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A weekend in Helsinki
Finland's capital city offers great hotels, shopping and cultural attractions.
By Natalie Bahadur
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The world is getting smaller and smaller. Thanks to more competitive flight fares, it's easy these days to hop on a plane and visit any city around the globe. With so many choices, where should you go next? Well, I spent a few days in Helsinki, Finland's capital city and it was a delightful treat.
Background
Helsinki is not only the capital of Finland; it's the country's largest city, too, with a population of about 528,000. Including the surrounding areas, the population swells to 1 million, while Finland's total population is about 5 million. Tiny, by comparison to the populations of say, Canada or the US. The city is old and historic, founded in 1550 by King Gustav I of Sweden. Because of the country's Swedish history (Finland was ruled by Sweden until 1809, then under Russian rule until gaining independence in 1917), Swedish is one of the country's official languages, along with Finnish. Helsinki is situated on the southern tip of Finland, on the Gulf of Finland, on the north shore of the Baltic Sea. Did you know that Finland has 188,000 lakes? Not surprisingly, fish is a staple in the Finnish diet.
Ready for a quick tour of this world-class city? Here are some of the best things to do in and around Helsinki.
ACCOMMODATIONS
There are lots of hotel options for visitors. Check out the following:
Klaus K Hotel
This modern, boutique-style hotel is moderately priced and offers stylish accommodations. The rooms are beautifully decorated according to four different themes: Passion, Mystic, Envy and Desire. As their names suggest, each room evokes a particular feeling and the “passion” rooms are particularly luxurious, if a little small.
For more information, visit klauskhotel.com
Hotel Kämp
This hotel is stunning, both on the inside and out. The building's old architecture makes it reminiscent of gay Paris and has a real old-world charm about it. But the inside is luxuriously modern, featuring all of the amenities you might expect. It's the only five-star hotel in Scandinavia! Plus, it's centrally located in the heart of the city; it's situated on the city's main shopping drag and there are lots of street side cafes, perfect for enjoying a cappuccino while you're people watching.
For more information, visit hotelkamp.fi/en
Holiday Inn Helsinki
If you're looking for practical accommodations, check out the Holiday Inn Helsinki. Located in the city's business district, this 244-room hotel is a good option for business and leisure travelers alike. It's not far from Helsinki's city centre and is only 20 minutes (by taxi) from the airport. Of most interest is the fact that this hotel has one floor entirely dedicated to providing special care for guests with allergies. Cool! ichotelsgroup.com
Check out a video of Helsinki on the next page!
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