We Spent 72 Hours In Helsinki (Finland) - Travel Vlog

Hello and welcome back to our channel. Today we're kicking off an exciting adventure in Helsinki, Finland's vibrant capital. After an incredible journey on the Santa Claus Express night train from Santa's Village in Lapland, we spent a few days exploring this awesome city. We've got a jam-packed video ahead perusing some of Helsinki's most iconic spots. Join us as we marvel at some of Helsinki's stunning churches, even one built inside a rock. We'll be visiting the most beautiful library I have ever seen, literally an architecture and book lover's paradise. We'll then take our adventure to new heights on the Skywheel, where we'll get breathtaking views of the city from above. And of course, we wouldn't miss the chance to try some truly unique Finnish cuisine. We're diving into some local delicacies like bear and reindeer, definitely a culinary experience you won't want to miss. So stick around, hit that like button and let's explore the wonders of Helsinki together. Don't forget to subscribe and ring the bell for more epic travel adventures. Let's get started. All right, we start our time here in Helsinki with a food tour. We're going to be spending two to three hours in a walking tour around the city, tasting some Finnish delicacies. Apparently we're going to be having some black caviar, some special Finnish chocolate, fresh fish. What I didn't realize in this moment was that we'd get the opportunity to try much more than that. I'm very excited. We booked through Viator. We've booked with them a couple of times and they've got some fantastic tours. And also, can we please acknowledge this insanely pretty building behind me? Wow. We do actually visit this church momentarily. To our surprise, our food tour actually began with an hour or so learning about Helsinki's buildings. Because of course, one thing that really stands out is the city's diverse and stunning architecture. It's like living in a museum, showcasing a fascinating blend of styles from different areas. First up, we took a look at the neoclassical architecture, which is especially prominent around the Sena Square. This area is home to some of Helsinki's most iconic buildings, like the Helsinki Cathedral, Government Palace, and the University of Helsinki. These structures, with their grand columns and symmetrical designs, give off those classic European vibes and make you feel like you've stepped back in time. While here, we were able to have a look inside the Helsinki Cathedral too, which was absolutely stunning. We learned that it was actually a Swedish man who designed these notable buildings. His name was Carl Ludwig Engel. His designs played a crucial role in shaping Helsinki into a modern European capital. Our guide recommended a really nice cafe opposite the square that was named after him as well. We then wandered over to the Art Nouveau influence, which adds a whimsical charm to the city. The neighbourhood of Katajonaka is a great place to see some of the best examples of this style, with colourful buildings that look like they're straight out of a fairy tale. I absolutely love this style of architecture. By the way, we stayed right here in Katajonaka, in an apartment-style hotel called Nolli. I loved the minimalist vibe here. The rooms were well-equipped, and having our own little studio was super handy. We can highly recommend this place if you're looking for a well-priced accommodation within walking distance to everything. On the way, we wandered by the beautiful church we passed by before. This is the Uspenski Cathedral, I hope I'm saying that correctly. An Eastern Orthodox cathedral completed back in 1868, and designed by a Russian architect. It's the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe, and stands as a prominent symbol of the Russian influence on Finnish history and culture. To get to our next destination, we wandered through Market Square, a popular market area located in the heart of the city, near the South Harbour. It's been a central marketplace for centuries, serving as a hub for trade and social gatherings, offering a variety of fresh produce, local delicacies, fish, and crafts. Seasonal markets and food stalls are very common here, especially during the warmer months, but there were still plenty of stalls here in April, even if it was just 5 degrees Celsius. Welcome to the Old Market Hall, a historic indoor market located just next to the Market Square. It opened back in 1889, and it's Helsinki's oldest indoor market, and of course another architectural gem, reflecting the late 19th century design. The hall features a wide array of stalls, offering up fresh, high-quality food products, including Finnish specialties, like reindeer meat, cheeses, pastries, and fish, especially salmon and herring, which brings