Authentic café: Café Ekberg

Are you looking for an old authentic café in Helsinki? Café Ekberg on Bulevardi is the place to visit. Founded in 1852, the café offers a wide range of delicious pastries and also a breakfast and a lunch buffet during the week. On a sunny day, you can enjoy your cup of coffee on the terrasse on the pavement while looking at the trams passing. Next door, there is the pastry shop where you can buy all kinds of bakeries and pastries as well as bread. 

My  tip: everything is delicious! Just enjoy!

Website of Café Ekberg

Map with adresses of the tips

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Lumu, Scandinavian kitchens

Opened less than two years ago Lumu is a cosy Scandinavian restaurant located in the center of Lappeenranta. The meals offered are made with high quality raw materials inspired by the Nordic climate. The chef describes his restaurant concept as " To us, food is one of the biggest pleasures of life, that’s why we are not taking it too seriously!" At each season the menu changes presenting new flavors. Every week day there is a lunch for 15€. Prices are above the average but the quality is also much over the average.

Wild mushroom soup and dark bread

Reindeer sautee with mashed potatoes and cranberries

My tip: ask the waitress for recommendation

Website of the restaurant

Upadate July 2013: unfortunately the restaurant has changed. It is now the "Tang Capital", an Asian restaurant.

Ice skating on a lake or the sea

A bit everywhere in Finland there are outside ice skating rinks. It can be in school yards, on sports fields or on a lake or sea. In most of the places, skating is free and you can rent for a couple of Euros a pair of skates. The best place to skate is of course on natural  frozen water. In all the cities there are tracks maintained by machines to offer flat ice to the skaters. These tracks are secured and you have no risk that the ice breaks.

Tracks of 5, 7 and 12.5km on Kallavesi in Kuopio

My tip: this is a unique experience you should try at least once in your life. Once you are done, end your day with a local bakery and a cup of coffee.

Ice skating rinks in Helsinki

Hietalahti's market hall

The old market hall at the Southern harbour is currently closed for renovation. But in the meantime, the market hall of Hietalahti has just reopened its doors after an long period of renovation. Previously used as an antique market, the hall serves again its original purpose. Fresh food including meat and fish, bakeries and other obejcts are presented to the visitors. During the visit, it is possible to have a delicious lunch or a cup of coffee with a freshly baked pastry.

The market hall is easily accessible from the center by traveling with the tram 6 or walking along Bulevardi.

Marinated salmon

In summer time there is a flea market on the parking lot. It is a good place to find cheap items and talk with locals.

My tip: do not hesitate to ask the fish sellsmen if you can have a taste of the marinated fish and try one of his tasty breads.

Travel in whole Finland for 15€

VR, the national railway company, has a new offer. You have the opportunity to travel anywhere in Finland for only 15€ on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays between March 2nd and 26th. Tickets are on sales until March 9th. All you need is a Veturi account (Finnish address needed!).

Link to the offer

My tip: it takes only 24h to get a Veturi account and it's very useful as VR has often special offers. Special offers are announced by email before being published on the website.

Wrong Asian Kitchen

The Wrong restaurants (Helsinki - Yliopistonkatu 5, Espoo - Iso Omena and Sello shopping malls and Tampere - Keskustori 1) are a good option when you want to have a quick lunch. Just order which kind of noodles or rice you want with which filling: chicken, shrimps, soya, vegies or meat. The  offering also includes tasty starters, salads, soups and smoothies. You will get a portable calling system that will tell you when your food is ready. You can also take away and eat your noodles in a squarred package with sticks in a park or at the office.

My tip: ask for the bonus card. After you bought 6 meals, you can have a free drink. Or wait to have collected 12 stamps and get a free meal. The card is time limitless.

Wrong website

Restaurant Day

Every three months there is the restaurant day. What is it? It's a one day event in which anyone can open a popup restaurant (in a private flat, in a park, on a beach, in a street...). It's a great opportunity to visit several restaurants and try different dishes from appetizer to dessert and coffee. There are cuisines from all over the world for affordable prices. Be curious! You won't regret it. In Finland, this event is quite popular and many people tries the experience. It is in Helsinki that there are most restaurants. Next event: May 17th, 2014.

