Easter in Helsinki

The long Easter weekend has started. And there is lots to do in the city. Traditionally the weekend starts with the Via Crucis. Tonight at 21:30 the crucification will is reenacted with the Walk of the Cross from Kaisaniemi Park to Senaatintori.

And if you have time, drop by at the Helsinki Zoo as well. During the weekend it turns into an Easter island with a special program.  

Also good to know: This year many supermarkets stay open throughout the whole Easter time due to the new legislation on opening time. 

Have a wonderful Easter time!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

You are still at home? Off with you to the pub to celebrate the Irish St. Patrick's Day. There is a lot going on in town. Molly Malones, Woolshed, O'Malley's and all the other Irish pubs in town have something special going on tonight.

There will be live music, special offers, green and orange merchandise and of course lots of delicious stout.

Have a great night!

Sunny Sunday

The sun is out and it feels like spring. It is the perfect day for a walk around town or along the coast. And for those of you interested in some art today, you can still join today's Helsinki Art Work starting at 13:30.

Have a great Sunday!

Finns love reading

Finns love to read. When I arrived here I was surprised how popular it was. At least in comparison to my home country I had the feeling that everyone read books here.

A recent study from the Central Connecticut State University now supports my impression. It came to the conclusion that Finland is actually the most literate nation in the world.

You can find the full ranking and more information on the study on washingtonpost.com.

Enjoy the day and for the sake of this amazing result go grab a book tonight.

Useful Finnish passport

Did you know that the Finnish passport is one of the best to have worldwide? In a study of the British immigration lawyers Henley and Partners the Finnish passport ranks as the third best one in the world.

It allows entering 175 countries without a visa. Only the German (177 countries) and Swedish (176) are better. 

For more information read the full story on Yle News.

Karaoke in the Restroom

Finns love karaoke. Even better if it takes place in an unusual place. Like e.g. in a bus or taxi. Or in a former public toilet.

The small pub Restroom in Eira makes exactly that possible. The place that used to fulfill peoples most urgent needs now is a cozy little bar that is famous for its karaoke evenings.

Drop by and give it a try. Have a nice weekend!

Winter holidays in Helsinki

This week schools are closed for Hiihtoloma (skiing holidays) in Helsinki. Many went up to the North for a few days of winter activities. But for those families that stayed in the city there are luckily also quite a few things to do.

VisitHelsinki has put together a list of special activities happening around town during the school free time. Among them are interesting workshops, cool spots events and other exciting events for kids and families.

Check them out on visithelsinki.fi and enjoy the hiihtoloma!

A pint at Kitty's

The weekend is here! Time to leave work and reward yourself for a hard week of work with a tasty pint of beer.

And how about enjoying it with friends in a cozy booth, dim light and a friendly bar atmosphere? Sounds good? Then head over to Kitty's Pub right in the city center.

At Kitty's they have everything you expect of a good English pub: a good selection of beers on tap, a decent whiskey collection and lots of cozy corners to enjoy your drink.

Give it a try and have a good start into the weekend!

Tapas time

The beauty of tapas is that they are the perfect food no matter how hungry you are. And luckily there are a few quite nice tapas place around in Helsinki.

One of them is Bar Teos in Töölö. Don't expect a fancy interior and outstanding design. But at Teos  you don't only get delicious but also really well priced tapas. It is up to you to select one of their tapas menus that include both hot and cold dishes or to create your own combination. You can of course also ask the waiter to substitute one of the menu dishes with something else.

Give it a try and enjoy!

Sun again

After weeks of cloudy skies the sun came out again yesterday. And there are good chances for more sun beams in the upcoming week.

So enjoy the rest of the weekend and look forward to a bright new week!