It was over two years since we explored the world beyond UK. So all of us were equally excited and apprehensive when we took our first holiday since Covid. Easter was generally not an ideal time to visit Scandinavia as it would still be cold. With forecasts calling rain and wind, I had pretty much lost all hopes of a good vacation. We were pleasantly surprised!
Finland, a country that’s usually out of a traveler’s map until winter, was our choice for the Easter break of 2022. The year when COVID regulations eased and travels resumed. We had planned for 5 days including travel and were exploring on how to distribute them between Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn when we realised that it might be our only chance to visit Lapland and the Arctic Circle. Stockholm was quickly dropped out of the itinerary and Rovaniemi was added. There was one concern though. We had to increase the budget to accommodate this change. The travel to Rovaniemi and back and the stay there proved to be a little more expensive than we thought in spite of it not being the season. After trying out various permutations and combinations we decided to fly and return by train, hence experience more of what Finland has to offer.
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Day 0 -Travel
I always like to call the first day we travel as Day 0 and it is always a good idea to travel the evening before and rest before we start fresh for our explorations. Flew KLM from Birmingham and reached Helsinki just around midnight after a brief but hurried transit at Schiphol. We decided to stay the night at an airport hotel instead of venturing into the city, which would not only be expensive and adventurous but also logical since we were flying out the next day to Rovaniemi. We chose Scandic Avia Congress over Holiday Inn simply because we wanted to tray out a new brand that’s very specific to this part of the world and we didn’t go wrong. The free shuttle arrived on time at the designated stop outside the terminal and we reached the hotel 10 minutes later.
Day 1 – Helsinki City
After a sumptuous breakfast, we checked out and left our bags at the hotel before taking the shuttle back to the airport. We then boarded the train (I or P, can never remember which one) from the airport station to take us to the centre of Helsinki. Calculating the cost of transport that we were most likely to use that day we decided to purchase the day ticket from the machines in the station. They worked out cheaper than buying individual tickets. HSL’s website offers all necessary information and is a great planning tool. I also used their app extensively to find out routes and times.
The train traveled through the suburbs and lakes before reaching the Central Station. To our great relief it wasn’t raining or windy as predicted but it was cold with temperatures just above 0. It was noon by the time we had checked out of our hotel and being Good Friday most of the shops and attractions closed at 6. As we had very little time we decided to use it wisely. Our first destination was the Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square. We walked from the central station along Aleksanterinkatu, the main shopping zone with its elaborate facades and super large stores.
Helsinki Cathedral
The first sight of Helsinki Cathedral was very impressive. Though we spotted the top of the dome with its gilded cross from everywhere, the white walled structure, the set of steps leading up to it and the expansive square in which it was located gave us a lasting impression. Often representing Helsinki in pictures, the cathedral in the shape of a Greek cross was built in the mid of the 19th century as a tribute to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia who was then the Grand Duke of Finland. The dome of this cathedral defines the skyline of Helsinki, be it from the sea or from land.
Sibelius Monument
Several pictures later we decided to visit the Sibelius Monument in Töölö. Our first and only tram ride took us from Senate Square to the Sibelius Park, an expanse of greenery. With 600 hollow steel pipes welded together to look like an abstract wave form, the monument was designed and built in 1967 as a dedication to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. There’s supposedly a smaller version at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Soon a bus tour arrived and we hurriedly took a few pictures before walking down to the seaside to have the sandwiches we had brought.
Temppeliaukion (Rock) Church
Our next destination was the Temppeliaukion Church or the Rock Church. Since there were no direct transportation options available and the sun was out shining we decided to walk the 1.5 kms. Carved entirely out of a rock, topped with a copper dome the church seemed ethereal with sunlight streaming from the all-around skylight. There was a concert later that evening and the musicians were setting up when we entered. Boasting of excellent acoustics, concerts here are a thing. We got a glimpse into what a concert would have sounded like when the musicians started rehearsing. We considered ourselves very lucky to have heard this ensemble in one of the best concert venues in the world!
We then walked down to the Kamppi shopping centre for some chocolate shopping ( Karl Fazer) and some coffee before heading back to the central station for our train back to the airport. It is a long walk from the station’s main concourse to the platforms from where the trains to the airport depart and we had to run to catch the one that was almost leaving. Only later we realised that the next one from the same platform was just a few minutes away. We reached the airport in under 40 minutes, collected our bags from the hotel and checked-in for our Finnair flight to Rovaniemi.
A quick hour’s flight north and we arrived in Rovaniemi where Santa and his reindeers greeted us! Before you think that it was the real Santa, it was our pick up from Santa Claus Holiday Village! Rovaniemi is on the Arctic Circle (66º 34’N) and is the official home office of Santa Claus. The Santa Claus Village is the biggest attraction here and what better way to experience it other than staying right next to it! We soon reached our beautiful cabins decorated with lights and with their own mini Christmas trees. With all that walking I had clocked over 20,000 steps on my watch and it was time to hit the pillow after a long and exhilarating day!
Fly ✧ Ride ✧ Drive 