables, and a separate children's menu is possible. You can safely ask for a half-eaten adult portion to take with you. Also, many restaurants (except for holidays) offer lunch according to the standard scheme: salad, soup, main course (usually there is always a vegetarian option too) and coffee/tea. You can apply everything yourself and don’t be shy about coming for more. All this is within 10 euros, but only during lunch. For children under a certain age, they may not charge an additional fee, or they may charge 1-1.5 euros for each year of the child’s age. So, if you see the word lounas, feel free to come in and find out what's on the menu today.
Weekend brunch has also become the favorite time to go to a restaurant with the whole family for many Helsinki residents over the past couple of years. Many restaurants offer it. It costs more than a regular lunch, but the choice of dishes is very large. Several appetizers, hot dishes, several desserts, drinks. The main feature of brunch, by definition, is breakfast combined with lunch. Those. there will be typical breakfast dishes - delicious cereals, granola, pancakes, waffles, smoothies; as well as more substantial delicacies usually offered for lunch. Everything goes slowly, relaxed, and most importantly - with the whole family. One of these places is the Köket cafe right next to Senate Square. It is also very suitable for visiting with children on other days, and on weekends it offers brunch. Attention, in many restaurants you need to reserve a table for brunch in advance.
Another restaurant that is well suited for families with children is Loisto. It is located on the top floor of the Sokos Hotel, which was built on the eve of the 1952 Olympics. A great view is guaranteed, plus the restaurant has a play area for children.
In anticipation of Christmas, many restaurants organize a Christmas buffet - a buffet with traditional holiday dishes. In Finland, they like to prepare a variety of vegetable casseroles for Christmas with a certain set of spices, which gives them the desired “holiday” aroma. Many different types of fish, turkey or ham, Rosolli salad (like a vinaigrette), a special type of bread, pate, berry desserts are favorite Christmas dishes. Ask and look for Joululounas.
Local residents love Christmas very much and celebrate it with their families; many go to Lapland and other parts of Finland, to the outback, where the grandparents of Finns who moved to the city still live. Those who remain can visit the church on Christmas Eve, where the festive service will be held: a solemn and beautiful event that is held in all large and small churches. In general, throughout the entire month, church hymns in honor of Christmas will be held throughout the city, performed by a church choir, often a children's choir. Even people far from religion will find this very interesting.
During the Christmas holidays, everything in the city is quiet, shops are closed (with the exception of some grocery stores), and transport runs on a special schedule. In Helsinki, this time is perfect for leisurely walks around the city - without the noise of cars and crowds of people. If you're lucky with snow, you can have fun in the park, sledding and playing snowballs. Buy plastic sleds in advance; they are sold at any sporting goods or home goods store. Some restaurants will be open. Weekends 24, 25 and 26th December.
Sales will begin in stores immediately after Christmas. The city will come to life again, but Christmas will be left behind. In Finland, Christmas is a much more important holiday than New Year. Santa Claus brings gifts for Christmas, a festive feast and all the events in the city - for Christmas. The arrival of the New Year is also celebrated solemnly, but in a completely different way. This is a day to meet friends, party, go out, celebrate in restaurants and bars (queues will be very long), and it is also the only day when fireworks are allowed. The main place for celebrating the New Year in Helsinki will be Senate Square. A concert is held here every year and the largest fireworks display is launched. There is a children's program from 16:00 to 17:30 with a small fireworks display at the end. The program for adults starts at 22:00.
From 26.12.17 to 07.01.18, the largest indoor amusement park will be organized at the Messukeskus exhibition center. Several similar establishments, but much smaller in size, operate all year round and are an excellent salvation for active children in bad weather and more. In the exhibition center, on its huge area, there will be various trampolines, bouncy castles, sports equipment, play areas, as well as an area for the little ones.
I always strived to be independent, wanted to explore the world and was not afraid to try something new. All this brought me to Finland 10 years ago. I love this country for its honest and straightforward people, for its security, restraint in everything and cleanliness. This is where I met my husband and we are raising two wonderful kids. Besides this, I love my job - I offer accommodation in apartments in the center of Helsinki. My apartments can be found at www.mckapartments.com. You can also book them and read over 800 reviews on airbnb.
