#freeHAM today

Start the weekend with a free visit to an art exhibition. The HAM Helsinki Art Museum at Tennispalatsi invites to their #freeHAM Friday.

Starting from 16:00 the doors open for everyone to just walk in and have a look at their current exhibitions. 

One of them is on Tove Jansson, the creator of the Moomins and much more.

Drop by and have a look.

The Swedish Starbucks

The Swedish company Espresso House has come to Finland a few months ago and is now well situated in several spots in the city center such as Kamppi and Stockmann.

With a cozy interior they invite to sit down for a short coffee break and a chat with friends. And for all you Frapuccino lovers out there, this is a real alternative to the ever-present Starbucks. Espresso House has some nice coffee and milk mixes to offer that are worth a try as well.

Check it out and have a nice day!

DocPoint

Today the 15th DocPoint Festival starts taking over the the movie theaters in Helsinki. During one week some excellent documentations from Finland and abroad will be shown around town.

Check out the program and be quick to get your ticket. They can now be bought both online and at Savoy Theater. And some might already be sold out.

You can find an over of all documentaries shown as well as the timetable on the official website. 

Have fun!

Covered in snow

Snow is covering Helsinki and its surroundings. But temperatures are rising and during the next week plus degrees are predicted.

So enjoy the snow as long is it is here. Have a nice Sunday!

Discover the world at Messukeskus

Do you have travel plans for this year already? If you are not quite sure where to go and want to get a good overview of different options, you should pay a visit to Messukeskus this weekend.

Today at 12 the Travelfair Matka opens its doors for all visitors. Countries, resorts, tour providers, airlines and ferry companies present was they have to offer. A stroll through hall should give you lots of inspiration where to travel next. Maybe you can catch a good deal right there or even win a free trip.

Good luck with picking your next travel destination!

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.

Beautiful winter

The best part of winter started. Now temperatures are fairly mild with just around -10 degrees. The sun is out and reflecting in the white snow.

Enjoy your Sunday and have a good start into the week!

A drink before the flight

The Helsinki Vantaa airport is constantly working on making traveling more relaxed and comfortable. And there is something new at Terminal 1 now.

The 60° Bar and Brewery has opened are being renovated completely and turned into a real cozy place to hang out for a drink or two before the plane leaves. Comfortable leather chairs, sofas and bar stools invite for a chat with your fellow travelers. The bar serves coffee, tea, soda and alcoholic beverages as well as snacks.

Check it out next time you come to the airport and have a nice trip!

Let it snow

After a mild December and a few freezing days last week it is time for the snow now. Just throughout the last two days Helsinki got some additional 15 cm and is covered under a thick white layer.

And more snow is to come today throughout the whole day. So rather leave your car at home and calculate some extra time for traveling anywhere. Even though Helsinki's public transport is well prepared, a few delays can't be avoided. Detailed information on delays and cancelations can be found on HSL's website.

Have a nice and snowy day!

Straight connection between airport and train station

Since late December the direct connection between the airport and its new train station is open. So far passengers had to take shuttle busses connecting the two terminals with the entrance to the station next to the car park. Now two new elevators have been taken into use that lead straight to the underground platforms. The elevators are located between terminal 1 and 2.

Shortly additional escalators will open as well, making the connection even more comfortable.

If you want to charge your HSL travel ticket before boarding the train, make sure to do that before going down to the platform though. Ticket machines downstairs so far only sell regular one-way tickets.

Perfect weather for ice swimming

Now that the extremly cold days are over the weather is quite perfect for some truely Finnish Avantouinti. That means swimming in a frozen lake. 

One perfect spot for this is Kuusijärvi in Vantaa. Warm up first either in one of the last smoke saunas you can find in the Helsinki area or in a normal electric sauna. When you are warm enough, grab your towel and flipflops (very important) and head to the ice hole for a dip.

Yes, the water is pretty cold but you will feel really good afterwards. Don't forget to warm up in the sauna afterwards again.

For more information on Kuusijärvi and how to get there check out the website.

Have a great Sunday and a wonderful winter!

The magic of LUX

The light exhibition LUX opened this week. And if you haven't seen it yet you should not miss out on the possibility.

Throughout the city center impressive light installations by Finnish and international artists have been set up.

LUX is on until Sunday. So take out the warm winter clothes and go through an evening walk through town. The lights are on until 22:00 every evening.

New opening times

The new year has brought a few changes is national law. One that might interest you most is that now there are no regulations about opening times for shops and hair dressers anymore since January 1. Shop owners can now decide on their opening times completely on their own.

E.g. the S-market at Sokos is now open 24/7. It might make sense to check out your local shops and supermarkets for extended opening times.

Have a good start into the first working week of the new year!

Happy New Year!

The new year is here! HelsinkiIn wishes you all an awesome 2016!

Have a wonderful first day of 2016!