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Hello all, As a last "big trip" to celebrate the end of our semester in Europe, my friend and I will be going to Finland, for either three or four days (depending on both when flights are cheaper and how much we could realistically cram in). I'm wondering if any Finnish goons (or goons well-acquainted with Finland) can recommend sights to see, places to go, food to eat, etc. I have a rough idea from perusing online travel guides, but it's always better to hear from locals. I assume we will find a hostel (and therefore spend most of our time) in Helsinki. Additionally, we would both really like to spend a day in Tallinn, Estonia, which appears to be about a two-hour ferry ride from Helsinki. Perhaps we'd do one of those cruises that leaves Helsinki early in the morning and returns at night, giving us around 8 hours to explore Tallinn. Is this a good idea? I think both of us would really love to see a former Soviet state before we go, and Estonia is probably the most Westernized/comfortable in that regard. We will be there something like the 17th through the 20th of July. We're both Americans, but will be coming from Germany, where we are spending a semester. Let me know if you need any more info. Kiitos / Tänan!
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Jun 26, 2014 17:13
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| # ? May 27, 2024 13:52 |
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queertea posted:Hello all, Main sights (Helsinki is a bit of a bore): Market square + senate square + the big white church, rock church, Suomenlinna fortress (5e ferry trip from market square), walk around Kaivopuisto to see the Helsinki coastline, modern art museum (Kiasma)... all are pretty standard and included in every guidebook. A boat ride around the archipelago might be a fun thing to do, depending on the weather. If you go somewhere like Seurasaari (an island with an outdoor museum), you could visit Tamminiemi (old presidential residence turned into a museum) nearby. The national history museum (near the Finlandia building, our parliament, Linnanmäki amusement park and the Olympic stadium) is not great but worth a trip if you're interested in history. Eat: For Finnish food, go to Sea Horse (googlable). It's near Kaivopuisto. Food in general is quite expensive, student cafeterias (UniCafe and most universities will just let you in) offer good value. For "unique" foods (ie reindeer, bear) that are moderately cheap but definitely low quality, try the stalls near the market square (at the end of Esplanadi). Drink: Go to the Kallio district in Helsinki (metro stations Hakaniemi and Sörnäinen) for the cheapest drinks in Helsinki (which isn't saying much) and a hipster vibe. If you're lucky you'll accidentally wander into a non-hipster bar full of local degenerates! The center isn't great for cheap drinking and is full of places whose only merit is location, but if you want to try go to the bars on Iso Roobertinkatu (google). quote:Additionally, we would both really like to spend a day in Tallinn, Estonia, which appears to be about a two-hour ferry ride from Helsinki. Perhaps we'd do one of those cruises that leaves Helsinki early in the morning and returns at night, giving us around 8 hours to explore Tallinn. Is this a good idea? I think both of us would really love to see a former Soviet state before we go, and Estonia is probably the most Westernized/comfortable in that regard. *#1 Estonians probably don't appreciate being an example of a former Soviet state since they've done so much to distance themselves from the Soviet Union since 1991, #2 Tallinn has westernized considerably so the main Soviet elements you will see there are some old style apartment buildings (if you wonder out of the center), trolleycar buses, cheaper alcohol and bad driving. You'll see more shiny new buildings in Tallinn than in Helsinki. Geriatric Pirate fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Jun 26, 2014 |
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Jun 26, 2014 19:48
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A daytrip to Tallinn is obviously a great idea if for the simple reason that it's much older and more interesting as a tourist destination than Helsinki. You could spend a whole day exploring and chilling out at the Old Town, but for Soviet stuff you may consider Museum of Occupations and the small KGB museum at the top of Viru hotel. If you have time, then a tour at Patarei prison a mile from the Old Town is literally like entering Silent Hill, and it's next door to the cool new Lennusadam sea museum.
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Jun 27, 2014 17:13
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Geriatric Pirate covered all the basics. If you don't have your heart set on a hostel and would consider a hotel, the Omena hotel chain is pretty reasonable, especially if you're staying in the middle of the week. Uspenski church is a pretty place if it's open. Suomenlinna is worth a trip too. There are plenty of art museums if that interests you. Make sure to try some reindeer and some Karhu or Lapin Kulta beer just to say you have (I like Karhu better). Definitely take the AM ferry and get an evening trip back. Tallinn is small enough to pick and choose what you want to do within a day. Besides the above recommended stuff, there's a cool and kind of silly medical museum in Tallinn with lots of human anomalies that's worth a peek if you like that kind of stuff. It's the middle of summer but the best hot toddy I've ever had was in Tallinn, I can't remember what the place was called, it was in a small cafe with huge wood beams and a fireplace. Does the 3-4 days include travel or do you have 3-4 solid days? If you exhaust things to do in Helsinki, you could go up to Tampere, it's about two hours by train. There's a neat Lenin museum there that would probably cater to your soviet lust. The spy museum is pretty interesting as well. If you like Moomins there's a museum for that too. Tampere cathedral is nice.
