Our Europe Trip – #Finland #Helsinki #Introduction
When anyone thinks of Finland, a number of things come to mind: often legendary of Northern winter, with snowy sunny extraordinarily clear, frequent Northern Lights displays, and naughty little snowflakes fall down in dancing. The fairytale atmosphere lends itself perfectly to full escapism from the real world. Or you can looking for neighbourhood to brush shoulders with the capital’s hippest residents, City steeped in Nordic culture and plenty of chic Scandinavian style. Remember, Finland; not only of these. Here, you also can walk into green nature scenery world. A country full of stunning vistas, forests are like water: ever-present, it’s packed full with natural beauty, including in the major cities.
Finland is full of dense forests and the Wild Taiga forests are no exception, it’s around 75 per cent of Finland’s total land area is covered in forest and making it the most densely forested country in Europe. Pine, fir and birch trees, with towering forests speckled by picture-perfect lakes, that make dense forests are beautiful no matter where you are. A vast wilderness with the heavily forested and contains ten thousands picture-perfect lakes, numerous rivers, and extensive areas of marshland is a beguiling mix; its let Finland as if an intricate blue and green jigsaw puzzle. Space and pure nature are the biggest and most affordable luxuries in Finland. The Finnish soul has always been linked with the forest and home to the forest, picturesque wooden bridges and huts, snow capped landscape, and the deepest blue lakes, is a hiker’s paradise. In the Nordics, “everyman’s rights,” or the “freedom to roam,” is considered a basic human right. In Finland, Sweden, and Norway, anyone can walk, cycle, ski, and camp nearly anywhere.
We’re talking endless hiking trails, local culture and stunning scenery. Finland offers some of Europe’s best hiking, trails cut through the country – from easy trails for solo travellers and families to strenuous paths, that get you to enjoy for a mystical and the best of panoramic forest. A fabulous network of national parks has well-marked routes and regularly spaced huts for overnighting. Though peaceful and remote, there’s something arrestingly tranquil and yet strangely tense about walking through a vast, unspoilt forest. Here, you can pick mushrooms and berries that gifts of the forest. Along with its gorgeous scenery, the park is chock full of wildlife such as: bear, elk, wolf, wolverine, lynx, and Finnish elk in the forests on nature-watching trips. Wild reindeer have almost disappeared; those remaining in the north are domesticated.
Finland is a cool country in all senses of the word. Winter is the longest season in Finland, with throw in winter magic make Finland has its own charm. As icy, mysterious, snow blankets the pines and lakes freeze over make the beauty of Finland is what makes it quite incredible. In the winter, the temperature goes below zero Celsius in most parts of the country especially the part of Finland north of the Arctic Circle suffers extremely severe and prolonged winters. In these latitudes the snow never melts from the north-facing mountain slopes, while the country’s Arctic Lapland province with a vast wilderness is great thought for lover winter sport such as skiing with enjoy longer outdoor winter activities until May. It is about going dog-sledding or snow-shoeing through quiet wilderness, spending time with reindeer herders, going cross-country skiing for miles, or even learning the sport of biathlon.
Yet, you can spend hours just stand outside or sleeping under a clear dome, gazing through the northern facing, enjoy for view of the beautiful colors it displays at night as a result of the Northern Lights. With its stark white landscapes, frequent Northern Lights displays, and a reindeer population that outnumbers its human residents, Finnish Lapland feels like something out of a fairy-tale. Finland which is the home of Santa Clause, these are no better place to be than Rovaniemi. Think about thrilling atmosphere of Christmas in the music, colorful village, coupled with the beauty of Rovaniemi winter lay side by side with snow.
We love visit Finland on winter. Because of, with the climate varies relative to latitude that let us at the moment sensation tactile sensation that different meteorology of winter that bring of the not alike remarkably charming of sceneries. Even, that is covered in snow of the northern boreal climate, but the southern the temperature extremes are slightly less marked, as the Baltic Sea- and Gulf Stream-warmed airflow let that become humid. Think of we can capture magnificent Ice sheet of lake, the beautiful rivers and sizeable natural area make it a spot for canoeing, swimming, and fishing. Here, you can enjoy your wood-fired sauna; after drilling a hole for ice fishing.