back fond memories of our recent food tour in Sweden. Also very popular there. And lucky for us, this was our first stop. We try smoked salmon on rye bread, an absolute staple in Finnish cuisine. Salmon is often accompanied by dill, lemon, and sometimes a creamy sauce like mustard dill or horseradish cream. The rye bread, known for its dense and hearty texture, complements the rich and savoury flavour of the salmon. So we have sweet type of bread, it's very, especially for fish, fish and shrimps. That is delicious. Yummy? Delicious. Alongside this, we indulge in pickled herring, one of Lidvig's personal faves, a popular Finnish and Swedish delicacy, particularly enjoyed during the festive seasons like Christmas and Midsummer, or an everyday breakfast option for Lidvig back in Sweden. The herring is marinated in a vinegar-based solution with onions, spices, and sometimes sugar, creating a balance of tangy, sweet, and savoury flavours, and this one had some kind of a mustardy sauce on top. Next up was something I was particularly excited to try, caviar, a luxurious delicacy often associated with high-end dining experiences. How very fancy. Finnish caviar typically comes from local fish, such as whitefish or vendace, which are prized for their delicate flavour and very fine texture. I cannot remember the details of exactly what we tried here, but one was red and one was black, which was, I guess, the fancy one. We enjoyed this on blinis, small pancakes, with sour cream, and I absolutely loved it. To my surprise, Lidvig didn't hate it. It doesn't smell like anything, does it? Oh, and we were rather shocked at the price of this stuff. Well, following our caviar tasting, we tried leipäjuusto, often referred to as Finnish squeaky cheese, or bread cheese, and cloudberry jam. So this meal basically consists of a cheese very similar to halloumi, served warm and usually enjoyed on its own, with coffee, or paired with sweet toppings such as cloudberries. These rare golden berries are highly prized in Nordic cuisine. They have a tart yet sweet flavour, and are often made into jams, sauces, or served fresh. This was a very interesting flavour combination, but it definitely worked. This is apparently a dessert, cheese and jam, it's delicious, yum. We also tried lingonberry juice while here. I've had a lot of lingonberry jam back in Sweden, but never have I tried lingonberry juice. It was actually quite delicious. Finland is known for its pure, natural ingredients, and hearty dishes that reflect its rich history and connection to the wilderness. And yes, that includes some foods you might find surprising, like bear and reindeer. This is bear meat. Never thought I'd eat bear meat. You can't even bite it. Bear meat, for example, has been a part of Finnish cuisine for centuries. Historically, it was a prized source of sustenance for hunters. Today it's considered a delicacy, rich in flavour, and often prepared in stews or as smoked meat, as we try here. Reindeer on the other hand is more commonly found on Finnish plates, especially in Lapland. It's lean, high in protein, and has a distinct, slightly gamey flavour. Reindeer dishes are often served with lingonberry sauce and mashed potatoes, making for a delicious and hearty meal. During our food tour, we got the chance to try these unique foods ourselves. And although it wasn't really for us, we're glad we pushed ourselves out of our comfort zone to try something so very Finnish. Okay, this is my first time in my life having reindeer. I have a tiny piece. I don't know, I just can't get out of my head that it's reindeer. Next we grab a sweet treat at Faeser, a well-known Finnish company that produces a variety of chocolates in Helsinki. Founded in 1891 by Carl Faeser, the company has a long tradition of confectionery excellence. Faeser's classic blue chocolate, known for its rich and smooth taste, is a particularly popular one and iconic in Finland. I still don't think it beats Whitaker's in New Zealand though. For our last stop of the day, we head to a bakery to try a rye dough and rice pudding meal. Sounds interesting. This traditional Finnish pastry consists of a thin rye crust filled with a creamy rice pudding. It's typically enjoyed warm and often topped with a spread made from butter and hard-boiled eggs. It's a beloved part of Finnish cuisine, often served as a snack or a side dish. It had a super plain taste, which I really liked, but it wasn't Lidvig's style. Finnish food tech. We definitely indulged in a few things I didn't think we'd actually eat. I can't quite believe I tasted beer. It is an absolutely stunning day today here in Helsinki. This is my favorite kind of weather. It's really cold, really chilly and crisp, but sunny, which is just so nice. This is exactly what the weather was like on our wedding day. I