Our second destination in Finland during our two-week summer trip through Europe was Helsinki. After taking a private shuttle from Turku, we arrived around 11 am and had the rest of the day to explore this beautiful city.

We kicked off our visit with a walking tour, which we booked for free through Get Your Guide. It’s a great concept given that everyone pays the guide through tips. It’s perfect as it’s available to tourists of all budgets. Our guide was fantastic, not only sharing the city’s history but also offering insights into modern life in Helsinki, including stories about her student experiences. Here is some of the history she told us about:

We learned about Finland’s three main historical periods: the Swedish period, the Russian Empire period, and the time of Finnish independence.

Finland was part of the Kingdom of Sweden from around the 12th century until 1809. During this time, the area was made up of scattered tribes and completely controlled by Sweden. Turku, due to its proximity to present-day Sweden, was the capital.

Next came the Russian Empire period, from 1809 to 1917, which is when history actually got interesting (according to our guide!). Finland didn’t have many natural resources, so why would Russia want to control it? The answer lies in Finland’s strategic location. It bordered Sweden, which was growing in power. Helsinki’s proximity to Saint Petersburg across the Baltic Sea made it an ideal capital, replacing Turku.

Under Russian rule, Finland was allowed a surprising level of autonomy. The Finnish people weren’t required to convert religions or adopt the Russian language, and for the first time, Finland could govern itself. Everyone for the most part was content with this. However, in the later years of Russian rule, things started to change. Russia began pushing for reforms and tighter control, which didn’t sit well with the Finnish people. Instead of going to war, they took a more diplomatic approach. In 1917, Finland sent a letter requesting independence. Russia, dealing with its own internal turmoil during a revolution, granted Finland independence by simply signing the request.

Since 1917, Finland has been an independent nation.

Senate Square is a fascinating place with a lot of history. The layout, designed during the Russian Empire era, is grand and visually striking. At the center of the square is the iconic Helsinki Cathedral (Tuomiokirkko), surrounded by other important buildings like the Government Palace and the University of Helsinki, which was relocated from Turku after Helsinki became the capital.

Just around the corner, you’ll find the Presidential Palace, which isn’t much of a palace despite the name. When we visited, the Finnish flag was raised, signaling that the president was in residence. As we walked by, we even got to witness the changing of the guards, it was fun to watch!

We also learned that in Finland, flags can only be raised for the entire day on 30 specific days throughout the year. This is apart from the Swedish embassy and the Finnish government buildings, where flags are flown daily. Funnily enough, the Finnish flag is always raised about a foot higher than the Swedish flag which is right next door. This is symbolizing Finland’s pride and, as our guide joked, showing that Finland is just that little bit better!

Continuing walking, we saw a statue of a lady named Havis Amanda where all the Fins in the country gather around and decorate every year on May 1st for their graduation of high school. They all wear their white graduation caps to celebrate. 

The last stop on our walking tour was Kansalaistori Square. Here, we learned about Finland’s largest media outlet, the Sanoma House. The entire building is made of glass—even on the inside—which is meant to symbolize transparency, freedom of the press, and the public’s right to express themselves. It’s especially striking, as it sits directly across from the Parliament House, reinforcing the importance of openness in democracy. Also in Kansalaistori Square is the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, which is amazing! I wish every town had a library like this. It offers everything from computers, quiet study rooms, recording studios, sewing machines, 3D printers, game stations, board games, of course books and more. Most of these amenities are free to use, with only minimal costs for materials in some cases. We walked through after the tour, and it’s massive!

Afterwards, we headed to Kauppatori Market Square for lunch, where we enjoyed delicious salmon and fish soup—yum! We also picked up some fruits, including mini kiwis that were surprisingly so good. I had no idea they originated from Portugal!

Next, we visited the Allas Sea Pool, located in the harbor on a dock over the water. It’s a funny concept to have pools right next to the ocean. I kept alternating between the saunas and the colder pool, which used sea water and felt just like swimming in the Baltic Sea—it was incredibly refreshing. After our swim, we stopped at the café and tried a popular Finnish drink called Hartwall Long Drink, the original cocktail in a can. Much better than the seltzers in the US if you ask me!

Helsinki was very interesting and we had a great time there. Definitely a city I wouldn’t have wanted to miss even with the short amount of time we had there.

Boarding a two hour cruise the next day, we were on our way to the next destination: Tallin, Estonia!