BBQ and music

Today is the second day of the Grillimaisteri tour on Narinkka. Apart from the main event, a grilling competition with prominent Finnish chefs in the jury there is much more happening today.

A great lineup of Finnish bands and singers is awaiting you with gigs from Roope Salminen ja Koirat, Sanni and many more. And don't worry about getting hungry when watching all that cooking. Throughout the day Lidl provides free grilled food like sausages and steaks for everyone. Be prepared to queue for a while though.

The event starts at noon and goes on until nine in the evening. Entrance is of course free. Check it out and have a nice Sunday!

A coffee at Charlotta's

There is another place for all you coffee geeks in Helsinki. Just a few hundred meters behind Kamppi Kauppakeskus the cozy Kahvi Charlotta awaits. It is a bit hidden and you might not spot it right away but it's for sure worth a visit.

At Kahvi Charlotta you can get some real good stuff. Decide what espresso you want your cappuccino to be made with or get a delicious filter coffee. And of course some tasty snacks are available here as well.

Get comfy and relax in one of the window seats and sip your cup'o'joe. Kahvi Charlotta is the perfect place for a short break from the city rush. Give it a try.

Helsinki's first time cafe

There is a new pop up cafe Hauskafe in Lasipalatsi that you really should try. It is Helsinki's first time café. The concept already exist in some other big European cities and now also came to the Finnish capital.

Instead of paying for what you order you pay for the amount of time you spend here now. When you enter you receive a card marked with your entrance time. Every hour costs 5 €. During the time you spend you can have as much delicious Johan & Nyström coffee, tea and cookies as you like. 

You can also play table football, board and cosole games, read books or use the meeting room. Some special cakes and sandwiches are charged extra but still for a rather reasonable price. You can also bring your own food or beverages if you like.

For now Hauskafe will be at this location until mid December. If things go well, the cafe will be established there permanently.

Give it a try!

Hell's Steam

If you don't know where to go tonight and want to try something a bit different from the usual then check out Steam Hellsinki.

The place at Kamppi opposite of Teerenpeli has changed name and concept regularly over the past years but for a couple of months now draws attention as the cities first steampunk bar. And it is definitely worth a visit.

With an eye for details the owners have put a lot of effort into sticking to the steam punk theme. Everything fits perfectly together. The bar over which a huge zeppelin hovers, the steampunk/jazz music, the decoration items in each corner, the waiters' outfits and even the bathrooms.

And if you are into gin then have a look at their extensive gin selection.

Give it a try and enjoy a cool and relaxed evening at Steam Helsinki! There is a coat charge at the entrance of 3 €.

Food from around the world

Would you like to try some English fudge, some Italian pastry, a spicy Nepalese dish or maybe a German bratwurst? Then head to Narinkkatori at Kamppi during the next days.

Until Sunday you can get delicacies from around the world here all day until eight in the evening.

Have a look and enjoy!

Early bird haircuts

Need a cheap haircut? That used to be impossible to find in Helsinki until a little while ago. Now competition is getting stronger and more and more hairdressers start offering special prices.

One of them is HairStore at Kamppi Kaupakeskus. Here the price depends on when you get there. A haircut can be as cheap as 9,90€ for men and 19,90€ for women. For that price you have to be there between 8.00 and 9.00 in the morning though. Every hour the price goes up 2 € until it goes back to the usual price at 15.00.

So if you have time in the morning, drop by!

Make a bargain at Kamppi

The Kampituspäivät have started. And that means lots of special deals in all shops at Kamppi Kaupakeskus. The variety of offers ranges from meal and snack deals, over cloths to event vouchers.

Have a look yourself on the Kamppi website. The Kampituspäivät will continue until Sunday.

Sell and buy Bitcoins

Have you heard of Bitcoins? It is an online payment system that you can make and obviously also loose money with by investing.

And you can do that pretty easily now. At Kamppi Kauppakeskus you can trade Bitcoins on the go on the small Sell and Buy Bitcoin terminal next to Memphis. 

So in case you were planning on trying it out anyway then you can give it a try there.

Gluten free street food

Gluten intolerane is unfortunately very common in Finland. That is why many restaurants and snack places offer at least selected dishes gluten free. Now a new street food place has opened in Kamppi Kauppakeskus that specialized on gluten free food. Making it easy for the once suffering from the intolerance to order anything without having to worry.

Glut0 offers topped focaccia , salads, sandwiches and their own pasta. You can have your food as take away or eat in the restaurant. Their menu is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

So check it out and enjoy!

