Beer, beer, beer at Oktoberfest!

After yesterday’s enthralling yet exhausting trip to Europa Park, any hopes I had of a relaxing day were dashed as Oktoberfest was on the menu. The world-famous Bavarian tradition was in town, and was not to be missed.

Set in Theresienwiese in the center of Munich, Oktoberfest is a homage to the Bavarian tradition of beer and celebration, with hearty German meals on offer that are traditionally washed down with Oktoberfest beer supplied in always-packed beer tents. Both men and women dress up in traditional Bavarian dress, with the men donning lederhosen and the women sporting dirndi.

Not exactly lederhosen (Bavarian traditional attire for men) but an example of the garb seen adorning the fellas at Oktoberfest

Traditional Bavarian hat (Tirolerhüte) with tufts of chamois hair (gamsbart)

But Oktoberfest isn’t just about alcohol – it’s also host to a large variety of rides, games and Bavarian food (nuts, sausages, sweets, drinks and lollies) that make it otherwise a family-friendly event. It was a unique experience simply wandering the packed grounds (I went on October 2nd, which was a public holiday in Munich) and seeing everything in action. The ride I went on had five upside down loops, yet another scary and exciting memory for the archives!

Sweeeeeeets

We all scream for ice cream!

Traditional German gingerbread is on offer at Oktoberfest – it’s a couple gift for a guy to buy and give to his special lady. Apparently it’s not meant to be eaten but hung up in the house.

No day is complete without a sky high drop!

After seeing the sights on the ground, it was time to move into one of the tents to try out the local brew. That’s where part of the challenge lies in Oktoberfest – tents are in high demand, with a limited number of seats available for the food and drink on offer. Companies (who frequently use Oktoberfest as a team building/celebration activity) and large groups have been known to reserve tables at Oktoberfest more than 6 months in advance to secure a spot. Luckily, with our group of two, we found a seat in one of the tents within 15 minutes.

Joining two groups of locals at our table, we promptly ordered a 1L each of the beer. I looked on in avid interest at the groups of German folk indulging in German food and drink as German music and drinking songs pulsated around us. I even spotted a man dance for five minutes on top of a table!

Being not much of a drinker, it took me a good while to finish off the 1L beer. Beer still isn’t really my thing but it was worth it for the Oktoberfest experience, even though I didn’t understand much of what was said or the music playing from the stage.

The infamous Oktoberfest 1L beer

Attraction details – Oktoberfest

Directions: Oktoberfest be easily reached by U-Bahn, S-Bahn and bus as it takes place within the centre of Munich. For detailed transport information, consult the Deutsche Bahn website.

Admission: Admission is free, so you only pay for the rides, food and beer you consume. Note that the infamous Oktoberfest beer is only available in 1L quantities and is charged at 10 euros each. A bit steep for a beer, but you’re paying for the brand and the atmosphere as well as the beer.

Rating: 4/5 – a great experience for any first-time traveler to Munich. I only downgraded it slightly as I don’t really buy into the heavy drinking culture promoted by Oktoberfest.

Traveler tips:

• Oktoberfest beer is stronger than normal beer, so keep this in mind to pace yourself as you drink. Plenty of inebriated people can be spotted leaving Oktoberfest, having misjudged their capacity for grog.
• Eat your food and take the rides you want to before you consume any beer to avoid unexpected surprises later
• If you want to get a table without a reservation, be prepared to wait. The smaller your group, the greater your chance of getting a table. In any case, arrive early to secure a spot.
• If you aren’t a fan the full strength beer, you can order a radler which is beer mixed with lemonade and is slightly cheaper too.

Have you been to Oktoberfest? What was your experience like?

 

Europe sized fun at Europa Park

For my first day in Munich, a friend suggested we take advantage of the extensive regional train network and journey to Europa Park, a massive theme park that, like its name suggests, is designed according to the different countries of the European Union.

