One day visit to Helsinki on a cruise ship
May 23rd, 2016, 08:42 AM
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One day visit to Helsinki on a cruise ship
My wife & I are going on a Baltic cruise in August, & are visiting Helsinki for a day (c 7 hours). I would very much welcome members views on the best things to see / do for the day. Many thanks John O'
May 23rd, 2016, 03:59 PM
#3
I do not know what day you are going or what Port you are docking at.
I assume it is Hernesaari Port.
In Helsinki you dock about 2 miles from downtown.
You have some options here:
1. Take the ship's tour
2. Take the shuttle into town which drops you off at The Swedish Opera House ( very central location)
3. Take a taxi and have him drive you to the places you cannot walk to from the Market Square.
Almost everything centres around the market Square in Helsinki.
( have coins available to use the Toilets ( WC blue signs) as there are non at the market Square.
Toilets are by the blue building ( City Hall ) at the Market Square.
I think this is the way to use up a good day here:
1. Go ( via taxi)to Sebelius( Say Bay Lee Us) Park to see the monument of the famous Composer.
The monument is a set of tall Organ Pipes, and Sebelius hated the Organ !!..
so later they added his face by the Pipes.
Have the taxi wait for you as this is for photo op only.
2. From here go to the "Rock Church ". It is a Church carved right out of granite rock.
It has a huge Copper Dome( you really should not miss seeing this church)
It is in a bust area and parking is at a premium but your driver can wait for you.
After seeing the church inside, go up to the second floor and then go outside , walk up the dome hill for great views of Helsinki.
You cannot walk to these two places from the Market Square.
Now tell the taxi( driver) to drop you off at the Market Square,...
BUT before he leaves make arrangements for him to come back to pick you up at a specified time to take you back to the ship.
It is about a 15 minute ride back to the ship but give yourself a half hour in case of traffic.
Okay, let is get you orientated her at the Market Square.
You are standing at the Market Square ,with the water behind you.
That Blue Building across the street is the CITY HALL.
That light brown building next to it is the SWEDISH EMBASSY.
Next (R) is the Supreme Court.
and next (R) is the Royal Palace all the way down the block.
You cannot miss the Palace with it's guards and gold ornate gate.
Okay keep looking right ,over, over and up the hill, that lovely Onion doomed church is Uspenski Cathedral. ( 1868)
Before your day is over go up to and inside the Uspenski Cathedral, not only is it gorgeous inside but the views back down to the Market Square are very nice.
There is an Obelisk at the Market Square , a monument to Czarina ( 1835) wife of Nicholas I, it has a gold double headed eagle on top ( The Russian Emblem).
From this location turn to your LEFT and start walking and you will see a Fountain Statue , this is Havis Amanda she has four seal fountains at her base and fish fountains at her feet.
There was controversy when the statue was fist put up because she is nude !!!
From Havis Amanda, straight ahead you see that tree lined street, that is The Esplanade, it is 3-4 block long.
Walk right in the centre of this Esplanade and admire the buildings on each side.
You will come to a statue that at it's base is a lady with six books at her feet.
This is the Muse of Poetry and she is the goddess that inspires the creation of Literature.
At the top of this statue is J.L. Runeberg. He wrote the Finland National Anthem.
Keep walking and a short block ahead you will come to the Number 1 street in Helsinki called Mannerheimintie....yeah it's a long name
just use Mannerheim, good enough.
Mannerheim was a Filed Marshal and the President during WW II.
His statue on a horse is a few blocks up the street.
It is on Mannerheim street on both sides that you will see all the famous buildings here.
Anyway , you are right at the junction of Esplanade and Mannerheim street.
That white building beside you is the Swedish Opera House and this is where the shuttle would have dropped you off.
Look to your right ( 1/2 block) that small square is Erottaja Square and is Point Zero.
Point Zero is from where they used to measure distances from Helsinki to anywhere in Finland.
Okay turn RIGHT and start walking down Mannerheim Street, soon you see the Stockmann Department store and a Statue of Three Blacksmiths.
Across from Stockmanns and a block in is the Torni Hotel
I want you to go into the Torni Hotel ( Yellow Building), take the elevator to the top to the Ateljee Lounge.... get a beer and sit outside on the open balcony and see the views.
From here you can look down Mannerheim Street and see all the places you will be walking by once you are back down on ground level.
Okay back on Mannerheim Street you will pass:
Parliament Building with numerous statues of past Presidents.
National Museum
Finlandia Hall
National Opera House and finally ...
The Olympic stadium with it's tall tower. You can go up to the top of this tower for superb views.
The Olympic Games were here in 1952., was to be in 1942 but postponed due to the War.
