Visiting Helsinki

'Things to do with kids in Helsinki' - you search various pages with similar titles before heading to bigger cities with little children. The Helsinki Zoo always appears at the top, which is located on its own island right outside the city gates, or Suomenlinna, a fortress island built in the 18th century, back when it was under Swedish leadership.

We chose the latter and so on Sunday morning it was time to 'weigh anchor' again and hop on the ferry - still exciting for the boys. The fortress island is actually made up of many small islands, the old buildings are well-preserved and house various museums or shops for crafts and more! An old submarine can also be visited, as well as various old cannons, walls, rocky outcrops, loopholes, etc. - a paradise for kids. But lunchtime gets so crowded that we almost leave the island in a hurry.

We continue by bike through the beautiful, but rather manageable city center. A brief visit to the Temppeliaukio Rock Church shows the Finns' tendency to integrate existing stones and boulders into their houses and gardens. Off we go to the city beach, we still have to visit the obligatory playground. On the promenade, on a Sunday, it's all about 'seeing and being seen' - anything that can run, roll, or move in a different way is on the move.

A final look at the sailboats and cruise ships in the harbor and we drive back to our accommodation - the days pass by in a flash!