Finland is Russia's northern neighbor. A long snow season, a developed tourism industry, and a lot of attractions contribute to an increase in the flow of vacationers to Suomi during the winter months. Covered with ice for 5-7 months, tens of thousands of lakes offer exceptional conditions for winter fishing. The abundance of hills and mountain ranges create ample opportunities for skiing. But to travel to Finland you need.
There are dozens of ski resorts in Finland with well-equipped trails for skiing, snowboarding, and cheesecake. You can take a snow safari on dog and reindeer sleds, ATVs, and snowmobiles; go on a ski trip or go ice fishing. Any town or resort has plenty of entertainment: spa centers, museums, parks with winter attractions.
Suomi has a huge number of comfortable hotels, camp sites, and cottages with excellent conditions for relaxing with a group, a family, or with children. Finnish hospitality, high-quality service, a developed transport network, and an abundance of first-class entertainment - these are the features of the Finnish tourism industry.
Travel lovers will learn a lot of new things on a trip to Finnish cities: Helsinki, Tampere. With children, it’s better to go to Lapland for New Year’s experiences, not forgetting to visit the water parks in Helsinki.
Winter weather in Finland
Finland is the northernmost country in Europe, a third of which is above the Arctic Circle. Winter here is dark, the day lasts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cold is moderate: the influence of the heat of the Gulf Stream is felt. Average temperatures of the coldest month - February - range from -3 -6 in the southwest (in Turku, Helsinki), -9 -10 in the central lake district, to -12 -14 in the north of the country. When the air is dry, frost is easily tolerated, so a winter holiday in Finland with children will undoubtedly be successful. Snow cover forms in December and lasts until April, in the north until May. Due to frequent westerly winds, tourists should prefer not only warm, but also windproof clothing.
How to get there
The fastest way to get to Finland is by plane from Moscow or St. Petersburg. The average price of a flight on the Moscow – Helsinki route is 3,600 rubles. The cheapest tickets are for a flight in the middle of the week when booked a month in advance, it will cost 2,700 rubles. You can get to Helsinki from St. Petersburg by ferry or train; from Moscow - on the Leo Tolstoy express. Buses go to Finland from St. Petersburg, Murmansk and Kandalaksha; a ticket from the city on the Neva to the center of Helsinki costs 500 rubles.
Transport Suomi
Finland is dotted with a dense network of bus routes; they reach any village or ski resort. The fare ranges from 4 to 50 euros; there is a 10% discount on a return ticket if the distance is more than 80 km. Tickets for children under 11 years old are half the price. The main cities of Finland are connected by railways. The carriages are comfortable and spacious; the letters P and S indicate fast trains. Ski racks are available in the vestibules of trains IC (Inter-Sity), IC2 (Inter-Sity 2).
Finland has excellent conditions for practicing various winter sports and outdoor activities: half-pipe, snowboarding; dog sledding, alpine and cross-country skiing, skating, cheesecake, sledding, snowmobiling.
Motor sleigh safari
Many Finnish travel agencies offer snowmobile safaris lasting from several hours to several days. The routes pass through central and northern Finland. On a short hike, two people can travel together; on a long hike, each participant is provided with a snowmobile. The transport is easy to operate; instruction and training for beginners is required.
The route runs along marked roads at speeds up to 60 km/h. During the hike under the guidance of an instructor, participants receive full equipment: warm overalls, shoes, gloves, helmet. The routes are laid through national parks, lakes; include outdoor dining, ice fishing, visiting a sauna, a Karelian village, and a water health center.
It is possible to spend the night in equipped forest huts and cottages. The organizers provide food, accommodation, and safety for tourists. The cost depends on the duration of the safari and the range of services; a 4-hour ride on a motorized sleigh will cost approximately 100 euros per person.
Dog sled rides
In eastern and northern Finland, tourists can go dog sledding. The dogs are trained, strong, they are able to pull a sled through deep snow at high speed. Tourists are provided with special clothing and shoes, taught how to drive a sled and how to handle dogs. The trip is led by an experienced guide. Parking for rest and food is provided.
Hiking ski routes cross the country in all directions. In the north - in Lapland - people start skiing in October and put them away in the closet in mid-May. The favorite time of skiers is the end of winter with long sunny days; in the south of the country it is February, in the center – March, in Lapland – April. Multi-kilometer ski tracks run through a varied landscape; along the routes there are resting places and campfires. Ski tourists stay in cottages, hotels, recreation centers, and ski resorts.
