Helsinki - Helsingfors

Helsinki[1] is Finland beautiful capital, located on the Gulf of Finland. Helsinki, together with the neighboring municipalities of Espoo, Vantaa and Grankulla, forms an area called the capital region. The Capital Region is the country's commercial and scientific center.

To take with you to Helsinki

Swedish citizens only need an ID card as proof of identity.

To take with you from Helsinki

If you are interested in Finnish design objects such as Iittala and Marimekko, there are many specialty shops in the center.

Facts about Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital of Finland and the country's most important city. A large proportion of tourists who come to Finland travel via Helsinki-Vantaa Airport or one of the ports.

History

Helsinki was founded in 1550 by the Swedish king Gustav Vasa. When Finland was an autonomous principality under Tsarist Russia became the capital of Helsinki in 1812. Tsar Alexander I wanted to break contact with the Swedish Empire in this way; Turku was too close to Sweden. The Tsar chose Helsinki because it had a good port and was closer Saint Petersburg. The Suomenlinna fortress would provide good protection for the new capital. In addition, Helsinki had just burned down so that the city could be rebuilt from the ground up. The German architect Carl Ludvig Engel was hired and he planned the city in empirical style. By giving Finland a new capital, Tsar Alexander I wanted to show the outside world how well the Finns were doing under Russian rule.

Geography and climate

Helsinki city center is located on a headland and is thus surrounded by water from three directions. The immediate proximity to the sea and the lack of archipelago means that it is often windy. Especially during the pre-winter, when the sea is still ice-free, the air can feel very raw in Helsinki. The height differences are quite small.

The locals

The majority of the locals speak Finnish as their mother tongue. There is also a minority of Finn Swedes (about 6%). Then there are a number of minorities from other parts of the world, who together make up an approximately equal percentage as Swedish-speakers.

It is relatively easy to make oneself understood in Swedish (which approximately half of all Finns master at least to some extent), especially in official contexts. Helsinki is one of the cities where the same percentage is significantly higher than that, so in most situations, e.g. if you want help in stores or ask about the road, it pays to start in Swedish. Otherwise, it works great with English.

Neighborhoods

Central Helsinki Alphyddan Arabian Beach Berghäll Bortre Tölö Brunnsparken Busholmen Böle Valley Eira Forsby Front Töölö The bird song Gammelstaden Gardesstaden Gloet Gräsviken Gumtäkt Hagnäs Havshagen Hermanstad Kajsaniemi Kottby Kronohagen Majstad Mejlans Rödbergen Skatudden Sörnäs Ulrikasborg Vallgård Ridge

Western Helsinki Brunakärr Drumsö Gamlas Haga Håkansåker Kånala Lassas Lillhoplax Magnuskärr Malmgård Munksnäs Norra Haga Sockenbacka Stenhagen Södra Haga Tali

Eastern Helsinki Botby Botby farm Botbyhöjden Botbyåsen Brändö Degerö Gårdsbacka Havs-Rastböle Hertonäs] Jollas Kallvik Kasberget Kvarnbäcken Marudd Mellungsbacka North Sea Rastböle Sandhamn Stensböle Tammelund Tranbacka Inheritance East center

Northeast Helsinki Bocksbacka Brobacka Fallkulla Henriksdal Jakobacka The barn Lerstrand Lidamalmen Ore Mosabacka Lower Dickursby Parkstad Rönnbacka Rönninge Big forest Shoemaker Staffansby Staffansslätten Stapelstaden Bay

Northern Helsinki Britas Domarby Grindbacka Krämertskog Månsas Svedängen Tomtbacka Torparbacken Västra Baggböle Åggelby Östra Baggböle

Getting to Helsinki

You can get to Helsinki by plane, boat, train, bus or car.

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport 20 km north of Helsinki is the country's largest airport and home base for Finnair. From here there are flights to almost all countries in Europe and to North America, Asia and Africa. You get to the city center by bus 615, Finnair's airport bus or by taxi. In 2014, the airport is expected to have a train connection.

Oy Matkahuolto Ab [2] is a kind of central organization for the Finnish bus companies. You can travel from and to Helsinki from almost all places in Finland and also send parcels. Tel. Timetable services: 0200-4000. Tel. Parcel services: 0800-13 25 82. The central bus station is located at Mannerheimvägen in the same building as the Kamppi shopping center and all buses in long-distance traffic run there, but you can get on and off them at several bus stops along the access roads. The local buses go to several different places, some to the bus station in Kampen, some to Elielplatsen next to the central station and some to Järnvägstorget (on the opposite side of the central station).

