Helsinki Question For Tero

[Dbedros]

We will be on Star Princess arriving in Helsinki on Saturday, August 26, 2006 at 0830 and leaving at 1800. I have made a list of the places I would like to see. Can you help me with what order or when to go to the specific sites to eliminate back tracking and make the most of my time in Helsinki. Also it was recommended that for lunch we go to Café Kappeli at Market Square for Open face Shrimp Sandwiches is this good or would you recommend some other place.

 

This is my list:

Senate Square

Tuomiokirkko-Lutheran Cathedral

Sibelius Park

National Museum of Finland (Museovirasto)

train station

Suomenlinia Fortress

Stockmann's Department Store

Kauppatori Market Square

Uspenski Cathedral-1868

harbor tour/cruises

 

If you have other sites to suggest they will be appreciated. Thanks for your assistance and all suggestions.

[Guest LetMeGo]

Hi, and welcome to Helsinki!

 

I don't know much you want to walk, but I'm going to assume you would rather walk for a few hundred yards than wait for trams... I can post maps and photos at a later date (I'm at work right now. :D )

I would recommend you to also visit the rock church, since most tourists do that in Finland, but I can't really recommend any local restaurants since I don't eat in them. :o

 

 

 

The Star Princess always docks at the same spot in Southern Helsinki. I don't know if the shuttle bus service to the city is free, but you can get the bus #16 just a few hundred yards from where the ship docks. Make sure you get the 6€ tourist ticket which is valid for all day on all the trams and buses.

 

The shuttle bus drop off point is at the corner of the Swedish theatre, and you can get off the public bus some 50 yards further when the bus turns to Etelä Esplanadi. At this point it would probably be best to walk for a while...

 

Walk a few hundred yards along Mannerheimintie, and turn downhill along with the tram rails before the Sokos department store. You can now see the Central railway station from here, and the railway square right behind it. On the other sides of the square you will see the National theatre (and a statue of our national writer Aleksis Kivi), the National gallery, and some nice buildings like the Fennia.

 

Walk back up the same little hill you came from, but now turn back to Mannerheimintie... Walk past the Sokos department store for a few hundred yards to see the Parliament house and Kiasma (the museum of modern art) across from it. A few hundred yards more, and you will arrive at the National Museum and the Finlandia hall across the street.

 

In front of the National museum you should take any of the trams (4,7 or 10) and drive further away from the city centre. You can get off at the Ooppera stop if you want to go to the tower of the Olympic stadium for a few panoramic shots of the city, and to see just how much forest there is... Otherwise you should exit at the following stop (Töölön halli) from where the Sibelius park and monument is a five hundred meters away along the Humalistonkatu.

 

Walk back a few hudred yards along the street you came, and take the bus #14,14B, or 18. Go for three stops, and exit at the stop called Kauppakorkeakoulut. Walk back a hundred yards, and go uphill along the Lutherinkatu. The church is that big circle of rocks on the small hill. You can even climb the hill from one side to get a better photo of the church.

 

Walk downhill along the Fredrikinkatu towards city centre. Take the tram #3T, which will take you all the way to Senate square (Senaatintori). In addition to the Lutheran cathedral you will also see the building of the Senate, the main building and the library of Helsinki university, and a few of the oldest buildings in Helsinki.

 

Go back to the same tram stop and take tram #4 to see the Uspenski Cathedral... Exit after you have gone past the church and walk back. Walk back towards the city centre along the seashore (all the way to the beginning of the Esplanadi) and you will pass the Suomenlinna ferry, the market square, the statue of Havis Amanda in the middle of a small fountain, and finally the Cafe Kappeli. This would be a good time to eat.

 

Walk back to the Suomenlinna ferry (at the far end of the Market Square) and take the 15-minute ride over to the islands... There are a couple of nice fortifications to see, some military museums (the submarine Vesikko for example), and as a personal highlight the walls covered in grass. Take the same ferry back to the city (I think they leave every 15 minutes in the summer).

 

Walk back from the Market square to the Stockmann department store along the park on Esplanadi, or take any tram (3,4,7) from Aleksanterinkatu. There are a couple of nice carvings to see on the buildings along the street.

