5th May 2019 - Aina Matamoros

I traveled to Helsinki during Easter break with my family. Now, we do not get to spend so much time together and we love travelling, so we try to do at least one short trip a year, like a weekend get-away around Europe. We used to travel a lot, to do a big trip every summer, but now, with me and my brother working, it is more difficult. So I am happy we were able to go to Helsinki for 4 days!

 

I had already been to Denmark, Sweden, Norway and I was only missing Finland, so I was pretty excited to know this country (well, its capital city). I have to say, to be honest, that it was a little less than I expected… It is not that Nordic/Scandinavian and more a Russian/Soviet-style. The country is beautiful and people and the culture is amazing, but as a city it is nice but that’s it.

 

However, here are 14 fun facts that will make you curious about Helsinki and Finland:

 

1. Their language is the most difficult to understand or get that I have ever heard. Of course Chinese and Japanese are more complicated, but they use a totally different alphabet. So Finish is, from the European languages, the most singular one (they even learn Swedish to be able to communicate with their neighbors…). But they all speak good English, so all well here.

2. Topic number 1: the Sauna. It is true there are Saunas everywhere and that they really love them. It’s a must in their lives (I am not surprised, though, with these extremely low temperatures they get during winter, well and almost during all year round).

3. After the sauna, they swim into the water. They do not worry about the air or the water temperature. They just get out of the sauna, which is really super super hot, and jump into the water, which is really super super cold, as the most normal thing in the world. You should try to do it, though. I did it and I almost die frozen in the water, but you should try it ;)

4. It really is a very expensive country, and that is why they all go to Tallinn, Estonia (which is 2 hours away by boat) to buy things, especially alcohol.

5. About the alcohol, I must admit I noticed they must drink a lot because we went to Tallinn for a day with the boat and people would come back with like at least 6 boxes of beer cans or spirit bottles per person.

6. Girls wear A WHOLE LOT of makeup.

7. The Library of Helsinki is a MUST visit spot. The building is so beautiful and the inside design is amazing. They also have resources for every kind of study: sound studios, game rooms (with computers), sewing machines, meeting rooms, 3D printers, mockup building room… everyone can go there and study their passion, not only by reading and memorizing books. It says a lot about how they are as a society. 10 points to Finland!

8. Also, the streets are super clean and people are very respectful.

9. There are many islands very close to Helsinki that are worth visiting. I recommend the Suomennlina Island, which you can access by boat and has a fortress that is a UN World Heritage monument; and the Seurassari Island, which you can access by bus and it has many different old traditional houses and the explanation of each one. It also has a beach and there are flying squirrels.

10. There were a lot of constructions and works being done. I guess they started doing them in April when the weather is better.

11. You can walk almost everywhere, but public transportation, especially the tram and bus, is great.

12. There is a church built inside a rock!

13. If you want to see a really nice sunset, go to Café Regatta.

14. Last personal fun fact: I found out my name, Aina, means always in Finnish. A very nice meaning ;)