Helsinki, Finland – a 24 hour visit
We had to have a longer layover in Helsinki, Finland, so when scheduling our flights, we prolonged our connecting flight to be over 24 hours apart so that we could explore some of the city. We were hoping to spend the day getting a taste of the Finnish culture both literally and figuratively and here is how it all came together.
To quickly explain how we used our cell phone data while abroad, we each accumulate twelve international day use passes throughout the year (one free per month). So, while traveling in Europe, one of us would use one of these international day passes when we didn’t have access to wifi or when we needed it and then we would turn on a hot spot for the other phone to use.
Arriving at the airport in Helsinki, we did not have a hotel reservation for the night in Helsinki. I did research a little the night before to find that unlimited public transportation from the airport to downtown and around Helsinki could be purchased as a 24 hour pass for each of us. Once off the airplane and in the airport in Helsinki, we turned on one of our international day passes for cell phone data, turned on a internet hot spot on our phones, and began searching for a place to stay. We had already decided ahead of time that a good way to experience Finland would be to find a Finnish sauna, try some Finnish food, and to just walk around and try to find the part of downtown that came up in photos when we searched Helsinki online.
We located and booked a well reviewed hotel, Valo Hotel & Work Helsinki, through Booking.com that also included a breakfast. Next we purchased our 24 hour transportation passes by first selecting all of the regions that we would need to travel through. We had a screenshot of the pass on our phones to use on the trains and buses there in Helsinki. After that, we boarded the train from the airport and went to our hotel.
We then checked into the Valo Hotel & Work Helsinki, left our luggage in a safe place, walked into a nearby grocery store, got a quick meal at Hess burger, and rode the bus downtown. We walked around the streets, through the Union Station, and we found Senate Square from the online photos. From there we walked around as it was getting dark, taking in the architecture, walking along the water, by the Presidential Palace, along the Esplanadi park, and by restaurants, stores, and hotels. Beyond seeing the Senate Square, we didn’t have a walking route planned out, we simply just walked down and through areas that looked interesting to see more of. We just enjoyed being out amongst the locals and seeing the true character of the architecture and the city itself.
The next morning we went to the Valo hotel breakfast, fully prepared for something simple, only to be surprised by the amazing high quality selection of foods to choose from. They had an array of warm freshly baked breads, and spreads, bite sized pastries, granola, yogurt, forest berry fruits for topping – black currants and red currants, fresh fruit juices, cheeses, creamy salads, and herring. It was such a treat to be able to enjoy an authentic Scandinavian breakfast.
After that we purchased passes to go upstairs of the Valo to the sauna and spa area where we spent the rest of the time until our afternoon check out relaxing in the sauna, hot tub, pool, and cold plunge tub. Before making our way to the airport we rode around on the buses through a different area than the previous night and then we boarded the train to the airport.
For us, we had accomplished what we had hoped to see and experience: sauna, Finnish food, and casual city exploring. It was a delightful time in Helsinki and we look forward to exploring other areas of Finland someday. Please share your favorite places in Finland!