 

Again at this point you can either take the shuttle bus from the corner of the Swedish theatre, or the bus #16 which has a stop at the beginning of the Bulevardi. (If you take the #6 tram to the other end of the Bulevardi, you will see the Helsinki Shipyard. :D )

[Madelinoise]

Thank you for all the informations. they are very precise and I know from my part that I looking forward to see the maps and visit your town in September. :) Have a good week at work!

[Guest LetMeGo]

It's been a slow day at work... :D

 

I put together some crude scetches of where the sights are

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d134/TeeRoo/kohteet.jpg

 

 

as well as the routes I suggested

 

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d134/TeeRoo/reitit.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d134/TeeRoo/reitit-p.jpg

 

(I couldn't find a map of the whole area on Internet, so the northernmost part is in a separate picture.)

 

The routes are coloured blue for bus, green for tram, and red for walking.

The list of sights numbered on the pictures is here:

 

1 Star Princess

2 Bus #16 stop to city

3 Swedish Theatre

4 Central railway station & Railway square

5 Parliament house & Kiasma

6 National Museum & Finlandia Hall

7 Sibeliuspark

8 Temppeliaukio (Rock) Church

9 Senate Square

10 Uspenski Cathedral

11 Market Square

12 Suomenlinna ferry

13 Stockmann

 

 

Edit: I just realised how crappy they look... I'm going to have to post them again from home.

 

 

 

I also found a couple of pictures I had taken in Helsinki last year...

 

This is the national opera house

 

and these two are from Suomenlinna:

 

[Guest LetMeGo]

So... Here's a link to that better map I promised. I have to warn you that it's very big.

 

http://www.saunalahti.fi/~ternie/Doc_files/reitti.jpg

 

 

There was also a question of going on a harbour tour or cruise (which I forgot all about! :eek: )

 

There are several which leave from the Market Square in the summer time.

The one I've been on was by Sun Lines, and costs currently 16€ per person. They leave from the harbour half past the hour until the beginnig of September, and 1 & 3 PM in September. The tour takes about an hour and a half, so you should either do this instead of Suomenlinna, or if you are following my suggested programme and end up having lunch early enough to make the 1.30 PM cruise... Even then you would only have an hour or so in Suomenlinna.

 

There isn't that much to see on a cruise like this around Helsinki, but if it's warm and sunny, it might be nice to go and get a bit of fresh air.

[dakrewser]

Also it was recommended that for lunch we go to Café Kappeli at Market Square for Open face Shrimp Sandwiches

 

I can recomend the Cafe Kappeli as a great place to both eat and to sit and watch the people at the market in the harbor as well as those strolling on the Esplanadi.

 

My personal opinion is that, while the Finns spend time looking at the Sibelius monument it's just another statue of a famous local and hardly worth the trip (as it's rather out of the way of the other things you want to do). We found the Hop-on/Hop-off bus to be the best way to see it (and to get around) as it stopped within view of the statue for a few moments.

 

Cafe Ursula (also on the HOHO route) was another great place to stop and eat.

 

Pix at http://dkearns.googlepages.com/helsinki

 

 

 

 

[/color]

[Guest LetMeGo]

My personal opinion is that, while the Finns spend time looking at the Sibelius monument it's just another statue of a famous local...

 

Would you believe that it's the foreign tourists who do most of the looking... I've lived in Helsinki all of my liife, and I saw the damned thing for the first time in my life just two weeks ago! :eek: And I only went to see it just to be able to tell people where it is, as I had no idea myself. :D

[daju22]

Tero,

Thanks for the super map!

 

dakrewser,

Loved your pictures! Can't wait til we're there!

 

Judy

[dakrewser]

Would you believe that it's the foreign tourists who do most of the looking... I've lived in Helsinki all of my liife, and I saw the damned thing for the first time in my life just two weeks ago! :eek: And I only went to see it just to be able to tell people where it is, as I had no idea myself. :D

 

Well, it is in a nice setting away from the "hustle and bustle" of the city. So it's worth visiting, sitting (or strolling) for a while if you eitrher live in the city or are visiting for longer than a few hours (a few days, maybe). Otherwise a "drive by" seems adequate....

[Moose Tracks]

Kiitos for posting the maps and great info. My DH was born in Varkaus and came to Canada when he was one year old. He visited Varkaus and northern Suomi when he was a teenager, but has never been to Helsinki. We're both looking forward to visiting next June on Celebrity Century. Would you happen to know where Century docks? Would the #16 bus be the one we would use to get into the city?

