There is often a craft market beside the harbour in Helsinki. If you are searching for a reindeer skin, carved wooden items, a knitted hat or a delicious salmon lunch, this is the place to be.
carved wooden cups at the market
carved wooden stuff
What more could you want?
reindeer skins
great knitted hats
bears carved while you wait
The covered food market is also in this area. I love to walk through and look at the things that Finns buy to take home to cook. It always looks so exotic inside this lovely building and I wish I could stay in an apartment with a kitchen so I could experiment with different types of produce. It is possible to eat in the cafes and we have enjoyed meals in a few of them, but I would really like to do it myself – one day.
inside the market
fresh salmon
smoked fish perhaps
more fish
a giant crab
While we were wandering about we spotted a boat ready to take off on a cruise around the islands and canals in the harbour, so we jumped on board and climbed to the open air top floor. The boat glides past tiny islands with lovely old timber buildings, the fortress island of Soumenlinna, the naval headquarters and the icebreakers that are so vital in the long winter months and canals lined with private homes. It is interesting to see the mix of old and new on the islands so close to the city. Many are weekenders discretely placed in the wooded areas and are designed to blend in and not clash too much with their surroundings.
a lovley old wooden house in Helsinki Harbour
the fortress island of Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna
in the harbour
in the harbour
a house hidden in the trees
a boat landing with steps into the lake from the sauna
a very cute sauna
a brand new development on the lake
Helsinki's casino in the foreground
coming back to land
If you are lucky enough to be in Helsinki on a fine, clear day look for the Sunlines Sightseeing Cruise.
Market Square ticket office 358 20 741 8213