There are two statues here of Finland's Olympic Heros:
Paavo Nuri: he won 9 gold and 3 solver medals in the Olympics from 1920 to 1928.
then Lasse Viren , he won four gold medals at the Olympics at Munich 1972 and Montreal 1975.
Okay start walking back , but on the opposite side of Mannerheim street and you will come to the Train Station.
Turn into the Train Station Square.
Lovely Train station with the 4 tall stern looking men holding lanterns.
These are The Guardians of Travel.
At the Square is the ornate National Theatre building and that statue in front od Alexis Kivi, the Romantic Poet Writer....
across the square is the National Gallery ( Atheneum Gallery).
Now head back to the Market Square , back down Mannerheim Street the way you started out.
From The Market Square just walk a block North( the water at your back is south) and you will come to the Lovely Senate Square.
Here you can see the MOST photographed Church in Finland.
This is where the New Year's activities take place.
Walk up the many steps to go up to the Church, admission is FREE so go inside.
Once you come back out of the Church , just stand here at the top.
That Yellow building on your RIGHT is the University Building.
That Yellow building on your LEFT is The Council of States Building.
They look alike but how many difference can you pick out.!! (I did 7 ).
Okay , still standing here, look across the square, that Yellow Building with the white columns is the Bock House, it used to be the Old Town Hall in the early 1800's.
Next to the Bock House (L) is The Sederholm House, the oldest building in downtown Helsinki ( 1757).
Now go behind this White Church and see the Lovelt ornate Bank of Finland and The House of Estates..pretty nice right !!
Okay walk down the steps and straight ahead ,a block is the Market Square again.
WAIT, we are not finished , and yes you still have time.
Right here is where you board the boat rides to Suomenlinna Islands,.....a 15 minute ride.
This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The boat runs every 20 minutes so you can come back anytime.
The view look back at Helsinki are terrific.
Okay you are now back from the Suomenlinna Islands trip and back at the Market Square.
If you want a snack , then eat right here at the Market, or at the Market here is a beautiful yellow and red brick building...this is the Market Hall, ....go inside , home baked treats in here plus much more.
Shop a little as time allows while waiting for your taxi to arrive.
You are only 15 minutes away from the ship.
Enjoy Helsinki..
I assume it is Hernesaari Port.
In Helsinki you dock about 2 miles from downtown.
You have some options here:
1. Take the ship's tour
2. Take the shuttle into town which drops you off at The Swedish Opera House ( very central location)
3. Take a taxi and have him drive you to the places you cannot walk to from the Market Square.
Almost everything centres around the market Square in Helsinki.
( have coins available to use the Toilets ( WC blue signs) as there are non at the market Square.
Toilets are by the blue building ( City Hall ) at the Market Square.
I think this is the way to use up a good day here:
1. Go ( via taxi)to Sebelius( Say Bay Lee Us) Park to see the monument of the famous Composer.
The monument is a set of tall Organ Pipes, and Sebelius hated the Organ !!..
so later they added his face by the Pipes.
Have the taxi wait for you as this is for photo op only.
2. From here go to the "Rock Church ". It is a Church carved right out of granite rock.
It has a huge Copper Dome( you really should not miss seeing this church)
It is in a bust area and parking is at a premium but your driver can wait for you.
After seeing the church inside, go up to the second floor and then go outside , walk up the dome hill for great views of Helsinki.
You cannot walk to these two places from the Market Square.
Now tell the taxi( driver) to drop you off at the Market Square,...
BUT before he leaves make arrangements for him to come back to pick you up at a specified time to take you back to the ship.
It is about a 15 minute ride back to the ship but give yourself a half hour in case of traffic.
Okay, let is get you orientated her at the Market Square.
You are standing at the Market Square ,with the water behind you.
That Blue Building across the street is the CITY HALL.
That light brown building next to it is the SWEDISH EMBASSY.
Next (R) is the Supreme Court.
and next (R) is the Royal Palace all the way down the block.
You cannot miss the Palace with it's guards and gold ornate gate.
Okay keep looking right ,over, over and up the hill, that lovely Onion doomed church is Uspenski Cathedral. ( 1868)
Before your day is over go up to and inside the Uspenski Cathedral, not only is it gorgeous inside but the views back down to the Market Square are very nice.
There is an Obelisk at the Market Square , a monument to Czarina ( 1835) wife of Nicholas I, it has a gold double headed eagle on top ( The Russian Emblem).
From this location turn to your LEFT and start walking and you will see a Fountain Statue , this is Havis Amanda she has four seal fountains at her base and fish fountains at her feet.
There was controversy when the statue was fist put up because she is nude !!!
From Havis Amanda, straight ahead you see that tree lined street, that is The Esplanade, it is 3-4 block long.
Walk right in the centre of this Esplanade and admire the buildings on each side.