Lynn (and Juha)

[Guest LetMeGo]

Another thing I forgot to mention yesterday... :D

If you intend to take a public bus, you wave at the bus stop to let the driver know you want to board the bus. Otherwise he will not stop for you.

 

Also, if you prefer to use the tram when moving in Helsinki, you can go from Sibeliuspuisto to the Temppeliaukio church by the tram 3T, which goes from Mannerheimintie (the same stop you used the get there, but other direction).

 

 

Moose Tracks:

Ole hyvä! It's amazing to hear how many people there are who originated from Finland (as well as the rest of the nordic countries) in the North America...

 

To answer your question, I'm not a 100% sure (since the Celebrity ships are scheduled to dock at the Helsinki shipyard this year :eek: :D), but I am almost certain they will be docking at the same pier. You might have to walk a few hundred yards more to the same stop.

[Guest LetMeGo]

And while I'm on the subject of forgetting things... :D

 

If you go north from the Senate square for about a hundred yards along the Snelmanninkatu, you will find the Finnish bank and across the street from it is the House of the Estates which has some rather fine decorations on the outside.

[Dbedros]

Hi Tero,

 

Thanks for everything. You more than answered my request. With the assistance that you gave me I will have a wonderful day in Helsinki and maximize my time. The map is just wonderful!!! I did forget the Rock Church. I can not thank you enough. Again, thank you and thank you again!

 

dakrewser,

 

Thanks for the restaurant tips and the heads up on the Sibelius monument. It has been removed from my list.

[Guest LetMeGo]

Hi Tero,

 

Thanks for everything. You more than answered my request. With the assistance that you gave me I will have a wonderful day in Helsinki and maximize my time. The map is just wonderful!!! I did forget the Rock Church. I can not thank you enough. Again, thank you and thank you again!

 

dakrewser,

 

Thanks for the restaurant tips and the heads up on the Sibelius monument. It has been removed from my list.

 

Glad to have been of help...

 

If you do skip the Sibelius monument, and are not going to see the views from the Stadium Tower, I would recommend you to walk from the National museum to the Rock Church, because the Church doesn't open until 10am. Eteläinen Hesperiankatu is probably the nicest street to walk through, because of the park.

[Moose Tracks]

Tero....your information is great. Ever thought of starting up a private tour company!!:)

Lynn

[Guest LetMeGo]

Tero....your information is great. Ever thought of starting up a private tour company!!:)

Lynn

 

Thanks, but I don't think I would be very good at it since I'm not a "people-person"... This message board is about as outgoing as I will ever be. ;)

[Carol1e]

Tero: I also want to thank you for the info. We sail from Copenhagen on the Rotterdam on Aug. 9th & all of your remarks have been helpful. I am also not a "people person", so don't want to do the tours & it was great to hear that Helsinki can be seen on your own. Really looking forward to it. Can you tell me whether it is still hot there? Everyone said to pack for cool & warm weather but I don't want to carry so many clothes. All the messages I've seen have said the Baltic ports have been very warm. Thanks.

 

Carole

[Guest LetMeGo]

Tero: I also want to thank you for the info. We sail from Copenhagen on the Rotterdam on Aug. 9th & all of your remarks have been helpful. I am also not a "people person", so don't want to do the tours & it was great to hear that Helsinki can be seen on your own. Really looking forward to it. Can you tell me whether it is still hot there? Everyone said to pack for cool & warm weather but I don't want to carry so many clothes. All the messages I've seen have said the Baltic ports have been very warm. Thanks.

 

Carole

 

You're welcome! And try to have fun whle you're here. :D

(By the way, Rotterdam is docking at the same place as the Star Princess.)

 

Yes it's still unuasually hot here in Finland... Or actually the temperature of 70-80 F in the afternoon (and 50 in the early morning) is not that unusual, but it is unusual that there has been virtually no rain in Helsinki for months. But it is impossible to know the weather two weeks in advance... ;)

[tiggrrr]

 

The Star Princess always docks at the same spot in Southern Helsinki. I don't know if the shuttle bus service to the city is free, but you can get the bus #16 just a few hundred yards from where the ship docks. Make sure you get the 6€ tourist ticket which is valid for all day on all the trams and buses.

 

 

Great review Tero, but just one point - #16 buses carry very few EURO6 tourist tickets and with a ship of Star Princess size, they very quickly sell out for the day.

