This trip started in Vilnius, Lithuania. There I joined a G Adventures tour of the Baltic countries that ended in Helsinki.
Previous posts are here: Lituania
Latvia
Estonia

Helsinki

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After arriving by ferry from Tallinn, we checked into the Arthur hotel. Next we did a short walking tour with our CEO to get our bearings. That evening we enjoyed a final dinner with our group. The next morning many were leaving. Some went on to further travels and some went home.

Aug 30. Linda had one day in Helsinki so together we packed as much into it as we could. We were on the first ferry to Suomenlinna before 9 am. On the ferry we passed many private homes and cottages and most of them have a sauna. When they say it’s the land of saunas, they’re not kidding.

Linda and wandered Helsinki and saw the church in the rock. It’s unique in that it’s built INTO the rock. Kallio church was next. Both we viewed from the outside as all involve an entrance fee . We walked by Olympic stadium and the Sibelius Monument plus the markets.

Back at the waterfront there is a sports complex with….yes, a sauna. We enjoyed a dinner of street food. Salmon soup and the Finnish fish muikku. This crunchy treat of pan-fried Finnish vendace, is a traditional snack. The tiny little fish are lightly breaded, fried until crisp, and eaten whole with a dipping sauce and they’re delicious! Read more about that here: Read More: https://www.thedailymeal.com/food-day-pan-fried-muikku-helsinki/

We couldn’t resist one more cruise on the archipelago. We chose Royal lines although there are a few to choose from with different routes and options. This one was 2.5 hours and has a buffet dinner. We didn’t eat but enjoyed cocktails instead.

There’s a concert on the waterfront most days in summer. We arrived back at the harbour in time to enjoy a bit of it.

Afterwards we walked to the bar area under the Orthodox Church. Great place to sit and visit.

I said goodbye to the group and changed to the Diana hostel. Hotels when you’re alone are expensive. When traveling long term I try to keep costs down by staying in hostels. In this one I shared a room with 2 other women. The bathrooms are shared with other rooms. Diana hostel has a nice kitchen area where you can make a meal, snack or beverage and socialize. Today was a 31,000 step day. I crashed.

Seurasaari Open-Air Museum

I “met” Niina in a facebook group that brings women together from all over the world. Host a Sister 50 plus is a fantastic tool for connecting people! Niina met me in front of my hostel and took me on the bus to Seurassari Open air museum. Both of us love to hike and Niina in preparing to walk the Camino so we planned a nice walk. Seurassari did NOT disappoint! It’s a beautiful walk even if you don’t go into any of the buildings. From there we walked along the river, through a cemetery, then had coffee and a Finnish treat at Cafe Regatta. It’s a unique place with the MOST interesting bathroom.

Porvoo

Google maps got me to the bus station but I couldn’t find my bus. Finally asked a random woman who not only took me there but gave me tips on what to see! It was a rainy day but I had an umbrella and a raincoat so managed to stay dry. Porvoo known for its well-preserved 18th- and 19th-century buildings, and the 15th-century Porvoo Cathedral. The Old Town and the Porvoonjoki River Valley are perfect places to enjoy a nice walk, including a gorgeous cemetery. There was a festival happening too and I spent some time there having a snack and people watching. There’s also a castle hill. Apparently there was a castle there once upon a time. There’s a lot of that in the North. Castles aren’t even ruins. They’re just no longer there.

Next stop, Tampere. More saunas! This time I try a couple.