French pancakes

Korean Lunch

My tip: write down the addresses of the restaurants you want to visit and check the opening hours. Don't go too late for lunch as the food might be gone. Especially Asian and African food.

Find the restaurants

National Museum of Finland

The national museum of Finland is situated on the Mannerheimintie in Helsinki in front of the Finlandia hall and next to the parliament. This neoclassic building offers a journey to the visitor through Finnish history from the prehistory to the 20th century. Visitors will know more about the difficult conditions people were facing but also how they were adapting to Nature and climate. Finland is only independant since 1917. The museum shows how Sweded and then Russians were dominating the people. The Russian room shows the luxury of the Tsar and his family in contrast with the Finnish people that were living of agriculture and fishery. The museum has a large collections of coins, medals, decorations, silver and jewelery in the basement. Thirsty? The museum has its own café.

My tip: go there on Fridays from 4 to 6pm. Free entrance!

Opening hours:
Tue-Sun 11-18, Mon closed
Workshop Vintti Tue-Sun 12 noon - 4 p.m.
Closed Fri 29 March 2013, Good Friday.

Entry Fees:
Adult 8€
Reduced 6€ (students, senior citizens over 65 years, conscripts and groups more than 10 persons).
Entry is free for those under 18 years.

Free admission on International Museum Day 18 May and Helsinki Day 12 June.
Free admission with Helsinki Card.

Allun Grilli, the Mika Häkkinen restaurant

In Myyrmäki in Vantaa, there is a restaurant totally dedicated to the local Finnish legend Mika Häkkinen, only Finn who won twice the Formula 1 World Championship title (1998 and 1999). The owner of the restaurant was the first person to sponsorize little Mika when he was in karting and since, he is collecting all kinds of objects about Mika that you can admire in the whole restaurant. The restaurant is named the "grill of Allu". But who is Allu? It was the wife of the owner. Allun Grilli is opened since 40 years, previously located in Varisto. Everyday there are three lunch menus for 8.80€ to 9.70€ with salad, bread and coffee included. The restaurant offers Finnish food in a cozy athmosphere. Here you will be sure to meet locals and you can have a chat with the waitress or any other customers about Mika or Kimi Räikkönen. They love to talk about the good old times when Finns were the best.

My tip: if you are very hungry, try the "Häkä special". It's the favorite meal of Mika Häkkinen when he visits the restaurant (if you are very lucky, maybe you'll meet him). It's a steak (beef) with creamy peper sauce, french fries and blue cheese cream.

Opening hours
Weekdays 7.30-17.00
Saturday 11.00-17.00
Closed on Sunday

http://www.allungrilli.com/ (only in Finnish) 

Sports Museum of Finland

The sports museum of Finland is situated in the Olympic stadium in Töölö (Helsinki). It shows old sports equipment like the bone skates or swimming outfits from 1880 to the 1990. A special collection is dedicated to the Olympic Games of 1952 that were hold in Helsinki: pictures, medals, merchandizing, pieces of equipment and interesting board will tell you more about the event. Some famous sportsmen gave some pieces to the museum like the driving suit of Mika Häkkinen (formula 1) or the boots of Janne Ahonen (ski jumping). Paavo Nurmi (running) Finnish legend has his own window, telling more about his extraordinary career. The museum aquired in 1995 the medals collection of Matti Nykänen the greatest ski jumper of all times by a fund raising campaign. Upstairs, the collection tells more about the successes of the Finns at the Olympic Games in summer and in winter. You can also visit the sports library and archives of Finnish sport in the extension wing. The museum also has a shop where you can buy books, posters, postcards, badges and many other memorabilias.

Helsinki 2005 Athletism World Championships medals

Tip 1: this museum is open on Mondays and is a nice place to visit when the weather is not at its best.

Tip 2: buy a combo ticket and save 2€ for visiting the museum and admire the view at the top of the 111m stadium tower. Note that the tower is not accessible if there is an event.

Opening hours:
Mondays to Fridays
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturdays to Sundays

12 - 4 p.m.