Having arrived at Munich Hauptbahnhof (HBF – Munich Central Station) from Paris two hours later than I intended (after sitting in the wrong position on the 9:30pm train arriving into Munich, which landed me in Strasbourg), I was told that in order to reach Europa Park by its 9am opening time we had to get to the train station at around 3am! As I had only arrived at my friend’s place at around 12:30am and needed time to unpack and have something to eat, I was understandably exhausted and not looking forward to the prospect of even more travel. To throw a spanner into the works, we had missed our bus to the Munich HBF from where our train would depart, forcing us to take a cab instead. Despite the crazy ride, my friend assured me it was worth it, so off we went with no sleep to one of the largest amusement parks in Europe…

The journey there was very disjointed, involving five changes of trains and seven trains in total (Munich to Stuttgart HBF, Stuttgart HBF to Karlsruhe HBF, Karlsruhe HBF to Ringsheim on the way there; Ringsheim to Offenburg, Offenburg to Karlsruhe HBF, Karlsruhe HBF to Sturttgart HBF and Stuttgart HBF to Munchen HBF on the return leg). Added to that, there was another bus we needed to take from Ringsheim to the Europa Park itself. The hop on-hop off journey gave me little opportunity to sleep continuously, leaving me feeling ready to collapse. So much drama before I’d even set foot inside the Park! The kick in the face came when I found out Europa Park is actually 30km away from Strasbourg…meaning I’d basically traveled from Strasbourg to Munich three times in one day, and could have traveled directly to the Park without going all the way to Munich and back.

Forgive the pun, but I was in for one hell of a ride at Europa Park! Traveling through the different countries of the theme park, I was treated to over eight hours of fun through jaw-drop inducing rollercoasters, water rides, shoot-em-ups, cart rides, train rides and any other ride you can think of! The multicultural design of the park lends itself to a multitude of European food options, with Greek, Italian, French, German, Finnish and various others available. The park was also decorated in a fun, bright and engaging manner, with Halloween being the theme during our visit in the first week of October.

The ‘France’ region of Europa Park

The Halloween theme in action at Europa Park

Clogs of Europe!

My favourite rides were ‘Blue Fire’ and ‘Silver Star’, both of which were thrilling, unbelievably high and fast rollercoasters that made me laugh, scream and smile seemingly all at once. I even went on the Silver Star twice at my friend’s bequest!

Attraction details – Europa Park

Directions: Europa Park can be reached by regional train. Consult the Deutsche Bahn website for detailed train and transport information.

Admission: All inclusive admission (entry and access to rides) for adults during the summer season is normally 42.50 euros, but as my friend is a journalist, he was able to obtain a complementary press pass for two. This made it exceptional value for me combined with my rail pass, which provided all day transport to Europa Park and back. Compared to other theme parks such as Tivoli which charge both an exorbitant entry fee and a fee per ride, Europa Park hits the sweet spot of being both affordable and interesting to a broad range of audience groups, with its Europe theme and plentiful options for food and rides.

Rating: 5/5. My friend was right – Europa Park is seriously the real deal. A must-do if you are in the vicinity.

Traveler’s tips:

• Pack some food and drink to avoid the overpriced food options at the Park.
• Get there at opening time to maximise your experience. Also try and go on a weekday to avoid the rush on weekends or public holidays.
• If you’re not the biggest fan of rides, consider taking an extreme ride followed by a gentle ride and then repeating this until you have done all the rides you are interested in
• Upon entering the Park, proceed to the middle or back of the Park to avoid the often congested lines at the front areas. There are signs clearly indicating the expected wait time for each ride.
• As you get more tired throughout the day, consider taking the provided intra-Park train service. The train departs from a central location and stops at several key ‘countries’ in the Park.

What has your experience been at Europa Park? What are your favourite theme parks inside and outside Europe?

Must dos in Paris

Note: This is a subjective perspective on my time in Paris, and the below list will obviously differ from person to person. I also only went to Versailles outside the Paris city areas, so take this into account as well. Links go to Trip Advisor pages.

