Helsinki is an absolute dream come true

Canadian Emily Fata & Kourtnie Forbes visited Helsinki in winter and wrote several blog posts as a result of it on Emily's blog Wanderous Affair. 

Here follows a short summary of those articles with 5 tips out of their recommendations in Helsinki:

1. Museums - An incredible way to get to know the city and its history is through their art scene. Be sure to check out at least two of their museums during your visit: a classic (like Ateneum) and a contemporary (like the HAM or Kiasma). Much like their food, the city’s design and architecture are another proud focus of Helsinki’s culture; it didn’t go unnoticed that a great number of people were fluent in the city’s well-known designers, architects, and brands. A fierce pride in local ‘heroes’ like Alvar Aalto and Tove Jansson are evident everywhere you go, permeating even the most casual of conversations. It truly helps visitors understand more about the culture they are immersing themselves in, and to grasp a deeper knowledge of how much this astonishing city means to its devoted populace.

2. Sauna - Even if it’s out of your comfort zone to go naked, you can’t get the full sauna experience if you’re restricted by your clothing. On that note, also attempt a dip into the frigid Baltic Sea prior to your sauna, to experience the ultimate temperature change (and thus, by the end of it, the ultimate relaxation). Try e.g. Allas.

3. Food – Don’t be afraid to try new foods. Helsinki has a plethora of them, and you won’t want to miss out on even one opportunity to eat… trust me! Two truly stellar restaurants that I enjoyed during my stay were Ultima and Lasipalatsi; visiting either of these eateries will give you a true sense of the delicious flavours that Helsinki has to offer. Moreover, as a vegetarian who is an avid seeker of culinary masterpieces, I found Helsinki to be an incredible place for me to discover endless new dishes. It really is a city that is conscious and adaptive to different dietary needs, so eliminating meat from all of my dishes was effortless in every restaurant that I dined at. The cutting-edge, novel flavour combinations and cooking processes within Helsinki make each meal unique and well-appreciated by my tastebuds.

4. Fazer Café’s original Kluuvikatu 3 location is a chocolate lover’s paradise. Enter at your own risk (and with a full wallet — you won’t want to leave anything behind)!

5. Try to learn at least a few Finnish words. Though I never encountered a person who did not speak English, it’s always fun to learn bits of the local language, both as a kind gesture toward locals, and for your own cultural immersion. Learn more about how everyday life in Helsinki runs smoothly in English here.

See Emily’s MyHelsinki list here.