I visited Helskinki 24 years ago on a coach tour of Scandinavia.  It was near the end of the trip and after a short drive to see the main sights, we were dropped off at the central square for free time. I remember finding very little to do, and thinking Helsinki didn’t have a lot to offer.  So I was interested to see if much had changed.  We had only a short port visit with a 4pm sailing, but I thought half a day would be pretty comfortable.

Helsinki has an excellent tram network; they shuttle round all over the place and arrive frequently.  We bought a day ticket each and jumped on board the No 9 at the nearest stop.  Fifteen minutes later we were right in the centre of town.  We took some time to revisit the places I remembered – the railway station, the Senate Square, the Russian cathedral, and the harbourside market.  There were certainly a lot more shops and restaurants than I remembered.

Determined to get value from our tram ticket, we rode the No 4 to its eastern end – up the hill past the Russian church, through some residential areas, to its terminus a short walk from the water at Katajanokka.  We wandered along a path beside the water looking at small islands and boats, before reaching the terminal where the ferries depart for Tallinn and Stockholm.  From there we boarded the No 5 back to the station, and changed back to the No 4 Westbound.  We rode it all the way to its western end in Munkkiniemi.

There was time for a walk, so we set off along what looked like a private road.  We were certainly in an upmarket district, with several embassies, a Hilton Hotel and a convention centre.  The road was lined with forest, and a short scramble up a rock face brought us onto a rough trail along a ridge.  We made our way through conifers and berry-laden trees.  It was very different from sightseeing in town, and we were pretty sure that no-one else on the ship would be doing the same thing!  After a while we dropped back onto the road then followed a lakeside path back to the tram.  It was lovely to have fresh air, green space, and no crowds.

Back on (you guessed it) the No 4, we disembarked beside Toolonlahti Lake, a popular spot for picnicking, walking and cycling.  Bikes are very well catered for all over Helsinki, with clearly marked, separated, smooth bike lanes.  It’s a pity that you can probably only ride for a few months each year.  We walked past Finlandia Hall and saw some of the more modern buildings in this area.

By now it was lunchtime, and we found ourselves eating delicious pita breads (GF), and catching up online with super fast wifi.  Perfect!  We were enjoying a relatively relaxed day, strolling through parks and beside lakes, and wishing for a couple more hours to ride the trams and see how the locals live.  But alas, it was time to board the No 6T and return to the ship.  As a consolation, we met a new friend … Helsinki is just a little bit strange!

The day ended as it usually does, with a flurry of onboard activities .  The highlight was the string quartet, which performed some classical/rock fusion numbers (think Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir).  Those girls can seriously play!