Must dos in Paris

• Eiffel Tower (both during the day and night): The Eiffel Tower is famous for a reason, and after visiting, I know why. It is not only a feat of impressive architecture with its unique double-arched, steel-grey structure, it offers amazing brilliant views of nearly all areas of Paris. It is a great place to simply stand and enjoy the view of Paris and be in awe of what you are witnessing. There is access via an elevator and a cheaper fee for access via a set of stairs. I recommend the stairs to save money and also for the exercise! The elevator access goes to a third, higher floor than stair access (which only goes to the 1^st and 2^nd floors), however the views are the best from the second floor so you are not really missing out on anything by taking the stairs. The Eiffel Tower and Paris is like The Great Wall in China – you can’t not go if you visit. I’ve heard the views at night are amazing (unfortunately I missed out this time around) and it is something you won’t easily forget.
  

  The Eiffel Tower

• The Louvre – Another world-famous Paris attraction, The Louvre simply has to be seen. It is an unbelievably large and expansive museum containing multiple levels of sculptures, paintings, relics, artifacts and of course the famous Mona Lisa. Even if you don’t like museums as I do, you’ll find something to enjoy at The Louvre. And if you really don’t want to pay, entry is free after 6pm on Friday until its closure at 9:45pm.
• Versailles: For reasons talked about at length previously, Versailles is a triple threat of history, nature and architecture. Can’t get better than that. Make a day of it and just soak in everything.
• Luxembourg Gardens: This stunning garden in the 3^rd arrondisement is Paris’s most famous park, and it’s easy to see why. It contains beautiful fountains, pretty flora and great photo opportunities for nature lovers everywhere. There’s also often free music playing in the park as I found on the occasion I went.
  

  The magnificent Luxmbourg Gardens

• People-watching at a café: Parisians love to sit back over some food and just watch the world go by. I mean it – people-watching is a It is initially strange to comprehend from an outsider’s perspective but after trying it, it is strangely peaceful and enjoyable. Paris is bustling enough that it never gets boring, and you will enjoy seeing a variety of characters move about their daily lives for your amusement. Be sure to choose a place on a corner for an unrestricted view of the street.
• Eat cake and sweets! Paris also excels in this department and is a veritable sweettooth’s paradise. There is simply too much to eat even if you ate sweets for every meal so pick and choose to your heart’s content. Try the bakeries (“boulangeries”), specialty chocolatiers and macaron shops, and you can’t go wrong. When in Paris, eat cake, ice cream…and tarts…and macarons…and chocolate…and…palmiers…
  

  Delicious ice cream from the Ile-St-Louis (1st arrondisement)

• Have a picnic in a park: Paris has so many parks and wide open spaces, they are something of a favourite haunt to while away the afternoon. Parisians are frequently seen sporting bread, cheese, meats and wine (which can be bought at your local grocer in Paris!) in parks and picknicking with gusto. You should too. Aside from Luxembourg Gardens, the Place des Vogues near Victor Hugo’s house is another popular spot, Pont Neuf near the Notre Dame is nice and intimate and somewhere along the Seine can never go astray.
• Boulevard St Germain and The Latin Quarter – The former, a lovely winding boulevard, is full of nice shops and restaurants, and is home to its very own Melbourne-style laneway, the Andre St Commerce. The second, is the beating student centre of Paris, home to many of its universities and full of restaurants that won’t break the bank.
• The Marais – This quirky area, spanning both the 3^rd and 4^th arrondisements, is another one for those looking for something off the beaten track. It is at once the Jewish epicentre of Paris with many great felafel shops, and the gay-friendly neighbourhood of the city. Restaurants prices are generally affordable here too.
• Take a walk around the city at night – The city is a beautiful gem at night and people stay out much later than they do in Australia. So there is a very lively atmosphere to Paris, almost as if the city doesn’t sleep. Certain areas of the city come alive at night so it’s worth taking the time to discover them.

The Montmarte area near the Sacre Coeur church at night

What do you think the must dos in Paris are? Let me know in the comments below!

Pretty as a postcard in Versailles

Undoubtedly, there is plenty to do in Paris, the infamous City of Love. However, one of the best attractions to do in France isn’t in the ‘city’ of Paris at all but in fact in the regional area of Versailles. It was here that was to be my first experience in the land of the red, blue and white.