Finland isn’t just vast expanses of pristine wilderness. Vibrant cities stock the country’s southern areas and the capital city Helsinki also has made clear strides toward becoming a new modern city with their technological advancements, social progress, and modern Scandinavian architecture. Embraced by the Baltic, although a famous neoclassical cathedral dominates Helsinki’s skyline, the city has plenty with world-renowned design of fashionable Design District. It’s a spectacular ensemble of old and modern, with many different kind of restaurants, music scenes, diverse museums, shopping streets and stylish and quirky bars. Beyond Helsinki, straddles the Aura River, the medieval city on the southwest coast of Finland, Turku offers any history buff a plethora of sightseeing opportunities. Turku as Finland’s oldest city, it was originally a trading centre a few miles north of its present site, to which it was transferred at the beginning of the 13th century. Here, with a medieval fortress with a history museum, Old Great Square surrounded by grand buildings and wide number of traditional wooden buildings. Now give us in particular are lively, engaging cities such as you can relax and dining delicious cuisine on the numerous ship or have a happy hours stylish restaurants lines the cobbled riverside streets.
Helsinki: 
Helsinki as metropolitan is the leading seaport and industrial city of the nation. As lies in the far south of the country, on a peninsula that is fringed by fine natural harbours, with located of that protrudes into the Gulf of Finland link to north of Tallinn, Estonia, east of Stockholm, Sweden, and west of Saint Petersburg, Russia. So it’s let us enjoy a short relax and short sea-trip while we take cruise from Tallinn, Estonia to Helsinki, Finland. With its excellent harbours plus on good railway and road connections, that can lead to the extensive interior of the nation, which has become the foundation of Helsinki’s economic life and development. More than half of Finland’s total imports consequently pass through the port of Helsinki. Meantime, the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, is the main international airport of the city of Helsinki, its surrounding metropolitan area, and the Uusimaa region. The airport is by far the busiest in Finland, not only have many scheduled to other destinations of Europe, it also frequent service to Asia, the Middle East, and North America. That is also one of the reasons why we travel to Finland from Malaysia.
Modernism, functionalism and the largest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in Northern Europe make Helsinki a major city of architecture. Helsinki delights architecture lover with its architecture boasts of intricate and multifaceted designs. The new structure was bound to the existing surroundings, both functionally and physically. Interest of modernism Finland’s architecture, you can direct go to a typical example of a new generation of public buildings: library Oodi. Plus widely also regarded as one of the most exciting new public venues built in Finland, an enormous wood-clad marvel that redefined the concept of the library. Kamppi and Kluuvi district, stop for a moment to witness Helsinki at its busiest. The Kamppi Centre is a multipurpose complex with dwelling units, commercial facilities, offices and public transportation terminal. Arriving and departing trains and buses, the rattle of tram cars, travellers getting into taxis, and office workers walking past you at high speed, all criss-crossing.
You also can start your city break at Senate Square, where you get to visit grand cathedrals and 19th-century neoclassical buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel. As one of the city’s most impressive landmarks since its construction, Helsinki Cathedral that dates back to the mid-19th century and magnificent features with all-white, neoclassical façade, and 5 green domes. If your perfect morning or afternoon involves shopping, then Helsinki’s downtown Design District is where you need to point your feet. Design District as one condensed constellation of creativity in the core of the city centre itself. Whether by intention or happy accident, when you arrive to the Finnish capital, you are greeted by design at every turn. With a profound accumulation of boutiques, workshops, antique shops, galleries, and restaurants, there are plenty of opportunities to discover the unmistakable simplicity of minimalistic Finnish design in this district in southern Helsinki.