think it's like five or six degrees. We're here at the end of April, so if you're going to come around this time, it is really off-season. Our food tour guide said it's very up and down at this time of year. You never really know what it's going to be. It could be snowing one day. It could be really nice and warm and sunny the next. So if you're going to come to Helsinki around April, May, bring a lot of layers. Today we're going to go and look at a church built in a rock. Lidvig City saw pictures on Google and it looks pretty insane, so I'm very excited to see that. I love watching Flying the Nest. If you also love Flying the Nest on YouTube, let me know below. But they said in one of their videos to go and look at the library here in Helsinki. That's something we were going to go and do today, but we've just looked and it is actually closed. Very sad. So perhaps I'll get some time to do that at a later point. We're going to go to a place called Boulevard and we're also going to go to a shop called Moomin. And I actually have no idea what that is, but apparently it's like huge over here in Finland. Maybe Lidvig can give us a little bit more detail on that. Moomin is a cartoon kids show about trolls. That's as far as my Moomin knowledge goes. I should probably know this, but I don't. It's big in Sweden, Finland and Japan apparently. This here is Tempeliakio Church. Apologies for the pronunciation. Also known as the Rock Church. It's a unique Lutheran church that opened back in 1969 and it's built directly into giving it exceptional acoustics and a very distinctive appearance. The church's interior features rugged rock walls and a large copper dome creating a serene and very, very cool atmosphere. It's a hugely popular tourist attraction and there was quite the crowd here. We did notice this place only seemed to be open to the public for short periods throughout the day. So if this is somewhere you're planning to visit, maybe check ahead to see when you can visit. One of the places our tour guide yesterday told us to visit was a place called Boulevard, specifically a place called Eksberri. Basically it's spelt Ekberg, but he's meant to say Eksberri. Ah, Eksberri. That one. It's a really, really nice cafe. It's one of Helsinki's oldest cafes and it was flooding with people. That place was jam-packed. It's a very, very popular cafe in the area. If you love good cafe food, lots of baked goods, lots of bread, croissants and a few Finnish treats and great coffee, I can highly recommend Eksberri. One thing I didn't realize before coming to Helsinki is that basically everything here is not only in Finnish, but also in Swedish. For example, we'll take the road signs. Everything here is in both Finnish up the top and underneath is the Swedish word for it, which is really cool. So you can literally come here and chat, understand everything. Even the cafe we're just at, everything was also written in Swedish. So it's very common here to understand both languages, speak both languages. Oh, another exciting thing. In Finland, in school, they learn Swedish. It's mandatory. You learn it here in Finland, but it's not the same in Sweden. You don't learn Finnish in Sweden schools. Very interesting facts for your day. We have returned back to the food market hall. I just was obsessed with this place when we came yesterday. It's so cozy. And surprisingly, today's a Saturday and it's really quiet. It is just before lunchtime, so that can be why there's not that many people. But I've come back for one reason and one reason only, and that is to try the salmon soup here in Helsinki, also known as lahikaito, lahikita, lahikaito. Anyway, it's salmon fillets with potato, leek, carrots and a lot of dill. So dill is huge in Sweden as well, and I am obsessed with it now. The soup here has been served with some nice warm rye bread, I'm guessing. Rye seems to be the big, well, hot. It seems to be the big bread here, the most popular bread here in Finland, and it's delicious and it tastes extremely healthy as well. And I'm pretty sure this will be packed with protein. I'm so excited to dig in. Okay, here we go. And this is like the most perfect dish for a nice cold day. Holy moly. That is so yum. Oh my gosh, I'm so glad I got this. It's delicious. You're going to want some, they're big. That was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my entire life. Ever. One thing we noticed there was a lot of is saunas. Saunas are a big deal in Finland, and they're more than just a way to relax. They're a cherished tradition, a place for friends and family to connect, and a way to rejuvenate the mind and body. One of the coolest, or should I say coldest, parts of this tradition is the ritual of cold plunging in between. You'll find plenty of public saunas around Helsinki. We even had one in our