I'm planning 6 days to take in Stockholm and one other city. I was thinking of Copenhagen, but a swedish friend just suggested the overnight ferry to Helsinki.

Which should it be: Copenhagen or Helsinki?

go to Helsinki this time - you can take the overnight ferry over, spend the day (or 2) in city and then return on overnight ferry.

There's not that much to see or do in Helsinki. It's a pleasant enough city but I struggle to find much to do. The fortress at Suomenlinna Fortress is interesting and the islands off Helsinki. There are a couple of interesing churches too plus the market near the seafront.
In Copenhagen the kids can go to the Tivoli Gardens, you can stroll around Nyhavn, visit Amalienborg, Carlsberg Glyptotek.

Odin, BlueSea: thank you both for the insights. While the ferry seems logical and attractive, my concern is just what Odin mentioned. Will I find the same kinds of kids things, like Tivoli, in Helsinki. Just sightseeing will wear them out (and we get to share in their crankiness when that happens). I'm still undecided. Bluesea, do you know of any kids attractions in or around Helsinki?

Helsinki´s Tivoli is Linnanmäki, here: http://www.huvipuisto.net/huvipuis/uklintsi.htm

Attached to it is Sea Life Aquarium. And in before mentioned Suomenlinna fortress there are children´s "trasure hunts" and "save the princess" adventures also in English.

Shees, I just noticed that those pages are almost ten years old. The amusement park has new things every year, so the info isn´t exactly accurate. But the park is there like always.

In nearby Vantaa there is Heureka Science Center: http://www.heureka.fi/portal/englanti/

Kids usually love it because they can participate and experiment themselves.

OK, looks like the official Linnamäki site throws a bomb at me and closes the connection. But here are the Helsinki travel bureau´s pages and their description of Linnanmäki: http://www.visitfinland.com/Promis/p...d=W5/index.nsf

If you click the options on the left you might get some ideas.

I don´t know what happened. A new try:

http://www.visitfinland.com/Promis/p...d=W5/index.nsf

I give up.

Well, I have never been to Helsinki!!

Since you are going to be in Stockholm for 6 days, going across the water to Helsinki by overnight ship seems to be more logical solution than taking the train across Sweden to Copenhagen via Malmo.

Also Helsinki is smaller city than Copenhagen so one day (maybe 2) is enough to see the city.

I have been to Copenhagen many many times (my mother was Danish) and it's one of my favourite cities. Why did I suggest Helsinki to you over Copenhagen? Because you need more than a few days in Copenhagen, not just a day or 2, so that's why I said to go to Helsinki this time.

Now I see you have kids .... they might enjoy the overnight ferry - something different for them!

http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/

http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/tab3/...ions/helsinki/

Copenhagen is a good city to visit with kids but go on another time when you can spare a week or so.

IMHO Helsinki is fine - esp if you're interested inmodern design - but there isn't THAT much to do.

Copenhagen has lots more to do/see, esp if you go in spring/summer - and I find to be a much livelier city.

Hi B,

With only 6 days for Stockholm and one other, I also suggest Helsinki for an overnight.

As always, I get so much help from all you wonderful fodors people.

elina: I appreciate all your efforts to post the link. I'll dig and see if I can find one. Linnanmaki sounds like a great lead. I'll dig into it as well.

Ira/NYTravler: Appreciate both your inputs. Even if Helsinki has less to do, I'm weighing whether the ferry makes up the difference. Of course, living in Bermuda, sea life and water are things we get plenty of. It will have different scenery, but the kids may just want more time on dry land. Hmmmm. I'm still sorting this through.

thanks again everybody. I'll let you know what we decide once I do some more research on Helsinki, Linnamaki etc.

Bluesea: thanks for clarifying that you haven't been there before. I also like going places I have not been, but I've been to neither copen. or Hels.

Hi BC,

If you go to Finland, see if you can arrange for a real-live sauna by a lake so that you can roast, beat yourselves with Birch branches, jump into the lake to cool down and then be washed by an attendant.

One of the most sensuous (not sexual) experiences I have ever had.

If you can't, a typical sauna is almost as good.

Finnish smørgasbord is almost as good as Danish.

Hey, I live in Bermuda too! Yes, I know we have plenty of sea life and water (and also *pretty* sights) here, but there are things out there that we do not have here.

Have your kids ever been on a big overnight car ferry/ship? We took our son on one when we went to Denmark from England at a young age and he loved and he wanted to go on another.

BlueSea: Amazing coincidence. I'm on Harbour Road, Warwick, 2 driveways from Longford. Are you my neighbor?????

My kids have done a number of car ferrys, around the Greek Islands etc. Not too much novelty there, although from what I read the Silja Line to Helsinki is really great.

Ira: the sensuous sauna you describe makes me tingle just thinking about it. But, for kids?

Finnish smorgasboard "almost" as good. Guess you are indirectly pointing me to Copen.

We pass your place every day - we live at top of Burnt House Hill.

We have been to all Scandinavian countries but Helsinki is the only Scandi capital we have yet to visit.

It's rather a long trip just to visit Stockholm for 6 days - are you also going to someplace else?

Stockholm is a lovely city - do go to the Gamla Stan - the old town! We were there in 1990 - rather long ago!

Well everybody. The decision was so hard between Copenhagen and Helsinki that we decided to skip London and do both Cop. and Hels. Reasoning: we will likely do London again many times, so this is our time for the full Scandanavian adventure. Now the challenge is finding family friendly (cost effective) accommodation in those 3 cities. Help??

Bluesea: small world. Do you know the Bradley's? they live just the other side of Burnt House Hill, in Bali Hai cottage. Maybe we can get together and chat one of these days. My email: [email protected] if you want to get in touch off line. Cheers.

Scandic Hotels is a hotelchain with hotels all over Scandinavia. They are 3 or 4 starred. Some of the hotels are not that central but some are. The style is usually light wood, modern furnitures, white, scandinavian. They are children friendly, with toys in the lobby and their own mascot, children buffet and the rates are very ressonable. http://www.scandic-hotels.com/sitehomepage

Best regards from Copenhagen