Dining In Helsinki: 
Helsinki has one of the world’s highest standards of urban living. Here full of restaurant and unique cafés. Nordic cuisine epicurean scene is flourishing, with locally foraged flavours to the fore. Exciting bars and cosy cafés, ethnic restaurant, fine dining restaurant and restaurants expressing new confidential in Finnish cuisine. Nightlife scene attracts alternative music fans with numerous concert halls and live bars hosting heavy metal gigs almost every evening. Or same as us, as you like, follow our sensation eat what we want at the moment.
Mmm, during Helsinki night, let us start our dinner in chain of fast food restaurants. Walk into Burger King, feel hungry let us immediately think of and order a set of Whopper menu. A tasty of iconic burger with the real meaty flame-grilled beef patty, topped with tangy pickles, ketchup, fresh tomatoes, crisp lettuce and fresh onions, finished with creamy mayo, plus additional side snacks: crispy french fries and soft drinks. But the real distinguishing feature of Whopper Hamburger is the bigger portion size of meat and bread used. Here always let us satisfy of their delicious and tasty set meal plus the speed of service, convenience, and affordability. And Total price for two set meals is €12.00. In Helsinki, different brand company fast food chains that expanded into almost every corner of district. Go through the Taco Bell let us think of craveable Mexican-inspired. Walk into and order a set super meal menu with Bell’s hard tacos packed with cheesy, crunchy, meat, salads, Mexican special sauce and other flavours of a mind-blowingly delicious Bell’s soft tacos full of the pork, sauce and salads plus portable snacks and drinks. The ingenious offerings cuisine ingredients, flavours and textures, and just roll off the tongue let us be inspired by Mexican flavours and make eating a pleasure. And Total price for two persons is €14.10.
Let us joint and same as locals especially office workers walk into a traditional Pizza & Kebab restaurant. Restaurant is characterized by rustic decor, authentic atmosphere, and a limited inexpensive menu; All dish just €5.00 per plate. Almost all dishes consist of kebabs, and the restaurant owner usually immigrated from Turkey and the Middle East. We order two different taste kebab-inspired dishes. One is Kebab with rice, Wow, did not expect in Helsinki Kebab Restaurant they use Biryani which is one of the Indian spices rice. This rice particularly of must cook more longer with ingredients of black peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon so the rice is more fiery and aromatic. A plate filled with slices of meat topped with scharf [hot sauce] plus aromatic of rice and serve with fries and green salad, onion and tomato, this cuisine is most truly as Asia flavours. In the winter cooling of Helsinki, taste a pungent and absolutely delicious Kebab with rice, it’s utterly let my body keep warm. The other plate of Kebab is based on sauce itself as an important ingredient, which is filled with slices of meat topped which is based on scharf [hot sauce] and sour cream mix together. Plus add local appetizing pickled cabbage and potato chips. While this dish is look as simple but ingenious of mix suitable the western and Asia sauce, yummy, the food was succulent and ambrosial. Looking many customers busy entering and exiting, that confirm Kebab restaurant as one of the popular and iconic eating establishment, the Kebab is also an integral part of the life.
Accommodation In Helsinki:
Helsinki, the capital and the largest city in Finland, and also is an expensive city, so is better do some homework and know it before making your mobility. The price of accommodation in Helsinki is quite uneven, it mostly depends on the qualities of the accommodation and the proximity to the centre and its communication. The city is lively around the clock, and you can find more variety accommodation because of the versatile facility and advantage but the prices are higher.
If you have a sufficient budget, you can rent neighborhood which block away from the city centre just like us. We choose to live in the nearest place to the international airport, that let us convenient for returning our country. Through, Airbnb website we decide rent a room that let us to living a unique experience to meet and live with people from other cultures, in addition to saving money. We renting a room from an African Diaspora family and thank for this African Diaspora family open and welcome us living their house. We live in an amiable family with a lively and talkative son, and their lovely baby has big round eyes. A friendly family let made a good relationship with easy to talk everything, during our tittle-tattle they tell us they have come and live in Helsinki around 10 years.
