HELSINKI HOTEL DEALS

HELSINKI BREAKS

What was once no more than a struggling coastal town is now the heart of Finland, not to mention, the largest city in the country. Helsinki has certainly developed over the years.

These days, the Finnish capital is better known for being one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Blessed with extremely low rates of poverty, most natives of Helsinki have enjoyed a comfortable and quiet life in the southern town. The city may also be the only one of its size to lay claim to the fact that it doesn’t possess a single poverty-stricken district. Most major cities host the poor as well as the rich, but Helsinki knows no such thing.

The city plays host to a favourable business climate and many large corporations can be found gathered in the downtown tower blocks, light years away from the city’s distant past where most of the population was poor.

Visitors can count themselves lucky to be dropping by the only city in Finland with subway transportation. While much of the ground network is established and competent, the additional subway service makes touring Helsinki relatively easy and comfortable to get from A to B.

Surrounded by islands, Helsinki is based on the south coast and can be seen overlooking several small islands around the shore. Visitors frequently head to Korkeasaari, a zoo detached from the mainland by a bridge. A wide variety of animals can be found and the resort makes a good visit for families with children to entertain.

The National Museum of Finland also attracts many tourists. It traces the country’s history right back from the Stone Age through to the modern day. Located in a castle in the very heart of the city, the museum is perfectly situated for maximum exposure. It makes for a worthwhile visit if you hold a passing interest in the history of the nation, although the location itself is intriguing and worth the admission.

Suomenlinna Fortress is another remarkably popular attraction for tourists. The former military island is reached by a short ferry journey across the sea. A stunning piece of architectural achievement, Suomenlinna used to house military chiefs as an outpost for Finnish operations. It also hosts one of the largest dry docks you’re ever likely to find, although nowadays, people tend to visit for the on-site museums and sentiment of the island.

In true keeping with most of the major cities across Europe, you can find a typically sublime cathedral in the form of Uspenski. The spectacular building is topped by a lush golden dome which stands out from afar. A statue of Tsar Alexander II guards the yard and you’ll find plenty of opportunity to take some impressive photos in the old cathedral.

With a traditionally rich population, it comes as quite a surprise to see so many markets bustling with light hearted banter in the Helsinki city centre. Tourists can admire the changing of the guard outside the local palace and browse the various stools nearby to get quite a versatile glimpse of Finnish culture.

The city is known for the icy cold winters which leave the land buried in snow through much of the coldest season. Many tourists will visit during the winter months when Helsinki takes on a strictly Scandinavian climate, but remains picturesque nonetheless.

There’s something enchanting about the cultural delights of the city being doused in a snow blizzard that you wouldn’t expect to find anywhere else. Summer time produces a continental mix of heat and humidity, leaving the 600,000 or so inhabitants with quite a wide stretching taste for the hot and the cold.

While by no means one of the biggest tourist destinations in Europe, Finland’s capital city is the perfect location for many aspiring businesses. With a comfortable lifestyle unmatched by most, Helsinki will continue to prosper beyond the likes of which its ancient ancestors could ever have imagined all those years ago.
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