Travels in Finland
From the cosmopolitan capital of Helsinki to the serenity of the Saimaa Lake District, Brenda Watkinson visits these culturally vibrant parts of Finland to discover their group appeal.
Finland’s unique history, ruled for some 600 years by Sweden before becoming attached to the Russian empire for just over a century, has given the Finnish way of life and culture a distinctive style of its own. Touring Finland with your group, you will see how the capitalism of the West and the communism of the East have both had a major impact on the country, in particular in Helsinki, where you will see much evidence of these contrasting influences.
Away from the bright lights of the capital, Finland’s natural attractions are plentiful and impressive. In fact, Finland boasts almost 188,000 lakes, 179,584 islands, 647 rivers and vast deep forests. To the east of Helsinki, the vast Saimaa Lake District is accessible by both road and water and makes an interesting extension to any visit to Finland.
The capital Helsinki
Situated on the southern coastline of Finland, the capital Helsinki offers visitors an interesting city break with lots of cultural attractions. The city is relatively compact and if you base your group in one of the many centrally located hotels, it will be easy to explore most of the city on foot.
However, as with any large city, it is a good idea to arrange an introductory city coach tour, which will reveal all the principal attractions in Helsinki. Then, if individual members want to explore further, they can do so, or they might prefer to head for the shopping district or spend time browsing the bustling harbour market.
On a guided city tour, you will discover all the major landmarks such as Senate Square in the heart of the city. An example of neoclassical architecture, the Square is dominated by four buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel between 1822 and 1852: Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Library. The Cathedral dominates the skyline and is one of the most photographed attractions in the city.
Another much photographed building in Helsinki, often referred to as the Rock Church, is Temppeliaukio Lutheran Church, which was quarried out of solid rock in 1969. With its excellent acoustics, the church is used as a venue for concerts as well as religious services.
Another religious building included on a city tour is Uspenski Cathedral, the largest Orthodox Church in western Europe. This impressive red brick structure with its 13 golden cupolas is one of the clearest symbols of the Russian impact on Finnish history. Its interior is vividly decorated with exquisite icons, paintings and chandeliers.
One of Helsinki’s most popular attractions is the Sibelius Monument, erected 100 years after the death of Finland’s famous composer, Jean Sibelius. This is situated in Sibelius Park and was the work of Eila Hiltunen. It was unveiled in 1967 and consists of 600 stainless steel tubes welded together alongside a bust of the composer.
On a tour, you will also see the busy Market Square at the South Harbour where the cruise ships dock. From here, you head towards the Kaivopuisto area of Helsinki. Kaivopuisto is Helsinki’s oldest and most famous park. It was founded in 1830, mainly as a spa facility for aristocrats. Also an exclusive residential district, the area is home to the US, British, French, Brazilian, Italian and Estonian embassies. Nearby, you may even see the Helsinki inhabitants as they wash their rugs in the sea.
After a tour, your members will then be able to continue to explore the city at their leisure, returning to attractions or heading for the shopping district with its famous department stores of Stockmann, Sokos and Forum. The main shopping streets are Aleksanterinkatu, Mannerheimintie and Northern and Southern Esplanadi.
Another popular option is Helsinki’s outdoor markets. The biggest market in Helsinki is Market Square at the South Harbour with stalls selling a variety of foods, as well as handicrafts and souvenirs. Also at the South Harbour is the permanent Old Market Hall, the oldest covered market in Finland. As well as bakeries, butcheries and delicatessens, you will also find many Finnish specialities such as cloudberries and reindeer here. Another option is the outdoor flea market at Hietalahti, where city residents come to sell all their bric-a-brac. Both the flea market and Market Square are open daily during the summer months including an evening market at Hietalahti.
If your members want to relax in peaceful surroundings, Esplanade Park is a few minutes walk from the South Harbour and Market Square. The park serves as a popular promenade and is also the venue for many live performances staged during the summer months.
A short drive from the city centre, Seurasaari Open-Air Museum offers a look at traditional life in Finland throughout history. The many wooden buildings represent both Eastern and Western influences on Finnish building traditions from the 18th to the 20th century. Located on an island linked to the mainland, Seurasaari is a relaxing place to visit as no cars are allowed.
Helsinki, itself, is essentially built on a peninsula and is surrounded by sea. Its archipelago consists of 315 islands and a harbour tour is a great way to explore this natural archipelago. As well as sightseeing trips, several companies offer lunch and dinner cruises. Some excursions also include a visit to the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, but if not, it is only a short ferry trip from Market Square.
Suomenlinna is one of the largest sea fortresses in the world, built on six islands during the periods of Swedish and Russian rule. It is listed as a unique monument to European military architecture on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The Visitor Centre here contains the Suomenlinna Museum exhibition, which tells the story of Suomenlinna dating back over 250 years and is also the starting point for guided walking tours of the fortress.
Moving eastwards
Located further east on the southern coast of Finland, little more than an hour’s drive from Helsinki, the town of Kotka is Finland’s principal port. With some 400 islands lying off Kotka, it would be a shame not to visit just some of this archipelago. The islands include Varissaari, Haapasaari, Kaunissaari, Kukouri and Lehmasaari, all within easy reach of the mainland by boat.
The Gulf of Finland, off Kotka, provides excellent fishing grounds for keen fishing groups and to discover the many different species of fish native to Finland, the Maretarium in Kotka makes an interesting visit. As well as a Baltic Sea tank featuring many breeds, there are 21 other themed areas recreating the various Finnish inland water habitats. Guided tours including a film show can be arranged.
