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Traditional History & City Highlights

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 - the venue for the Olympic Games of 1952, and the new Opera House, completed in 1993. 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 the 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 into 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. Note: Order of sights might vary. Guides are not allowed to escort large groups through churches while a service is in progress. In this instance the guide will describe the church from the outside. We cannot guarantee entry if services are being held. Due to new traffic restrictions, buses will no longer be allowed to drive nearby the rock church; therefore, there will be a 20 minute walk to and from the church (approximately 1,600 feet). Guests must be able to perform substantial walks over uneven surfaces. Seurasaari Open-Air Museum will be closed on May 10th and September 13th, 2012.
Average:
4 out of 5
4
 out of 
5
(2 Reviews) 2
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot (2 reviews)
5 stars
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2 of 2(100%)customers would recommend this to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Traditional History & City Highlights
Review 1 for Traditional History & City Highlights
Overall: 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Historical: 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
Cultural: 
2 out of 5
2 out of 5
Entertaining: 
2 out of 5
2 out of 5
Cultural/Educational: 
3 out of 5
3 out of 5
BenAround
Location:Ohio
Party size:3
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:June
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Family oriented
Favorite port:Amsterdam, Netherlands
I want to go here next:Canada and New England
Date:August 12, 2011
Less than advertised
The guide was very good. Easy to understand and knowledgable. However much was seen from the bus as we passed by. Even so, we still didn't see several of the sights mentioned in the shore excursion description. What we saw was fine but we felt that we were short changed.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Traditional History & City Highlights
Overall: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Historical: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Cultural: 
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
Entertaining: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Cultural/Educational: 
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
Sunshine99
Location:Southern US
Party size:1
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:June
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Educational
Date:July 17, 2011
Nice blend of history and the present
This was an interesting tour that included mostly observations from the bus in downtown Helsinki although there were three stops for photos and additional information. The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum was very well done and historically interesting. The cafe stop was charming and added personality to the excursion. The guide was well informed and readily answered all questions.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.