Valtion rautatiet, VR[3], is the Finnish equivalent of the State Railways. They operate throughout the country and have a monopoly on passenger traffic. Tickets can be purchased at points of sale, in so-called train machines (ticket machines), via the website or by phone. Tel: 0600-419 01. Please note that you may pay an extra fee if you buy a ticket on board the train. On board you can not pay with Visa Electron, but regular credit cards work well. The ticket price is mainly determined only by how many kilometers you travel, so there is very little fluctuation in pricing compared to Sweden. VR's information is available in Finnish, Swedish and English.

There are roads to and from Helsinki, most of them motorways; E18 (road 1) to Turku, road 2 to Pori, E12 (road 3) to Tampere and Vasa, E75 (road 4) to Lahti and further north in the country, E18 (road 7) to Porvoo and on to Russia, as well as a lot of smaller roads.

Tallink Silja [4] and Viking Line [5] operates daily all year round from Stockholm to Helsinki. The ferry arrives in the morning and departs in the evening, so many book both round trips and use the time when the boat is in port for shopping. Phone Tallink Silja: 08-22 21 40 (Sweden) 0600-174552 (Finland). Phone Viking Line: 08-452 40 00 (Sweden), 09-123 51 (Helsinki).

You are not allowed to cycle on the motorways, but there are plenty of smaller roads on which you can get to the city. Parallel to the major access roads run the old country roads, which are well suited for cycling.

Relocation in Helsinki

Like most major cities, Helsinki has a well-developed communications network.

All kinds of public transport except the local trains (bus, metro, tram) in the capital region run from 2010 by the Helsinki Region Traffic HSL (in Finnish HSL) [6]. Tickets and information can be obtained via the website or by phone, 0100-111. A single ticket for an adult costs 2 € in the vending machine and 2.50 € by the driver.

As a tourist, you most likely do not have a particularly great need for bus lines other than 16 (to Högholmen Zoo) and 24 (to the open-air museum Fölisön), and 615 (Flybussen from Järnvägsstationen).

Tram is the best way to get around the center of Helsinki. Two tram lines, lines 3 and 7 [7] drives around the whole city and passes many sights, so you can see the city's most important sights at the price of a single ticket (2 €). It takes about an hour before the tram is back at the same stop you got on.

There are local trains to the northern and western parts of Helsinki. There are two metro lines to the eastern parts of the city, but there is not much of interest to tourists. The trains are run by the state railways VR, but on board the usual bus ticket is enough. The trains are punctual and run frequently.

The Helsinki metro is called Metro and is orange in color. There are two metro lines in Helsinki that run outside the city center on the ground. Both lines run between the city center and suburbs of eastern Helsinki, so they are not very useful for tourists if you do not want to visit Finland's largest shopping center, the East Center [8], or live in the city's camping area in Rastböle.

Compared to other European cities, it is relatively easy to use a car in Helsinki. It should still be remembered that it is not too easy to find parking spaces in the center. Parking halls such as Eliel, Kluuvi and Kampen are preferred, but parking in these can be surprisingly expensive. Of course, traffic flows more slowly during rush hour, but real traffic jams are quite rare.

It is quite expensive to take a taxi in Finland, although you always pay the same kilometer rate. It can still be the only alternative apart from walking if you move at night when other public transport (buses, trams, etc.) does not work. All taxi operations in Finland are subject to a single roof organization, which means that there are no competing taxi companies. Helsinki's largest taxi center is called Taksi Helsinki [9] tel. 0100-0700. An alternative is Lähitaksi [10] and Airport Taxi [11] which only runs to Vantaa Airport.

Cycling is excellent in Helsinki, the cycle path network is dense and constantly evolving. In many places there are marked "bicycle lanes" on the sidewalk or on the road. In the summer you can also borrow so-called. city ​​bikes for a deposit of 2 euros.

Payment

Euro. In Stockmann's department store, in some shops by the Esplanade and souvenir sellers on Salutorget, other currencies such as Swedish kronor, English pounds and American dollars are sometimes accepted. It still pays to exchange money for euros at an exchange office and then use it.

Traveler's checks can be redeemed at banks and exchange offices.

Almost all stores accept credit cards.

In the center there are plenty of ATMs. These go by the name Otto.

Accommodation

There is a wide range of hotels in Helsinki.

• Hotel Kämp [12] Northern Esplanade 29, tel: 358-9-576-111 The absolute most luxurious and expensive hotel in Helsinki. Movie stars, artists, politicians, FIG bankers and other celebrities usually choose this hotel.
• Palace [13] Södra Kajen 10, tel: 358-9-13456660

• Bed and Breakfast Panorama Suite [14], [email protected]. Room with panoramic views, private kitchen, balcony and large bathroom. 30-75e / person / night
• Sokos Hotel Helsinki Glogatan 8, tel: 358 (0) 20 1234 601
• Hotel Helka [15] Norra Järnvägsgatan 23 tel: 358-9-613580. An affordable hotel near the bus station and Kamppi metro station.

• Eurohostel [16] Slottsgatan 4. At Skatudden near Viking Line's ferry terminal.

