Day 12: When travelling in Helsinki

It was our last full day in Helsinki, and we were truly blessed with such amazing weather and people. We cannot believe that this experience will soon be over, but at the same time we also looking forward to going back to Canada and making meaningful changes with the knowledge and experiences that we gained here in Finland. 

As the sense of urgency started kicking in, we went full gear getting ready to do some souvenir shopping and more sightseeing! Helsinki is a big and buzzing city, but what many of us found was how surprisingly serene the ambiance of the downtown area is even if there were thousands of people passing by. It is not like Toronto where you have a consistent need to be cautious and aware of your surroundings, it felt organized when compared to Canada. You could see how the city grew organically but seemed to try and make improvements so its people can move freely and in sustainable ways. 

Another thing that amazed us (which was one of our favourite things about Helsinki) was the transportation. In most large cities, going places, especially within the city centre and highly populated areas, is usually not easy and requires a certain level of finesse. Knowing how to get to places in the most efficient way is not only convenient for an individual but also saves the economy a huge amount of money and reduces carbon emissions. With this in mind, whether by ferry, foot, bike, scooter, bus, tram or train, it was incredibly easy to get anywhere within the city relatively quickly.  

For the day we split into two groups (Matt-Vanne duo and Larissa with her roommate Olga) and ended up using different methods of transportation. Some of us walked everywhere, while others took the HSL (public transportation company of Helsinki). In both methods we found lots of locals doing the same, with some streets for pedestrian traffic, and lots that can be reached by even just walking 20minutes. 

The city has lots of signage, giving pedestrians the right of way without requiring a stop sign. We found the signage well respected, and walking was easy, even with bikes and scooters sharing some of the same spaces. 

As you go about the city, you easily find little pockets of greenery - small parks spread across the town, where we find people walking their dogs or just taking a break sitting on the benches and enjoying the weather.  

The usability of public transportation seemed great, and it also seemed well integrated in the city. A subway station near the hotel drops you off at the door of a grocery store, pharmacy and department store. 

One of the biggest tourist attractions of Helsinki was the island of Suomenlinna which was where we ended up going for only €3 by ferry! The ferry has recurring trips every twenty minutes to the island and back which was very efficient and easy to access from their HSL app. There were plenty of cafes, restaurants, and garbage bins all across the island, which was exceptionally clean. On another note of sustainability, while walking on the main tourist path, we noticed there were some houses of residences (with one local out cutting the grass) on the islands. The entire island displayed how the city of Helsinki and country of Finland itself are fully committed to fulfilling the three pillars of sustainable development. The city is very welcoming to tourists, increasing economic growth, promotes recycling/upcycling as much as possible, and is well maintained/built around for the best interest of locals. 

Helsinki showed us that even a large city can commit to upholding sustainable development - not only present on Suomenlinna island but also in other areas of town. The city is friendly to other transportation methods other than personal cars, and the parks across the town refer to the environmental sustainability aspect and the social. People are more likely to take a walk, ride a bike, which could help increase quality of life. 

 

We will miss certain aspects of how easy it was to move around the city and enjoy some greenery. P.S. Having access to the purest tap water in the world is something truly remarkable (and something Larissa has not stopped talking about.)