The capital of Finland is a great idea for a weekend tour

Finland draws its untouched beautynature, because in this country it is treated very carefully, fabulous Lapland, fishing and the opportunity to relax in a real sauna. For residents of Russia, and especially the western part of it, traveling to this country is not at all tedious, because you can get there by car, plane, train or ferry. The capital of Finland, Helsinki, is a mandatory component of any trip around the country. The city was founded in the middle of the sixteenth century, but for a long time was in the shadow of the then capital of the state - Turku. It was only in 1812 that Helsinki became the capital (first the principalities within the Russian Empire, and later the independent state).

Why is the capital of Finland attractive?

Despite the rather inhospitable climate,Helsinki annually comes a large number of travelers from all over Europe. The city is one of the leaders in terms of quality of life, is the cultural and scientific center of the country. By Russian standards, the city is not very big, because its population is about 600 thousand people. Speaking about the number of local residents, sometimes a large number is announced - 1.3 million, but this figure includes people living in satellite towns located next to the capital. A third of the Helsinki square is occupied by parks.

Spending a weekend in Finland and not having a lot of time in Helsinki is worth seeing:

• Senate Square with the monument to Alexander II - emperor, who granted autonomy to the principality;
• the building of the City Council, on the wall of which there is a clock that is the oldest in Finland;
• Assumption Cathedral;
• Kauppatori - one of the busiest squares ina city with a granite obelisk located on it with a double-headed eagle, which was built on the occasion of the visit of Emperor Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna;
• the central station of the city, which is one of the most famous monuments of Finnish architecture;
• the church, carved into the rock and covered with a dome, is a place whose acoustics were highly appreciated by Mstislav Rostropovich;
• observation deck of the tower of the Olympic Stadium.

Distances in the city are small. Traditionally, as in many cities, much of the monuments of architecture and museums are located in the historical center.

By ferry you can reach the sea fortressSuomenlinna, which is located a few kilometers from Helsinki. Built by the Swedes in the 18th century, it was a strategic element of protection against threats emanating from the east, and is still considered one of the largest in the world.

The capital of Finland is interesting not only for itshistory and attractions, but also with its holidays, carnivals and festivals held several times a year and dedicated to various holidays. Below is a brief list of such events that will be very interesting to visit, in case the trip to Helsinki falls on these dates:

• May 1 - carnival on the occasion of the holiday;
• June 12 - Day of the city;
• June (dates change every year) - Samba Festival;
• August 17th (dates subject to change) - marathon;
• The first week of October is the Herring Festival.

Любителей пройтись по магазинам столица Финляндии It will also please you, because there are several largest department stores in the city, and in April and October every year there are great sales. In the center of the city there are several major multi-brand stores, including Stockmann, Sokos and Forum. On the outskirts of "Itakeskus", on the territory of which there are hundreds of different shops.

Конечно, путешествие в Финляндию - это не только visiting Helsinki. Be sure to come to Lapland - a fabulous country and the homeland of Santa Claus. Here you can enjoy both summer and winter holidays, as there are plenty of opportunities for this (fishing, ski resorts, sauna, fresh air and beautiful lakes).