Food and drinks

As in all major cities, there are many restaurants serving everything from fast food to upscale meals. In Finland, people do not eat out every day and prices are relatively high. If you want to eat cheaply and not have fast food, some restaurants serve "dish of the day" at lunchtime at a lower price (under 10 €).

• Bakers [17] Mannerheimvägen 12 opposite Stockmann's department store. Café, bar and restaurant.
• G.W. Sundmans krog [18] has two stars in Guide Rouge. Södra Kajen 16, at Salutorget.
• Savoy [19] Södra Esplanaden 14. A luxury restaurant with Finnish specialties.
• Restaurant Pörssi [20] Fabiansgatan 14.
• Chez Dominique [21] has two stars in Guide Rouge. Table ordering and observing dress code is a must. Table reservations can be made online via the website or by phone. Ludvigsgatan 14. tel: 09-612 73 93, e-mail (not table reservation): [email protected]
• Demo [22] has been gifted with a star in the Guide Rouge. Demo is located in the somewhat bohemian neighborhoods in the Rödbergen district. Nylandsgatan 11. Tel: 09-228 908 40. E-mail: [email protected]

• Grande Grill Alexandersgatan 15. Most steaks, but there are also vegetarian options.
• Cosmos [23] Kalevagatan 3.
• Ravintola Lasipalatsi [24]. Mannerheimvägen 22-24, in Glaspalatset.
• Texas Outback bar & grill [25]. Kajsaniemigatan 2, by Järnvägstorget.
• Ravintola Theater [26]. Nylandsgatan 11 / Pohjoisespa 2. Tel: 09-61 28 50 00. Email: [email protected]
• Saslik [27] is a Russian restaurant with a rich Russian menu and they try to recreate a luxurious Russian restaurant environment. Jungfrustigen 12 / Neitsytpolku 12. Tel: 09-74 25 55 00. E-mail: [email protected]

• Fast food: In the center it is never far to the nearest Mc Donalds, Hesburger, Pizza Hut, Subway, Chilli [28] or kebab restaurant.
• Golden Rax Pizza Buffet [29] Mikaelsgatan 8 near the railway station and in the shopping center Forum at Mannerheimvägen. A buffet restaurant with dishes such as pizza, salad and lasagna.
• Ravintola VPK is a lunch buffet restaurant where you can eat as much as you want at a fixed price. Albertsgatan 15.
• Ravintola Musta Härkä [30] in the Vallgård district (Vallila). Pub and restaurant with Indian and international menu and very favorable prices. Backasgatan 52, near the exhibition center trams 7A and 7B.

To see

It usually costs money to visit museums, but other attractions are free.

Buildings and monuments

• Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral (Senaatintori, Helsingin tuomiokirkko) at Alexandersgatan. Helsinki symbol and most important attraction.
• Uspenskijk Cathedrals (Uspenskijk Cathedral) The largest Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe. At Skatudden, Kanalgatan 1.
• Temple Square Church (Temppeliaukion kirkko) A church built inside a mountain. Luthergatan 3 in the district Tölö. Tel: 358 9 45420118.
• Presidential Palace (President linna) at Salutorget.
• Riksdagshuset (Eduskuntatalo) [31] Guided tours. Mannerheimvägen 30.
• Sibelius Monument (Sibeliuksen monumentti) in Sibelius Park in the northwestern part of Helsinki.
• Olympic Stadium [32] At Mannerheimvägen opposite the Opera. Tram 3T, 4 and 10 from the city center.
• Suomenlinna (Suomenlinna) A fortress and outside Helsinki built by the Swedes in the 18th century. Highly recommended in the summer. You get there by boat from Salutorget.
• Finlandiahuset (Finlandiatalo) A concert hall built in white marble opposite the National Museum. Mannerheimvägen 13.
• Central Railway Station (Rautatieasema), built in the 1910s.

Museums

• Athenaeum [33] opposite Central Station. A museum of classical Finnish art. Brunnsgatan 2. Tel: 358 9 1733 61. E-mail [email protected].
• Kiasma [34] is a museum of modern art opposite the Riksdag House. . Mannerheimplatsen 2. Tel: 358 9 1733 6501.
• Nationalmuseet (Kansallismuseo) [35] is a museum with historical objects. Mannerheimvägen 34. Tel: 358 9 4050 9544.

Parker

• The Esplanade Park is located in the center of Helsinki and stretches from Market Square to Mannerheim Road between the North and South Esplanades.
• Brunnsparken A fairly large park in the southeastern part of the city by the sea. In the spring and summer, many people come down for a picnic.

In addition to these, there are many smaller parks.

Nature

In Espoo outside the center of Helsinki there is a national park:

• Noux National Park (Nuuksion kansallispuisto) [36]

To do

There are good shopping opportunities in Helsinki, but the price level is quite high. Most shopping centers are close to each other on the main street, Mannerheimvägen. At Alexandersgatan in the center, there are lots of smaller specialty shops.

