Getting Our Bearings
December 28, 2008
The Lutheran Cathedral and Uspenski Catheral highlight Helsinki's skyline
Mannerheimintie from above
We left the airport, after being rightly identified as Americans by some locals waiting to pick someone up at the airport. We hopped aboard the Finnair City bus, which dropped us off directly behind our hotel, the Scandic Continental Helsinki. That was so convenient--no messing with taxis, trains, or trolleys on our first day!
It was around 1:00 p.m. when we arrived at our hotel, but we were able to check in to our room and get settled. On the 8th floor, we had an amazing view of the city--we could see many of the city's famous landmark cathedrals towering above the other buildings on the skyline. Our room was a nice, spacious, and comfortable place with two twin beds. We had wireless Internet access, which made up for the too-thin pillows.
Being so early in the afternoon, we didn't want to waste the day, even though we were tired from traveling. We decided to walk around near our hotel to get our bearings and to find some food. We didn't make it too far, since it was cold, and our full coats were packed in our lost luggage. But our hoodies were enough to get us around the few blocks behind our hotel. This was a mixed commercial/residential area, with many restaurants, pubs, convenience and grocery stores, and shops, surrounded by apartments. We found a pizza and kabob place, where we split a barbecue chicken pizza. The thin crust tasted like it had been wood-fired, it was topped with perfect cheese, and it totally hit the spot! Falling in love with the little restaurant and the friendly Turkish owners, we knew we'd return at least once during our trip!
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a K Market to pick up some bottles of Coca-Cola Light and some snacks for our room. They came in handy, as we fell asleep as soon as we got back to our room, but woke up in the middle of the night needing a light snack. My favorite was a light, airy "cocktail mix", which was like salty, latticed potato or corn crisps.
There's always the immediate culture shock when you start an international trip, and we definitely felt it--partly because of the limited sunlight in Finland during the winter, and because of our missing luggage. But we knew we'd get over it once we got going the next morning.
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The Lutheran Cathedral and Uspen…
Mannerheimintie from above
Great public transportation in Helsinki
===== Getting to Helsinki from the Airport =====
Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport (HEL) is 15 kilometers north of Helsinki.
Regional bus 615 is the cheapest public transportation option to the city center. Tickets cost €4, and travel time is about 40 minutes to the Central Railway Station.
I prefer to use the Finnair bus (blue bus, operated by the national airline). Tickets cost €5.90, but the route is slightly faster and the buses are more comfortable. The Finnair bus makes one stop near Töölönkatu and Pohjoinen Hesperiankatu, behind the Scandic Continental Hotel. The bus then proceeds to the Central Railway Station.
Taxis to the city center cost about €30-40.
===== Public Transportation in Helsinki =====
HKL operates all public transportation, including the trams, buses, trains, metro, and Suomenlinna ferry, but excluding the suburban trains. The trams are the easiest way to get around the central part of town (where most of the tourist sights are located), and you can purchase tickets from the drivers for €2 each, which are valid for one hour.
Most economical are the Helsinki Card (1 day for €32, or 3 days for €52) or Helsinki Tourist Ticket (1, 3, or 5 days for €6, €12, or €22, respectively). Both of these passes allow unlimited travel on any HKL mode of transportation. The Helsinki Card also offers free admission to numerous museums and attractions in Helsinki (thus the higher price). The Helsinki Tourist Ticket can be purchased at HKL offices, ticket vending machines (there's one in the basement of the Central Train Station), or from drivers (1 day ticket only).
Tram and bus routes are easy to figure out, and can be found in English here: http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/HKL_en/Artikkeli?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/HKL/en/Maps
Tourists should take Tram 3T or 3B, which go opposite directions on a figure-8 loop around the city, and hit all the major attractions. The whole loop journey takes about 90 minutes.
Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport (HEL) is 15 kilometers north of Helsinki.
Regional bus 615 is the cheapest public transportation option to the city center. Tickets cost €4, and travel time is about 40 minutes to the Central Railway Station.
I prefer to use the Finnair bus (blue bus, operated by the national airline). Tickets cost €5.90, but the route is slightly faster and the buses are more comfortable. The Finnair bus makes one stop near Töölönkatu and Pohjoinen Hesperiankatu, behind the Scandic Continental Hotel. The bus then proceeds to the Central Railway Station.
Taxis to the city center cost about €30-40.
===== Public Transportation in Helsinki =====
HKL operates all public transportation, including the trams, buses, trains, metro, and Suomenlinna ferry, but excluding the suburban trains. The trams are the easiest way to get around the central part of town (where most of the tourist sights are located), and you can purchase tickets from the drivers for €2 each, which are valid for one hour.
Most economical are the Helsinki Card (1 day for €32, or 3 days for €52) or Helsinki Tourist Ticket (1, 3, or 5 days for €6, €12, or €22, respectively). Both of these passes allow unlimited travel on any HKL mode of transportation. The Helsinki Card also offers free admission to numerous museums and attractions in Helsinki (thus the higher price). The Helsinki Tourist Ticket can be purchased at HKL offices, ticket vending machines (there's one in the basement of the Central Train Station), or from drivers (1 day ticket only).