The Palace of Versailles

I joined the queue to get in (having thankfully pre-purchased my ticket online and thus avoiding the additionally long queues to buy tickets) and was inside within 10-15 minutes. There are separate entrance points to the Palace, and the Gardens (from which point Marie-Antoinette’s Chateau and the Grand Trianon can be accessed; the Chateau is a thirty minute walk from the Palace and the Grand Trianon a further walk from the Chateau). I decided on entering the Palace first, which seemed to be the prime attraction from the main entrance.

After passing through security and baggage checks, I finally entered the Palace. The Palace is a series of rooms (the Grand Apartments) set up in the style of the olden days of France. It is filled with beautiful furniture, paintings, art, chandeliers and architecture from days gone by. The style is very decadent and it is obvious the occupants of the Palace lived in luxury. The Hall of Mirrors is a highlight of the Palace, with magnificent chandeliers and wallpaper highlighting the Palace’s immense beauty. T he only downsides are that the supporting information in the rooms is in French and the available space is generally dominated by tourists, which makes it sometimes cramped and pushy when moving around.

The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles

After touring Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen, I thought I had seen it all when it came to gardens and natural scenery. However, the Garden of Versailles has an uncanny ability of dwarfing the gardens in all of these places easily. Seemingly never-ending, the garden stretches for miles and miles and features a brilliant array of flowers, trees and many postcard-perfect photo opportunities.

The garden of Versailles

It takes a good few hours to explore the Gardens, Marie-Antoinette’s House, the Grand Trianon, their interiors (featuring further artwork and paintings) and surrounding buildings. It’s not really a naturally preserved feature of wonder like those in Scandinavia (it has been obviously tended to and shaped into a more commercial tourist attraction) but it is hugely impressive nonetheless. In addition, near the end of the gardens on your way out, there is a huge lake that you can use to rent a boat to row across (a favourite for the many couples in the area) or you can simply relax on the many surrounding grassy patches.

The lake at Versailles – a favourite spot for couples to row across

The Palace of Versailles

Attraction details

Name: Palace of Versailles

Directions: Versailles can be reached by using the regional train network RER. You need to take the RERB to reach Versailles. I got onto the RERB at the Invalides station, and the journey to Versailles took approximately 40 minutes each way. The station you need to get off at is Versailles Rive-Gauche (not Versailles ……) so pay attention to the stations out the window. In any case, Versailles Rive-Gauche is the last stop so you can’t really miss out. From the station, Versailles is a short 10 minute walk from the station in a north-westerly direction. We simply followed the literal hoard of tourists and sure enough, we ended up at Versailles. So you can go with your nose or follow the crowd – up to you.

Admission fee: There are different ticket types available. I purchased the Versailles Passport, which offers entry to the Palace, the Gardens, the Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate for 18 euros. Entry to only the Palace is 13 euros, however the stunning gardens are free (except on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to October; free admission from November to March) if you don’t want to see anything else. Tickets are more expensive on these days (around 25 euros) on Tuesdays and Sundays due to a music concert that is included in the ticket price on these days so go on another day if you want to avoid getting stung. A full listing of the fare types is found here.

Rating: 5/5. Home to the beautiful Palace of Versailles, a tremendous garden, Marie-Antoinette’s Chateau and the Grand Trianon (a building of paintings, sculptures, art and more), Versailles is an essential stop for anyone visiting Paris.

Traveller’s tips:

• Arrive early to beat the crowds to get in – the Palace and Gardens open at different times, with the former opening at 9am and the latter at 8am. So if you arrive early, you can get a head start on the garden and enter the palace when everyone else is arriving, which is generally lunchtime.

• Prepurchase your ticket to avoid the line to buy the ticket – This is pretty self-explanatory. The ticket is the same price if you buy online or in person at the ticket office so there’s no excuse not to buy in advance.

