Arriving in Helsinki
Travelling by plane from London to Helsinki took about 3 hours. We left early on the Thursday before the August Bank holiday to ensure we beat the crowds.
On arrival at Helsinki airport, transport to the central city was via the Finnair shuttle bus. Tickets can be purchased from the driver and Finland uses the Euro which makes it even more tourist friendly than its Scandinavian peers whom still adopt separate currencies: Krone (Norway or Denmark) or Krona (Iceland or Sweden). A complementary tourist map aided us with working out our bearings around the city; and we quickly learnt that Finland is home to all things Angry Birds related - even having a retail shop dedicated to the game and its merchandise.
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| Angry Bird sweets |
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| Angry Bird soft drink |
Finding Lunch
As we only had a couple of hours (and were saddled up with heavy luggage) before check-in at the ferry for our onward journey to St Petersburg, Russia, we began looking for a place to eat. Looking like a pair of lost tourists, we were approached by a pair of 'green' people (they honestly looked like frogs) who were helpful volunteers from the tourist board. They directed us to some options but a lot of the menus were not in English, so in frustration the option of fried chicken looked appealing.
However, we then found a quiet Italian restaurant in the city centre and had a pasta and chicken rice dish, drank a pint of local beer and ate a rich cheesecake for dessert.
As we only had a couple of hours (and were saddled up with heavy luggage) before check-in at the ferry for our onward journey to St Petersburg, Russia, we began looking for a place to eat. Looking like a pair of lost tourists, we were approached by a pair of 'green' people (they honestly looked like frogs) who were helpful volunteers from the tourist board. They directed us to some options but a lot of the menus were not in English, so in frustration the option of fried chicken looked appealing.
However, we then found a quiet Italian restaurant in the city centre and had a pasta and chicken rice dish, drank a pint of local beer and ate a rich cheesecake for dessert.
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| Olie's chicken on rice dish |
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| Cheesecake |
Helsinki Trams
Helsinki has a tram network very similar to Melbourne and you have to buy a ticket from the machine before boarding; or top up using a swipe card. We caught the tram to the west pier where our ferry was docked and in perfect timing check-in had just opened.
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| Its a tram - same colours as the old Melbourne ones |
St Peters Line Ferry
Our friends that had previously traveled to Russia had warned us of the complications of obtaining a tourist visa. Whilst tours booked with an agent or through a large hotel can assist with the process; the application process involves handing over your passport at the embassy. However, arrangements made between St Petersburg and neighbouring cities of Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki has made the short stay tourist process a lot easier if you travel by ferry.
Ferry travel run by St Peters Line permits you to visit Russia 'visa-free' for 72 hours. The St Peters Lines website has an English 'manual' for customers on how to book tickets, how to select a cabin, fill out the visa/customs forms and basically hand-hold you through the process of getting dropped off in central St Petersburg. We found the entire process to be simple, sign-posted and would recommend it to others.
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| Our ferry |
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| The Princess Maria |
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| Never too late for last minute paint jobs |
72 Hour Visa Free Travel Rules
Watching Sunset
Market Square
The Harbour
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There are three 'rules' with the 72-hour visa free travel.
1) If you are staying for 72 hours, you must have proof of accommodation in St Petersburg pre-booked before you board the ferry;
2) You must be accompanied by a registered guide during your stay;
3) You must have your customs documentation and passport on you at all times.
Point 1 is satisfied easily by booking the hotel via the ferry company; Point 2 is assisted by the ferry company selling you a 'city tour' for arrival / departure from St Petersburg; Point 3 is just the insurance of keeping a photocopy of your passport and departure card documents with you in case you are stopped by authorities during your trip.
1) If you are staying for 72 hours, you must have proof of accommodation in St Petersburg pre-booked before you board the ferry;
2) You must be accompanied by a registered guide during your stay;
3) You must have your customs documentation and passport on you at all times.
Point 1 is satisfied easily by booking the hotel via the ferry company; Point 2 is assisted by the ferry company selling you a 'city tour' for arrival / departure from St Petersburg; Point 3 is just the insurance of keeping a photocopy of your passport and departure card documents with you in case you are stopped by authorities during your trip.
Ferry Cabins
Our cabin on the ferry contained a twin bed with bathroom and an outdoor window view that allowed us to track our journey through the Gulf of Finland (part of the Baltic Sea). The ferry contained a number of restaurants, bars and entertainment areas.
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| Our cabin |
Watching Sunset
As the evening was quite mild, we went to the top deck and watched the ferry pull out of the port, enjoyed some wine and watched a beautiful sunset over the water.
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| The skybar on the top deck |
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| Waiting for the ferry to leave port |
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| Goodbye Helsinki |
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| Sunset time - we became a bit obsessed with sunset on this trip |
Returning to Helsinki
At the conclusion of our St Petersburg visit, we returned back to Helsinki, arriving at 9am on the Monday morning. We found luggage storage options at the main train station in Helsinki - a choice of a locker with key or a manned concierge. Dropping off our bags, we started some sightseeing around town. The highlights included:
At the conclusion of our St Petersburg visit, we returned back to Helsinki, arriving at 9am on the Monday morning. We found luggage storage options at the main train station in Helsinki - a choice of a locker with key or a manned concierge. Dropping off our bags, we started some sightseeing around town. The highlights included:
Helsinki Cathedral (1852) / Senate Square
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At Senate Square
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The square hosts a number of food stalls. We ate a stew of reindeer and moose; and also some cardboard flavoured calamari rings.
Uspenski Cathedral
The Harbour
Rock Church
A church built in solid rock and used for concerts
A church built in solid rock and used for concerts
Koto Japanese Restaurant
After all the walking, we started feeling a bit peckish and we looked up places to eat. Olie had promised Mei a seafood lunch and therefore Japanese food sounded like the perfect solution. We found the restaurant Koto down a quiet street but realised that it had to be quality as it was completely full of lunchtime patrons. It is here that we made our salmon sashimi discovery - so good that we ordered two servings.
After all the walking, we started feeling a bit peckish and we looked up places to eat. Olie had promised Mei a seafood lunch and therefore Japanese food sounded like the perfect solution. We found the restaurant Koto down a quiet street but realised that it had to be quality as it was completely full of lunchtime patrons. It is here that we made our salmon sashimi discovery - so good that we ordered two servings.
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