You will come to a statue that at it's base is a lady with six books at her feet.
This is the Muse of Poetry and she is the goddess that inspires the creation of Literature.
At the top of this statue is J.L. Runeberg. He wrote the Finland National Anthem.
Keep walking and a short block ahead you will come to the Number 1 street in Helsinki called Mannerheimintie....yeah it's a long name
just use Mannerheim, good enough.
Mannerheim was a Filed Marshal and the President during WW II.
His statue on a horse is a few blocks up the street.
It is on Mannerheim street on both sides that you will see all the famous buildings here.
Anyway , you are right at the junction of Esplanade and Mannerheim street.
That white building beside you is the Swedish Opera House and this is where the shuttle would have dropped you off.
Look to your right ( 1/2 block) that small square is Erottaja Square and is Point Zero.
Point Zero is from where they used to measure distances from Helsinki to anywhere in Finland.
Okay turn RIGHT and start walking down Mannerheim Street, soon you see the Stockmann Department store and a Statue of Three Blacksmiths.
Across from Stockmanns and a block in is the Torni Hotel
I want you to go into the Torni Hotel ( Yellow Building), take the elevator to the top to the Ateljee Lounge.... get a beer and sit outside on the open balcony and see the views.
From here you can look down Mannerheim Street and see all the places you will be walking by once you are back down on ground level.
Okay back on Mannerheim Street you will pass:
Parliament Building with numerous statues of past Presidents.
National Museum
Finlandia Hall
National Opera House and finally ...
The Olympic stadium with it's tall tower. You can go up to the top of this tower for superb views.
The Olympic Games were here in 1952., was to be in 1942 but postponed due to the War.
There are two statues here of Finland's Olympic Heros:
Paavo Nuri: he won 9 gold and 3 solver medals in the Olympics from 1920 to 1928.
then Lasse Viren , he won four gold medals at the Olympics at Munich 1972 and Montreal 1975.
Okay start walking back , but on the opposite side of Mannerheim street and you will come to the Train Station.
Turn into the Train Station Square.
Lovely Train station with the 4 tall stern looking men holding lanterns.
These are The Guardians of Travel.
At the Square is the ornate National Theatre building and that statue in front od Alexis Kivi, the Romantic Poet Writer....
across the square is the National Gallery ( Atheneum Gallery).
Now head back to the Market Square , back down Mannerheim Street the way you started out.
From The Market Square just walk a block North( the water at your back is south) and you will come to the Lovely Senate Square.
Here you can see the MOST photographed Church in Finland.
This is where the New Year's activities take place.
Walk up the many steps to go up to the Church, admission is FREE so go inside.
Once you come back out of the Church , just stand here at the top.
That Yellow building on your RIGHT is the University Building.
That Yellow building on your LEFT is The Council of States Building.
They look alike but how many difference can you pick out.!! (I did 7 ).
Okay , still standing here, look across the square, that Yellow Building with the white columns is the Bock House, it used to be the Old Town Hall in the early 1800's.
Next to the Bock House (L) is The Sederholm House, the oldest building in downtown Helsinki ( 1757).
Now go behind this White Church and see the Lovelt ornate Bank of Finland and The House of Estates..pretty nice right !!
Okay walk down the steps and straight ahead ,a block is the Market Square again.
WAIT, we are not finished , and yes you still have time.
Right here is where you board the boat rides to Suomenlinna Islands,.....a 15 minute ride.
This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The boat runs every 20 minutes so you can come back anytime.
The view look back at Helsinki are terrific.
Okay you are now back from the Suomenlinna Islands trip and back at the Market Square.
If you want a snack , then eat right here at the Market, or at the Market here is a beautiful yellow and red brick building...this is the Market Hall, ....go inside , home baked treats in here plus much more.
Shop a little as time allows while waiting for your taxi to arrive.
You are only 15 minutes away from the ship.
Enjoy Helsinki..
May 23rd, 2016, 11:24 PM
#6
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Great post above! The only thing I have to add is that we were told that the Sibelius pipes actually make musical sounds if the wind is blowing in the right direction . . . can't verify this, as there was no wind blowing on the day we visited.
Our visit was on a very cold, wet day. We found the hop-on-hop-off bus was excellent - gave us a good overview of the city and we just hopped off as the weather and inclination suited us.
Our visit was on a very cold, wet day. We found the hop-on-hop-off bus was excellent - gave us a good overview of the city and we just hopped off as the weather and inclination suited us.
Jul 17th, 2016, 08:15 AM
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Lots of advice above; we spent time at the lovely and reasonable market along the water (not sure what day(s) this is held on; walking down the main esplanade and having lunch about filled our day.
Jul 17th, 2016, 08:45 AM
#10
The Market Square hours are everyday with Sunday added during the summer months.
