Things to do in Finland | Top Attractions Travel Guide
During our visit to Finland last summer we were able to visit Helsinki, Dalsbruk, Suomenlinna and other area of the Finnish Archipelago. From our point of view this is a travel video guide of some of the top things to do in Finland including our top attractions:
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1) Our first impressions of Helsinki included wandering around the city and sampling some Finnish street food in the form of a do it yourself picnic we had on a pedestrian bench.
2) As a day trip we left the urban center of Helsinki via ferry for a wander around quaint Suomenlinna island where we sat down to enjoy ice cream - I tried the Salmiakki flavored one.
3) On a dare I had the opportunity to sample Salmiakki, a black licorice that is popular in Finland and other Scandinavian countries. As a big fan of licorice, I liked it instantly whereas Audrey spat it out immediately.
4) During our stay in Dalsbruk we had the chance to participate in some adventure sports including Sea Kayaking are the Archipelago passing by islands in Kimito where we had a chance to spot wildlife.
5) From Kasnas we took a speed boat to visit Rosala - home to a Viking Center - and from there we continued on to check out Bengtskär Lighthouse.
6) While listening to some great live 70's music we had an opportunity to sample three different kinds of Finnish beer while eating reindeer meat.
7) Having a chance to properly explore Helsinki was a must for both of us. One of the highlights of wandering around the city centre was having a chance to see some of the impressive architecture including Uspenski Cathedral while eating salmon and reindeer meatballs by the Harbor market.
8) During our time in the Finnish Archipelago we were based in the town of Dalsbruk (Swedish name) also called Taalintehdas (Finnish name) a small town home to mostly Swedish speakers also fluent in Finnish.
9) Finally, no trip of ours would be complete without keying in on the local cuisine. Before we left Taalintehdas we check out a super market where we spotted Finnish snacks such as Fazer chocolate, Finnish beer, salmon, Salmiakki, rye bread and more. We're certainly going to miss Finnish cuisine.
This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people.
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All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
Travel to Rosala Viking Centre Island and Bengtskär Lighthouse via a boat ride from Kasnäs, Finland
In our latest travel adventure video in Finland, we travel to Rosala Viking Centre Island and Bengtskär Lighthouse via a boat ride from Kasnäs. Today we're in the little town of Kasnas and we are waiting to catch a ferry that is going to take us to a very remote island, which apparently is home to one of the largest lighthouses in the area. We are now visiting Rosala which is an island which is home to a Viking Center. So we enjoyed a really hearty Viking feast that was a thick soup with potatoes and white fish and we also had some black rye bread with butter and after that meal we've just been enjoying the island. There is lots of games and activities for kids. You can try archery. You can try walking on stilts. They have a maze. Rabbits that you can feed. So it's a nice place to spend a sunny day.
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We've arrived at the lighthouse and it's just on a big rock out in the sea.
So to get here we had to take a boat. We've been traveling for about forty five minutes and as we were approaching the island it started to get really choppy. The waves are pretty high. So yeah, we're out here in the middle of the ocean. There is no land. It is just a pile of rocks.
I don't know what is worse. Air turbulence or choppy waters.
So right now we're making our way up the two hundred and fifty two steps that we have to climb all the way up to get to the top of the lighthouse. And apparently there is a couple of ladders too.
And here in the lighthouse they also have a very small chapel where people can get married.
This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people.
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All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
This video features the song 'Jarvic 8' from Kevin Macleod available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Commercial license.
Finnish Archipelago Travel Guide
One of the highlights of visiting Finland was our opportunity to be based in the Finnish Archipelago region for several days at a lovely little cottage guesthouse in Dalsbruk - also known as Taalintehdas. From there we had the opportunity to do adventure sports activities such as sea kayaking, canoeing, bicycling and hiking where we spotted wilderness. Moreover, the laid back pace of life and ample free time ensured we had a chance to sample Finnish cuisine such as rye bread, salmon, cream cheese, Finnish beer, Finnish chocolate and other delicacies such as Finnish pizza with smoked salmon! Finnish food was an immediate hit with our taste buds.
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Nearby we had the chance to go island hopping by boat visiting around Kimito Island in the Kimitoon region. Some of the top highlights
From the town of Kasnas we caught a ferry heading to Rosala - home to a fascinating Viking Center. From there we continued on to Bengtskär lighthouse - the most remote lighthouse I've ever visited.