What to visit in Finland: Sights of Helsinki
The capital is full of interesting places. In the city center is the Design Museum. It presents interiors, furniture, and dishes.
Museum address: Korkeavuorenkatu, 23.
Ticket – 8 euros.
A corner of the tropical jungle can be found in the Winter Garden, near the Olympic Stadium, admission is free.
On the island of Korkeasaari there is a huge Zoo, which will not leave anyone indifferent. You need to get to it from the railway station by bus number 11.
An adult ticket costs up to 10 euros, a child ticket costs half as much.
Connoisseurs of antiquity can visit sea fortress Sveaborg XVIII century, located on an island 2 km from Helsinki. There are several architectural monuments, museums, hotels and cafes. The fortress museum presents household items, tools, and weapons. The fortress is somewhat reminiscent of the mysterious Chateau d'If in...
In Sveaborg you can stay in a hotel for 22 euros, treat yourself to beer at a local brewery, and amazing smoked fish in a restaurant.
A visit to the fortress costs 5 euros, children under 18 are free.
There are 2 water parks in Helsinki, of which "Serena"- the largest in Scandinavia. It is located 20 km from the center of the capital in the suburbs of Northern Espoo. The water park is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ticket – 22 euros, family ticket for four – 75 euros. The advantage of the water park is the opportunity to combine summer and winter entertainment, because there are slopes nearby "Serena Ski"– ski center
Aquapark "Flamingo"– 19 km from the capital, in the city’s shopping and entertainment complex Vantaa. Its advantage is a lower price: from Monday to Thursday - 12 euros per adult, 2 times less - per child. On other days the ticket costs 20 euros.
Cheap and high-quality goods are sold in Helsinki in popular shopping centers: "Campi", "Stockmann", "Sokos". Shops in Suomi are open from 9:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and until 15:00 on Saturdays, supermarkets and department stores - until 20:00–21:00. The winter sale starts on December 27 and lasts for a month.
If you want to rent a car to travel around Helsinki, then you will need.
Other colorful towns in Finland
Tampere– a city where you can go on a family New Year’s tour. Moomin Valley, the Spy Museum, attractions at the Sarkanniemi amusement park, the dolphinarium, the Koiramäki farm - both children and adults will enjoy all this. The rotating 120-meter Nyasinnula tower offers a marvelous view of the city and two nearby lakes.
The main city of Lapland is located 8 km from the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi. The airport is 2 km from Santa Claus Village. From Rovaniemi to the Village there is a Santa’s Express bus, the ticket costs 3.8 euros. 80 km from the city is the Ranua Zoo, where you can see 200 species of animals, including brown and polar bears and moose. Adult ticket – 13 euros. There is a bus going there. The children's fairy-tale park with the Mur-mur castle is also interesting.
You know, the landscapes of Finland are somewhat reminiscent of landscapes in winter.
There are ski centers in every Finnish town. Sports equipment is available for rent everywhere, and there are many ski schools at the resorts. By tradition, lifts on the slopes are free for beginners. Winter tourist centers have gyms, swimming pools, bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
Most hotels are near the ski lifts. The cost of a cottage for 6 people is approximately 600–800 euros per week, prices rise on the eve of holidays. The price includes free Wi-Fi, wood for the fireplace, and a charcoal grill.
In the southern part of Suomi, the length of the slopes is up to 800 meters, in the northern regions - up to 3 km with a height difference of up to 450 m. The ski season in Lapland lasts from October to May; in the absence of snow, machines are used to make snow on the slopes. Resorts are especially popular in early spring, when the frosts weaken and the days are sunny.
"Himos"
Himos Resort popular with Russians: there are Russian-speaking instructors, 4 free lifts for beginners. The local mountains are the longest and highest in the south of the country, the length of the slopes is up to 950 m, the height difference is 151 m. On the slopes there are 21 tracks of varying difficulty, including for snowboarding and cross-country; 2 half-pipes, superpipe, Fis-bumps, Ski park. There are 15 lifts on the slopes.
A day ski pass costs 39 euros for an adult, 23 euros for a child. The cost of a set for telemark for the day is 33 euros, for snowboarding - 39 euros, for children under 11 years old - 1.5 times cheaper. A 45-minute lesson with an instructor costs 55 euros per person.
The resort accommodates in cottages, apartments, and hotels. The cottages are located a kilometer from the slopes and are equipped with a sauna, running water, fireplace, and electrical appliances. From Himos to the town of Jämsä – 7 km, buses run hourly. There are railway and bus stations in Jämsä.
