Hello I am back to share more about my exchange in Finland. For this post, I will be elaborating more about the famous landmarks in the country!
Helsinki is the capital city of Finland, and the city center was conveniently 20 minutes by train from where I lived. Hence it became a weekly routine to visit the city center as there were many malls and markets to visit.
On the first few days, a few of us SUTD students visited a small island located slightly off the coast of Helsinki. Suomenlina is an old sea fortress with very pretty views and interesting architecture.
It was also one of the few sunny and warm days we had left, and I regret not cherishing it more.
In the main city itself, there were many beautiful churches and cathedrals I visited. First on the list had to be the Helsinki Cathedral, with its grand pillars and green dome. Unfortunately, on the day I went, there was a wedding held inside and I could not see the inside. But the outside view of the Cathedral was still very beautiful nonetheless.
I also managed to visit one of the nearby towns East of Helsinki, Porvoo. It is the second oldest city in Finland, and the old houses along the river were very cute.
Of course, no visit to Finland is complete without at least looking for the Northern Lights. I spent a short 3 nights in Lapland, Finland’s Northernmost region, and had a lot of fun seeing reindeer, visiting Santa Claus’ Village, and most importantly, trying to catch the Northern Lights.
After a disappointing first 2 nights of not being able to see any, as the sky was too cloudy, I finally managed to catch them on my last night. It was just as magical to see it in person as it was in pictures, and it also made me forget about the freezing cold for a moment.
Finland is truly an amazing country filled with both natural and architectural wonders. Although I spent a good 4 months there, I did not manage to see everything and if given the chance, would definitely go back to Finland to visit again.