Entry Fees: 5€/3€,
Free entry for people under 18 years of age

Stadium tower: 5€

Updated on Fevruary 6th, 2014

Concerts at Virgin Oil

Virgin Oil is an Italian restaurant (average prices) on the Mannerheimintie in Helsinki in front of Forum shopping center and between Stockmann and Sokos but also a club. Very often there are concerts, mostly local bands (newcomers but also famous bands) and some foreign artists. The tickets starts at 5€ until 40€ for the most famous bands. If it's written K-18 it means that you must be over 18. Tickets are available at http://www.tiketti.fi/ or at Tiketti's office in Kamppi (Urho Kekkosen katu 4 - 6).

Check the next venues (only in Finnish at the moment): Virgin Oil

My tip n°1: buy your ticket at the reception (bar) of the Virgin Oil and you won't pay the 1.50€ fee for the transaction.

My tip n°2: if you want to have diner at the restaurant before the concert, make a reservation as soon as possible (sometimes one week in advance is not enough!).

Phone number: 010 76 64000

How to save 40 to 50% on the trip Helsinki-Lahti

Lahti is situated at 100km North from Helsinki and it's the closest "big" city from the capital. There is a big shopping center, the Luhta outlet, diverse museums, a beautiful lake shore, ice karting and a great sports center where you can watch ice hockey, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, atheltics and much more. Going by train will cost 23.12€ (14.44€ for students) with the Pendolino or Intercity2. These trains are long distance trains that take 48 minutes of travel. You will find these trains on the VR website (www.vr.fi) and when you buy your tickets at a VR office or vending machine.

Please note: To get the student discount, you need a Finnish student card or the VR student card. International student cards are not accepted!

But there are some tips to save money.

My tips: The best option is to travel with the commuter train Z that leaves Helsinki every hour at 41 past, Pasila at 46 past and Tikkurila at 55 past and Lahti at 17 past. The trip lasts only 1 hour and 1 minute. A normal ticket costs 16.10€ (8.05€ for students). You can't buy your ticket online! Only at a VR office, vending machine or in the train.

Do you have a travel card for Helsinki region? You will save much more money! Go in the train Z (in Helsinki, Pasila or Tikkurila) and buy only your ticket when the conductor is checking the tickets (after Tikkurila or Kerava). Then you will pay your ticket only 11.90€ (5.95€ for students)! Make sure that you are seated in the part of the train where you can buy tickets (lippumyynti).

Why buying the ticket at Tikkurila? Because you don't want to pay twice your ticket Helsinki-Tikkurila (once to HSL with your travel card and once to VR).

Do you want to save a couple of more cents? Buy 10 tickets at Tikkurila station if you plan to go at least 5 times to Lahti within 2 months. It will cost 107.10€ (53.60€ for students). Another way to save money is to travel with a group.

Northern Lights Forecast

One of the main reasons why people decide to go to Finland is because they want to see the Northern Lights. This phenomenon is visible from September until April in Northern Finland. When the solar activity is very strong, you can see them until Helsinki, but last times it happened were in March 2005 and in 2013. Rovaniemi is the Southern city where you can see them almost every night. More you will be North and more chance you will have to see them.

What do you need to see them? 3 things:

• have a clear sky 
• avoid the light pollution
• be patient and lucky

Usually they appear between 10pm and 3am. They can come for a few minutes or paint the sky for hours. The brightness of the spectrum depends on the intensity of the solar activity. Before going to Lapland (1-2 days before), you can check the intensity on these websites: Aurora Forecast and Aurora Service

I took this picture when the intensity was 1 in Rovaniemi in February 2012 around 2am. (F/6.3, 30s, ISO800, 24mm). Do you know how to photograph the Northern Lights?

My tip: wear very warm clothes while you are waiting for the Northern Lights, and be careful to don't get lost. You can also take a snack and warm tea.

Updated on July 3rd, 2014

Finnish Doughnuts

Finns like all what comes from America: cars, hamburgers, muffins, clothes, customized coffees, music, street architecture and so on. And naturally there is a chain called Arnolds, created in 1991, which sells doughnuts. More than 10 different kinds are available as well as muffins and bagels. These pastries are bombs of calories but are so good especially after a long day out in the snow and cold.

