Finland, the land of a thousand lakes and a lot of nature! If you have come here for only a short visit then you might not have the time to explore all of Finland’s nature’s charms, but you can definitely see some of them.
By visiting an island that you can get to crossing a bridge (so you don’t actually need a boat ride for this one) you can get a taste of the Finnish calm while actually not even leaving the city. The island is called Seurasaari and is located only a 20 minute bus ride away from the central railways station in Helsinki. You will want to take the bus number 24 for this and it will actually say Seurasaari on the top of the bus. You will be able to purchase tickets on the bus or if you have already gotten a public transportation ticket for the zones AB then it will also work for this bus ride.
Once you arrive at the Seurasaari stop you will have to cross the bridge that will lead you to the piece of nature that is closest to the city center.
In the summer it actually has an open air museum that shows historic buildings and you can actually get a tour of them there. However, in the winter this museum is closed, but in my opinion it is even nicer due to the peacefulness and the alone time you get with the animals. The island isn’t a home to too many animals, but enough to make the trip special for you. What’s best bout these birds and squirrels is that they will actually come to you and sit on your hands for a small fee of a seed or a nut! So make sure to grab some of those if you decide to go!
The island is full of parks, trails and beaches so you can get a lot of different scenarios for quite a small island.
If you are going there out of season then you will have to take some food with you because the chances are that the restaurants and cafes on the island will be closed. With this warm winter weather though, outside picnics should be really great. There are a few stops with stumps or rocks placed for sitting so that you can sit around and enjoy the food and maybe get some of the birds and squirrels to join your meal! Or if not the extra company, then you can enjoy the sounds of waves crashing on the shore as you enjoy your (hopefully) Finnish food!
