Neither Nicole nor I fell in love with Helsinki during a quick three day visit. The uniformity of the buildings and architecture and overall vibe are a bit bland for our tastes. Nonetheless, we did find some cool spots in the city.
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1. Klaus K Hotel
The hip, funky hotel where Nicole and I stayed for our visit. Admittedly, we got upgraded to a sweet (suite) room which added to the fun. The included Scandanavian, buffet-style breakfast was a daily highlight.
4. Johan & Nyström
Nicole loved this hip coffee spot along the waterfront. Perfect to combine with a stroll to the Old Market Hall.
2. Kuurna
A fancy local restaurant. Nicole and I treated ourselves to some fine dining after two and a half months in Southeast Asia. The setting is intimate and homey with the wine list scribbled in chalk on the wall. We loved it.
5. Galleria G & Grafoteeki
A cool, free gallery to pop in if you are nearby. Plan on five to ten minutes to look around and not worth going out of your way to get to. But if you are in the area, we really enjoyed browsing the varied photography and art on display.
3. Old Market Hall
A great indoor marketplace packed with local Scandanavian products. Although here, Nicole and I learned that meringue cookies are better in theory than practice. Nonetheless, a great destination for a walk in the city.
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Last visited: June 2017
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