Esplanadi Boulevard, Esplanade Park… However it’s called, everyone agrees that this section of Helsinki near the center of town is a tourist delight. A hundred years ago, and for the hundred years before that, Finland struggled for identity. Long a province of Sweden, then later of Russia, with Lapland in the north, it is a […]

At Market Square, known locally in Helsinki as Kauppatori, visitors and natives alike can get everything from fresh salmon steak to reindeer meat. But there’s much more than just great food. Market Square is located on the shoreline and offers great views, great food, and an outstanding atmosphere. The bright orange cloth-covered stalls are a […]

Helsinki – Finland’s Capital is Capital Capital: Excellent or first-rate, American Heritage Dictionary. Yes, that undoubtedly describes Helsinki. Though the capital of Finland ‘only’ since 1809 when the Russians first took dominion of the city from Sweden, it was originally founded in 1550. It’s been one improvement after the next ever since. One of the […]