Board game eldorado

Instead of heavy partying would you rathe be up for a relaxed evening at home this weekend? How about a round of board games with some friends or your family then?

And if you are still searching for the perfect game then go check out Lautapeli at Kamppi. The store on the 3rd floor has a big selection of board games both in Finnish and in English. You will definitely also find something for your taste. You can also buy their games online.

Check it out and have a great weekend!

New snow in Helsinki

After most of the snow has already melted and turned into ice the last two nights have brough the white stuff back to Helsinki. And it looks as if there was at least a bit more to come during the next days.

So for all of you snow fans out there it's time to enjoy the winter wonderland outside.

Art underground

When waiting for your metro at the Kamppi station you always have something to see. And that it due to the changing art exhibition down there.

The big glass box on the platform already displayed installations from various Finnish and international artist. And there is always something new to discover.

At the moment you can see Dennis Oppenheim's Kissing Rocks on display. You will always also find an explanaition about the artists and their installation in Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian. Take a few minutes for a closer look next time you pass by there.

Win with #kamppi

Want to win a 100 € gift certificate for Kamppi Kauppakeskus? Then just tweet, tag or post using the hashtag #kamppi on Twitter or like their Facebook page and you have a chance to win.

Every week you have a new chance. Good luck!

Need directions?

The Metro takes you all the way from the very East to the West of Helsinki. Additional to that the direction signs at the sealing of Kamppi Metro Station might give you some idea where elso you could go. But definately not by metro.

 

Have you spotted them before?

The year of the horse

Tonight the Chinese celebrate their new year. In Helsinki this is traditionally celebrated at Lasipalatsin aukio and everyone is invited.

The programm starts already at 15:30 with the New Year's Parade through the city center. At 16:00 the Chinese village at Lasipalatsin aukio opens and together with it lots of small huts and stands that offer traditional Chinese food and products.

During the whole afternoon and there is a full programm on the stage ranging from dances and Kund Fu shows to speeches and songs.

If you have time also check out the New Year's programm at Helsinki Casino.

Finally at 20:30 the Chinese New Year will be welcomed with big fireworks over the city.

Don't miss it! The entrance is of course for free.

Morning coffee at Picnic

The week starts again. Should you belong to the many people that have to pass through Kamppi every morning to get to work then change your morning routine for ones and stop for a hot cup of coffee at Picnic on the third floor. Here you can sit next to the window and have a nice view over the square between Kamppi Kauppakeskus and Tennispalatsi and see the sun slowly rising above the city.

Have a great start into the week!

Apteeki in English

Unfortunately at this time of the year a cold or flu is easy to catch. When searching for medicine in a Finnish pharmacy you might have to get some help first to find the right shelf for what you need. Luckily personnel in Helsinki almost always speaks English.

Should you be trying to find something fast though give the pharmacy in Kamppi a try. Here all shelves are labeled in English as well. So you will get around easily on your own. And in case you still need some help the staff will be happy to help you.

Apteekki Töölö in Kamppi Kauppakeskus is also very well equipped and in a perfect location right in the center of Helsinki.

Try it out! Or much rather stay healthy!

Relaxed hang out in the heart of Helsinki

For a relaxed coffee stop in the center of Helsinki you should check out Beanie Café at Kamppi Kauppakeskus. It's a rather new place in probably one of the best location in town.

But even though Kamppi is extremely busy and the café passed by thousands of people every day it is a good place to chill out a bit and take a break from the hectic of the city. Beanie's lounge design and the laid back music makes you feel relaxed right away.

Coffee is pretty good here, too. And if you desire a sweet or salty bite with your hot beverage you will definitely find what you are searching for here.

Check it out and have a great start into the weekend!

Organic food and more

Friends of ecological products will love Ruohonjuuri Ekomarket. No matter if it is superfood, rawfood, fair trade or organic products you will find it all here. Everything is well sorted and the friendly stuff will help you if you don't find what you are searching for right away. Unlike other places there are also always enough employees around for you. They have an amazingly big assortment of almost everything you would need for your everyday life.

You can find four branches of Ruohonjuuri Ekomarket in Helsinki. The easiest one to find is at Kamppi right next to the shopping center. Ruohonjuuri can also be found in Tampere and Turku. Or if you want you can also order the product you like online at there online store.

Check it out!

Christmas is on its way

The first Christmas decoration arrives in Helsinki.

Yesterday the the red Christmas balls at Kamppi were put up.