The northern lights of finland - Helsinki

In November 2023, I booked my Collette Explorations Northern Lights of Finland Tour. The ads of glass igloos, snow, and the chance to see the northern lights was appealing. In May 2024 on the IcelandIc Adventure Explorations tour, I met my Tour Manager Luciana. She was the best and I was excited to learn that she would be my Tour Manager for Finland!

Journey to Helsinki

As all Collette tours start (with flight purchase), I was provided car service to pick me up from home to transfer me to the airport. I was leaving out of DCA which is rare for me, to head to JFK. I stared with American Airlines first class for my quick flight to JFK. I was disappointed to learn that American first class does not come with access to their lounge. Luckily, I was able to gain access to the Capital One Lounge due to my Capital One Venture X card. The lounge was small but was in the right terminal I needed and provided provide restrooms, bar service, the ability to order from a menu as well as a counter. The food and cocktails were great, and all free to me. I met up with my friend Ashley (who was attending the tour with me) at JFK to take our long Finnair flight together to Helsinki. I tried their specaility cocktail the Northern Blush and it was delicous. Before landing I also had their famous blueberry juice, which I loved Traveling to Finland, there is always great berry juice served.

Arrival Day â€“ Helsinki

After landing and collecting our bags, a car was already waiting for us to take us to our hotel. We arrived at Hotel Lillia Robert, a cozy and stylish hotel that I really enjoyed. If you are coming to Helsinki, I highly recommend it. The bed was comfortable, robes and slippers provided, the shower was a dream, very walkable location, and the hotel’s breakfast is incredible every day. The bar at the hotel was also amazing, I cannot resist a cocktail with elderflower in it.

Once we were settled in, we decided to explore the city a little bit on foot. Our first stop wasÂ Espresso House, where we had our first Finnish cinnamon bunâ€”absolutely delicious. Espresso House seems to be a chain in Finland however, the cinnamon bun there was actually the best one we had on the trip. We continued our walk to take in the sights and sounds of Helsinki.

For dinner, we were treated to a traditional Finnish experience atÂ Savotta, a charming restaurant offering classic Finnish dishes. TheÂ salmon soup appetizerÂ was a highlight, rich in flavor and perfectly balanced. Salmon soup is found a lot in Finland and I loved it. Savotta even served it in an authentic kuksa cup. For the main course, I had fish, which you will also find in abundance all over Finland. TheÂ blueberry dessertÂ was a true surpriseâ€”think of it as a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie dough, but with blueberries baked inside. It was paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, making for the perfect sweet ending to the meal. Afterward, we made our way back to the hotel, ready for a good nightâ€™s rest before the next dayâ€™s adventures.

Day 2 â€“ Exploring Helsinki

We kicked off day 2 meeting up with a local guide for aÂ city tour, which included a combination of a bus ride and walking tour, allowing us to explore the must-see sights of Helsinki.

Our first stop was theÂ Rock ChurchÂ (Temppeliaukio Church), a stunning architectural marvel carved directly into solid rock. We then toured the beautiful Helsinki Central Library. This library is beautiful on the outside however, it’s a true masterpiece within. It has cafes throughout, areas for visitors to play chess, read complete projects, play area for children, has robots that assist with moving items around the library, and has a second floor full of equipment and space for learning. From there, we visited theÂ Sibelius Monument, an incredible sculpture that pays tribute to Finlandâ€™s national composer, Jean Sibelius. We continued toÂ Senate Square, home to the majesticÂ Helsinki Cathedral, an iconic landmark in the city. TheÂ Tori Quarters, with its charming 19th-century buildings and Empiric design, was another highlight, followed by a stroll through the bustlingÂ Market Square.

During our free time, we took the opportunity to visitÂ Fazer CafÃ©, one of Finland’s most famous spots for pastries, coffee, and chocolate. Afterward, we visited theÂ Food HallÂ located right on the water to explore Finnish culinary delights, from fresh produce to delicious local specialties.

We took aÂ ferry rideÂ to Suomenlinna Fortress, a UNESCO world heritage site. We returned to the hotel and took an Uber toÂ LÃ¶yly Sauna for our reservation.

A True Finnish Sauna Experience

LÃ¶yly Sauna was an experience unlike any other. It is voted one of the 100 greatest places in the world by Time Magazine. We spent two hours enjoying the traditional Finnish sauna, alternating between the warmth of the sauna and plunges into theÂ cold Baltic Seaâ€”four times in total. Afterward, we dined at their restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious meal to end the day.