Finland & Estonia Itinerary - Summer 2019

I have planned to attend Laulupidu, the quinquennial Estonian National Song Festival, for over four years. I seriously considered attending the Youth Song Festival (Noorte Laulupidu) in 2017 a few years back. Ultimately, I opted to wait another two years to attend the main festival earlier this summer. We pretty much planned our whole itinerary around the four-day festival. This being my second visit to Estonia, I considered spending the whole ten days visiting part of the country I did not get last time around, including the border town of Narva or the island of Saaremaa. However, because of the high airfare and accommodation cost due to Laulupidu, we opted to fly in and out of Helsinki instead, even though I failed to consider that Helsinki is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. Silly me!

Festive procession the 27th Laulupidu. — Festive procession the 27th *Laulupidu*.

For me, it was quite emotional to revisit Estonia and Helsinki. Many have changed about my life since the last time I was here. The memory of my lovely time here kept bubbling up from my memory bank. A sense of nostalgia overwhelmed me more than any other trip because my previous visit in 2012 was my last major solo trip. But on the upside, the second visit also meant I was in no rush to run from the key one marquee tourist sight to another. Instead, we focus on discovering off the beaten side of Tallinn and Helsinki. At the same time, I experience the same places with a more sophisticated taste and more than a shoestring student budget.

Day 1 - New York - London - Helsinki

After a nerve-racking two-hour delay at John F. Kennedy Airport due to equipment failure, we were racing to London Heathrow to catch our Finnair flight. Words could hardly describe our disbelief when we touched down at Helsinki Airport right on schedule. Upon entering the airport terminal, we immediately fell in love with Finland’s Nordic sensibility in architecture and design. Surprisingly, we experienced the most stringent passport control at a Schengen border post. It took us about ten minutes of questioning and reviewing all of our travel history and hotel reservations. We have been so used to the laissez-faire attitude we experienced elsewhere in Europe that the Finnish border control is memorable.

After picking up a SIM card from R-Kiosk, we hopped on the train for the 35-minute ride to Helsinki Central Station (Helsingin päärautatieasema). It was only a short five-minute stroll to Scandic Marski, our home base for the next five nights. The recently renovated property was absolutely spectacular. Having spent a little extra for a larger room, we got a panoramic view of central Helsinki. Together with the stylish Nordic-inspired interiors, it was easily one of our favorite hotels in Europe to date. After some refreshments, we took a short stroll along the Esplanade to reach Market Square. This being the last day of Helsinki Pride, we were glad to see Pride flags hoisted above the Presidential Office Building, even though the current Finnish president did not personally support same-sex unions. Fortunately, We got a table at Ravintola Toca before their August vacation. The casual atmosphere and their Italian approach to Finnish ingredients certainly dispelled the unwarranted infamy of Finnish cuisine.

Day 2 - Helsinki - Turku - Helsinki

Having been to both Helsinki and Tallinn back in 2012, I was ecstatic to be able to visit a new city, even just for one day. We woke early enough to enjoy the beautiful breakfast buffet spread at Marski and caught an eight o’clock train to Turku via a shuttle bus at the village of Salo. I timed our day trip to Turku with the last day of their annual Medieval Market, one of the largest medieval fairs in Northern Europe. As the second city of Finland, Turku was the Finnish capital before the arrival of Tsarist Russian rule. Despite being Finland's oldest city, Turku maintains little trace of its gilded era from medieval times due to a catastrophic fire in 1827 that destroyed three-quarters of the city.

Of the few remaining remnants of the old city was the Turku Cathedral, the mother church of Finland. While modest compared to other great cathedrals of Europe, the cathedral is still marvelous. It was evident that it still plays an important role in the consciousness of modern Finland. Across the cathedral is the Market Square, which hosted the main exhibition areas of the Medieval Market. Shortly after the noon opening, the place was absolutely mobbed. After an hour, we took refuge at the M Kitchen & Café, the attached restaurant to Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova Museum.

