As the train from St. Petersburg crossed into Finland, I was instantly struck by the endless greenery—lakes upon lakes stretching as far as the eye could see. Finland is truly deserving of its reputation as “the land of a thousand lakes”—in fact, there are over 150,000 of them! While Finland is famous for its northern lights, it’s also a must-visit destination in summer. Even the urban cities of Helsinki, Turku, and Espoo are designed so that within a 15-minute walk, you can find yourself in the wilderness. I even spotted a deer and a wild rabbit right in the heart of Helsinki!
During the beautiful five days I spent in Helsinki and Turku, I was amazed by Finland’s fantastic public transport. I’ve traveled on public transport all over Europe, and I honestly think Helsinki is way ahead of the rest. The efficiency of the system deserves a post of its own! And here’s a quirky tip: explore the metro stations in Helsinki. Many are architecturally stunning and incredibly deep—the Kamppi metro station, for example, is an incredible 102 feet underground!
I stayed in an Airbnb on the outskirts of Helsinki, with a lovely lake just a couple of minutes’ walk from the house—all to myself. Helsinki is a wonderfully walkable city, with that classic old-town charm you find in many European capitals. One absolute must-visit is the island of Suomenlinna. It’s so beautiful that I went there twice! The ferry ride is included in your travel pass, which is a great bonus. As I did in other cities, I hopped on trams and buses to their last stops just for the adventure, and ended up discovering amazing places that aren’t in any tourist guide.
Although I’m not usually a fan of modern architecture, the homes I saw during my walk along the southern coast near Espoo left me awestruck. Simple, straight lines—practical yet incredibly classy. Walking near the Rantaraitti seaside is a must, especially if you want to see tiny islands with just a single house and a boat. Owning an island is apparently quite common in Finland!
Unlike many Europeans, Finnish people are quite chatty. A local I met on my walk told me that the entire stretch of the Baltic Sea between Finland and Tallinn used to freeze over, and people could ski across in winter. But this hasn’t happened in the last five years—so now, to ski, they have to go farther north. Climate change is real.
I also spent a day in Turku, a lively university town with some amazing street art. Here’s a tip: if you want to cruise the Baltics but aren’t keen on the expensive cruises, take the ferry from Turku instead of Helsinki. I did a 12-hour cruise from Turku to Stockholm for just 31 euros (with a cabin!), compared to the usual 100 euros from Helsinki to Stockholm. Plus, I got to see one more city along the way!