Well, let us talk back to this apartment house, offer contemporary interpretations creative of the modern apartment residence. It is only on entering that guests, a larger dimension sofa is both an eye-catcher and let a call of relax, set front of TV, here can listen to music or watch a movie. The open-plan kitchen and it features a fully equipped kitchen, allowing guests to prepare their own meals, the communicative large table invite guests eat and chat together. Plus has a modern bathroom with a shower and washing machine. In the bedroom we rental, large tapestries fill the space and again invite us attention, area with a box-spring bed can accommodate for two people, plus a TV whiling away a few hours watch a movie. The natural aesthetic oak wooden floors and modern ceiling lamp reflect the light of the white walls plus the memories family portrait photo frame as decoration. This make the accommodation is welcoming and warm, these are arguably all the more enjoyable even the weather is inclement.
It’s a quiet neighborhood, nearly the apartment has some of cafés and restaurants are located within walking distance. Or like us walk to nearby shopping mall that located beside of subway station to have a dinner and buy some goods. We are satisfy for our accommodation. Meanwhile, even if it is convenient and easy to get to the international airport by public transportation but we choose for please African Diaspora family bring us to the Airport and they are agreed give us a special price for the transportation fees. This also is one of the reasons why we choose Airbnb website, as our accommodation travel trip.
Transport In Helsinki:
Talk about Helsinki Transport, Its can being said that is very expensive and I believe that not many people will object. So, advices for do some homework before going to, that would help for avoid spend the extra money. First must know as Kamppi and Kluuvi, the transport main centre in Helsinki. The Kamppi Centre is accessible with variety public transportation, which makes it a hub of traffic. The centre is lively around the clock, because of the versatile functions. Helsinki has an excellent public transport system (HSL) comprising buses, trams, metro, commuter trains and certain ferries. The same ticket/card is valid for all kinds of public transport in Helsinki. You can even change from one mode of transport to another as long as your ticket is still valid. Day tickets can be economical for visitors, and for regular travellers Season tickets offer savings. Be wariness!! Tickets are not sold on commuter trains, trams or on the metro. Please ensure you have a valid ticket before boarding. The easiest way to buy tickets is using the HSL App or from HSL ticket machines or sales points in Helsinki Central Station. Other sales points include also available from R-kioskis and bus drivers (small service fee applies). Note: If you first time go to your define place and don’t know the direction of location, is better buy from bus driver and can please the driver when arrived your destination to inform you. Because of, on the bus haven’t any signboard to shown the arrived point.
Ok, now lets us talk which of Ticket want purchase? The HSL area is divided into four zones identified by the letters A, B, C and D, spreading out from the centre of Helsinki. Prices are based on distance traveled. One trip is limited to 80-100 minutes, depending on the number of transport zones covered by the ticket. To find your best connection from A to B, check the TripGo app. It quickly and easily lets you compare your options, showing how much each alternative costs, how long it takes and the environmental impact it has.
Travel Single fares:
A single ticket covering zones
A + B will cost = €2.80
A + B + C = €4.1
A + B + C + D = €5.7
Type of Ticket:
Single ticket :
Single ticket is valid for 80-110 minutes from its’ purchase, however, by purchasing a zone extension ticket the validity is 90-110 minutes. The expiry time is mentioned on the ticket. Remember to enter your correct travel zone since the prices differ while commuting from regions outside Helsinki.
Day ticket:
Day tickets can be used unlimited times for a period of 1-7 days. You can purchase them from ticket machines or from the driver/conductor. This ticket are available across all zones: internal city tickets, regional tickets, and extended regional tickets, also includes a ferry trip to Suomenlinna. Day tickets can be purchased for adults and children.
