The capital of Finland is a great idea for a weekend tour

Finland attracts untouched beauty of its nature, because in this country it is treated very carefully, fairy Lapland, fishing and the opportunity to steam in a real sauna. For residents of Russia, and especially the western part of it, traveling to this country will not be exhausting, because you can get there by car, plane, train or ferry. The capital of Finland, Helsinki, is an indispensable component of any trip around the country. The city was founded in the middle of the sixteenth century, but for a long time was in the shadow of the then capital of the state - Turku. Only in 1812 Helsinki became the capital (first the principalities of the Russian Empire, and later of the independent state).

What attracts the capital of Finland

Despite the rather unfriendly climate, a large number of travelers from all over Europe come to Helsinki every year. The city is among the leaders in terms of the quality of life, is the cultural and scientific center of the country. By Russian standards, the city is not very large, because its population is about 600 thousand people. Speaking about the number of local residents, sometimes a large figure is announced - 1.3 million, but this figure includes people living in satellite cities located in the neighborhood of the capital. One third of Helsinki's square is occupied by parks.

Spending the weekend in Finland, and not having much time, in Helsinki is worth a look:

• Senate Square with a monument to Alexander II on it - the emperor who gave autonomy to the principality;
• The City Council building, on whose wall the clock is installed, which are the oldest in Finland;
• Assumption Cathedral;
• Kauppatori is one of the busiest squares in the city, with an obelisk of granite with a double-headed eagle on it, which was erected on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna;
• The central station of the city, which is one of the most famous monuments of Finnish architecture;
• A church carved into a rock and covered with a dome, a place whose acoustics were highly appreciated by Mstislav Rostropovich;
• Observation platform of the Olympic Stadium tower.

Distances in the city are small. Traditionally, as in many cities, a significant part of architectural monuments and museums are in the historical center.

On the ferry you can reach the sea fortress of Suomenlinna, which is located a few kilometers from Helsinki. Built by the Swedes in the 18th century, it was a strategic element of protection against threats from the east, and is still considered to be one of the largest in the world.

The capital of Finland is interesting not only for its history and sights, but also for its holidays, carnivals and festivals, held several times a year and timed to various holidays. Below is a short list of such events, which will be very interesting to visit, in case the trip to Helsinki falls on these dates:

• May 1 - carnival on the occasion of the holiday;
• June 12 - Day of the city ;
• June (dates change every year) - Samba Festival;
• August 17 (dates may vary) - marathon;
• The first week of October - Herring Festival.

Lovers of shopping in the capital of Finland, too, will be pleased, because in the city there are several major department stores, and in April and October of each year there are huge sales. In the center of the city there are several major multi-brand stores, including Stockmann, Sokos and Forum. On the outskirts, there are "Okecoecus", in which hundreds of different shops are located.

Of course, traveling to Finland is not only a visit to Helsinki. It is necessary to call in Lapland - a fantastic country and the homeland of Grandfather of Cold. Here you can perfectly spend both summer and winter holidays, as there are plenty of opportunities for this (fishing, ski resorts, sauna, fresh air and beautiful lakes).