Prior to leaving we made sure to shop at a Finnish supermarket where we picked up Salmiakki, Salmiakki beer and Karl Fazer creamy milk chocolate.
Overall, it was a great change of pace from the chaotic city life we're used to Southeast Asia. We had a chance to relax and enjoy the wonderful scenery and hospitality in the Finnish Archipelago.
This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people.
Proudly presented by: , , &
All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
This video features the songs and music available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Commercial license.
Summertime in Southwest Finland // Südfinnland im Sommer - Helsinki, Kimitoön, Nuuksio, Hanko
This summer I experienced the great outdoors in Southwest Finland. I went biking, hiking, kayaking, SUPing and swimming in the baltic sea after enjoying a finnish sauna. And these are just a few things to do in Finland in summer!
--- my travel equipment ---
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Online Language Course
*** (deutsch) ***
Ich habe den Sommer genutzt um Südfinnland zu entdecken, mit all seinen Outdoor-Möglichkeiten. So habe ich Helsinki auf dem Rad und im Kayak entdeckt, den Nuuksio Nationalpark erwandert, die Inselwelt des Schärenmeers im Kayak durchpaddelt und vor Ort nach typisch finnischer Sauna ein Bad in der Ostsee genommen. In Hanko habe ich mich zudem im Stand-Up-Paddleboarding versucht.
Dieses Video zeigt nur einen Teil der Sehenswürdigkeiten in Finnland, sowie der Aktivitäten - auch das Seengebiet und Lapland im Norden sind tolle Reiseziele im Sommer. Sauna geht aber überall und zu jeder Zeit ;)
Alle Orte dieser Finnlandreise:
- Helsinki, Kallahdenselkä & Vuosaari
- Nuuksio Nationalpark
- Kemiönsaari
- Kasnäs
- Leuchtturm Bengtskär
- Rosala Wikingerdorf
- Hanko (Transfer mit dem RIB Speedboot)
- Tammisaari
Das Video wurde innerhalb der #OutdoorsFinland Kampagne von VisitFinland produziert und zeigt die Möglichkeiten im Sommer in Südfinnland. Mehr Informationen zu den Outdoor Aktivitäten und Ort findest du auf outdoorsfinland.fi
*** (english) ***
This video has been produced with the support of within the #OutdoorsFinland campaign to showcase the thhings to do in finland in summer. More information about the shown activities and regions can be found soon on outdoorsfinland.fi
All shown spots of this Finland trip:
- Helsinki, Kallahdenselkä & Vuosaari
- Nuuksio National Park
- Kemiönsaari
- Kasnäs
- Lighthouse of Bengtskär
- Rosala viking village
- Hanko (Transfer with the RIB Speedboat)
- Tammisaari
Make sure to add some of the spots and activities to your list of things to do in Finland!
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Thanks to the great guys at VisitFinland, Bike Tours Helsinki, Natura Viva Kayaking, Haltia, Aavameri Archipelago Sea Kayaking, RIB Safari and the tourism boards of Kimitoön as well as Hanko for making this possible.
Thanks also to the great people who traveled with me: Inna, Becki, Audrey, Erik, Laurence, Sam and Peter - it was an amazing experience!
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Katajanokka Historic Heritage Best Western Hotel (Former Prison Jail House) in Helsinki, Finland
We're typically fond of quirky and/or heritage types of hotels, so when we had the chance to stay at Katajanokka Hotel (a former prison jail house) in Helsinki, Finland, we jumped at the opportunity. We've stayed in a range of hotels during our travels, ranging from heritage hotels in George Town, Penang to shacks by the river in Southern Laos. When we had the opportunity to rest our sleepy heads in a former jailhouse, we simply couldn't resist.
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The jail was built in 1837 featuring distinct red brick walls heavily influenced by the Gothic period. Katajanokka County prison was one of the first prisons to feature centralized heating and electricity in all of the rooms. With more than 164 cells the prison was able to hold over 200 prisoners at maximum capacity. What fascinated us was that this old jailhouse was still in operation up until 2002 when it was converted into a hotel by Best Western in 2007.
The hotel itself is full of fascinating contrasts; old brick walls versus modern amenities. The thick walls are conducive to a wonderful silent night of rest, yet they sometimes impede wifi signals. Protected by the National Board of Antiquities, its been transformed into a modern hotel with unique charms.