But at Arnolds, you can also order a Korvapuusti, a traditional Finnish pastry called Spinny. It is served with vanilla toping and warm. Delicous but don't count the calories! It costs 3.20€.

My tip: ask for an Arnold's bonus card. Buy 5 doughnuts and get one for free! You have 12 months to fill the card.

Arnolds' website

Finnish Food in a Beautiful Place

In summer time everybody wants to eat on a terrace. In Kuopio, the place to be is situated in the passenger harbor. The restaurant is called Wanha Satama (old harbor), an old house in wood painted in blue surrounded by boats offering different hourly trips on the lake. The speciality is fish, freshly bought to the fishmen of Kallavesi. After a good meal, you can have a bear in the old pub of the harbour (in the same house). The decoration worth a visit!

My tip: ask the waitress for recommendation and you won't be disappointed!

Wanha Satama website

Travelling for 10, 20 or 30€

VR, the national railway company is selling one way tickets for round-figures fares on some trips in Finland. The offer is valid until February 8th and the travelling time is February 9th until March 10th. tickets can be purchased online, by phone or at any VR office or vending machine. Some of these offers are even cheaper than the student price!

My tip: train is the best way to travel in Finland with almost no delays and these offers are good opportunities to discover new cities. Why not going to Jyväskylä, Lappeenranta or Kuopio?

Go to the offers' page

Chinese New Year 2013

On February 9th we will celebrate the Chinese New Year in Helsinki. The celebrations will start on Lasipalatsi square (in front of Kamppi) with the New Year’s parade, Lion and dragon dances and music from China, Chinese market and food stalls,  New Year’s show live from Beijing on video screen and a lot more! Free entrance. At 18:30 fireworks will be shot over Töölönlahti. The shooting place is next to the Finlandia hall.

My tip: go ealy enough to Töölönlahti to find a good spot to watch the fireworks. My favorite place is the bridge next to the railway tracks. Don't go on the ice if there is no one else!

Coffee break at Robert's

A bit everywhere in Finland there are Robert's Coffee places. It's a bit the Finnish Starbucks: fancy coffees and expensive prices. But at least they serve real coffee. I was used to drink Italian espresso or Nespresso coffee and I have to say that for me, drinking Finnish coffee was quite painful. It's a bit like the American coffee: a lot of water, bitter taste and no real coffee taste. At Robert's they also have delicious pastries and sandwiches, teas and cold drinks. They have a lunch menu and free water with lemons or oranges.

My tip: ask for a Robert's card. After you bought 10 (or is it 12?) warm drinks, you have one for free!

Robert's coffee website

Reality Bites

It's the name of the current exhibition at the modern art museum of Helsinki: Kiasma. Opened on November 2nd, the visitors have the possibility to look at the art work until March 10th. Paintings, sculptures, videos, drawings will provoke the visitor. All emotions will be activated from admiration to vileness, from anger to laugh. Nobody will leave the building the same. Reality bites is a name that fits perfectly the art works, showing the crual reality of the everyday acts and decisions.

Opening Hours
Mon closed, Tue 10–17,
Wed–Fri 10–20.30,
Sat 10–18, Sun 10–17

Admission Fees:
Tickets 10/8€
Under 18 year-olds free

My tip: go there on the first Friday of the month 5 pm–8.30 pm. Free entrance!

Delicious Sushi Buffet

If you are a sushi lover, Tokyo55 is the restaurant you are looking for in Helsinki. Easily accessible with the tram 3T from the city center, the restaurant offers a lunch buffet with a wide choice of sushis freshly made, very innovative salads, a soup and coffee included.

The lunch buffet is open during weekdays from 11:00 to 14:00. The buffet costs 15€.

My tip: as the place is very popular and the number of seats is limited, go there as early as possible.

Address: Runeberginkatu 55, 00260 Helsinki
Phone number: 010 841 1111
Website: http://www.tokyo55.fi/