After the somewhat chaotic brunch, we walked along the promenade of Aura River toward the Turku Castle, another major remnant of Finland’s medieval past. It took us about 45 minutes to reach the castle, and the walk offered us a great cross-section look at Turku’s contemporary cityscape. The sprawling castle interior was sparsely staged but possessed modern Nordic sensibility. We capped our long day at Ravintola Rioni for a beautiful Georgian feast! Altogether, we registered over 24,000 steps for the day, and we were completely exhausted when we boarded our train back to Helsinki at 9:20 pm. There was no better way to end our day than to see the Finnish landscape flashing past us.

Day 3 - Helsinki

Today is our first full day in Helsinki. To make the most out of our limited time in the city, we opted for the all-inclusive Helsinki Card, which offers unlimited public transportation and admission to various popular tourist attractions. After a short stroll to Senate Square to admire Helsinki’s great Lutheran Cathedral, we hopped on the ferry to the fortress island of Suomenlinna, one of Finland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. While I had been here on my previous visit, I got to experience the island to the fullest with my Helsinki Card in hand. Aside from a guided tour, we also visited several museums there, ranging from a former submarine and a military museum to a museum of Finnish war resistance. To take shelter from the howling wind, we took shelter at the Ravintola Walhalla to enjoy their wonderful brick-oven pizza and a pint of Lapin Kulta.

One of the lovely islands just off the downtown Helsinki.

We returned to the mainland and grabbed an afternoon drink at Story at the venerated Market Hall (Vanha kauppahalli). As we were planning for the rest of the afternoon, we noticed a cruise boat by Market Square covered by our Helsinki Card. The 90-minute boat tour took us around the Helsinki archipelago. We passed through Suomenlinna and various outlying suburban islands dotted with tiny summer beach huts, natural reserves, and a fleet of Finnish icebreakers.

Now be warned, it was fairly cold even in the height of summer. Brian had to take shelter in the lower deck a few times. Afterward, we took a quick stroll around downtown and visited the Oodi, Helsinki's newly opened central library. It was a groundbreaking building, showcasing Finland’s education and social equity priority. We capped our day at a lovely restaurant called Shelter, where we couldn’t get enough of their delicious malt bread.

Day 4 - Helsinki

Today is rainy, meaning it is time to hit all the museums and take advantage of the Helsinki Card. Our first stop was the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, the main contemporary art museum designed by American architect Steven Holl. While we were often indifferent to contemporary art, the exhibits at Kiasma were stellar. In particular, we were very intrigued by the exhibition of Finnish artist Iiu Susiraja. Her candid self-portraits were pure joy; we certainly could not look away. The exhibition, "The Stage Is Yours,” was also highly memorable with its interactive exhibits that have visitors doing spontaneous performances.

The next stop was the National Museum of Finland, tasked to be the official biographer for the nation. The museum is relatively compact, and we were particularly intrigued by the Donald Trump mask exhibited regarding his infamous Helsinki Summit with President Putin. After a quick lunch at the interestingly named Ravintola Kuukuu, we headed back to the National Museum to catch a tram. We suddenly saw a motorcade pulled up to the museum entry with heavy police forces. The Japanese Crown Prince Akishino, on a state visit to celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, was out of the car. This serendipitous sighting of an actual significant royal spiced up an otherwise damp day.

We spent the rest of the afternoon first at the Design District. After browsing a few design shops, we visited the Design Museum Helsinki, which celebrates Finland’s long and proud contribution to modern furniture and industrial design. The special exhibition about the eccentric works of Aamu Song & Johan Olin was particularly memorable. We ended our afternoon at the Iittala & Arabia Design Center in the Arabia neighborhood of Helsinki. Also, the headquarters of the Fiskars Group, the center combines a designer outlet and a company museum. It offers some of the best one-stop shopping opportunities for all lovers of Finnish design. Afterward, we headed to the trendy neighborhood of Kallio for our dinner at Restaurant Kolmon3n. Having indulged in expensive prix fixe dinners on prior nights, we stuck to the basics and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner there.