As far as our stay was concerned, one of the true highlights was the buffet breakfast at the Jailbird Restaurant. With a dark and gloomy (almost haunting) setting we felt as though we were dining in a fancy dungeon. Our favorites included homemade jams, dark rye bread, muesli with lingonberries and Karelian pies. It was our first time trying Karelian pastries along with gooseberry jam. The pastries (also known as pies) originated from the region of Karelia and are most popular in Finland and Estonia; typically they're filled with potato and buckwheat but sometimes feature eggs, rice and a rye crust.
The Jailyard Terrace was the perfect place for us to relax and unwind with a few beers in the late afternoon / evening. Featuring a quaint courtyard setting, the terrace had live guest musicians performing regularly - our favorite being a man wearing hippy style attire while belting out classics from the 70's. While lounging in the courtyard, it was our first chance to try eating Finnish Reindeer cold cut meat.
Overall, our sponsored stay at Katajanokka Hotel was one in which we thoroughly enjoyed. Within close walking distance of the city center and Market Square, we were easily able to set off on foot to explore the main attractions of Helsinki. The only wrinkle in our stay was the fact that our wifi didn't work well in our room. The thick red brick walls, which make this hotel so unique and aesthetically appealing, also prevented us from having a strong wifi connection. However, the kind hotel staff offered us a connecting wire which allowed us to eventually have a blazing fast LAN connection in our room:
Olemme yleensä ihastunut omituinen ja / tai perinnön tyyppisiä hotelleja, joten kun meillä oli mahdollisuus yöpyä Katajanokan Hotel (entinen vankila talo) Helsinki, Suomi, me hyppäsi mahdollisuus.
Olemme jäi valikoiman hotelleja aikana meidän matkustaa aina perintö hotellit kohteessa George Town, Penang hökkeleissä joella Etelä-Laosissa. Kun meillä oli mahdollisuus levätä väsyneitä päänsä entinen Jailhouse, emme yksinkertaisesti voinut vastustaa.
Vankilassa on rakennettu vuonna 1837 mukana eri punatiili vaikuttavat voimakkaasti Gothic aikana. Katajanokan lääninvankila oli yksi ensimmäisistä vankiloita on lämmitys ja sähkön kaikissa huoneissa. Yli 164 solua vankilassa pystyi pitämään yli 200 vankia maksimiteholla. Mikä kiehtoo meitä oli, että tämä vanha jailhouse oli vielä toiminnassa vuoteen 2002 saakka, jolloin se muutettiin hotelli Best Western vuonna 2007.
This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people.
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This video features the song 'Honey Bee' from Kevin Macleod available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Commercial license.
Sea Kayaking around Kimito Island, Hogsara and the Archipelago | Visit Finland Travel Video
In search of adventure sports, we went Sea Kayaking around Kimito Island, Hogsara and the Finnish Archipelago as part of our travel experience with Visit Finland. Okay, so today we're going to go Sea Kayaking and we're visiting some of the islands around the Archipelago here in Kimito Island and I'm all suited up to go out in the water. Hahaha! You sure are. Hello, I'm Benjamin. I work as a Sea Kayak guide in the Archipelago sea. It's a natural park. We have a lot of people from abroad who are coming here knowing about the Archipelago sea and want to see what it is like here. And Sea kayaking is really a good way to experience the wilderness.
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So how is the kayaking going so far? It's going great. We're just taking a short little break and came across some sheep who are just grazing by the sea. I guess by the sea. And my legs fell asleep so I had to get out for a while. But other than that it is going awesome. No capsizing so far. No.
Very graceful. Hahaha! I got the video. You're still alive? Hello, I arrived. Still dry.
Soaked little puppy. I am. I managed to make it the entire sea kayaking journey without capsizing. At the very end I flipped the boat over when I was getting out.
So this was an awesome experience. We went sea kayaking and we were just paddling through wilderness and these small little islands where we saw different kinds of wildlife. All kinds of different birds. It was just awesome and it was a real workout too. We did this for a few hours. I'm exhausted now but Ioved every minute of it.
Okay, so I was told that usually one in ten people capsize the kayak. I survived the whole four hour journey. I am still dry so I think I did pretty good.
This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people.
Proudly presented by: , , &
All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
This video features the song 'Happy Alley' from Kevin Macleod available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Commercial license.
