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Both are Nordic capital cities, both are by the sea, and both are sure to have herring on their restaurant menus. That’s about where the similarities end for Stockholm and Helsinki. So if you had to visit just one, which should you go for? Here’s a rundown of what both cities have to offer and how to plan your trip there (plus some hints if you want to splash out and visit both!).
Helsinki:
Helsinki, and Finland in general, has the unfortunate reputation of being slightly dull. Apart from Nokia and reindeer, not much else comes to mind when Finland is mentioned. This, I think, is grossly unfair. With sunshine reflecting off the sea and basking the city in brilliant light, Helsinki in the summer months can be a great place to visit if you only have a couple of free nights. It has a population of just 500,000, making it small enough to tackle in just 2 days. If you have more time to spare, its location on the Gulf of Finland means you can enjoy day trips to Tallinn in Estonia or to some of the islands dotted around the coast. The summer months are definitely the time to go. There are only a few daylight hours in winter, hence why many of the buildings are painted in light colours.
Helsinki is a city for those who appreciate good design. The city recently launched a ‘design tour’ – a route which takes you to some of the best design shops and the design museum. The idea of design they’re trying to promote and the design shops you come across could easily become pretentious and haughty. The Finns’ friendliness though means that you don’t come across any of this. The staff in the design shops were just as friendly to us whether we bought something or not.
You’ll experience this friendliness in the area around the covered food market, right next to the sea, as well. The stalls sell Finnish specialties and many market themselves to tourists, but in a tasteful way. You’ll find reindeer meat in tins adorned with photos of Santa (not to mention bear meat), lots of prawns and herring, and of course, open sandwiches. This is a great place to stop for lunch and if you find the stall which sells €8 French shrimp soup, make sure you order yourself a bowl. There are very few seating areas in here though so if you get yourself a sandwich, the best place to eat is just outside the market, on the steps leading to the sea (though beware of the seagulls!).
The business district is right next to the sea, in the middle of all the action. If you’re visiting Helsinki at the weekend, this is the best place to stay. Because the hotels in this area target people who will be visiting Helsinki on business, ie during the week, many will offer discount rates at weekends. And if you feel like splashing out, you’ll be sure to enjoy the benefits of the Finns consideration for design.
Visit Helsinki if you’re after a quiet and relaxed break, enjoying the benefits of both being by the sea and in a city.
Stockholm:
At twice the size of Helsinki, Stockholm is the place for those of you who want somewhere bigger, more fast paced, and slightly more anarchic. It’s not as friendly as Helsinki, from my experience at least, but there’s plenty more to do. Again, probably best to visit in the summer months; average winter temperatures are below zero.
On the touristy side of things, make sure you wander around Gamla Stan, the old town, which could easily be a location for a fairy tale with its medieval buildings and narrow streets. The Nobel museum is in this area, as is the Royal Palace, where you shouldn’t miss the changing of the guard. If the Nobel museum made an impression (it contains a short history of Alfred Nobel and a collection of items which belonged to Nobel prize winners) then consider visiting the grand hotel, where the Nobel laureates stay.
The covered food market in Stockholm is much bigger than that in Helsinki and somewhere to go if you fancy a sit-down lunch. Fish forms the basis for most of the dishes here, and it can get quite pricy. The streets surrounding the market are great for shopping, again, it’s pricy, but you get the sense that the Swedes are much more fashion conscious that the Finns.
If the city gets too much for you, try getting out of the centre. You’ll find more traditional wooden cabins along the coast and a wander round the Millesgården sculpture park is a relaxing way of taking in the work of one of Sweden’s most famous artists, Carl Milles.
Stockholm is for those of you who need somewhere bigger with more action and who won’t be put out if you’re not served with a smile. If you really want to visit both cities on the same trip though, there’s an easy way to go about this. A ferry goes from Stockholm to Helsinki (but when I say ‘ferry’, I mean something rather larger and more luxurious than your average cross-channel ferry). You can take the boat overnight from Helsinki to Stockholm, making sure you get up a couple of hours before the boat docks to enjoy the views of the islands with the Swedes’ summer cabins. Going the other way, because of the timetable, you’ll be able to enjoy a stop in the Åland islands (from Helsinki to Stockholm, you pass through these at 4am).
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