However, Kotka is probably best known for its excellent river salmon fishing. The River Kymijoki is one of the best salmon rivers in southern Finland and three of its five estuaries are located within Kotka. In fact, it was these fishing waters that attracted the future Czar of Russia, Grand Duke Alexander, to the area in 1880. He visited the Langinkoski salmon fisheries and fell in love with the surroundings. By 1889, he had built a fishing lodge and for the next five years until his death, his family spent their summer days at Langinkoski. The Langinkoski Imperial Fishing Lodge has been kept intact since then and on a guided tour of the property, which is surrounded by a nature reserve, visitors learn how the then Emperor Alexander III of Russia spent his time here.
During the Emperor’s stay in Langinkoski, he made several trips northwards to the town Savonlinna to visit Olavinlinna Castle. Built on islands, Savonlinna is at the heart of the Saimaa Lake District. As early as the 1880s, Savonlinna was a popular holiday resort on Lake Saimaa, attracting visitors from as far afield as St. Petersburg to sample its spa facilities. Although no longer a spa town, Savonlinna still attracts many visitors to sample its cultural entertainment.
Olavinlinna Castle, a medieval fortress which was built to defend the country against attacks from the east was founded in 1475 and acted as a major defence against the Russians during the Swedish occupation of Finland. Although the Russians made numerous attempts to conquer the castle, Olavinlinna didn’t surrender until after the siege of 1714. On a guided tour, groups will learn about the castle’s history and two small museums within the site add to this. The castle is probably best known as the venue for The Savonlinna Opera Festival and the Ballet Festival, both held annually during the summer months. Several operators offer a range of scenic cruises including ‘Saimaa By Night’, which can be arranged to follow a ballet or opera performance during these festivals.
Other attractions in Savonlinna are Kerimaki Church, the world’s largest wooden church with over 3,000 seats and the Doll Museum Suruton, which houses over 1000 dolls from the 18th century to the present day. Just twenty miles south of Savonlinna, two attractions in Punkaharju offer a combined ticket for groups which includes a guided tour of both venues. The first, the Retretti Art Centre, one of the largest art centres in the Nordic countries, is renowned for its unusual exhibition facilities housed within underground caves whilst Lusto – the Finnish Forest Museum depicts the importance of forests in Finland.
Another popular destination in the Saimaa Lake District is the ancient town of Lappeenranta. Situated in the south of the region near the Russian border, the original town was founded as a medieval trading centre during the Swedish regime in 1649. Later in the 18th century, the town was fortified, first by the Swedes and then by the Russians. Most of the buildings inside the fortress date back to the Russian era, which lasted from 1741 to 1917. On a guided tour, groups will discover how the Swedes had to surrender the fortress to Russia during the Battle of Lappeenranta in 1741. Many of the original fortress buildings have now been renovated and house handicraft workshops, museums and cafes. Also located within the fortress, Lappeenranta Orthodox Church is the oldest Orthodox Church in Finland dating back to 1785. There are also three museums worth checking out: the South Karelian Museum, the South Karelian Art Museum and the Cavalry Museum.
Cruising the Saimaa Lake District and Saimaa Canal
Lake Saimaa is Finland’s most extensive lake system and stretches through the eastern part of the country. It is a vast interconnecting network of waterways dotted with several communities including Lappeenranta in the south and Savonlinna in the north. An alternative way to explore the Saimaa Lake District is by boat. There are a number of options available ranging from short sightseeing trips from both Lappeenranta and Savonlinna to longer cruises from Helsinki. Kristina Cruises operates the ‘Kristina Brahe’ throughout the summer months and its cruise ‘The Czars’ Route to the Saimaa Canal & Lakeland’ leaves Helsinki on a four-day journey and travels eastwards stopping at Kotka before continuing through the Saimaa Canal to the Saimaa Lake District. This was the route the Czar of Russia (Emperor Alexander III) took on his many visits to this area. Prices include cabin accommodation, full board sampling Finnish fayre, on-board entertainment and shore excursions. There is also a choice of cabin size. The tour starts by cruising through the beautiful archipelago to Kotka. A guided tour of Kotka including visits to the Imperial Fishing Lodge at Langinkoski and Kotka Maretarium are included as part of this cruise.
One of the highlights is the journey through the Saimaa Canal which links the Gulf of Finland with the Saimaa Lake District. The canal was opened in 1856 primarily to facilitate the transport of trade from Lappeenranta to the sea. The official opening took place on Czar Alexander II’s Coronation Day and it was hence named ‘The Czar’s Canal’. Enlarged in the 1920s and 1930s and rebuilt between 1963 and 1968, the Saimaa Canal is still a very important waterway, primarily for freight vessels carrying timber and products from the wood-processing factories of the Saimaa Lake District. It is also very popular with passenger traffic. With a water level difference of over 85 metres, it is necessary to negotiate a series of eight locks along its 43 kilometres.
After passing through the Canal, the cruise continues northwards to Savonlinna and Lappeenranta, where guided tours of the principal attractions are included. If you would prefer a shorter cruise, a round trip from either Helsinki to Kotka or Kotka to Helsinki can also be booked as a lunch cruise during the summer months. The price includes the one-way cruise, buffet lunch and return coach transport.
How to get there
Groups travelling to Finland by air have a good choice of direct flights from London Heathrow and Manchester to Helsinki whilst there are also flights from Stansted to the Finnish capital. There is also a summer service from Edinburgh.
Our thanks to the Finnish Tourist Board, Finnair and Greencastle Group Tours for their hospitality to Brenda Watkinson during her visit to Finland.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Finnish Tourist Board
P.O. Box 33213
London
W6 8JX
United Kingdom
Telephone: 020 8600 5680
Fax: 020 8600 5681
E-mail: riitta.balza@mek.fi
Web: www.visitfinland.com/uk