thegrailer

I was in HEL a couple of weeks ago - 2nd visit - and am looking to come back while it's still cold and AA Vacations still has deals . I'm a huge hockey fan and the weekends where AA has deals, both HIFK and Jokerit are on the road. Is there anything else re other leagues? U20? IIHF something? Also, what happened to the street hamburgers, the ones with an egg all sorts of other goodness? My first trip was filled with those (wasn't healthy at all ). A couple weeks ago, everything seemed closed. What did I miss?

As for the 100 yr celebration, anything coming up in the next 6 weeks or so that makes one weekend better than the next? A Lakka weekend?

Cheers -

Kallio

Many of those traditional street burger stalls are open only in evenings. Also some newer street food trailers were evicted from near railway station because they wouldn't respect the maximum number of trailers allowed there. It was an experiment where they were allowed to sell their food without too much red tape but they were supposed to work out things like that themselves. But you can still should be able to get traditional meat pie or burger "with everything" fairly easily at least after 6pm.

In Helsinki area (neighboring cities) there are two hockey teams playing in second highest league Mestis: Espoo United and Kiekko-Vantaa. Unfortunately both teams as well as league itself, seem to have their website only in Finnish:

http://www.espoounited.fi/
http://kiekko-vantaa.fi/
http://mestis.fi/

If you have any specific dates, me or some other Finn can surely find something.

henry999

Why not go 'on the road' yourself? Finnish trains are good and, at least in the south, distances are short. Check the SM-Liiga schedule and you might find an interesting matchup in Lahti, Turku, Hämeenlinna or Tampere (only 1h29m on the fast trains). And, for all of these places, if you buy in advance, you can get a round-trip ticket for less than 20€.

thegrailer

Great ideas about hockey!!!
I'll look into both -- ^

As for the burgers, Ill look later at night. I was looking evening-ish around about the skating rink and the railway station. No luck.

Thanks

Fa Hz

Amazing, probably a good time to finally visit Scandinavia

FFlash

There are not that many burger joints in Helsinki, but recently popping up more.
"Naughty Brgr" is one that I tasted and it was good in comparison to others but not world-class.

Just opposite the railway station is "Friends n brgrs" but after 3 tries it is not anymore on my go-to list. While their burgers are fresh and well made, that is their problem, they are too "perfectioned" with the classic ingredient setup, there is nothing that stands out and makes you come back. It is a 4/5 but not calling you back.

FFlash

A bit lazy for posting, but anyways...

Since a couple of days now, just started winter world tournament, FIS Nordic Ski Championships in Lahti, which is situated a 1-hour highway drive north from Helsinki, easily connected with train as well.
For those around the area and interested in winter games, the championship will go on for another week still, so there is plenty of time still to go and enjoy the atmosphere

FFlash

Almost ashamingly low activity in this thread, despite the festival year. I should start posting some events here if I only had time to compile some.

Anyways, I see that there is a Wiki now by muji's last edit, nice official logo there

FFlash

Tips for travellers in Finland right now is to look for spring blossom in the forests and parks that are free for all.
Not that we have anything as great as Japanese Hanami but there is a cherry park in Helsinki Roihuvuori park where they have a celebration the coming Sunday (link in Finnish only, sorry)

My special recommendation right now is to go to Ruissalo natural park in Turku where the wood anemone white flowers just started full blossom, lasting 1-2 weeks and is abundant in the unique forest park, fabulously beautiful (and not crowded!). I go there every "mother's day celebration" with my wife and the park is just lovely and she is always overwhelmed by the fields of anemone blossom.
Tourists can easily get to Turku by train/bus from Helsinki, 2 hours ride, and then local city bus nr 8 from Turku city center marketplace to the Ruissalo natural park.

FFlash

here a link to a webpage with some photo of wood anemone field

FFlash

Added some recommended summer events in Turku city southwest of Helsinki, lovely especially during summer.
Will try to update more events in other parts of Finland too