Explore Helsinki in two days
Built in 1550 as a trading town, the city we now know as Helsinki, slowly grew in size, expanding with additions such as the Naval Fortress "Suomenlinna", allowing the small trading town to grow, until it was named the capital of Finland in 1918.
Helsinki is located on the Southern Coast of Finland, giving it a humongous range of weather conditions. For example, in the winter, temperatures can drop to around -20 Degrees Celsius, with the coastal winds coming in off of the Baltic Sea. On the opposite side of the scale, summer time temperatures can rise up to around 25 degrees Celsius. It is also in the summer that you would be able to witness the "Midnight Sun", which is the spectacular sight of where the sun does not set for an entire day. It is truly a unique experience that can be seen in Northern Finland.
For those visitors out there, you will find below a two day guide to viewing the many sights in and around Helsinki. You can find a lot of good quality hotels in Helsinki, which will complete the perfect stay in this beautiful city.
Day One: After arriving at your chosen hotel in Helsinki, you can travel to "Temppelinaukion kirkko", an old Lutheran church that stands out as it was built into the rock surrounding it, along with the church not featuring any bells. The church is located within the centre of the city, and ontop of viewing it as a tourist attraction, it is also host to many different concert venues due to its amazing acoustics.
In the afternoon, take flight to the beautiful "kauppatori" market. It is located in Helsinki's market square which is bordering upon the Baltic Sea. It is usually open from 06:30 am to around 18:00 in the evening, from Monday - Saturday. During the winter, Helsinki's market hall is opened due to the extreme weather conditions. Within this market you can find Fresh Finnish Food, as well as many other trinkets for you to buy as souvenirs.
Day Two: Head back to the market square to take the ferry to "Suomenlinna". This is one of the largest Island Fortresses and is only one kilometre away from the city. It was built in the mid 1700's by the Swedish, and is now part of the UNESCO's world heritage. There are many tours that you can enjoy, for example, going to visit the historic military camp where drill and combat practices are put on show. One of the most spectacular tours would be of the 200 year old tunnels that run underneath the "Suomenlinna" fortress. After long two days its good to have a long relaxing evening in your Helsinki hotel.
This two day guide can only give you a glimpse of what Helsinki has to offer, and it will have you wanting to return time and again.