Culture

• Nationaloperan [37] Helsingegatan 58, near the Olympic Stadium. Tel: 358 9 4030 2211
• Swedish theater [38] Norra Esplanaden 2, by Stockmann's department store. Tel. 358 9 6162 1411
• Helsinki City Theater [39] First line 2. Tel. 358 9 394 022.
• Lilla Teatern [40] Georgsgatan 30. Tel. 358 9 696 27033

• Stockmann, Helsinki's (Nordic) largest and perhaps most famous department store at the intersection of Mannerheimvägen and the Northern Esplanade. Also take the opportunity to visit Akademiska bokhandeln, planned by Alvar Aalto. The staff is very service-minded and wears language flags on the nameplate.
• Forum is a shopping center on Mannerheimvägen, one block from Stockmann.
• Kampppi [41] is located next to Forum and Kamppi metro station. Helsinki Bus Station is located in the same building.
• Sokos is a department store opposite Kamppi.
• Itäkeskus [42]. The Nordic region's largest shopping center in the East Center district (Itäkeskus). The easiest way to get there is by metro.
• Alexandersgatan is Helsinki's busiest shopping street.
• Norra Esplanaden and Kämp-gallerian offer design shops and focus on more luxurious shopping.
• The market square at Södra hamnen has both traditional market trade and tourist-oriented sales.

• Borgbacken (Linnanmäki) [43], is an amusement park near the Olympic Stadium. Closed in winter.
• Högholmen Zoo (Korkeasaaren eläinpuisto) [44], a zoo on an island east of central Helsinki. You can get there by ferry from Market Square or via a bridge from eastern Helsinki.
• Track coffee [45]. In the summer, Spårakoff is run, an old tram that has been converted into a pub. A tour takes about 40 minutes and passes the most important sights in Helsinki. The tour itself costs 8 €, drinks are not included.
• Bike tours Helsinki [46]

Entertainment

Some of the many nightclubs and pubs in the center.

• Fever [47]. One of Helsinki's largest nightclubs. Annegatan 31.
• Lady Moon [48], opposite the train station. Brunnsgatan 12
• Molly Malone's, an Irish pub with live music. Kajsaniemigatan 1.
• On the rocks [49] Mikaelsgatan 15.
• Public Corner [50], Centralgatan 4.
• Stockholm disco, Georgsgatan 31
• DTM, [51], Mannerheimsvägen 10. The Nordic region's largest gay club.

Work

If you are a citizen of an EU country, you can work in Finland without problems, but if you do not know Finnish at all, it can be difficult to find a job.

Communication

Internet

In Finland, there are not as many Internet cafés as in other parts of the world because almost everyone has access to the Internet at home, at work, at school or in the library. You have free Wifi on the trams, and the Kampen Shopping Center, as well as most hotels. Mbar at Glaspalatset has computers for internet café use.

Security

The risk of a crime in Helsinki is small. You still have to remember that you are in a big city and be attentive, especially at night.

The general emergency telephone number in Finland is 112 (ambulance, fire brigade, police).

Respect

Helsinki is like any other European city; one should not do anything here that one would not do elsewhere either.

• Remember that motorists in Finland are generally not as willing to stop for pedestrians as in Sweden.

Problem solver

• Embassy of Sweden, [52] Norra Esplanaden 7B at Salutorget. Tel. 09-6877660
• Helsinki City Tourist Office, [53] Norra Esplanaden 19 at Salutorget. Phone 358 (09) 3101 3300. Fax 358 (09) 3101 3301. Email [email protected].

Other

• Ainola [54]. Those interested in classical music can take a bus or train to Träskända (Finnish: Järvenpää), about 40 km north of Helsinki and get acquainted with the house where Finland's most famous composer Jean Sibelius lived.
• Hvitträsk. The architects Saarinen, Lindgren and Gezelius' f.d. Art Nouveau home in Kirkkonummi about 20 km west of Helsinki.
• Heureka [55] is a child - friendly science center in Dickursby, Vantaa. It is easiest to get there by local train.
• Porvoo. This cozy wooden town 50 km east of Helsinki can be reached most quickly by bus or car. In the summer, m / s J.L. Runeberg boat traffic between Helsinki and Porvoo.
• Tallinn. If you have a day left, you can cross the Gulf of Finland by ferry (4 h) or catamaran (1.5 h) and visit the capital of Estonia.
• Turku Finland's third largest city, two hours west by train, car or bus.
• Tampere Finland's second largest city, two hours north by train, car or bus.
• Saint Petersburg. You can get there by train or bus and the journey takes about 5 hours. A visa is required to enter Russia.

• The cathedral
• Salutorget
• Senate Square
• Riksdagshuset

• Maps of the entire capital region