We are planning on spending a couple of days in Oslo and Helsini. Would we be better to just concentrate on either city? I've heard definitely see Oslo over Helsinki... any comments? Thanks for any advice.

if i had that choice, id have to see both...

from what i have heard, stockholm is nicer and some people even prefer copenhagen but all my friends who have similar taste to mine said that helsinki wasnt all that grand a place but youd still have to have a look, wouldnt you?
someone i know went on a big tour of scandinavia and finland and found the forest landscape of finland pretty monotonous after a while

we are 'doing' helsinki - only because we are flying there and so we booked two nights - one for the afternoon we arrive and then the next day we are catching the fast 2hr ferry across to tallinn which is reportedly a very compact town and very charming- 59 gbp each...
( that's why we decided to tack on that extra day in helsinki after a friend insisted we try to fit it in )
then we are returning to helsinki on the 530 pm ferry and spending the evening ( it will still be light) around the harbour i guess


we have two nights in oslo too - we are flying out from oslo to london at the end of the trip

im looking forward to seeing the russian influence in helsinki and estonia before we head into russia but thats just a personal interest

I've not been to Oslo, but I found Helsinki to be a very pleasant walking city, especially if a ferry day trip to Tallinn is added. For more, see my phototravelogue at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...&x=0&y=-95hdl3

thats a great slideshow SemiMike
really whets the appetite!

Thanks for your opinions/photos, etc. Helsinki looks worth a visit!

I love Helsinki. Have taken the ferry to Tallin for a day trip - the old town was interesting. Our first time to Helsinki we took the Silja Ferry overnight from Helsinki to Stockholm. Arrived in Stockholm early morning so had the day to look around. Took the train from Stockholm to Oslo. Both Oslo and Helsinki are great to visit. Both are great for walking.

If you go to Oslo only, you could do the Norway In A Nutshell Tour. One day to Bergen, overnight in Bergen and go back to Oslo the next day or stay in Bergen an extra day.

Our second visit to Helsinki we took a 4 day train tour to St Petersburg from Helsinki.

Whatever you decide you can't but enjoy it.

Thanks for the info bratsandbeer, think we'll do both cities!

How many days do you have and what have you alredy seen - or plan onseeing on this trip.


If I had to rate the Scandanavian capitols for interest and quantity of things to do it owuld be:

Stockholm
Copenhagen
Oslo
Helsinki

The first is good for 4/5 days at least, the latter you can see in 1.5/2.

We'll be coming from Tallinn into Helsinki by ferry, (after a little tour of Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia), haven't been to Helsinki before so don't know much about it, then we thought 2 days in Helsinki before flying to Oslo for a couple of days before going by train to Bergen and then up the west coast of Norway by steamer, (my husband really wants to do this part!). We're not going to Sweden this trip. Thanks in advance for any help/advice.