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Originally Posted by mosburger
(Post 12133243)
And for some strange reason the two best steak restaurants in the Helsinki area are both located in the same suburb. Spartanic decor but good value for money and very, very local.
Grill Ribis: http://eat.fi/en/espoo/grilli-ribis Grill Toro: http://eat.fi/espoo/grilli-toro Highly recommended. Cheers, T. |
Originally Posted by Thalassa
(Post 12133088)
Here are a few outside of city centre:
Tarvaspää: the studio of Akseli Gallen-Kallela with some of his works and changing exhibitions (10 km outside of city centre in Espoo). Smallish but well worth the visit. EMMA (Espoo Museum of Modern Art): in Tapiola, the largest modern art museum in Finland. Possibly a stronger permanent collection than Kiasma, the changing exhibitions vary greatly in quality. The building is a 1950 printing facility, quite spectacular. The same building houses some ethnographic collections, a watch museum etc. 10 km from Helsinki Centre, an easy bus ride. Hviträsk: the studio of architects Saarinen, Lindgren, and Gesellius. A fantastic example of Finnish art deco building, with great insights into the life of Eero Saarinen. Spectacular location on a hilltop over some lakes. Roughly 30 km from city centre, easiest seen with a car. Didrichsen Museum: a small, private museum just outside of city centre (in Kuusisaari). Lovely 1950's modern house with a small but high quality modern art collection and interesting changing exhibitions. Villa Gyllenberg: a private museum close to Didrichsen with one of the largest collections of Schjerfbeck paintings around. Very limited hours (Wednesday 16-20, Sunday 12-16). Seurasaari Outdoor Museum: the traditional Finnish way of life is displayed in the cottages, farmsteads and manors of the past four centuries that have been relocated from all around Finland. Five kilometers outside of the city centre, near Meilahti. Tamminiemi: the official residence and now museum of Urho Kekkonen, the president of Finland from 1956 until 1981. Very close to Seurasaari. Nuuksio National Park: pristine wilderness with plenty of hiking opportunities and spectacular views just 30 km from the city centre. Cheers, T. |
Originally Posted by Thalassa
(Post 12133088)
Didrichsen Museum: a small, private museum just outside of city centre (in Kuusisaari). Lovely 1950's modern house with a small but high quality modern art collection and interesting changing exhibitions.
Villa Gyllenberg: a private museum close to Didrichsen with one of the largest collections of Schjerfbeck paintings around. Very limited hours (Wednesday 16-20, Sunday 12-16). cheers, Henry |
There´s only one public wooden sauna left in Helsinki. http://www.kotiharjunsauna.fi/ They have a PDF-file in English at the bottom of the page. For the more adventurous this is an experience not to be missed. There used to be plenty of these around town before running water and pipes came into every building.
It all depends on what you like. Some would like to visit a great skatebording park at Eläintarha park. http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micropolis Someone else is intrested in seeing the graffiti at "Pasila Galleria", a railroad tunnel/warehouse with plenty of pieces. http://www.flickr.com/photos/25610169@N05/2464196627/ |
Originally Posted by Helsinki Flyer
(Post 12201974)
There´s only one public wooden sauna left in Helsinki. http://www.kotiharjunsauna.fi/ They have a PDF-file in English at the bottom of the page. For the more adventurous this is an experience not to be missed. There used to be plenty of these around town before running water and pipes came into every building.
Highly recommended. Cheap and easy to walk to from the Sörnäinen metro station. |
I walked past this sauna on saturday evening around 18.30 and I saw people with only towels on the hips chilling outside in the fresh air. I should make anoher visit soon.
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Finally got around to writing up one of my favorite little walks in Helsinki:
http://wikitravel.org/en/A_seaside_stroll_in_Helsinki This one's great when the weather is nice. |
Now that's my kind of scenery jpatokal ... thanks for the link ... should be a really pleasant Sunday stroll ... I somehow don't think that any sauna anywhere in the world is quite ready for me :D
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As I prepare to leave HEL for JFK via ZRH my thanks to all those who suggested wonderful itineraries ... i did take (mostly) your advice ... although the day I headed to Tallinn the seas were incredibly rough (for a novice sailor) and it was most definitely not a pretty site ... fortunately the skies cleared, the wind disappeared, the seas calmed and the return trip was uneventful.
HEL is incredibly beautiful, and I spent a couple of days walking around - have the blisters to prove it!- before I settled down for the conference I was there to attend. The city council generously provided a reception for our 300 strong group, and the former hotel-cum-town hall is a truly magnificent building ... So ... my thanks to you all and for the generosity of the many Finns I met who offered friendship and generosity of spirit to a foreign traveller who spoke only english ... |
What great info - and the walking tour looks great. Here is the dilemma, will the weather be comfortable enough for the walking tour in early May? We simply want to walk around the city, sort of urban trekking, and take in what the city and its surroundings show us.
Also, what would HEL be like around Vappu? [long weekend is the US and the reason to get on a plane] Will that weekend be something to see or avoid? We're not the youngsters we used to be, but we find nothing wrong with having a party :D Cheers |
Originally Posted by thegrailer
(Post 13751729)
What great info - and the walking tour looks great. Here is the dilemma, will the weather be comfortable enough for the walking tour in early May? We simply want to walk around the city, sort of urban trekking, and take in what the city and its surroundings show us.
Also, what would HEL be like around Vappu? [long weekend is the US and the reason to get on a plane] Will that weekend be something to see or avoid? We're not the youngsters we used to be, but we find nothing wrong with having a party :D Cheers Vappu is quite something. From about 5 pm or so on April 30, the centre of town will be completely filled with people, the crowds centering on the Esplanade (the highlight being the Havis Amanda statue getting her hat). There will be a LOT of people in various degrees of drunkenness, but Vappu eve is the time when there is something like a Mardi Gras atmosphere in Helsinki. Should be quite safe if you don't mind the crowds. May 1st is more of a family thing. There will still be a lot of people about but it will be a lot calmer than the night before. There will be some marches and a lot of political speeches on markets and at malls. On May 1st, most restaurants tend to be full for lunch. Cheers, T. |
Thanks for the info. Will pass it along to my g/f and see what she thinks.
Cheers |
Originally Posted by thegrailer
(Post 13751729)
Also, what would HEL be like around Vappu? [long weekend is the US and the reason to get on a plane] Will that weekend be something to see or avoid? We're not the youngsters we used to be, but we find nothing wrong with having a party :D On the first of May a lot of people go for a picnic in Kaivopuisto. There's everything from families to large groups of students. The first people arrive in the morning and the party goes on long into the afternoon. I heartily recommend checking this out and bringing a champagne bottle along. |
Originally Posted by Jyrsa
(Post 13796219)
On the last of April the place to be is the statue of Havis Amanda. Unless I'm entirely mistaken the hat is placed at 18.00. The place starts filling up with people a couple of hours before that. If you want to be close, come early.
On the first of May a lot of people go for a picnic in Kaivopuisto. There's everything from families to large groups of students. The first people arrive in the morning and the party goes on long into the afternoon. I heartily recommend checking this out and bringing a champagne bottle along. |
The sky has opened in Helsinki! The sun is out again and I may try the seaside stroll today as recommended on this site.
Also, I ended up taking Tram #4/4T last week by mistake and got off Vanha Munkkiniem and had a very nice along the shores despite the rain. |
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