Helsinki, Finland

Today we got to spend a few hours in Helsinki, Finland. It was our first truly sunny day on this trip and it was beautiful. We took a ferry out to Suomenlinna Fortress. This is a six island fortress built in the1700s to protect the region from the Russians. We walked through the grounds of the two main islands. There were a lot of great views on the fortress itself and of Helsinki.

From there we took the ferry back to Helsinki and spent time in the Kauppatori Market Square. This area has people selling fruits and vegetables along with crafts and souvenirs. We spent time there shopping and had stuffed crepes for lunch.

After lunch we walked around to the Uspenski Cathedral. It was built in 1868 and is up on a hill with a great view. It is an Orthodox church and is apparently the largest one in Western Europe. It’s a large red brick building with an extravagant interior.

We also made it to the Senate Square. This area was built in the early 1800s. The square includes the St Nicholas Cathedral, which is a large white church with green domes. The square was filled with seagulls, even sitting on the statue of Alexander II.

By then it was time to return to the ship. We’re already talking about coming back.