Helsinki Wanderlust

This is one of three official recidences for the president of Finland. It was finnished in 1993 and so far three Finnish presidents have lived there, Mauno Koivisto, Martti Ahtisaari and the current president Tarja Halonen.

It’s really big and looks very different to say the least. It was designed by Reima and Raili Pietilä and has 4,210 m² of floor space. There’s 300 windows, 212 corners on the exterior and 190 doors (of which 180 are all individual). I’d really like to see that up close.

Amazingly enough I haven’t got around to visiting this place yet, even if I’ve planned it for a long time already. But I can tell you this though. The museum in itself is a part of history since it is one of Finland’s most significant national-romantic works of architecture. It was built 1905-1910 and opened for the public in 1916.

Entry fees:
Adults: 6 €
Students, Senior citizens over 65, conscripts and groups with over 10 people: 4 €
Free entry for people under 18 years of age.
Free admission on Tuesdays from 5.30 pm to 8 pm.
Free entry with Helsinki Card.

This place has free entry. You only pay for the rides. And it’s open until 10 p.m. almost every day during summer so it’s a good place to go later in the day when the parks lights are lit. Actually, it would be cool to see Helsinki late in the evening from the new ferris wheel or the panorama tower. You get a good view since the park is on top of a hill and there aren’t any tall buildings in the way. I haven’t done that yet.

Recently ate dinner at this restaurant and liked it very much. It’s nicely decorated with a big collection of valuable paintings depicting many historical Finnish personalities. The price range is also very good considering its location so close to the center of Helsinki. I ordered a so called St. Urhon Pannu, which included a small beef, sausages, good french frice, a good sauce and a small salad. It was the first time in a long while that I actually couldn’t eat everything on the plate since there was so much. And the price was only 12,50 €! This place is also open really late (until 4 a.m.) and you can order food until then.

There’s also a good pub (St. Urhos Pub) in conjuction with Manala, and a nightclub up stairs.

This place also goes under the name Botta, which is short for Ostrobothnia – the name of the house. It’s the home of three student nations at Helsinki University, all from Ostrobothnia on the Finnish west coast.

The place to get cheap beer, although the prices are rising as the popularity is increasing. A sign of this are the cool clubs that have opened in the area during the last few years.

The Suomenlinna Seafortress is on a couple of islands just outside Helsinki, so it will take a while going there and coming back. You’ll probably want to reserve more than two hours for the whole thing so I recommend that you plan eating there as well. There are a couple of restaurants there, but I recommend that you do a picnic instead. There are excellent spots to do this all over the islands, but a really good one is the southern end of Kustaanmiekka. And remember, DO NOT LITTER! Ok? ;-)

I lived the first 18 years of my life in Töölö so it it had a huge part of making me the kind of person I am. After that i’ve lived there for 2 more years as an adult.

Check out what kind of evening they are having. Anyway It will be fun. Its good times. People had thay hands on the roof!
Party hardy
:)

The place to buy supplies, tourist memories, food, or clothing. Don’t miss the Academic Bookstore located next to the main department store.

Just off one of Helsinki’s major parks with a great view of the sea.