Finland. Helsinki

In our car journey from Lithuania to Finland, Helsinki played a crucial role as the main transit hub between continents. The most convenient way to travel was by ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki. This gave us two opportunities to explore the city, both at the beginning and at the end of our trip... For the crossing, we chose Tallink, which operates 12-deck cruise liners transporting passengers and vehicles from Estonia to Finland. The crossing takes 2-2.5 hours, and the ship is equipped with numerous restaurants, shops, and even a casino. On the return journey, for a small additional cost, we opted to book a cabin for overnight accommodation on a liner docked at the Tallinn port upon our arrival...

Upon leaving the terminal where our liner docked, we drove straight into the city center. Since it was Sunday, we found plenty of options for free parking in the central zones, where on weekdays and partly on Saturdays, parking costs 4 euros per hour...

Our first introduction to Helsinki...

Senate Square - the main square of the capital...

Helsinki Cathedral, the main highlight of the square and the entire city...

Notably, its interior reflects Lutheran simplicity and minimalism, which is a characteristic feature of Lutheran churches...

From a geographical perspective, what's most intriguing about the city is its location near the shores of the Gulf of Finland, surrounded by picturesque rocky islands...

Helsinki Central Railway Station...

COVID-19 also makes its presence felt here...

Finnish National Theatre...

Aleksanterinkatu - the historic central street of Helsinki, named in honor of Russian Emperor Alexander I...

The main and only public transport passing through this street are trams...

We explored one part of the city at the beginning of our journey, and on the way back, with some time before the ferry, we parked in the center and took a stroll in the quiet neighborhood of Katajanokka...