Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For a breezy, salty seaside walk, consider this promenade around the
KaivopuistoParkpeninsula.Allow1.5hoursataleisurelypace.FromMarket
Square, wander past the old brick market hall and Tallink Silja terminal (with
its huge ship likely at the dock) and follow the shoreline pedestrian path. The
first island you come to, Valkosaari, hosts the local yacht club—NJK—the
oldest in Scandinavia, with a classy restaurant (daily 17:00-24:00). The next
island, Luoto, is home to the posh Palace Kämp by the Sea restaurant (with
shuttle boat service). During a typical winter, the bay freezes (18 inches of ice
is strong enough to allow cars to drive to the islands—in the past there was
even apublic busroute that extended toanisland duringthe winter). The fort-
ress island of Suomenlinna is in the distance. The hill you're circling (on the
right) is home to several embassies; ahead, Ursula Café, with its fine harbor
views, is good for a coffee break.
Aroundthecorner,thenextisland,Uunisaari,belongedtothemilitaryuntil
the 1980s. Its unique plant life (much studied by local students) is believed to
have hitched a ride all the way to Finland from Siberia on the boots of Russian
soldiers. The odd-looking pier nearby is a station for washing rugs (those are
not picnic tables). Saltwater brightens the rag rugs traditionally made by local
grandmas. While American men put on aprons and do the barbeque, Finnish
men wash the carpets. After the scrub, the rugs are sent through big mechan-
ical wringers and hung on nearby racks to dry in the wind. The posted map
shows 11 such stations scattered around Helsinki. Buy an ice cream at the
nearby stand and watch the action (best in the morning).
In the distance looms Helsinki's big new West Harbor port, hosting 300
cruise ships a year. From here you can follow Neitsytpolku street back to the
town center, keeping an eye out for fun Art Nouveau buildings.
Porvoo,
the second-oldest town in Finland, has wooden architecture that
dates from the Swedish colonial period. This coastal town can be reached
from Helsinki by bus (one hour) or by excursion boat from Market Square.