Helsinki Card:
For visitors to Helsinki, who would like to include sightseeing in their stay in the city, the Helsinki Card is recommended. Helsinki Card is a special card that packages access to public transport and tourist attractions together. It gives you the right for an unlimited use of public transportation (for 24h, 48 h or 72 h). However, it includes bus & boat sightseeing tours, free or cheaper entry to Helsinki’s museums and top attractions and a guide book. If you want to travel throughout the whole metropolitan area of Helsinki, not just the city, get the Helsinki Card Region instead. You can buy the Helsinki Card online (your cheapest option), or from airport information desks, ferry terminals, travel agencies or the Helsinki City Tourist office.
Travel Card:
Most locals use a Travel Card, an RFID card used as an electronic ticket. Travel Card can be used for an unlimited number of journeys valid from 14 days up to 365 days, making it the most popular form of the ticket used for public transportation in Helsinki. Go Helsinki Card CITY holders are entitled to unlimited travel within the zones AB. The Travel Card also comes with an option of value ticket, essentially meaning that the user can load a specific value on to the card based on his/her commuting needs. If you have a travel ticket, just show your travel card to the reader every time you board a bus. On commuter trains, trams and the Metro you do not need to show your travel ticket.
Public transport connections to the airport :
Helsinki’s airport is about 20km from the city centre. Commuter trains I and P are a fast and convenient way of travelling between the city centre and the airport. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes. From the train station at Helsinki Airport you can walk directly to your terminal without having to go outside. It’s operate from Helsinki Central Station to Helsinki Airport daily every 10 minutes or so. For Bus Public Transport, buses 615, 617, 415 , 561 and 562N operate to and from Helsinki Airport, and you can catch a bus from Helsinki Airport to many parts of the metropolitan area. You will need a ticket covering the ABC transport zones. The fare = €4.10. And many long-distance buses also stop at the airport. A direct coach service by FinnAir (not free, but easy and quick) is also available to and from the city centre. Taxi stands are located in front of both terminals. Important: Outside airport you will find a zone section: “Yellow Line airporttaxi.fi”: This is a shared airport taxis can be an economical option for travelling to/from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. NOTE: You can Check TripGo for your best option to get where you want to go.
Trams:
If you want just travelling around Helsinki, choose as Tram also is a fantastic and affordable way of getting to sightsee. Tram 2 is the traditional sightseeing route, as it passes many points of interest along the way. You can also change into tram 3 at Eläintarha or Auroran sairaala stop and return to the city centre. Other tram routes that are good for sightseeing include 4, which passes many architectural gems, and 6, which is perfect if you are interested in design. You can buy tram only tickets from ticket machines, they’re not available from the driver. These are valid for 1h as well. On a ticket machine, press the button with the tram picture. Carry a route map with you to help locate all the stops and points of interest.
Taxis:
Taxis as the public transport that are generally comfortable and convenient, but also expensive. And hailing a taxis can be difficult, especially during weekend nights, popular events and holidays. Normally, drivers are not required to pick up a person whose hailing them on the street, usually taxis are waiting and pick up of customers in a taxi stand. If you are not near a taxi stand, you’ll very likely be able to hail a passing taxi with the light on. Normally the price of is taking a taxi = €6, payment per kilometer = €8, a minute of waiting in a traffic jam = €0.8. And taxis charge more for more than 2 passengers, large bags, large pets, leaving from the airport, and pre-ordering. In Finland, its also got unlicensed taxis and avoid take the unlicensed taxis as they might overcharge you and they are considered unsafe. Must make sure you are take licensed taxi and the trademark of its will always have a yellow box with its number on the roof. NOTE: Check the estimated trip cost using TripGo before you get into a cab. You can also complete your plans today by reserving a ride with Uber in Helsinki. In Helsinki, Uber Helsinki only operates in the Greater Helsinki region, and only with the uberX and uberBLACK services. Drivers are professionals and prices are cheaper comparable with taxis. Through Uber on you’re travelling, you can enjoy the safety features such as 24/7 support, GPS tracking, and emergency assistance.
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