Head to Helsinki This Summer!

How does the seaside capital of one of northern Europe’s most distinct countries, Finland feel like?

Some people experience Helsinki as unpresumptuous and cool while others think it is delightfully retro. 70% of Finland’s foreign business happens here, 10% of the Helsinki population of 584 420 were born abroad and they speak 132 languages.

A quarter of the population of the country, 29% of jobs, eight universities, six technology parks, and a third of Finland’s GDP can be found in and around Helsinki, founded in 1550.

How to Go Around Helsinki

At 42 € for 48 hours and giving unlimited travel on the excellent public transport system and with free access to 50 museums, the Helsinki Card is a great bargain.

Wake up with coffee and breakfast at Café Esplanad (Pohjoisesplanadi 37) or Café Strindberg (Pohjoisesplanadi 33).

A short walk away is one of the market squares, Kauppatori, full of tourists browsing handicrafts stalls. Locals buy fish, fruits or vegetable in this popular open-air marketplace overlooked by the red brick built Russian Orthodox Uspensky Cathedral on Katajanokka Island.

On the Senate Square, walk up the high flock of steps of the huge white Lutheran cathedral to get a beautiful panoramic city-view.

19th century neoclassic buildings like the imposing main building of the Helsinki University are around the square. A small side street, Sofiankatu, is paved with cobblestones and has street signs in Russian first, Swedish next and Finnish last as it was two hundred years ago. The stately parliament house built with red granite has a modern annex and modern glass buildings opposite.

Classical art-lovers shouldn’t miss the Ateneum Art Museum with Finnish art from the 18th century to the 1960s and foreign art from the 19th century onwards. Modern art-lovers have the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, an ultra-modern building designed by American architect Steven Holl. The National Museum, has an interactive exhibition to take you through Finnish history. Temppeliaukion Kirkko, a church hewed out of solid granite rock with a rolled copper roof hosts many concerts and is a tourist must see. You don’t need to have children tagging along to scream in childish delights at Linnanmäki amusement park. Many parks in Helsinki, like Esplanade park provide free WLAN Internet, so you can sit there in the sun with your laptop, people watching and posting updates on Facebook.

Helsinki has a glitzy and pricy Flamingo if you want that spa kind of pampering. The wood fired Kotiharjun Sauna (Harjutorinkatu 1) is a dare for the culturally brave. The Russians prescribe vodka for solving all the problems of life. The Finns use the sauna to that end. With separate saunas for men and women, the traditional relaxation solves all the problems of life, but no drinking alcohol in the sauna. You can experience swimming naked at the classical Roman style baths round the year at Yrjönkatu pools. Separate places and times for men and women. The Finnish Sauna society has eight different kinds of saunas for you to brag about back at home.

Suomenlinna is a UNESCO-listed group of islands only a 15-minute ferry ride away and Seurasaari is an open-air museum (in summer) a short bus-ride away with farmhouses, churches and manors to show how people lived in Finland hundreds of years ago.

FOOD, DRINKS and NIGHT-LIFE in Helsinki

The not-so-cheap restaurant Aino (Pohjoisesplanadi 21) serves excellent Finnish food. Lappi (Annankatu 22) and Saaga (Bulevardi 34B) serve exotic Lappish cuisine. Jailbird, located in a former prison is a restaurant for people who want to pay for dining in a jail.

The young party bums should check out Baarikärpänen (Mikonkatu 1), Fever (Annankatu 32) and KY Klubi (Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu 21). Seasoned partygoers try the following: Ahjo (Bulevardi 2/4), Fennia (Mikonkatu 19). Then there’s Millionaire’s Club (Kaivokatu 12) or Gentleman’s Club (Iso Roobertinkatu 4-6) for the really naughty men.

For gay and lesbian clientele, Bar Loop, the trendy Jenny Woo, Hercules nightclub, DTM offers you free WLAN, Mann’s Street is for real Finnish men who happen to be gay.