• Buy your food outside Versailles: There is of course a café/restaurant in Versailles but it is overpriced and caters to unsuspecting tourists. I went instead to a cheap bakery nearby which sold an Italian style baguette for around 5 euros.
• Bring some sunscreen for a sunny day: When I went, it was a warm, sunny day of around 23-25C. I forgot my sunscreen so I walked around feeling slightly burnt all day.
• Allow the most part of a day to do Versailles – We arrived around 12pm due to getting up late and got through everything in around five and a half hours, however if we arrived earlier we probably would have had more time to savour the sights and enjoy the experience more. Inclusive of transport on the RERB each way, you should allow at least 8 hours for the whole trip. Don’t plan to do anything major afterwards as you will be tired and your legs will be sore!

Have you been to Versailles and if so, what was your experience like? Do you have other favourite palaces or gardens in Europe or elsewhere to recommend?

Castle day in Copenhagen

For my second last day in Copenhagen, we ventured out of Copenhagen to visit the Kronborg and Frederiskborg Castles. It was a mostly enjoyable experience and upheld the trend of beautiful Scandinavian architecture and nature that had been a prominent theme throughout Helsinki and Stockholm.

Kronborg Castle

First up was the Kronborg Castle in the Danish town of Helsingor. Known as the critical setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Kronborg is an important Renaissance monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle features the royal apartments, a series of rooms describing the history of Copenhagen, detailing its one-time occupation by Sweden and subsequent independence. Paintings, sculptures and artwork relate to notable figures in Danish history. There is a ballroom, a hallway and of course, a room dedicated to the history of Hamlet and its various iterations around the world. Better still, some of the rooms are interactive, with a virtual video providing a nice overview of Danish history for those wanting a cliffnotes history lesson and nothing more.

The ballroom within Kronborg Castle

There is even an additional section where you can go underground called the Casemates (‘Kasematter’) and wander the actual areas where Danish soldiers remained during long sieges or bombardments in times of war. Despite it being the middle of the day, it was quite dark and at times unnerving to be walking around in this section of the castle. I even had to use a flashlight app on my phone on occasion to avoid being completely blind at times! There was signs warning that the area was very slippery and it is filled with cobblestones, so good footwear is a must.

Other than the castle, there was a small garden area that had some nice views of the castle and a collection of museums and cafes that were unfortunately closed, it being outside of the summer season.

Attraction details

Name: Kronborg Castle

Directions: From the Central Railway Station, buy an all day regional train pass (it was 108 DKK when I bought mine). This provides unlimited travel to regional Denmark and back again so you can have piece of mind and is cheaper than buying two one-way tickets.

Admission fee: 70 DKK for entry. From the Central Railway, the station you need is Helsingor. The castle is in plain view from Holinberg and takes around 10-15 minutes walk to get to. To get into the Royal Apartments, you need to store your bags in the lockers with a 10 Danish Kroner coin (you can borrow a coin from the shop if you don’t have one on you).

Traveler’s tip: Bring a flashlight (either physical or an app on your smartphone) to provide lighting in the casemates, and wear suitable footwear for easy movement. If you’re a museum person, be sure to check out the free Maritime Museum next to the library. We stepped in for a quick browse and were immediately given a free tour of the small museum by the friendly staff member. The library next door to the Maritime Museum is another good place to keep in mind as it offers free Wi-Fi.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Having completed all there was to do at Kronborg Castle, we decided to deviate from our original plan of returning home by taking a few train stops to Hillerød to Frederiksborg Castle.

Frederiksborg proved to be much better (in my opinion) than Kroborg. Not only was there a beautiful castle to look at (we didn’t go inside as we had paid the 70 DKK for Kronborg and didn’t want to get slugged again by another pricey monument), the castle was adjacent to a magnificent garden space, lake, running track and a park containing many trees which were extremely pleasant and shady to walk through.

In hindsight, we both agreed that it would have been better value to have paid the entry fee for Frederiksborg instead of Kronborg in light of the adjacent garden, trees and impressive natural scenery. Oh well, there’s always next time!