Tourists live in such cottages.
Additional services: motor sleigh rides, ice skating, dog sledding; swimming in wetsuits, fishing. The Himos Arena entertainment center has a nightclub.
"Riihivuori"
20 km from the city of Jyväskylä – slalom center "Riihivuori", which has 9 slopes, including difficult ones, up to 800 m long and with a height difference of 120 m; illuminated half-pipe, 5 lifts. Ski pass price: 30 euros for an adult, 22 for a child. Feature of the resort: there is a children's area with a separate slope, a free ski lift, and a playground.
At the top of the mountain there is a cottage community with a restaurant and well-equipped houses, with a magnificent panorama opening from the windows. Jyväskylä has an airport and a railway station; a flight from Helsinki takes 30 minutes, and a train from the capital takes 3.5 hours. From the Russian border to the resort – 300 km.
Jyväskylä has ample opportunities for entertainment and educational activities: a water park, Museums of art, architecture, even the Sauna Museum, as well as shops and cafes. Active recreation also includes safaris on motor sleighs or dog sleds, and ice fishing.
"Hand"
The Ruka ski center, in the south of Lapland, has 28 slopes and 18 lifts. The eastern slopes are flatter and longer, up to 1300 m, the western slopes are steep, with a large height difference - up to 200 m. There are tracks for snowboarding, moguls, border cross, 4 children's slopes, 3 half-pipes, jumps, and rails.
“Ruka” has everything for a full-fledged active recreation in nature: recreation areas with a fire, cafes, souvenir shops, equipment rental points. It is convenient to stay in Ski-Inn apartments near the ski lifts and slopes.
25 km from Ruka Hill is the town of Kuusamo, from which buses run to the resort. They get to Kuusamo by plane from Helsinki or by train to Oulu, then 200 km by bus or car.
In addition to traditional safaris, the center offers all-terrain vehicle racing, winter golf and karting. There is a bowling alley in Kuusamo. The city leisure and sports center has an indoor skating rink, gyms, saunas, and a solarium. Not far from the resort, the Kuusamon Tropiikki water park with a sauna, Turkish bath, and swimming pool was built.
"Levi"
In the west of Lapland there is a compact ski center "Levi". There are 45 trails, 27 lifts, including a gondola cable car. For beginners – 4 free lifts. For children: sports town, entertainment center.
Levi has hundreds of cottages, apartments, and 8 hotels. There is a free shuttle bus to the slopes. Kittilä airport is 15 km from the mountain. The flight from Helsinki lasts 1.5 hours.
Entertainment: mini-water park at the Levitunturi hotel, sports and fitness complex, entertainment center, restaurants, bistros. 40 km in the town of Lainio - Snow Village.
"Tahko"
The winter sports center is located in Nilsiä. There are 16 slopes with a height difference of more than 200 meters, the longest being 1.2 km. There are tracks for half-pipe and snowboarding. 9 lifts take tourists to the top. The cost of a single ski pass is 25 euros.
The resort has 300 bungalows and cottages, most of them on the lake. In addition to kitchen equipment, there are saunas, fireplaces, and TV. They get there by plane from Helsinki to Kuopio, and from there it takes 1 hour by bus. Another option: by train Helsinki - Siilinjärvi, by bus 40 km to Tahko.
Activities: regular snow safaris, ice fishing, snowshoeing, winter driving courses, horse riding lessons. It is interesting to visit the Lumilunna ice castle and the Fontanella water park in Siilinjärvi nearby.
Impressions from visiting Santa Claus Village
A trip to Santa Claus Village makes a huge impression on adults and children. Everything here sparkles with holiday lights. In the center of the Village there is a large Christmas tree, figures made of ice. Nearby is a museum telling about the nature of the Arctic and the indigenous inhabitants of the north.
The main attraction of Finland is Santa's office. The children are greeted by elves and gnomes. Good Santa talks with children, takes pictures, gives gifts. Visiting the village is free, but you need to pay for taking photos with Santa and souvenirs. The wonderful post office sends Christmas cards to family and friends with Santa's stamp. There is a reindeer farm next to the office, where you can ride in a reindeer sleigh.