In the last two decades small boutiques in Helsinki have moved over to shopping centres like in all major cities. In summer, Helsinki is full of tourists - Americans coming in large cruise ships, Russians from Moscow and St Petersburg coming for bargains and for holidaying, the Japanese strolling around and buying Finnish design clothes at Marimekko. Check the latest on what’s happening in Helsinki from the Trip Advisor

WEATHER in Helsinki

When you come up so far north, weather can be very fickle, so dress appropriately. The average Helsinki daytime temperature is 17c in July and the daylight hours are around 20 hours then. Nights can be cooler. Check the latest weather here 

Two Finnish words Anteeksi (excuse me/sorry) check pronunciation here and Kiitos (Thanks) check pronunciation here will help you a lot. Most of the people in Helsinki speak a fair amount of English.

As a city, Helsinki symbolises the Finn’s penchant for the understatement. 

Source: factoidz.com

A Tourist Guide to Bruges, Belgium : the Venice of the North

Bruges can be considered as a crown jewel in Belgium and is located in the northwestern part of this small country of Europe. 

This beautiful city is the capital and largest city of West Flanders and attracts yearly more than 2 millions of tourists from all places over the world. Bruges is one of the most popular medieval cities all over the world and its historic center of is recognized by the UNESCO as world heritage center since 2000. Het Brugs beertje (the little Bruges bear) is the symbol of Bruges and represent, according to a legend, the oldest inhabitant of Bruges.

Bruges is also called “the Venice of the North” because this city has plenty picturesque canals which flow together in the River Reie. A boat trip on the Reie will show you why Bruges is called the Venice of the north and may never be missed if you visit Bruges. It is a boat trip of 30 minutes where you pass many bridges and you can view the most important buildings and places of Belgium. You will surely enjoy such boat trip because the driver informs you about the history and tells funny anecdotes which even many habitants of Belgium don’t know.

Traveling to Bruges can best be done by train because it is difficult to find a parking in this beautiful city of Belgium. The streets are narrow and often covered with cobblestones and it is already an art to drive with your car in Bruges. From the station, you can start your walk through the square‘t Zand which is located close to the shopping streets and the historical buildings. It is only a 5 minute walk from the station and you view as first the new concert hall which is built in red and a little bit further the fountain with sculptures by Stefaan De Puydt and Livia Canestraro.

From there; you can take the bus to the Market square to start your tour in Bruges. The market square in Bruges can be called the heart of this medieval city and you can already view from there the Belfry, which is likely the most famous monument in Bruges. The tower of the Belfry which dates back from the 13th century has a height of 88 meters and you need to climb 365 steps to reach the top and to view the impressive clock mechanism. From there, you have a breathtaking view of the entire city Bruges.

The Market square is surrounded by Guild houses, the Provincial Court (built in neo-gothic style), terraces and other beautiful houses.

In the middle of the market place, you can see the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter De Koninck which remind us the battle of Golden Spurs.

The Minnewater (Love Lake) and its lovely Minnewater Park can be considered as the most romantic place in Bruges. Most tourists will certainly visit this lovely park. No matter, when you visit this park you will always see some swans and ducks on the lake. The swan is also called the symbol of Bruges. The Minnewater Park is a peaceful place in Bruges where you can take a rest and for lovers the place to be for some moments romantic. You will often meet lovers who kiss each other in this beautiful Minnewater Park. It is the perfect place to be if you search a destination to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Behind the Minnewater Park, you can view the Beguinage. The Beguinage of Bruges (also called Beguinage “Ter Weyngaerde” was founded by Margaretha of Constantinople, the Countess of Flanders in 1245. It is peaceful and quiet place in Bruges and reflects a group of white houses surrounded with large trees. The Beguinage became a monastery in 1937 with Benedict sisters. The most beautiful period of the year to visit the Beguinage is April when daffodils are blooming. The beguinage is one of the most photographed places in Bruges.

