1. Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital city of Finland bestowed with a number of eye-catching attractions.

Historic City centre of Helsinki is a traditional place started establishing in the seventeenth century. It provides you nice places to visit like the Helsinki Cathedral, the City Hall and the Old Market Hall, the Market Square and also Palace of the President.

Helsinki Cathedral, Finland by Debarshi Ray

The Old Town of Helsinki is also a famous attraction of Helsinki. This is old only by name now because it has been designed modern now. The place where past and present of Finnish experience meets!

Toolonlahti Bay is also a bewildering place to visit in Helsinki. People enjoy a peaceful afternoon with a tranquil experience and this Bay also offers very magnificently planted Winter Garden, the Finnish National Opera, the Olympic stadium, the Sports Museum, the Linnunlaulu ditrict of the wooden villa and the Finlandia Hall.

2. Vaasa

Vaasa is situated in northern Finland. It is mainly a coastal region. The best time to visit Vaasa is summer because in winter the temperature drops below the freezing point. It is considered as the sunniest place of Finland. In the summer season the temperature is slightly above 20 Degree Celsius. This city had been restructured and rebuild due to the fire struck in 1852. This city has large number of students due to three universities situated here. Even the first library of Finland was built here.

Vaasa, Finland by Robert Nyman

3. Savonlinna

In the south of Finland there is a city named Savonlinna. The Olavinlinna castle is a beautiful place to visit here. The captivating Savonlinna opera festival is held here.

The second appealing attraction is to smoke sauna here. It will let you to experience the essence of Finnish tradition. This sauna is heated by wood without a chimney. The Jatkankomppa sauna is considered as one of the finest sauna in the world.

Savonlinna, Olavinlinna Castle, Finland by Simona

4. Open Air Museum of Seurasaari

An open-air museum of its own style is located on a green island in Seurasaari. This island is a peaceful oasis in the centre of the city. The traditional Finnish lifestyle is being displayed in the manors, cottages and farmsteads at the museum. This museum was founded in 1909. Currently at the Seurasaari Museum there are eighty seven separate buildings. Each province of the Finland is represented in the old buildings that are very well preserved. This provides the idea of the countryside way of life of the three centuries (1700-1900) of Finland.

Open Air Museum of Seurasaari, Finland by Wilson Bilkovich

5. Aland of Finland

Don’t miss the archipelago of more than six thousand (6,000) Aland in the Baltic Sea. A bewildering sight to be seen at least once in your lifetime and the best time to visit is between May and September. These islands are flat so the better conveyance is bike.

Aland, Finland by Ian Oliver

It is easy traveling to this country due to the availability of cheap flights to Finland. Moreover, the flights to Finland are not very rare to find. Obviously Finland is a very well established and simply a beautiful place to visit.

The post Top 5 Places to Visit in Finland appeared first on Europe Explored.

I did my first marathon in October 2011, the Lochness Marathon in Scotland. It was a fantastic experience and a great personal achievement.

Amsterdam Marathon, Netherlands / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by DennisM2

The next marathon I am looking to do is the Amsterdam Marathon. I have chosen Amsterdam primarily because I assume it will one of the flattest routes and therefore quickest, but also because I have been to Amsterdam a couple of times, for business and a city break and really liked the city. Travelling abroad for such an event can be expensive anyway, so I am looking for a nice hotel in Amsterdam at a good price (much like everyone). There are some great Amsterdam hotels though and even quaint little B&Bs and there are some great cheap city break
packages I plan to make the most of.

The marathon starts and finishes at the Olympic Stadium where spectators have free access to.

The route takes you through Vondelpark, the largest public park in Amsterdam and sounds quite like Hyde Park in London in that there is a lot going on. There are ponds for kayaking, playing fields and generally nice picnic areas. This will be a great area for spectators as well to enjoy the day. The marathon goes out of town slightly along the Amstel River passing traditional windmills and large stately homes. The views are meant to be stunning from here as you are slightly higher up at this stage.

There is a marathon in almost every top European city so if you are a marathon addict you can combine a city break with a marathon! Here are just a few on the ‘must do’ list:

The Paris Marathon

The Paris marathon has been voted as one of the top marathons in the world. The marathon passes by the main tourist attractions: the Champs Elysees, River Seine, the Arc De Triumph and the Eiffel Tower. Like the Amsterdam marathon, the course is very flat and so a PB (personal best) is achievable, although there are a couple of tight corners and tunnels where there can be a bit
of a human traffic jam which may hold you up.

The Rome Marathon

Just wandering around Rome, you notice stunning architecture and significant pieces of history. So the marathon will be a whirlwind of fascinating buildings and landscapes. The marathon starts and finishes at the ancient Coliseum and takes in sites such as St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Olympic Station, Trevi Fountain and much, much more. As you are running through ancient Rome, you will come across some rough terrain such as cobbled streets so do take care – this is more about the sites that the personal bests.

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