Kallio Block Party

Kallio is the place to be today. Because today is the Kallio Block Party. Starting from 14:00 the neighborhood turns into a giant party with lots of stuff to do, see, eat and hear.

Listen to live music from bands and DJs on several stages. Check out some of Helsinki's best street food. Or just walk around and enjoy the vibe of this anyway extraordinary area of town.

The official part of the party continues until 22:00. But it's Saturday and you are in Kallio. So expect the night to be long.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the party!

Creative and cozy

Wanna get creative? Then check out Rupla. The new place on Helsinginkatu is a so called creative space. You can come here for art exhibitions, to look for cool vintage furniture or designer clothing and accessories, join a workshop, visit one of their many events like from live music to theatre. Or you can just come for a good cup of freshly grainded coffee and a piece of cake.

 

Raw cake, to be more specific. And they are pretty good. One of their most popular ones is the mint chocolate one. They also have a wide selections of organic teas and raw chocolate.

Give it a try! It's worth dropping by!

Block Party in Kallio

Do you have any plans for today? No? Then off to Kallio. Today it's Block Party time there. The whole neighborhood turns into a big party with live music, food, drinks, sports, dance, kids program and much more.

The party starts today at 13.00 and continues until 22.00 in the evening. To see what happens when or which stage check out the full program of tonight.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Coffee or Bear?

There are tons of cafés in the Kallio area. One of the most unique and original is probably the Kulmakahvio though. It is a gay café located at the corner of Karhupuisto and it welcomes of course everyone.

The interior is something. The whole place is filled with pictures, postcards and other decoration hanging from the wall or standing on the table. The bright colors give the place a happy and cozy feeling.

Choose your favorite among their long list of great coffees and other hot drinks. And of course get one of their delicious pastries on the side.

Give it a try!

Sandwich at StreetGastro

It is amazing how well a sandwich can taste if it's well made. And the guys at StreetGastro now that really well. At three different locations around Helsinki they sell their "premium street food" as they call it. And that is no exaggeration.

StreetGastro focuses purely on sandwiches. In fact they only have four different kinds on their menu: Possu (pork), Kana (chicken), Härkä (beef) and Vege (vegetarian). And you can't make a wrong choice. All of them are really good. With a delicious bread and lots of fresh lettuce and vegetables they these sandwiches make for an excellent snack and even a decent lunch.

More information on StreetGasto, their locations, opening times and menu can be found from their website.

Enjoy!

Damn good kebab

Honestly, compared to Central Europe the döner kebab you find in Helsinki is normally not really that good. At least that is what I thought so far. But then a friend introduced me to Döner Harju. And that is really something special, I can tell you.

Döner Harju can't be spotted that easily from outside. Like most of the really good places in Helsinki they don't make any big fuzz about themselves through banners or such outside. But you might quite easily spot them anyway. Just look out for the long queue at the entrance.

At Döner Harju you have different meat choices that vary depending on what they just decided to put on their big döner sticks. You can then choose between leipä (the take away version) and lautanen (on a plate, if you'd rather have something more and would like to eat there). Whatever you choose, it's great.

They have their own ideas how to make the meat taste a bit more special then the normal boring kebab meat you find in so many other places. With it come fresh, crisp vegetables and salad all wrapped up in a freshly baked ciabatta bread.

Fancy a bit with that? They have four different Keisari (from the can though) here. A really good choice with the döner and anyway some of the best Finnish beer you can find.

Give it a try and enjoy!

P.S. Thanks to Matwin for suggesting!

Ice skating in Kallio

Any plans for the weekend? How about some ice skating? There are several rinks in and around the city.

You might have already read on HelsinkiIn about the one right in the center next to the Main Station. But you can also find a bigger and cheaper alternative a bit to the North in Kallio.

The entrance is 3 € and for some additional 4 € you can rent skates as well.

Enjoy and have a nice weekend!

In the house

The neighborhood of Kallio is has probably the highest density of bars and pubs in whole Helsinki. One of the most famous places here is Café Talo. 

This trendy location is a café and restaurant during the day. Try for example their daily changing lunch offers that include their really nice salad buffet. 

Talo is also a great place for drinks in the evening. You can find a nice spot for you and your friends on one of their two levels. It gets pretty crowded during the weekends though. So if you plan on going there you better be early. 

Also check their website for upcoming events. Talo also hosts movie nights, gigs and other cultural events.

If you just want to find a cheap pub in Kallio Café Talo is not the place for you. But if you are searching for a lively bar with a great atmosphere you just found it.