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Jun 27, 2014 22:53
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Restaurant Salve has decently priced classic reindeer on their menu as well as other classic finnish dishes. There's a KGB museum in Tallinn. kinda... http://www.viru.ee/en/museum-hotel-viru-and-the-kgb/ Tallinn is pretty dope in general. the food/restaurants nowadays is on par with helsinki (not just fries and a steak) and it's a lot cheaper too. Im a native from Helsinki. ask away if there is something you need to know? GP covered the normal stuff pretty well.
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Jul 1, 2014 11:36
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Helsinki is great for eating, cool cafes and brs. What kind of food do you like - fine dining or something else? Kallio area is generally the most interesting. For "real" stuff I'd go to Cella. If you can get a table Sandro (mediterranean) and Kombo (tapas) are great value and never disappoint. Then after eating either Molotow (Vaasankatu in general has loads of bars) or Musta Kissa for drinks. Döner Harju has nice kebab. Bar Las Vegas is always great but sometimes bit of a rough crowd. For clubbing Kuudes Linja and Kaiku are pretty much yoyr options in the area. Ääniwalli is a bit further away but it's great and they have afternoon clubbing on weekends if you fancy an early start. Good Life Coffee is my favourite cafe around here. If you're here in the weekend might want to try Freese Coffee as well (in Töölö district). As for other areas, maybe go for drinks in Hotel Tornis Ateljee bar, you go pretty high up. Definitely vist Suomenlinna. Putte's has the best pizza. Drink in the parks, bars are expensive. Maybe vist the university library, Kaisa-talo if you're into architecture, it's cool. If you have more questions, let me know. Jack Flint fucked around with this message at 00:10 on Jul 5, 2014 |
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Jul 5, 2014 00:07
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I've never done Finland, so I can't speak on it, but I can second the suggestion of spending a night in Tallinn. It's just a super-cool place. Hit some bars, meet some locals: in my experience the people are really friendly and quite proud of their city, and eager to show it off to visitors. A friend and I spent a couple days there in March with no real agenda, and one night ended up tagging along with a couple Estonians while they showed us some of their favorite places. Protest, a crazy nightclub in a nondescript building, was one of the highlights of our trip. There's also a really photogenic Old Town, a bit touristy but that's ok, and you can get some great views of the old town and the Baltic if you make the hike up to the tip-top of the upper town. Kiek in de Kok is a pretty cool museum with a funny name, worth the couple of Euros admission price. Buy a bottle of Vanna Tallinn and some curd snacks, or hit up one of the militaria shops in the old town for souvenirs: SS patches and Soviet medals for the whole family!
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Jul 7, 2014 19:39
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I'd switch Helsinki and Tallinn around. few days in Tallinn, 1 in Helsinki. Helsinki is boring, Tallinn is fun.
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Jul 16, 2014 09:08
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so how bad was it?
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Jul 28, 2014 13:23
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Can anyone tell me about eating bear meat in Tallinn? I want to try.
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Nov 19, 2014 16:53
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It's a tourist gimmick but it's indeed available. See the Olde Hansa restaurant, you can't miss the place very close to the Town Hall.
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Nov 19, 2014 20:34
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Bears should be enjoyed alive, not eaten or used to make hats,
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Nov 22, 2014 09:58
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Pablo Bluth posted:Bears should be enjoyed alive, not eaten or used to make hats, Even if that bear was going to become the next Bear Hitler, enjoying it alive like it's at some Japanese sushi place or that octopus scene in Oldboy is pretty sick.
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Nov 23, 2014 10:53
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Saladman posted:Even if that bear was going to become the next Bear Hitler, enjoying it alive like it's at some Japanese sushi place or that octopus scene in Oldboy is pretty sick. No dood, he's just talking about loving them I think.
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Nov 25, 2014 00:03
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| # ? May 27, 2024 13:52 |
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twoday posted:Can anyone tell me about eating bear meat in Tallinn? I want to try. It's good! Olde Hansa is both a ridiculous tourist place and a delicious meal. The beer in particular is delicious. I wouldn't go to Tallinn for it alone- but if you're there, it's fun. Also, Tallinn has a Christmas market this time of year which just cannot be beaten. Drink glögi all day!
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Dec 3, 2014 06:20
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