Helsinki - the church rocks!

[English version below]

From Rovaniemi in Lapland in Northern Finland, we took the twelve-hour night train back to the south, this time to the Finnish capital Helsinki!

Finding a good and affordable accommodation in Helsinki was not easy, as the selection of hostels was not large. So we finally decided on the Yard Hostel, which was awarded the best hostel in Finland and therefore accepted the higher price. But when we entered the hostel, which is quite close to the city center, we couldn't understand this award anymore. In our opinion, the value for money was not right. The hostel was modern, but had nothing special to offer, and a price of €50 for a bed in an eight-bed room is simply too much.

Nevertheless, we definitely benefited from the proximity to the city center.

So we quickly arrived for the start of the Free Walking Tour Helsinki. Yes, there is a Free Walking Tour again! It started at the Helsinki Cathedral, which is the centerpiece of Senate Square and really worth seeing from the outside. However, the interior of the Protestant church is quite simple, but definitely worth a look.

The tour also included the Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral, which towers above Helsinki together with the Cathedral, the Market Square right by the harbor (where there are various food stands to satisfy every appetite), and the Rock Church. The tour naturally included many other small stops and very interesting and exciting stories. We really enjoyed this tour and can definitely recommend it!

In addition to the market square, there are currently a number of street food stands set up in Esplanade Park. This Street Food Festival takes place about 5 times a year. For this occasion, various restaurants from the city set up their own stands and sell their specialties. Perfect for lunch.

One thing you should not miss when visiting Helsinki is the so-called Temppeliaukio Church or simply called Rock Church. It was built directly into a granite rock, which you can also climb.

Another highlight of Helsinki is Suomenlinna, a fortress built in the 18th century that extends over several islands. You can reach the islands in just 15 minutes by ferry, so it's definitely worth the crossing! Not only will you experience an old fortress, but also the entire natural beauty of the island.

All in all, we really enjoyed Helsinki.

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Helsinki was our next and also last destination in Finland. We arrived there by night train after a 12-hour ride without much sleep. Due to our early arrival on a Sunday morning, the city still seemed a little sleepy, but we could already catch a hint of the city's charm.

Unfortunately, we booked our accommodation in Helsinki rather late, so we had to stay at the very overpriced Yard hostel near the city center for one night. Despite the high price, towels were not included (but at least breakfast was). Besides, the atmosphere in the hostel was very impersonal and kind of weird. In our opinion, The Yard Hostel has a really bad value for the price.

Free Walking Tour again!! And again, it was a really nice and interesting tour that almost covered all of Helsinki's main sights. The Helsinki Cathedral - one of Helsinki's landmarks - overshadows the Senate Square. The Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral towers above the city. Both churches can be seen from the harbor and the sea. At the harbor on the market square, there is also a small food market selling Finnish food and a market hall as well. In the Esplanade Park next to the harbor, you can find some street food (mostly from different countries), too. We can highly recommend the self-made falafels there!

The most special church is probably the Temppeliaukio 'Rock' church, which is built in a piece of granite stone. This church is very unique, so don't miss it!

In the afternoon, we visited the World Heritage Site Suomenlinna. It is an old fortress spreading over several islands. You can easily reach the islands by ferry from Helsinki. It only takes around 15 minutes one way. You will find the fortress, museums, restaurants, and shops there. It is not only a tourist site but also the home of 800 residents. You should take your time on the idyllic island, visit some old ruins, and walk along the beautiful seaside.

Helsinki is definitely a nice place to visit. It is a vibrant city and kind of different from the other cities we've visited in Finland so far.