This tour combines the main sights of Helsinki and a visit to the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum. Drive by the colorful open-air market and stop at Senate Square with the elegant Lutheran Cathedral for a photo opportunity. Continue past the Uspenski Cathedral and see the icebreakers docked for the summer season. Then, it’s on to Mannerheim Street, the main thoroughfare and home to Parliament House, the National Museum and Finlandia Hall. Also pass the new Contemporary Art museum, Kiasma, the Olympic Stadium, venue for the Olympic Games of 1952, and the Opera House. Continue to the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, located on a beautiful green island just a few miles from the heart of Helsinki.
The island is a tranquil oasis in the midst of the city and here, the traditional Finnish way of life is portrayed in the cottages, farmsteads and manors of the past four centuries that have been relocated from around different provinces of Finland. The oldest building on the island is a 1686 wooden church from Karuna, near Turku. The guided walking tour is a fast way of getting to know traditional Finnish life and architecture while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. You’ll be treated to coffee and a traditional pastry in this country setting. Then it’s on to the unique Temppeliaukio Rock Church, blasted out of solid rock. At the end of the tour, should time allow, you can get off in the downtown area to explore the city on your own or return by your bus to the cruise pier. Should you decide to remain in the city, you’ll be responsible for your own return to the cruise pier.
