Hello Everyone! Helsinkibound Jan '13-June '13

stucam703 · 2012-12-03T23:09:41+01:00

Find essential tips for studying in Helsinki from January to June 2013, including cultural sights and affordable winter boots for students.

stucam703 Member

Member since 03 December 2012

stucam703Member03 December 2012 21:09:41

Hello everybody, I am stucam703, and I am a student in glasgow. Me and a pal are headed out to Helsinki, to study for 6 months doing a BEng in Networked Systems Engineering as part of the Erasmus Exchange Programme. We will be situated in kamppi, which is not far off Central Helsinki by the looks of it.

Basically what Im hoping for is a list of things to do and see - I dont mind a bit of culture at all and Im open to all sorts of things. A board like thsi is ideal due to people have first hand experience of actually living in Finland and as such I hope this will provide me with a source of great information.

As an aside, I am struggling to find a pair of boots that would suffice for the weather conditions I am likely to experience without breaking the bank (I am, after all, a student ). IF someone could advise on a pair suited for the job I would be much oblidged.

Thanks in advance everyone

Armand ViP

Member since 23 February 2011

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ArmandViP04 December 2012 08:14:39

24785

Hi stucam703 !

Welcome to 禁漫天堂!

Armand

citizen1 ViP

Member since 06 December 2009

citizen1ViP04 December 2012 08:37:52

131

You are ideally situated right in the center of Helsinki! There are of course a lot of clubs and bars downtown. Around closing time you need to watch out in Kamppi.

I suggest you ask for Pomar winter boots. It's a Finnish manufacturer that knows how to make boots for the Finnish winter. I am very pleased with them, that's what I buy.

There is a tourist information bureau on North Esplanadi Street. They can give you lots of up-to-date information. There is a lot going on, you just need to find out about it.

The National Museum (Kansallismuseo), Ateneum art museum, Tennispalatsi museums, Amos Anderson museum, the zoological museum and Taidehalli exhibition hall are right there in the center-city.

For classicl music, there's Musiikkitalo, the Opera and Finlandia Hall, among others. Sibelius-Akatemia offers concerts free of charge in different venues such as the old opera-house.

Dance theater Zodiak in Kaapelitehdas has modern and contemporary dance, classical ballet is at the Opera.

The church-in-the-rock at Temppeliaukio Square is worth seeing, as is the Helsinki Cathedral. Both are the site for concerts, many of them free of charge.

For popular music, there's venues all around. The tourist info will have current info on them. In the summer, there's world-class concerts at the Olympic Stadium.

I suggest you leave the islands until summer. Seurasaari has an open air museum, tame squirrels you can feed with peanuts and nudist beaches, though segregated by sex.

Pihlajasaari has more wilderness and more nudist beaches. Harakka you should visit on a guided tour, it's a small island very close to the shore.

Suomenlinna is my favorite. It has the remains of a 18th c. fortress, canons and all. It's a park-like island with a WWII submarine and nice little beach. Great on a hot day.

Find out if you are eligible for student sports services. If not, there's a very inexpensive gym at T枚枚l枚n kisahalli.

This is just a brief overview of all that's for offer. But it will give you an idea.

citizen1 ViP

Member since 06 December 2009

citizen1ViP10 December 2012 18:33:13

131

A thank you would be nice...

chadz75 Member

Member since 09 January 2013

chadz75Member15 January 2013 09:10:27

Well, I will thank you, Citizen 1 for that advice! Just moved to Helsinki from Adelaide, Australia for 6 months and looking for tips on the Helsinki attractions... and I had similar questions to the non-responsive Stucam703, so your efforts were appreciated! Kiitos

C