 

Also worth noting that the #16 bus does not take USD or Credit cards.

 

Shuttle service is not free (USD8 return i think), but they do accept USD!

[Guest LetMeGo]

Great review Tero, but just one point - #16 buses carry very few EURO6 tourist tickets and with a ship of Star Princess size, they very quickly sell out for the day.

 

Also worth noting that the #16 bus does not take USD or Credit cards.

 

Shuttle service is not free (USD8 return i think), but they do accept USD!

 

I don't think the bus driver should be selling any of the "standard" tourist tickets (the plastic cards) at all, but they are able to print out an equally valid paper ticket for 24 hours. The only limit is how many people will fit into the bus (I think it's around 35 sitting and another 35 standing...).

 

I thought I wouldn't have to mention the need to have cash €'s. :D

Of course, you are correct that it should also be mentioned in case someone is planning to live with just the credit card for a whole day. :cool:

[Carol1e]

Thanks for telling me where the Rotterdam docks & I know it seems stupid but I've read so many times on here that most everywhere takes either USD or credit cards so I wasn't going to bother with Euros. It's just that it's difficult to know how much to get & I don't want to waste money. Actually, we're leaving this Sun. to spend a few days in Copenhagen before the cruise. Again, appreciate your help.

 

Carole

[Guest LetMeGo]

Thanks for telling me where the Rotterdam docks & I know it seems stupid but I've read so many times on here that most everywhere takes either USD or credit cards so I wasn't going to bother with Euros. It's just that it's difficult to know how much to get & I don't want to waste money. Actually, we're leaving this Sun. to spend a few days in Copenhagen before the cruise. Again, appreciate your help.

 

Carole

 

I feel a bit ashamed for forgetting about the methods of payment on the bus... :o I guess I thought people wouldn't try to buy tickets with credit card or foreign currency from the city run private buses with tight schedules. :D

 

If you do want to travel without any euros in Finland, you can always take the shuttle bus (or walk) to the city centre, and buy a tourist ticket from one of the R-Kiosks.

[Guest LetMeGo]

After all the things I'e forgotten to mention, I thought it would be better to recap... For the purposes of one day trip, I think buses and trams are enough.

 

 

Buses don't stop unless you signal the driver by waving your hand. Trams will halt on any stops with people on them. Buses are entered from the front door only, and trams from any door.

 

You can buy a 24h tourist ticket from either the driver (as a paper version) or from the tourist office and R-Kiosks in the city centre.

 

Paper tickets must be presented to the bus drivers when entering, and chip cards must be inserted into the opening of the ticket readers at a 45 degree angle from the bottom.

 

 

In trams you don't have to do anything with the tickets.

The tickets can be randonly inspected during journeys, so you should keep them forr the whole time they are valid.

 

 

Both bus and tram stops usually look like this, but they can also be just a pole and the yellow/white sign. Only the lines marked on the sign will stop.

 

 

 

There are two types of trams, new ones with recessed floor, and a direct access from the stops. These are assigned on lines 3, 4, 6 and 10.

 

 

There are old trams with three steps (there are also a couple of even older trams than the ones pictured, which are in transit occasionally).

 

 

 

Tram line 3 has a route shaped like the figure eight, and is best for viewing the highlights of the city. Tram 7 has a circular route. Both of these lines have two indexes (3T and 3B, 7A and 7B) which go in different directions.

 

You can also use all the local buses with numbers smaller than 100, and the ones marked with this symbol.

 

[Guest LetMeGo]

....

[MacTosh]

Even though I was on RCC/Jewel of the Sea/Baltic last summer, I would have loved to had have this posted agenda as a reference. I flung a fit for my family to see the Sibelius Monument & regreted the trek ~ but it is checked off my 100 things to do before I die! I did win points in the shopping department by following a suggestion in the R. Steves book: one-block detour up Unioninkatu to the Senate Square & Lutheran Cathedral, you will find SCHRODER SPORT SHOP ~ with a great selection of popular Finnish-made Rapala fishing lures. While I was clueless about the selections, the clerks were so helpful and even guided me in selecting lures other than Rapala so as to take home gifts that can not be purchased in the USA. Extremely reasonable in cost, too. We enjoyed eating at Cafe Kappeli ~ a noon changing of the guard parade went by during our lunch, so try for an outside table. You are in for a treat in Helsinki. Enjoy~ B