Travel Diary: Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki is the cool, hipstery city I feel no one is really talking about. It has good food, picturesque streets and cool interiors.

Our first day in Helsinki, we took some time and walked around the city. We stopped by Helsinki Cathedral, a beautiful, white domed church that sits in the center of the city. After snapping a few pics, we stopped for some sushi at an all-you-can eat place and then decided to head back to our Airbnb to take a nap. Passing out for longer than we expected we woke up around dinner time. We Yelped and found a restaurant by the water named Salve. I had the restaurant special and Donica tried the sautéed reindeer. For dessert, we shared lapland cheese, a must-try in Finland according to our Airbnb host. Ours was served baked with cream, sugar and cinnamon. It’s an interesting concept but I would recommend trying it if you’re ever in Finland.

Our next day in Helsinki, we visited the coolest coffee shop Johan y Nystrom. The coffee is great and the atmosphere is warm and cozy. Once we were done with our cinnamon rolls and coffee, we waited for the ferry to Suomenlinna. Suomenlinna is an old sea fortress about 15 mins off the coast of Helsinki that has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage site. The fort is spread across six islands and has some serious old-world charm to it. I loved walking down the cobblestone streets, exploring tunnels and taking in the beautiful sea views.

After some time at the fort, we headed back into the city and visited Hall. Donica bought some gifts for her nieces and nephews, and then we grabbed some dinner at another all you can eat sushi restaurant. We finished our time in Finland with some shopping around the high street.