2-Hour Helsinki Highlights Walk
Highlights of Finnish history, art, food culture, and architecture from 1550 to the present day. This is a fun way to explore the capital of the happiest country in the world, with valuable insights into local life along the way. You will learn about 3 things Finns contributed to the world, 3 things that make Finns happy, 3 things that make Finns unhappy, 3 iconic Finnish dishes, and 3 things Finns cannot do without. Happiness the Finnish way!
1. Finns and the Past. At Senate Square, explore politics, knowledge, and religion, and trace how it all began - from the Kingdom of Sweden to Finnish independence via the Russian Empire.
2. Finns and Nature vs. Culture. On Aleksanterinkatu, discover the golden years and one of Helsinki's most fantastic early 20th-century architectural crossroads, where Finnish National Romanticism, inspired by Finnish nature, meets wider European trends.
3. Finns and War. Along Mannerheimintie, hear about Marshal Mannerheim, the hero of independent Finland, his avenue, his monument, and his favourite dish, which still appears on Finnish menus.
4. Finns and the Future. At Narinkka Square, see the 2012 ecumenical Chapel of Silence, perhaps the most Finnish concept ever, along with the 2018 Amos Rex museum of contemporary art and the world-famous Oodi Central Library, opened in 2018.
5. Finns and Art. Admire the Central Railway Station, Eliel Saarinen's exceptional 1919 Art Nouveau/Art Deco landmark, and take in the Finnish and Swedish theatre perspective as well as the Ateneum Museum of Finnish Art.
6. Finns and Water. Stroll along the Esplanade to see playful water spirits and the Market Square promenade, with gorgeous sea views towards Katajanokka headland and the Allas seaside bathhouse. The tour ends at the Suomenlinna city ferry terminal opposite the President's Palace.