Bruges is also a city of many churches and cathedrals. The Church of Our Lady is the most impressive one and has been built from the 13th until the 15th century. The exterior of this church is built in a gothic style while the interior is in a baroque style. The tower of this beautiful church has a height of 122 meters. One of the most famous art treasures in this gothic church is the sculpture of Madonna and child made by Michelangelo in Carrara Marble. The splendid tombstones of Mary von Burgundy are another reason why so many tourists visit this impressive gothic church in Bruges. The Saint Salvador Cathedral in Bruges is another important church in Bruges and originally not built with the intention to become a cathedral in Bruges. Saint Salvador was originally built as a paris church in 850. Nowadays the Saint Salvador Cathedral is a gothic cross church.

Bruges has also many museums and the Memling Museum (nowadays called Saint Jan Hospital) is likely the most impressive one. This museum exhibits 6 works of Hans Memling and the Shrine of St. Ursula is the most admired masterpiece. The other masterpiece which is exhibited in this museum is “the Altarpiece of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the evangelist”. The Groeninge museum is another important museum and known as the museum of fine art. This museum collects arts work from the 14th until the 20th century.

It is also worthwhile to visit the Chocolate Museum: Choco Story. Belgium is well-known for its excellent chocolate and they inform you in this museum about the history of the chocolate and the process of making chocolate. You can also taste some chocolate and it’s certainly the place to be for chocolate lovers. Bruges is the only city in the world where you have more than 50 shops of chocolate in such a small area.

Bruges is also a city of beautiful statues. The most famous statues are these of Jan Breydel and Piet De Koninck, Hans Memling, the Apocalyptic Rider, Albert I, Jan Van Eyck, the “Brugs Beertje (the Bruges little bear), Guido Gezelle, Madonna and Child, Jacob van Maerlant and many others.

An often forgotten place to visit in Bruges is the side along the channel where you can view windmills. You can make a riverside walk to the east and visit the two windmills which are left. It is a quiet area and you can enjoy some beautiful sights. When you walk a little bit further, you can visit the Guido Gezelle museum where you can view documents, books, souvenirs of the Flemish poet Guido Gezelle. The Guido Gezelle Museum in Bruges is located in the house where the poet Guido Gezelle was born.

Many popular events, which attract visitors from all places of the world, are organized in Bruges. The Holy Blood Procession is an annual event which is organized in the month May on Ascension Day. It is a colorful parade where almost 1500 habitants of Bruges show the history of the relic of the Holy Blood. This parade memorizes the relic of the Holy Blood which was brought to Bruges by the Count of Flanders in 1149. The Parade of the Holy Blood shows as well scenes from the Bible as the relic of the Holy Blood to Bruges through the Count of Flanders.

Every 5 years, the Pageant of the Golden Tree takes place in August. This Parade commemorates the marriage between Charles the Bold and Margaret of York in 1468. This popular event, organized in the center of Bruges, the Venice of the North, represent the history and origin of the houses of Flanders and Burgundy. Many actors, dancers, singers show as well the romantic scenes of the marriage as the medieval scenes.

The Festival of Flanders is a musical event which takes place every year in the months July and August. This musical event is organized in cathedrals, churches, abbeys, concert halls and belfries. The festival of Flanders in Bruges is especially famous for its international Musica Antiqua competitions.

Bruges is a wonderful place in Belgium and can be considered as a city for all seasons. You best spend a few days in Bruges to discover all the beauties of the Venice of the North. It is not only a place for sightseeing but you also can enjoy the excellent cuisine and everyone will certainly enjoy the best Belgian chocolate. Bruges has many hotels for every budget and you may never forget to drink a Brugge Tripple, a typical beer of Bruges. Bruges is a popular travel destination for travelers from all places of the world. This city, well known as the Venice of the North, can be considered as the number one in your top ten places to visit in Belgium and many will choose this destination certainly in their list of top ten places to visit in Europe.

Willy Lustenhouwer, an habitant of Bruges made a song of the beauty of Bruges. This song "Brugge die scone" and sung in the Westflemish dialect descrbes perfectly how beautiful Bruges is. You can enjoy the video with a tour of the beauties of Bruges with the voice of Willy Lustenhouwer and the song : Brugge, die scone (The beauty of Bruges).