The underground Santa Park is nearby. Children will enjoy master classes on making Christmas gifts, a New Year's show, an Ice Gallery with sculptures of fairy-tale characters and northern animals, and an excursion to a Lapland shaman. The park is open in winter until January 11, ticket prices are about 30 euros.
In winter, the Arctic Winter World amusement park is open, illuminated with colorful lights. For a single entrance fee of 16 euros, you can ride numerous slides, visit igloo hotels, and visit an ice cafe. The Village has many cottages, shops and restaurants.
What surprises travelers in Finland?
You are pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness, safety, and beauty of virgin nature. The Finns manage to have a kitchen rich in vitamins in the Arctic Circle. To maintain energy, they drink excellent coffee here. Every village and town has a marketing department dedicated to developing and promoting the brand of the area and its uniqueness.
Open, smiling people and the festive atmosphere in their homes and on the streets never cease to amaze tourists. Airports are decorated with Christmas trees and images of deer. There are flags and lanterns on the roads; Candles and lamps are lit on the windowsills of houses. They trust people here and don’t close the doors of their houses or cars. Everything that is lost will be found and preserved. Finland has a calm, amazing and fabulous life.
A winter holiday in Finland will fill you with energy and vivacity, and will allow you to get acquainted with a country where they believe in miracles and bring them to life. But if you are counting on warmth, bright sun, palm trees and walks along the seashore in winter, then go to.
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Winter Helsinki is beautiful and romantic: snow-covered parks and rooftops, Christmas lights, clean and uncrowded streets, bright shop windows of Aleksanterinkatu. If you decide to visit the capital of Finland in winter, you will not regret it at all; positive impressions and an interesting pastime are guaranteed. So, what does Helsinki have in store for its guests in winter? In this review, we will not dwell on the description of museums, theaters and various traditional attractions, but will devote all our attention exclusively to those features that are typical specifically for the winter season.
Winter Helsinki
Photos of winter Helsinki
Christmas shopping
The St. Thomas Fair on Senate Square will run from December 2 to 22. Here you can buy New Year's decorations, Christmas symbols, souvenirs, as well as handicrafts made of wood, birch bark, leather, ceramics, knitted items and homemade delicacies (like cloudberry jam, honey from the apiary and colorful gingerbread cookies).
The longest Amanda (Manta) fair will be held until January 9. Getting here is very easy, it is located between Kauppatori Market Square and Esplanadi Boulevard, around the Havis Amanda fountain. Here customers can expect different types of cheese, jams, roasted almonds, handmade candles and soaps, knitted items, toys and much more. You can also try traditional holiday dishes here, such as Christmas porridge and hot mulled wine.
And shopping lovers should not forget that from December 27, the sales season begins in department stores and shops in Finland.
Interesting family activities
From January 6 to 10, 2018, you will be able to witness a vibrant show called Lux Helsinki. Light installations will transform the city center. The performance can be watched daily from 16.00 to 22.00. You can find out more about the festival route.
On December 10 at 12.00 festivities will begin at the open museum on the island of Seurasaari. Prepare a homemade toy in advance that you can hang on one of the New Year trees. Event organizers also recommend bringing a flashlight to help you navigate in the dark, and a plate and spoon in case you want to try some real Christmas porridge.
From December 2 to January 7, the island of Suomenlinna invites children and their parents to go on adventures along the gnome trail. Details can be found.
What to try in winter in Helsinki?
In winter, it is especially interesting to get acquainted with Finnish culinary traditions. At this time you can try venison, burbot, pike perch, and lamb neck.
Among the traditional Christmas dishes, we note pork ham, various fish dishes, potato casserole, sweet rice porridge, ginger pastries and, of course, mulled wine, which in Finnish is called glögi.
And in January the pancake weeks begin. Although this dish came to Suomi from Russia, here it was transformed and absorbed local flavor. Finnish pancakes are more like pancakes, they are 2 centimeters thick, loose inside, and covered with a golden crispy crust on top. The most popular fillings for pancakes among Finns are vendace caviar, pickled cucumbers, shrimp skagen, salmon tartare, forest mushroom salad, beetroot and apple salad, honey and sour cream.
Material on the topic
Snow and ice
It is impossible to imagine a northern winter without sparkling snow and ice, without people skiing, snowboarding, skating and sledding. And in Helsinki, if you wish, you can easily find places where you can rent the necessary equipment and ride for your pleasure.
