48 hours in helsinki
Finland rightly steals the spotlight for its fields, fjords and Formula One. It’s also home to some of Scandinavia’s most attractive city sights, as SM King discovers on a two-day tour of the capital.
DAY ONE
Enjoying an early breakfast on the streets of Helsinki is a great way to witness the city waking up. Join locals and head to the buzzing fresh-produce markets in Kauppatori, the market square, and stately Vanha Kauppahalli – literally, “old market hall” – both alive with the rich scent of sizzling meat even at this time of the day.
Order a reindeer kebab to munch on while you explore Vanha’s neat pine-lined stalls selling seasonal Finnish delicacies such as cloudberries in the spring, turbot in the winter. Between food stands, you’ll find storekeepers touting associated culinary wares including hunting knives handmade from steel and birch by craftsman Heimo Roselli.
Before leaving the market precinct, drop by the Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau and purchase a Helsinki Card. A two-day card costs Ä45 (around AU$62) and gets you access to many of the city’s major museums and attractions as well as unlimited use of public transport.
A short walk away is Helsinki Cathedral; the azure shimmer of its imposing domes seems to change with the light. Spend at least an hour losing yourself in the surrounding streets, home to wedding-cake-style buildings constructed over the 100-plus years that Finland was part of the Russian empire.
From here, stroll west past Helsinki Central railway station, an attraction in its own right. This grand edifice of granite gives way to architect Eliel Saarinen’s bold designs, fusing Romanticism with contemporary flourishes to an end that’s at once sleek and seductive.
Turn left onto Mannerheimintie where you’ll find the Kiasma, Helsinki’s Museum of Contemporary Art. The permanent collection here includes works from the likes of Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman alongside celebrated Finnish artists including Touko Laaksonen and Nina Roos. The experience at Kiasma is immersive, with performances, festivals and workshops filling its galleries over the course of the year.
For lunch, jump on a tram and make your way back towards the market and Restaurant Aino, where you can dine on dishes inspired by local produce: think pastries stuffed with lingonberries, herring roe on rib-sticking black bread, sauna-smoked ham and, yes, more reindeer. Dishes here come with recommended wine and beer matches. Aside from the delightful fare, the restaurant scores points for its setting on the eastern side of Helsinki’s gorgeous Esplanadi – dine alfresco, weather permitting.
Check in to the Hotel Haven and proceed directly to its SiluettiSpa. This place claims to be the first anti-ageing spa in the Nordics. Whether that’s true or not, you’ll find it hard to dispute the blissful benefits of treatments such as the “Fresh and Firm Sea-Salt Body Scrub,” a ritual that includes massage, reflexology and a facial.
You won’t want to go very far after your therapy so it’s a good thing the hotel’s restaurant, G.W. Sundmans, is worth staying in for. Architect Carl Ludvig Engel, also behind many buildings in the city’s imperial heart, is responsible for the lavish Russian-inspired dining rooms here, only outshone by the top-notch fare. Local produce stars on a menu that reads like a map of the Finnish countryside: chicken from Viskilä farm, smoked perch from Lake Pielinen and the organic lamb are all big hits.
DAY TWO
Change accommodation and move to the Klaus K, well located in the centre of town and oozing Scandinavian style. On your doorstep you’ll find the 3B/3T tramline that orbits the city, passing a number of must-see attractions along the way. Alight at the Olympic Stadium – a fine, if severe, example of functionalism and home to a tower commanding unbroken views over the city.
Make your way back to the Klaus K for a spot of retail therapy. The streets surrounding the hotel are lined with bookshops, designer stores and boutiques stocking vintage clothing. Those with particularly deep pockets might want to make their way to Albertinkatu. Here, among other ritzy shops, you’ll find Viva Design – more akin to a shrine for Scandinavian design than a retail outlet. Before lunch, stock up on quality clothes and accessories at Hold Your Horses, a vintage fashion store every bit as wild as its name.
The hype surrounding Finland’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Chez Dominique, is well justified, chef Hans Välimäki’s French-Finnish cuisine is superb, ranging from pigeon with duck foie gras to fried halibut with snail porridge. Välimäki’s meals can be epic but persist, because you’ll need all the energy you can muster for a night out on the town.
Helsinki’s bar scene is booming; the petite city – roughly the size of Canberra – is fast becoming one of Europe’s premier party destinations. And many of the city’s bars are in the neighbourhood of Klaus K.
For those with a penchant for live rock music, Bar Loose will prove a smash hit. Cocktail connoisseurs will want to begin their evenings at A21, a lush lounge shaking and stirring drinks such as the Ronnvik martini, a spicy concoction starring local cloudberries.
A stroll south will take you to Lost & Found, where you’ll be treated to an education in Finnish drinking habits. The menu here highlights home-grown spirits such as jaloviina, a type of cut brandy that tastes like a mellow tequila; salmiakkikossu, with salty notes and that hint of liquorice; and minttu, a national favourite that has the distinction of being the world’s first clear peppermint liqueur. End the night with a shot of vodka infused with Fisherman’s Friend lozenges, if you dare.
It’s a short stumble back to the chic Klaus K with its design-driven interiors inspired by Finland’s epic national poem, the Kalevala. The big buffet breakfast on offer is the ultimate hangover cure. In addition to hearty breads and pastries, you can indulge in fresh cheeses and Nordic berries. And reindeer, of course. •
Photography by SM King and courtsey of Marita Haukemaa and Niklas Sjoblom.
getting there
Finnair flies to Helsinki via Hong Kong from Melbourne and Sydney. 1300-798-188; finnair.com
getting around
Helsinki has excellent public transport on trams, buses, metro and the Suomenlinna municipal ferry. Trams 3B and 3T are the best for sightseeing. A Helsinki Card allows unlimited travel on public transport within Helsinki. hsl.fi
when to go
Helsinki experiences a very long, not to mention very cold, winter from October through April. Avoid the snow and visit during summer, from June through August.
where to stay
The 77-room Hotel Haven is within walking distance of Helsinki’s Market Square and has one of the best spas in town. Unioninkatu 17; 358-9/681-930; hotelhaven.fi
Klaus K Hotel’s rooms are fun and full of art. Bulevardi 2; 358-2/770-4700; klauskhotel.com/en
where to eat
Finland’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Chez Dominique, is well worth the expense. Rikhardinkatu 4; 358-9/612-7393; chezdominique.fi
The lavish décor at G.W. Sundmans is only outdone by the superb local fare. 2/F, Eteläranta 16; 358-9/6128-5400.
Restaurant Aino is popular for its hearty dishes featuring herring, reindeer and locally sourced berries. Pohjoisesplanadi 21; 358-9/624-327.
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