Bruges is beautiful from the morning until the evening. It is charming, lovely, romantic and has many popular places of interest. Everyone can enjoy Bruges; there are attractions for everyone. Bruges has always kept the medieval image of the city. The cobblestones streets, the medieval buildings, the canals make Bruges unique and the quantity of tourists proofs that Bruges a top travel destination is in Europe.

Source factoidz

Beautiful Popular Landmark Tourist Attractions in Germany

According to the German Tourism Association these eight buildings are the most visited landmark tourist attractions in Germany.

The list is for landmark buildings only and does not include places like the Black Forest or the city of Berlin or Europa-Park which in total probably see more tourists than these landmark buildings. All of these beautiful buildings are popular tourist attractions in Germany today and all have fascinating rich histories and are well worth seeing by anyone traveling to Germany. Indeed a trip to Germany will not be complete for tourists without seeing these beautiful landmark tourist attractions.

Cologne Cathedral 

 

The beautiful Cologne Cathedral is visited by over 7 million tourists a year. That works out to an astonishing 20,000 visitors per day. Cologne Cathedral was built from 1248 to 1880 and has the 2nd tallest church spires in the world. Located in Cologne, Germany this Roman Catholic church is the 15th largest church in the world today.

The Reichstag

The Reichstag building is located in Berlin and was built from 1884 to 1894 for the purpose of housing the parliament of Germany called the Reichstag. A purpose the building filled until 1933 when a fire in the building was used as an excuse by the Nazis to essentially ignore and override the Reichstag or Parliament of Germany. After the fire the Reichstag building became a ruin until it was repaired in 1961-1964 and then renovated to its present glorious form in 1992. When the Berlin Wall fell and the the country of Germany was unified in 1990 the unification ceremony was held at the Reichstag building which is located close to the wall in what was West Berlin. Today the magnificent Reichstag building is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Berlin.

Hofbrauhaus in Munich 

Hofbrauhaus is a large brewery or beer hall in Munich owned by the state government that receives some 1.8 million visitors per year most of whom come to the brewery building beer hall in the fall for the Oktoberfest. The original brewery building or Hofbrauhaus am Platzl dates dates back to 1607. The beer hall building was completely remodeled in 1897 and then again in 1958 and only serves its own brewed beer and is located right in the heart of Munich not far from most hotels so tourists celebrating Oktoberfest do not have to travel far while loaded up with beer.

Heidelberg Castle

Heidelberg Castle is a massive ruin of a medieval castle sitting on a hillside overlooking the city of Heidelberg in southwestern Germany. The original castle dates back to before 1200 and from that time until the 1700’s Heidelberg Castle was home to a number of kings and royalty and was often being rebuilt or destroyed depending upon who was in power and how good they were at holding off their enemies. Heidelberg Castle has been a tourist attraction for a long time at least since the 1800’s when French writer Victor Hugo fell in love with the place and wrote about its history. Today renovations are ongoing at the castle which is visited by some 3 million tourists per year. The castle is also a popular wedding spot and a magnificent architectural structure to behold.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria

Neuschwanstein Castle is a spectacular Romanesque Revival building located atop a rugged hilltop in southwestern Bavaria, Germany. The castle was built beginning in 1869 by King Ludwig II as a temple of friendship to his friend the German composer and conductor Richard Wagner whose music the king loved. King Ludwig died in 1886 having lived in the castle for only 174 days and Wagner who died in 1883 never even stepped foot in Neuschwanstein Castle. As soon as the king died the castle was opened up to tourists and at least 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. Today some 1.3 million people visit Neuschwanstein Castle which was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castles at Disney theme parks.

Zwinger Palace in Dresden

Zwinger Palace is a magnificent German Baroque building located in the city of Dresden in eastern Germany. Zwinger Palace was built beginning in 1710 for Frederick Augustus also known as Frederick the Strong who had visited Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles and wanted a similar palace for himself. Zwinger Palace suffered great damage during WW II but has since been rebuilt and today is a beautiful tourist attraction in Germany that draws well over 1 million visitors per year.