Tram and bus routes are easy to figure out, and can be found in English here: http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/HKL_en/Artikkeli?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/HKL/en/Maps
Tourists should take Tram 3T or 3B, which go opposite directions on a figure-8 loop around the city, and hit all the major attractions. The whole loop journey takes about 90 minutes.
Great value and location in Helsinki
The Scandic Continental Helsinki was the perfect choice for my recent leisure trip to Helsinki. It is a large hotel, great for families, leisure travelers, and business travelers.
The best feature was location. Transportation to and from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport is convenient. The Finnair bus (less than 6 Euro/person, one way) travels almost directly from the airport to the city center, making only one stop right behind this hotel.
Transportation to the city center is very convenient, with Trams 4, 7, and 10 stopping in front of the hotel, and Tram 3 approximately a block behind the hotel. On Trams 4, 7, and 10, it is only two stops to the central train station. Alternatively, it is only a 10 minute walk to the central train station. Because of the excellent public transportation in Helsinki, there is no need to spend the extra money on a hotel located right in the city center. The Scandic Continental is just as conveniently located, and costs less! Multiple restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, and souvenir shops are located within a block of the hotel.
Our room, with two twin beds, was clean, spacious, and well-appointed. Bathroom was amazing, with comfortable toilet, large shower/bathtub, excellent water pressure, and hot water. Bathroom was clean and modern.
Other hotel amenities include restaurant and bar downstairs, sauna and fitness center on 9th floor, free wireless Internet access in all guest rooms, and English-speaking front desk staff. A breakfast is included with all room rates, and this was the best breakfast I'd ever seen at a European hotel! Huge spread of fresh breads, meats, cheeses, cereals, fruit, yogurt, and many hot items!
The prices were around 85 Euro/night, though had I looked closer at their website, I could have gotten a holiday deal for 55 Euro/night (December-January only).
When I return to Helsinki, I will definitely stay at the Scandic Continental again, and I highly recommend this hotel for other travelers.
The best feature was location. Transportation to and from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport is convenient. The Finnair bus (less than 6 Euro/person, one way) travels almost directly from the airport to the city center, making only one stop right behind this hotel.
Transportation to the city center is very convenient, with Trams 4, 7, and 10 stopping in front of the hotel, and Tram 3 approximately a block behind the hotel. On Trams 4, 7, and 10, it is only two stops to the central train station. Alternatively, it is only a 10 minute walk to the central train station. Because of the excellent public transportation in Helsinki, there is no need to spend the extra money on a hotel located right in the city center. The Scandic Continental is just as conveniently located, and costs less! Multiple restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, and souvenir shops are located within a block of the hotel.
Our room, with two twin beds, was clean, spacious, and well-appointed. Bathroom was amazing, with comfortable toilet, large shower/bathtub, excellent water pressure, and hot water. Bathroom was clean and modern.
Other hotel amenities include restaurant and bar downstairs, sauna and fitness center on 9th floor, free wireless Internet access in all guest rooms, and English-speaking front desk staff. A breakfast is included with all room rates, and this was the best breakfast I'd ever seen at a European hotel! Huge spread of fresh breads, meats, cheeses, cereals, fruit, yogurt, and many hot items!
The prices were around 85 Euro/night, though had I looked closer at their website, I could have gotten a holiday deal for 55 Euro/night (December-January only).
When I return to Helsinki, I will definitely stay at the Scandic Continental again, and I highly recommend this hotel for other travelers.
Better pizza than I've found in the USA
This little pizza/kabob restaurant was my favorite dining spot on my trip to Helsinki, and is the tastiest pizza/kabob place I've tried in Europe. During my week in Helsinki, I ate at here three times.
The menu includes a wide variety of pizzas, kabobs, and curried chicken dishes. The pizzas taste like a combination of wood-fired and Brooklyn style--delicious! Sauce, cheese, and toppings are very high quality, creating a wonderful final product. I recommend the barbecue chicken pizza and the plain cheese pizza.
The curried chicken is also delicious. High quality slices of chicken breast are grilled and topped in a savory, flavorful, spicy curry sauce. You can order the chicken with various sides such as rice or creamed potatoes, both of which are tasty.
The restaurateurs are very friendly and helpful. They provided me with a menu in English, and spoke enough English to explain various menu options to me. The food is prepared and served quickly. And, the prices are very reasonable. A pizza, a curried chicken dish, and two Coca-Cola Lights were about 27 Euro.
The menu includes a wide variety of pizzas, kabobs, and curried chicken dishes. The pizzas taste like a combination of wood-fired and Brooklyn style--delicious! Sauce, cheese, and toppings are very high quality, creating a wonderful final product. I recommend the barbecue chicken pizza and the plain cheese pizza.
The curried chicken is also delicious. High quality slices of chicken breast are grilled and topped in a savory, flavorful, spicy curry sauce. You can order the chicken with various sides such as rice or creamed potatoes, both of which are tasty.
The restaurateurs are very friendly and helpful. They provided me with a menu in English, and spoke enough English to explain various menu options to me. The food is prepared and served quickly. And, the prices are very reasonable. A pizza, a curried chicken dish, and two Coca-Cola Lights were about 27 Euro.
curry chicken with cream potatoes
cheese pizza
