Helsinki, Finland

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A bittersweet stop for us, Helsinki Finland was our last city in Europe. In planning our trip, we noticed that flying home, we would most likely need a layover. We decided to make the most of it and take a 24hr layover in Helsinki so that we could explore just one more city and country before going home.

When we landed in Helsinki we took a train from the airport. The train system was new, and it took people from the airport to downtown Helsinki. We stopped along the rail to a spot that was close to our hotel.

When we got off the train we had a 15 minute walk to our hotel. The walk was along the highways, but what was magnificent is that everywhere in Helsinki had bike paths. The bikes had their own highway system. Paths traveled under overpasses and along the highways, making it safe for cyclists and walkers to travel anywhere in the city. Derek and I love to ride our bikes, and we were jealous of the paths that Helsinki had compared to the scattered paths that we had at home.

We very quickly checked into the hotel, Hotel Cumulus. The woman we talked to at the train station had told us our ticket was good for two hours, so that we could use it to hop back on the train to go into the city with no charge. We made it back to the train station on time, and we were able to get a free ride into the city. The ride was quite nice, and Derek and I marveled again at the bike path systems.

We arrived in Helsinki. I’m not sure if I was just overwhelmed by how little time we had in the city, but I wasn’t a huge fan. Derek loved Helsinki. The people were very friendly. I just didn’t see the charm that the rest of Europe had.


We had trouble finding dinner. Helsinki did not have many options for places with English menus like the rest of Europe did. We also had a hard time finding french fries. To add to that, everything in Helsinki was SO expensive, and very few restaurants had their menus posted. A local recommended a burger joint to us. I wasn’t convinced, but I looked at the menu and saw that they had some interesting choices so we stopped. Derek for his fries and beer. I ordered the Reindeer burger with cranberry mayo and fries with homemade ketchup. The burger was decent, very lean meat. The meal cost us a small fortune.



We took a little walk down by the water. There must had been a festival going on earlier in the day because they were cleaning up the mess that was left over. The water was pretty. We were glad to get some fresh air.





We decided to try and find some cocktails to so took a walk through the town. We had a job finding the area with all the bars, but when we found it we were pleasantly surprised. Derek went online to find the bars that we needed to hit. The first was this hipster bar called Bar Llamas. The decor was awesome! The drinks were good too. I had a margarita, and Derek had Whisky.




Derek then found the best cocktail bar that we have ever been too. Liberty or Death was a cool bar with a great vibe. They only serve cocktails because that is what they specialize in. Derek ordered a drink with Whisky in it, and mine had gin. Their signature cocktails were amazing. If we hadn’t had only hours in the city, we probably would have stayed and drank there all night.


We wanted to get back to the hotel before dark so that we didn’t have to walk the bike paths at night. So we took the train back, and we made it before the sun fully set. We decided we weren't done for the night, so we stopped for a Hugo and a Jack and Ginger at the hotel bar. Derek ordered a piece of cheesecake that came with a yummy blackcurrant sauce. I ordered a sampler of salmon with mustard, crispy pork tartare and ham with honeydew. The pork tartare was much better than the steak tartare I had in Prague.



We went to bed, and we woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready for our plane back to NYC. We were sad to leave Europe, but also looked forward to starting our married lives together back home. This trip ended up being a dream come true for us, and more than we ever imagined. Derek and I will cherish the time we had in Europe for the rest of our lives. We will always look back fondly on our honeymoon, glad that we decided to do something a little different, and be adventurous.

All you need to live your dream is a backpack on your back and the love of your life at your side. 

Quirky things about Finland:
  • bike paths everywhere
  • very expensive
  • the best cocktails we have ever had

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