Fernsehturm Tower in Berlin 

The Fernsehturm Tower is a 1,207 foot high observation tower that is a very popular tourist attraction located in the center of the city of Berlin, Germany. The tower was built from 1965-1969 by the East German Communist Government as a symbol of East Berlin and a television tower. Ironically the Fernsehturm Tower became something of an embarrassment to the Communists who did not believe in religion because when the sun shines on the stainless steel dome of the tower the reflection forms a very visible cross.

Today over 1 million people a year visit the Fernsehturm Tower which has two elevators to lift the tourists up to the observation deck for fantastic views of Berlin and as far away as 26 miles on a clear day. There is also a rotating restaurant where visitors can eat with a fabulous view.

Aachen Cathedral or the Imperial Cathedral 

The Aachen Cathedral which is also called the Imperial Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in western Germany in the city of Aachen. Built beginning in 792 by the Emperor Charlemagne the Aachen Cathedral was renovated around 1100 and restored in 1881. When Charlemagne died in 814 his remains were placed in a vault in Aachen Cathedral with Charlemagne’s body placed sitting on a throne with a golden crown on his head and holding a scepter in his gloved hand. His remains were placed in a casket in the vault in 1215. Aachen Cathedral was the church of coronation for 30 kings and 12 queens which earned it the name of Imperial Cathedral. Today the Aachen Cathedral is a very popular tourist attraction in Germany that sees over 1 million visitors per year.

Europe Travel

Travel Guide : Essential Things for Your Carry-on and Luggage Bags

Planning your travel is the first and foremost activity before a scheduled trip whether it is for business or personal purposes....

Careful planning will save you from forgetting something (imagine the stress when it happens), and for unexpected buying of necessary things which is usually costly at destinations. Here are some tips on planning, and a list of essential things to bring :

Write it down. There is no better way to start planning than making a list of things to do and things to bring. This will guide us through the whole preparation process.

Travel lightly. Every traveler do not want to be bothered about carrying a burden of luggage, so make it a goal to pack all things as lightly as possible.

Things for Carry-On Bag

For carry-on bag, it is advisable to have a large outsize zippered compartments as well as multiple compartments inside.

Airline tickets, passport, visa, tour vouchers, travel insurance (give copies of your travel insurance and itinerary to any of your relatives or trusted person in case of emergency), a list of contact details ( or have it saved in your mobile) of your accommodation, relatives, or any business contacts at destination.

Valuables such cash, credit cards, traveler’s checks, keys, and jewelry. Other valuables such as camera or if you opt to bring a notebook computer.

Basic personal things and toiletries such as toothbrush, toothpaste, makeup and lipstick (for women), comb or brush, tissue, sunglasses or eyeglasses, contact lenses (with case and solution), mobile phone, religious items (if the traveler used to carry these items), small writing pad and pen.

Handy personal books or other reading material to keep you occupied while waiting on line or for any flight delays.

Bring some cookies or chocolates to keep your energy until the airline in-flight meals are served.

Essential Things for Luggage

Make sure that your luggage bag is just enough for your things, some travelers also prefer to have a distinct color rather than the common colors such as black and blue. This will help you easily spot your luggage during arrival. Make sure luggage tag is complete with your name and correct contact details.

Essential toiletries. Bring small containers of your toiletries and take only as much as you need. Zip-lock plastic bags are useful for small things and compressing the items.

On clothing, bring enough underwear and socks up to the last day of the trip. Choose clothes that are neutral colors, and can easily mix and match. Carry a light trench coat so you can still manage to bring your carry-on bags.

Bring two pair of shoes. Wear one and pack one. Traveling usually takes a lot of walking so make sure that you have a good pair of walking shoes to fully enjoy your trip.

For men : a travel electric shaver

For women: cosmetics kit and other beauty regimen products that might not be available at destination place.

For overseas trip, check the country voltage in advance. It is always safe to bring a 110/220 volt power converters.

An emergency medical kit that contains basic medicines for a cold remedy, upset-stomach, band-aids, and liniment oil to warm the body.

Always check airline luggage policies to avoid hassles at the airport.

Europe Travel