On skates
From the end of November to the end of March, Icepark, the city's ice skating rink, will operate directly opposite Helsinki Central Station. From Monday to Friday it is open from 12 to 21, on Saturday from 10 to 21, on Sunday from 10 to 19. The entrance ticket is valid all day and costs 6 euros for an adult and 4 euros for those under 18 years old , as well as for students. Skate rental costs 5 euros. Children under 12 years of age must wear a safety helmet, which is provided free of charge. It is possible to take several lessons from an instructor (one personal lesson – 15 € for 30 minutes). On the website you will find detailed information about entertainment programs: skating to live music, performances, etc. There is a cafe next to the skating rink.
A couple more addresses in Helsinki where you can go ice skating:
- Brachen Stadium (Brahen kenttä), Helsinginkatu 23, there is also a skate rental here, you can warm up with hot drinks and skate to the music. You can get there by public transport: tram 1, 1A, 3T, 3B, 8 or bus 17, 22, 23, 50 and 51.
- The skating rink in Käpylä, which is located at Makelankatu 70. Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. from 8 am to 3 pm and from 4 pm to 10 pm.
On a snowboard
By ski
Next to the Serena water park is the Serena Ski ski center, where visitors will find 5 slopes, a snowboard slope, equipment rental and a cafe.
There are several ski centers in the suburbs of Helsinki. Here are their addresses:
- Alhovuori ski center is located on the Alhonkulma highway (Alhonkulma 45, 03810 Nummi-Pusula, Finland): 11 slopes, a park for snowboarders, a children's area, a cafe, a rental point;
- Solvalla-Swinghill center (Nuuksiontie 71, 02820 Espoo, Finland): 3 slopes, ski lifts, rental office, cafe;
- Peuramaa center (Peuramaantie 114, 02480 Kirkkonummi, Finland): 7 slopes, rental point, restaurant, snowboard park.
For lovers of skiing, a network of ski trails has been laid through Helsinki and its surroundings, its total length is about 180 km. You can ride, for example, in the Central Park (Keskuspuisto) or at the base in Paloheinä (Pakilantie 124), where you can get there by buses No. 66 and 66A, get off at the final stop.
Are you planning to visit Helsinki in winter? Are you interested in unusual sights, events and local cuisine? Read on for some tips to help you get the most out of your upcoming vacation.
The Christmas season begins in Helsinki on November 23 when the festive lights are switched on on Aleksanterinkatu Street. On the eve of the holidays, Christmas markets begin to operate throughout the city, attracting thousands of buyers.
Another way to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit is by attending one of the many concerts of sacred or classical music. The end of the Christmas holidays comes on New Year's Eve, when mass celebrations begin on Senate Square.
Helsinki is ideal for activities such as ice skating and cross-country skiing. One of the largest skating rinks in the city, called “Icepark”, is located on the station square. After having a lot of fun here, you can take a sled and go to Sinebrychova Park or Kaivopuisto Park, where there are a large number of excellent slides. All the best outdoor activities in Helsinki are accessible by trams, so you won't have any problems with transport.
After a day spent outdoors, there is nothing better than rejuvenating and relaxing in an authentic Finnish sauna.
Be sure to try glögi (mulled wine) at local Christmas markets, and when you go to a café to warm up, be sure to order a mug of hot cocoa. The traditional Christmas table in Finland includes rossol (a type of vinaigrette), ham and vegetable casserole. All these dishes are offered to try in city restaurants and at fairs.
In January, the season of pancakes begins, which for the last 10 years have been an integral attribute of winter celebrations in Finland and are served in all cafes and restaurants in the country.
For 7 years now, in the darkest months of the year, the Lux Helsinki light festival has been held in Helsinki, during which the city is illuminated not just with garlands, but with unique light installations by Finnish and foreign artists. The installations, located on Senate Square and in Kansalaistori Park, will delight the eye from January 4 to January 8, 2015 from 5 to 10 pm. Some installations will be installed in the National Museum of Finland, as well as in Villa Hakasalmi. Lux Helsinki is perfect for a family holiday and is completely free.
The weekend before last, I suddenly decided to go to Finland for a couple of days to fight the depression that has been tormenting me for the last 5 months, with constant stress caused by a series of incessant daily annoying large and small troubles, with chronic fatigue due to the fact that I cannot finish in time all matters related to work and personal interests, while new and new matters and difficulties constantly pile up...