Eating Finnish Reindeer Meat while Drinking Finnish Beer at an outdoor terrace in Helsinki Finland
On a quest to try as many authentic Finnish foods as we possibly can, we ended up visiting an outdoor terrace which served Reindeer meat and samplers of Finnish beers in Helsinki, Finland.
I have to admit, sinking my teeth into Reindeer cold cuts felt terribly wrong. Growing up, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was one of my childhood heroes. How could I possibly eat Santa's Little Helper? As I've traveled around the world, I've decided I'm willing to try anything once. As a culture vulture I want to experience as much authentic local cuisine as possible. And when in Finland you eat Reindeer.
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What does Reindeer taste like?
It's has a very rich gamey taste that is quite pleasing to the palette. If I had to compare it to something else it's similar to Elk venison or a cured / sour roast beef.
For some this would certainly be an acquired taste; however, since I'm used to eating exotic kinds of meat, I enjoyed it immediately.
It was vastly better than the Reindeer meatballs we tried at the main market, which had a more generic unidentifiable taste.
Served with tart lingonberries and mashed potatoes it reminded me of a Thanksgiving dinner.
The outdoor terrace was actually part of the Jail House Hotel (Katajanokka) we stayed at in Helsinki.
A middle aged American man, wearing hippie attire, entertained the crowd in an intimate environment.
As he belted out classic rock, blues and folk songs from the 70's we sipped on complimentary Finnish beer: regular draft, red ale and lager.
I'd literary make the worst beer critic considering I more or less enjoy anything that touches my taste-buds.
My good blogging friends, Cam and Nicole over, at Traveling Canucks are far more astute and sophisticated when it comes to grading different beers from around the world.
Overall, this was the perfect setting for me to try eating authentic Reindeer cold cuts for the first time. On a warm summer evening the beer was refreshing and the small meal that we shared hit the spot.
If you're in Finland it's an absolute must (if you're not vegetarian or vegan) to try Reindeer. Instead of going for the ubiquitous Reindeer meatballs instead be willing to pay a little more for high quality Reindeer cold cuts and/or Reindeer steak.
Would you try Reindeer meat?
Pyrkimys yrittää niin monia aitoja suomalaisia elintarvikkeita kuin mahdollista, päädyimme luona ulkoterassi, joka palveli Poronliha ja ottajilla on Suomen oluita Helsingissä, Suomessa.
Mitä Poro maistuu?
Se on hyvin rikas riistamainen maku, joka on varsin miellyttävä paletti. Jos minulla olisi verrata sitä jotain muuta se on samanlainen Elk hirvenliha tai suolatut / hapan paahtopaisti.
. Se oli huomattavasti parempi kuin Poro lihapullia yritimme on päämarkkina, joka oli yleisempi tunnistamaton maku.
Tarjoillaan hapokas puolukkaa ja perunamuusia se muistutti minua kiitospäivä illallista.
Ulkoterassi oli itse asiassa osa Jail House Hotel yövyimme Helsingissä.
Me sipped maksuton suomalainen olut: säännöllinen luonnos, punainen ale ja lager.
This is part of our Travel in Finland series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Finnish culture, Finnish arts, Finnish foods, Finnish religion and Finnish people:
Proudly presented by: , , &
All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
This video features the song 'Pulse Rock' from Kevin Macleod available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Commercial license.
On the road down to south, Visiting Hailuoto Island and Arctic Lighthouse Hotel
One of Wild Nordic Finland´s places - Arctic Lighthouse Hotel, located in Hailuoto Island, in Gulf of Bothnia.
Cruise to Söderskär lighthouse/Finland
Visit/boat cruise to Söderskär lighthouse 10th July 2010. I took a motorboat from Helsinki market Square....some other paddleled by kayaks from Estonia....60 km. offshore paddling. Söderkär is the first place to get on ground after the coast of Estonia. I could not do that myself.
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Baltic sailing #7 - Turku harbor in Finland
Turku in the rain. Harbour, marina, where to shop and floating jacuzzi on the river!
The most beautiful sailing destinations of The Baltic Sea. This season we invite you to sail with us to Finland and Sweden. Additionally on this channel you will find some videos about the practice of living onboard our sailing yacht Safran – Trismus 37 with 1 meter draft. You are also welcome to visit our sailing blog where you can read about amazing harbors off the beaten track, from Western Baltic to the end of The Gulf of Bothnia, the most Northern part of The Baltic Sea and Lithuanian Curonian Lagoon in Eastern Baltic.
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