hotel, and a lot of people actually have one in their house. We found out that there are around three million saunas in Finland. My kind of place. After heating up in the sauna, it's customary to take a dip in the ice-cold water. Whether it's a lake, the sea, or even a cold plunge pool. The contrast between hot and cold is invigorating, and it's said to have numerous health benefits. And speaking of special experiences, during our wedding weekend in Sweden, we decided to introduce all of our international guests to this amazing Scandinavian tradition. It was such a blast seeing everyone step outside their comfort zone from the sauna's intense heat to the shock of the cold ocean. It brought us all closer and added such a unique and unforgettable twist to our weekend of celebrations. Oh, just quickly, let me share with you a travel secret. Actually, I guess it's not really a secret because we talk about these guys all the time, and that is Manta Sleep, our sponsor of today's video. Don't know why I'm whispering, but it feels appropriate when I'm talking about sleep. We honestly swear by these. Whether it's catching up on sleep during a flight, napping in a capsule pod on a train, or crashing in a unique hostel, our Manta Sleep masks guarantee total darkness and comfort. It's like having blackout curtains on your face, but much more comfy. With a perfect fit and zero pressure, we wake up feeling so refreshed and ready to explore. We're so happy that we're working with Manta Sleep masks because honestly, great sleep equals epic travels. And here is an awesome treat. For our viewers, you can get 10% off your own Manta Sleep mask with our code CHLOEANNELIDVIG. Simply pop it in at checkout, or you can jump down below in the description, click the link, and bam, we are so excited for your eyeballs to experience it themselves. Thanks, Manta Sleep. You're really great. The Moomins, created by Finnish-Swedish author Tuvi Jonsson, are a huge part of Finnish culture and have charmed their way into the hearts of many. These adorable round characters first appeared back in 1945 and have since become beloved worldwide, but especially in Finland. The Moomins' appeal comes from their delightful mix of adventure, family, and nature-themed stories that resonate with both kids and adults. The Moomins are everywhere in Finland, from books and TV shows to a dedicated theme park called Moomin World. Their distinct, whimsical art style makes them instantly recognizable. And the shop is rather pleasing to the eye, I might add. I should have worn some more clothes. It's still pretty freezing here. My nose has gone numb. Hello, it's me, Solo Chloe once again. I had to send Lidvig off home in a plane because he has now used up a little bit too much time off at work back in New Zealand, so he's gone home and I'm going to spend the next two weeks traveling solo around a few different places in Europe, starting with continuing to explore just a little bit more of Helsinki today before I jump on a very exciting journey this evening. Yesterday, I really wanted to go and take a look at the library and it's open today. Yes! From there, I think I'm going to go and check out the Ferris wheel because Lidvig actually refused to do that with me the other day, so now that I'm solo, I can do whatever I want. There was one thing I really wanted to do on the Ferris wheel, however, and Lidvig absolutely said no. It's something so, so cool and I wish I could have done it and I almost thought about booking it without telling Lidvig, but I thought I'd better consult my husband since he is indeed my husband now, as of a few weeks ago. And let's see if we have time for perhaps another salmon soup because that thing was absolutely delicious. If there is one takeaway from Helsinki, it's to get salmon soup at the food hall. Insane. My day starts at Finca Las Ventanas cafe and roastery located at Nolli Studios. As a guest of the hotel, I got a complimentary breakfast there. It's a unique cafe and roastery operated by a Finnish family with a coffee farm in Colombia. The cafe offers a chance to experience the flavours of their single estate coffee and to learn about the journey of coffee from the farm to the cup. They serve a bunch of Colombian breakfast items and snacks along with products from other small producers. I was honestly amazed at how much food they continued to bring out for me. I couldn't believe this was all included in my free hotel breakfast. It made me want to include this in the video as this place was just so cozy, so friendly, had amazing food and coffee. And it's the kind of spot you could bring your laptop to work in for a couple of hours, refilling your coffee for free, I might add. Can definitely recommend this gorgeous little cafe if you find yourself in Helsinki. The National Library of Finland