The beautiful baroque gardens at Frederiksborg Castle

Frederiksborg Castle

A front view of Frederiksborg Castle and the surrounding gardens

Name: Frederiksborg Castle

Directions: A few train stops away from Helsingor and the Kronborg Castle, take the local train from Helsingor to Hilerod or get the Line E train from Copenhagen central to Hilerod. The journey from Helsingor takes around 30-40 minutes. There is clear signage near the station directing you to Frederiksborg near the station.

Admission fee: 75 DKK for adults. See the website for more information.

Traveler’s tip: Pack plenty of water and your energy to walk around the castle and the surrounding areas. Leave around half a day to see Frederiksborg Castle.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

In summary: If you need a break from Copenhagen city and enjoy nature and history, take a visit to (preferably) Frederiksborg or Kronborg Castle.

Do you have a favourite castle in Europe? What are your thoughts on Kronborg/Frederiksborg Castle?

Tumultuous times in Tivoli Gardens

When you’re stepping off a flight, you’re often feeling jetlagged or sluggish. You just want to get off the plane and straight to your hotel to relax and unwind. The day I arrived in Copenhagen I felt much the same. Luckily, I didn’t stay in the Savoy Hotel too long as my friend reminded me that it was the last day for the summer season at Tivoli Gardens – a garden/amusement park/shopping district hybrid.

Tivoli is quite something! Compared to amusement parks in Australia, Tivoli seemed gigantic, with its numerous rides, food outlets, shopping outlets (selling silver, jewellery, souvenirs, etc) and restaurants. There is a distinct Asian feeling to this place, with its Asian gardens and architecture. You could easily spend a whole day exploring the place, but for me and my friend, the main appeal was the rides. Note that the place really comes alive during the night, with the central concert stage often being used (a tug-of-war match was underway when we went there) and the gardens aglow in the evening making for some incredibly nice photo opportunities.

A strong Asian feeling pervades Tivoli Gardens

It costs 99 DKK to enter the Gardens, with additional fees of 1-3 tickets (costing around 25 DKK each) to go on the rides. There are also multi-ride tickets you can purchase for unlimited rides for 199 DKK. My friend and I purchased these as we worked out if you go on 3 or more rides, you are better off paying for the multi-ride ticket. And it ultimately proved to be insanely worth it!

The three rides I tried were one of the rollercoasters, Vertigo (a giant swing and spinning ride) and The Golden Tower, which drops you from a tall height. The most intense of these (for me anyway) was actually The Golden Tower due to the lurch you feel when dropped, comparable to a really sudden drop in an aircraft. The rollercoaster had its moments but was nothing unmanageable. Interestingly, Vertigo wasn’t anywhere near as stomach-churching as I thought it would be – I found it very pleasant in fact. And the views of Copenhagen from atop these rides is simply unrivalled anywhere else that I went. For a video of Vertigo, click here.  It is exhilarating, thrilling and undeniably impressive. Here’s a video from YouTuber showing what I experienced.

A major downside of this ride was that it made me feel nauseous for a good 30 minutes after getting off. This complicated things as I didn’t feel like getting on another ride while I was feeling ill, and I had no motivation to keep moving. Instead, I had to sit down and breathe deeply for around 30 minutes until I felt better. I ultimately lived to fight another day, albeit with a giant grin on my face whenever I recall those fateful moments. Me and my friend still discuss it every now and then, and have a good laugh about my ‘illness’.

Despite getting slightly sick, I highly recommend Tivoli for its one-of-a-kind rides, beautiful atmosphere and sheer abundance of leisure options for the casual traveler. I would stay away from the restaurants at Tivoli unless you want to pay the higher prices in this popular tourist site.

The Taj Mahal lookalike building at the front of Tivoli

Attraction details:

Name: Tivoli Gardens
Address: Vesterbrogade 3, 1630 København, Denmark
Directions: Tivoli Gardens is located on Vesterbrogade, which is the main city street in Copenhagen. You can’t miss it, but if you do, it’s near the fast food outlets (McDonalds, etc).
Rating:5/5. With so much on offer in terms of food, rides and entertainment, Tivoli is a must-see for anyone coming to Copenhagen, even if the rides can make you nauseous!

