Professor Vilhelmiina Huuskonen, Consultant Veterinary Anaesthesiologist and European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia at UCD, shares her top tips on where to visit, stay and see in Helsinki …
I’ve lived in Ireland for the past 18 years but go back to Finland once or twice a year to see my family. Before changing careers, I trained as a chef and worked in some of Helsinki’s top restaurants. I revisited the city this summer and stayed in a glass igloo set on a private pier overlooking Laajalahti Bay, part of the IGLUX experience at Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa in the waterside neighbourhood of Munkkiniemi.
Regardless of the season or time of your visit to Helsinki, you must visit Suomenlinna sea fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find beautiful old buildings, many of them inhabited.
Do visit Helenski’s old market squares and market halls, from Kauppatori Market Square and the Old Market Hall in the city centre, to Hakaniemi Market Square and Market Hall in Kallio district and Hietalahti Market Square and Market Hall in Hietalahti. Pick up some Finnish strawberries, they are particularly sweet due to the very long hours of sunlight.
The Katajanokka neighbourhood, just off Kauppatori, has interesting colourful Art Nouveau houses, which we call Jugend style, as well as the impressive Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral. There is a nice sailor pub called Poseidon.
The Kruununhaka neighbourhood with its grand historic buildings and lots of cosy cafés and antique and second-hand shops is where you’ll find my favourite vintage clothes shop, called Play It Again, Sam.
A Helsinki sightseeing cruise is a lovely way to see the city, its coastline and some of the surrounding archipelago from the water. In summer, you can also take the historic M/S J. L. Runeberg from Helsinki to Porvoo. The journey through the archipelago is beautiful, and Porvoo itself is one of Finland’s oldest towns, known for its cobbled streets, colourful wooden houses and red riverside warehouses.
A must-do for design lovers is a visit to the home and studio of architect and designer Alvar Aalto, known for his modern buildings and furniture. Both the home and studio have just been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and can only be visited on a guided tour, so booking in advance is recommended.
WHAT TO SEE
For a day’s walking around the city, start in Munkkiniemi and then head to the old villa area of Meilahti. Here you’ll find beautiful old wooden houses, some of them house cosy cafés. Both the current and former official residences of the Finnish president are in Meilahti. There’s an impressive former residence, now museum, called Tamminiemi.
Visit Oodi, Helsinki’s central public library. It’s much more than a place to borrow books; you can have a coffee and enjoy the view from the Citizens’ Balcony, which faces Parliament at the same level, symbolising equality between citizens and politicians.
Stroll through Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden to Café Viola in Kallio. It has an outdoor terrace in summer and traditional tiled stoves to keep you warm when the weather gets colder.
Visit the grand Kallio church and climb the church tower’s 273 steps to enjoy a 360-degree view across Helsinki. IPI Kulmakuppila serves an excellent, affordable brunch in a stylish Scandinavian atmosphere.
Behind Kallio is Linnanmäki amusement park and the Vallila neighbourhood. I especially recommend a walk through Puu-Vallila, with its lovely old wooden houses and beautiful gardens. There is a local pub called Pikku Vallila, which is tiny and full of character, and serves tasty and inexpensive toasties.
WHERE TO EAT
Meritorppa aces dishes made with Finnish ingredients that I miss so much while living in Ireland, including Baltic herring, whitefish roe, rye bread, wild mushrooms and birch leaf crème brûlée. Bisou Bisou. is a fancy rooftop brasserie with a New York vibe and some of the best views in Helsinki.
Try Onda, serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Ateljé Finne is one of my current favourite Helsinki restaurants in a former artist’s studio, serving modern Finnish food. Kuurna is a small and atmospheric bistro in Kruununhaka with excellent seasonal food. Goose Pasta Bar is a tiny and very popular restaurant serving freshly made pasta, with a menu that changes daily. BasBas, is one of Helsinki’s most popular restaurants. It’s hard to get a table, so you need to book as soon as reservations open. Wino, is a relaxed Kallio bistro and wine bar serving seasonal dishes. Nolla is an inventive and delicious restaurant built around a zero waste philosophy.
FOR COFFEE
Kaffa Roastery, is one of Helsinki’s best known speciality coffee roasters, with a coffee bar in Punavuori. Lippa, is a relaxed summer café and restaurant close to the beach, with a large outdoor terrace which regularly hosts events. Helsingin Kahvipaahtimo is a small coffee bar in Vallila serving locally roasted speciality coffee. Patisserie Teemu Aura is one of my favourite Helsinki bakeries serving up excellent bread, buns, pastries and cakes.
WHERE TO STAY
Klaus K is a stylish design hotel in the city centre, close to the Esplanade and the Design District. Solo Sokos Hotel Torni, is an elegant and historic hotel in what is generally considered Finland’s first “skyscraper”. Home Hotel Katajanokka, is a good choice if you are looking for something different. The hotel occupies a former prison dating from 1837 on the island of Katajanokka.
SEE MORE: Tales From My Wardrobe