is absolutely beautiful. And of course, it's another stunning design by Karl Ludwig Engel, who we spoke of earlier, and was completed back in 1845. Upon entering, you are to leave your bag downstairs. Initially, a little uncomfortable parting with my bag, I head downstairs to see that there are tons of secure and spacious lockers to place them in. Also, look at these walls. But it gets better. Follow me into the toilet. Look at this. I felt like I was in a vault of a bank or something. Very cool. Alright, let's take a look around the rest of this stunning building, although I know this toilet is going to be hard to beat. The library's interior is adorned with exquisite ornamental details, including statues and intricate woodwork. The ceilings are decorated with beautiful paintings and gilded accents, adding to the grandeur of the space. I was blown away when I first stepped foot into this room. It felt like I had been transported into a Harry Potter movie or something. Then there's the rotunda, the central space of the library. It's crowned with a massive dome that allows natural light to flood in. I was super excited about these sensor lights as well. It's such a big library with so much unused space at any point, so this was a really smart idea. Among its vast book collections, the library houses some quirky historical items, such as Finnish board games, rare comic books, and ancient maps. I found out as well that apparently beneath the library, there are secret tunnels and passageways that were once used for transporting books and materials. This place is a must if you come to Helsinki. This has to be one. This is a must. And here it is, the ferris wheel and the cool activity I spoke of earlier. It's the sky sauna, but costing this much money, Lidvig said no. It looks like a super fun experience, however, combining a traditional Finnish sauna with a ferris wheel ride. The sky sauna can accommodate four to five people at a time. Sounds rather cozy. And not only will you be sweating away, but you can also see the panoramic views of the city. Let me know below if you'd be keen to try this. All right, so I'm in the ferris wheel currently. That cost me 15 euro. Oh my god, I forgot that these were really high up in the air. It was really high. Oh my god, I did not even think about how high this is. I'm so scared of heights. I was just so determined to get into the ferris wheel. Oh wow. Wow. Okay, I better show you the scenery and distract myself. Beautiful. Oh, see, that's the pool down there that now I have a nice aerial view of. There we go. And that whole place is like this beautiful bath house. Like, I'm sure they've got pools, sauna. I did ask the lady as well, like, do they sell many of the sauna tickets? The little sauna capsule? What did she say? Yeah. Watch this space. Next time we come to Helsinki, I'm going in the sauna capsule. Well, there it is there. Sauna capsule. Over there. I don't think anyone's in it right now, but... And that's my boat there. There it is. That's where I'm going later. I'm going on in a couple of hours. Yes, friends, that's right. You're going to want to stay tuned for our next video as I'll be experiencing the Viking Ferry from Helsinki to Stockholm, a journey across the Baltic Sea lasting 17 hours. And I won't just be traveling in a regular ferry room either. I'll be indulging in a rather luxurious experience, staying in a deluxe suite and embarking on some very fancy things. This is too much fun. Wow, that's that amazing cathedral that I was looking at before. Right there. That was so quick. I swear that was like two minutes. I wonder if I'm hopping off right now after one loop. If I have to hop off right now already, no wonder Ludwig didn't want to hop on. He's such a cheapskate. We're going around again. This is so scary, but also really excellent. Oh, oh, we've stopped. We have stopped. We're just dangling and I'm dangling right at the top. Even though this is scary, this is a great way to get the views of Helsinki. Look at all those amazing roofs. And that's where I had my salmon soup. We went round a third time. Surely it's only three times. It's a pretty good value for money. I'm happy to spend 15 euros on that. This is a decent amount of time on this ferry as well. That wraps up our adventure in Helsinki from exploring the charming architecture to indulging in some unexpected local delicacies. I hope you enjoyed discovering this beautiful city with us. But the journey doesn't end there. Stay tuned for the next episode where I'll take you on an unforgettable ferry ride across the Baltic Sea to Stockholm. You won't want to miss the breathtaking views and very exciting onboard experiences that await. Don't forget to like, subscribe and hit that notification bell so you won't miss any future adventures. See you next time.