Traveler truths: Helsinki

This is a new series I’m starting focusing on important insights derived from my travels. These are simple, useful tips and observations I’ve obtained on my travels in places where I’ve stayed a significant period of time (i.e. beyond 3 days and usually at least a week) that helped me, and will hopefully help you too. First up, Helsinki.

1. Helsinki is a haven for nature lovers: The sheer abundance of lakes, forests, paths and parks make Helsinki a treasure trove for those who like the outdoors. No wonder Helsinki is called the ‘land of the thousand lakes’. The air is clean, the surroundings picturesesque and the views amazing. The people are proud of their green surroundings, and regularly venture out of the busy city centre to the neighbouring islands (e.g. Suomelinna, Rajasaari Island, Seurasaari) or take a ferry to nearby Talinn, Stockholm or Norway. The Nuuksio National Park, an hour from Helsinki, was one of the most breathtaking places I’ve visited and full of postcard-perfect views. You should join them, and be prepared to leave the city. It is definitely worth it.

The beautiful nature of Helsinki

2. Helsinki is a walkable city: Although you can buy a public transport pass for the bus, metro, trams or train, Helsinki is easily navigable by walking if you want to keep your costs down. There is only one line on the metro, which suggested to me that public transport wasn’t exactly essential. I walked around Helsinki and to all of the many attractions on foot, and spent a good few hours each day walking. My legs got a workout, and I saved on public transport fares. Helsinki is just large enough so you don’t get bored in a week, and small enough for you to cover it on foot. Just allow plenty of time to reach and return from your destination (resting as needed) and you should be fine.

3. Many of the museums are free: Helsinki has a network of seven large museums that always have free admission. What’s more, the Finnish National Museum is free on Fridays from 4-6pm.

Discoveries from the free City Museum of Helsinki

4. Cyclists are respected and well taken care of: Helsinki is an incredibly liveable city, and very hospitable to cyclists. Walking areas are divided into sections for pedestrians and cyclists, reducing the risk of collisions and providing cyclists an incentive to get on their bike. The fact that Helsinki is quite small as a city makes a bike a very handy and convenient option for getting around. Melbourne could definitely learn a thing or two to cater to its burgeoning cyclist community.
5. The Finnish are a reserved people: In comparison to Melbourne or other areas of Australia where people will openly engage you in conversation without being prompted, in Helsinki people will pretty much leave you to your own devices unless you actively ask them. It’s not a bad thing or anything, but if you need something, you really do need to make yourself known.

Andy’s traveler rating – Helsinki

People: 4.5/5
Liveability: 5/5
Attractions & Culture: 4/5
Nature: 5/5
Cost of living: 3/5
Weather: 3.5/5
Public transport: 4/5

Overall: 29/35

Helsinki: A Day of Two Islands

To round out my last day in Helsinki, I decided to tick off a few more of Helsinki’s attractions – again a combination of man-made and natural. Ducking quickly into the Kamppi area near the city centre, I headed into the Kamppi Chapel of Silence (free admission) for some reflective thinking with a higher deity of some kind (I’m an Atheist). Next, I proceeded to the Temppeliaukio Church, more commonly known as the Rock Church (free admission) for its distinctive origins from rocks. It’s very small so there’s not much to see apart from a few photos.

The interior of the Rock Church

After these detours, I was ready to move onto the main course of the day – the Seurasaari Island and it’s traditional Finnish buildings of days gone by. However, after walking along the west coast of Helsinki, I came across the Rajasaari Island and couldn’t resist a brief pitstop.

Attraction details:

Name: Rajasaari Island
Directions: A short walk along the Merikannontie Road, continuing along the west coast. I estimate it would take around 15-20 minutes walk to get to from the city centre. 
Admission fee: Free
Rating: 4/5 stars

A popular spot for dog walking, sunbathing and swimming, the Rajasaari Island is full of scenic views and beautiful flora (I spotted some roseberries) and fauna (swans, etc). I highly recommend it for a pure dose of Mother Nature away from the city.