I wanted to take a walk through the snow-covered city streets and suburbs before the snowy winter ended and the snow had not yet melted, to check whether the Finnish snow was really as white as anywhere else... And I just wanted to breathe clean fresh air and take a break from the disgusting surroundings in solitude and safety... And I also wanted to take a ride on the new high-speed train Allegro, which has been running between St. Petersburg and Helsinki since December last year.
Overall I liked Train Allegro. This is the fastest and most convenient means of traveling from the center of St. Petersburg to the center of Helsinki and back: travel time is 3.5 hours. But it’s also the most expensive: a 2nd class ticket costs as much as 84 euros. I will later dedicate a separate post to reviewing the trip on this train.
Finland and Helsinki, as usual, made me very happy. Cleanliness, comfort and tranquility. Finnish snow is truly Finnish, dazzlingly white. Where the snow has already begun to melt on city streets, the puddles are transparent. Where the snow has not yet melted, there is no this vile St. Petersburg black slurry of salty snow, dirt, sand and chemical reagents. The snow is either collected in white drifts, or rolled and generously sprinkled with granite pebbles (about 0.5–1 cm in size), which are as comfortable to walk on as on asphalt and which do not turn limp from moisture into mud, but remain hard and clean. In short, the word “snow-white” has a direct meaning in Finland, and not as in my native swampy Petersburg.
Of course, I am embellishing and exaggerating, the cleanliness there is not ideal (in fact, I would not drink water from melted snow collected along streets with a large flow of vehicles), but, nevertheless, this is a fact: if anything darkens against the background of snow, this is most likely not dirt, but non-staining granite chips. And after walking around the city for 12 hours and then tramping thoroughly in the hotel with wet boots, after the floor dried, I did not see any marks on the floor.
This post contains several photographs of different places along the route of my walk (as an overview), and in the future I will prepare separate detailed photo walks for some of these areas.
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1. The Allegro train, which took me to Helsinki. Maximum speed - 220 km/h. In fact, it rarely and reluctantly accelerates faster than 200, but, nevertheless, the travel time is only 3.5 hours.
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2. Since I hate [large crowds] of people and prefer to be alone, I bought a ticket for a carriage in which there were no other passengers except me. In the opposite direction, unfortunately, such luxury did not happen; the return train was completely full.
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8. On some streets with a large flow of pedestrians (pictured - Alexandra Street in the center of Helsinki) the sidewalks are heated from below, as a result they are not only snow-free, but also perfectly dry. I would not have guessed about heating if I had not seen the sidewalk repairs on this street last fall. There are tubes with warm water running under the tiles.
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10. Esplanade. Surprisingly, the poet Runeberg does not have a seagull on his head today :-) (during all my previous photo walks around this place he always had a seagull sitting on his head). The layer of snow here is thick, but the benches are not yet buried in the snow. But in other parks I saw such a level of snow, from under which the tops of the backs barely stuck out.
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11. Senate Square and the main cathedral. The staircase has been cleared and sprinkled with granite only along the edges, and its main part is hidden under dense snow a meter deep. It’s surprising that everyone behaves quietly and no one slides down such a giant slide.
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12. I went out to the Market Square (Kauppatori) and suddenly noticed that in 5 minutes a boat was leaving for Suomenlinna (which was covered by the tram ticket I had). I took advantage of this luck and sailed to this island. The photo of the Gulf of Finland was taken on the way from a boat.
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16. This time it was impossible to get close to the cannons, you could fall into the snow up to your knees (in fact, you can do it up to your waist, but when you start to fall through, your knees usually buckle and you sit on your ass and don’t fall further :).
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19. Orthodox view of the Northern embankment (Pohjaisranta) from the observation deck of the cathedral. I didn’t go there, but went for a walk along the Katajanokka Peninsula, which I had not paid due attention to before.
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25. The second day began with a walk around the Kamppi area. Many people who have been to Helsinki consider the Kamppi area to be ultra-modern due to the modern business center of the same name with a bus station, metro station and a large shopping complex. But in fact, this area is built up mainly with houses of the 19th century with rare more modern inserts (probably on the sites of houses destroyed during World War II).
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26. Due to the dense buildings and the small amount of landscaping and sky clearing (“winter and summer are the same color”), I decided that it would be quite appropriate to spend a walk in this area on an overly cloudy and foggy morning of a winter day, and better weather during other walks leave for greener areas.