Rajasaari Island 1

Rajasaari Island 2

Rajasaari Island 3

After taking in the views, I proceeded further along the coast to the Seurasaari Island, which depicts what life was like in 1600s Finland through a series of preserved old buildings, churches, windmills, farms and the like.

Attraction details:

Name: Seurasaari Island
Directions: Continue walking along the west coast of Helsinki past the Foliosovagen Rajasaari Island and you will see signage pointing you to Seurasaari. Alternatively, the number 24 bus from the city centre goes directly to the Seurasaari Island as its last stop. The bus takes around 20 minutes all up.
Admission: Free (excluding entry to any open museums and restaurants/cafes)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Traveller tip: Take some food and have a picnic there to properly enjoy the views.

The next 2 hours was spent simply drinking in the history and atmosphere of the buildings and learning about Finnish history by reading the signs dotted around the attractions. Compared to the relatively commercialised Suomelinna Island on the opposite side of Helsinki, I found Seurasaari to be immensely peaceful, organic and beautiful. Tame hares and squirrels are regularly scene scampering around amidst the herb-rich forests, making for an interesting hybridised journey of history and nature.

Seurasaari Island 1

Seurasaari Island 2

Seurasaari Island 3

Seurasaari Island 4

Helsinki: Man vs Nature

On my sixth day in Helsinki, I visited a combination of 6 total man-made and natural attractions: the Kamppi Chapel of Silence, Finland National Opera Building, Helsinki Winter Garden, Olympic Stadium & Tower, Helsinki Central Park and the Hietaniemi Beach & Cemetery. I only explored the Winter Garden in depth so that’s what I’ll cover below. Despite the equal combination of man-made vs natural attractions of today’s visit, it is becoming quickly apparent to me that Helsinki is a nature lover’s city. It is called ‘the land of the thousand lakes’ after all, with lakes, parks and forests frequently dominating the landscape.

Attraction details:

Name: Helsinki Winter Garden
Directions: A short walk from the city along the Mannerheime Road.
Admission fee: Free
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Founded in 1893, the Garden contains over 200 species of plants. A rose garden outside leads you into a conservatory of different themed rooms of plants, including palms and cactii. The plants are beautiful and obviously lovingly cared for, with many different species growing side by side. There is enough here to occupy you for around 2 hours. The location of the Garden is ideal, with the Olympic Stadium & Tower and the gigantic Helsinki Central Park within walking distance.

The Helsinki Winter Garden

 

 

Eurasia Day 3: Nuuskio National Park

After yesterday’s visit to the scenic Talinn and its centrepiece Old Town, Eurasia 2014 Day 3 represented a distinct change of pace. Away from the worries of civilisation, our destination was the Nuuksio National Park, a national park just thirty minutes by car out of Helsinki. Filled with dazzling views, pindrop silent forests, and challenging but learly-marked trails, its an essential destination for any traveller to Helsinki.

Attraction details:

Name: Nuuksio National Park
Date visited: 14 September 2014
Admission price: Free (Haltia Nature Centre admission is 7 euros, with buffet lunch for ~10 euros but I did not stop there)
Directions: Take the bus or train to Espoo, then the 85A bus to Nuuksio National Park (there are several stops at different entrance points to the park). The trip takes around 1 hour each way. For directions and a map, head to the Outdoors in Finland website. The regional bus ticket for 5 euros each way will cover your trip to Nuuksio National Park and back. Rating: 5/5 stars

The Nuuksio National Park is a welcome respite from the busy rhythms of city life in Helsinki. Containing few tourists, clearly marked paths for walkers of all skill levels, numerous BBQ spots for a picnic lunch (or marshmallow or two) and enough scenic views to fill a shop of postcards, Nuuksio is a top-notch example of the serenity and awe-inspiring power of Mother Nature. Personally, I took a trip with a friend for around 4 hours visiting a small section of the park with a brief break in between for lunch, but the park is immense and would easily occupy a full day if you’re up for some serious trekking.

Just one of the gorgeous views within the Nuuksio National Park

In short: Visit Nuuksio National Park for a diversion away from the city centre, some jaw-dropping views and some quiet time alone with only the company of the odd walker and the thoughts of your own head.