Day 5 - Helsinki

This was our final full day in Helsinki and another overcast day. Our adventures across the city’s cultural hotspot continued with a morning visit to the Ateneum Art Museum. As the premier fine art museum of Finland, it holds a wide variety of Finnish Art, but my particular favorites are those from the National Romantic movement of the late 19th century. The neoclassical museum building is quite a destination in itself. As we exited the museum, we spotted the red sightseeing hop-on-hop-off bus. That reminded us that the Helsinki Card covered it. This was the first time we ever took such a bus. We often joked that maybe we should try it out sometime in New York to see what it would be like. Overall, I think it is a decent way to go on an excursion if you arrive on a cruise ship. Truthfully, I don’t think it was worth the time or money if you are paying a la carte for a city like Helsinki with excellent public transport.

The headquarters building of Enso-Gutzeit Corporation by Alvar Aalto.

Eventually, we hopped out of the bus at the stop for Temppeliaukion Church. Commonly known as the “Rock Church,” this is arguably the must-see for any tourist. I was amazed by how different things had been since my visit in 2012. This time, there is a €3 admission fee and dedicated lines for entry. It was far from the tranquil and cathartic experiences I enjoyed seven years ago. Unfortunately, the church has become another victim of over-tourism. We recommend early or late to avoid the crush of cruise ship tour groups. Afterward, we stopped by the popular Middle Eastern-inspired Sandro chain at Kamppi Center for lunch.

The playful urban landscape above Amor Rex.

After lunch, we visited Amor Rex, the hottest art museum in Helsinki since it opened last year. The museum is best known for its dramatic subterranean architecture and the undulating hardscape it creates aboveground. The exhibit itself was quite a disappointment. It was told that the inaugural exhibit was far superior and took full advantage of the unique architectural space. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the lovely people watching from a nearby cafe. It was fun to see people enjoying a good piece of urban architecture. We capped our day with some shopping and a late dinner at Juuri, one of the most beloved restaurants in the trendy Design District. The food was excellent, and we came to discover the magic of Finnish lamb!

Day 6 -Helsinki - Tallinn

The day has finally arrived! Today, we woke early to depart to Tallinn, Estonia. We were quite sad to leave our room at Scandic Marski and its lovely breakfast. It was a twenty-minute tram ride to the Western Terminal 2 to catch our 9 am ferry on the Eckerö Line. Once we boarded, it didn’t take us long to understand why they offered the lowest fare among the three ferry companies that provide service between the two Baltic cities. It was a human traffic jam, and we were glad the journey lasted two hours.

Frequent ferries connect Tallinn with Helsinki.

As Tallinn’s skyline emerged from the horizon, I felt so excited. I have learned much about this tiny Baltic nation in the past few years. Oddly, I feel like it was like a homecoming or sort. A short tram ride away took us to our hotel for the next four nights. Right on Freedom Square, the centrally located Hotel Palace offered us the best central location for all the festivities of Laulupidu. After a late lunch at Restauran Pegasus, we took a stroll around the lovely medieval Old Town before preparing for the opening dance performance of Tantsupidu, the Estonian National Dance Festival.

Hosted at Tallinn’s Kalevi Keskstaadion, Tantsupidu was first hosted in 1934 and has always been hosted on the same weekend as Laulupidu on the first weekend of July every five years. The dance celebrated started with an address by Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas and the Olympic-style flame relay. We were lucky to score the seat reservation for just one of the three performances. It was a cathartic experience to see the sea of 10,000 dancers clad in traditional national costumes. What also impressed me was that all the dances were executed to live musical performances. And we marveled at the orderly procession of so many dancers of all ages.

The 20th Tantsupidu, the Estonian National Dance Festival. — The 20th *Tantsupidu*, the Estonian National Dance Festival.

The true joy was seeing how the performers came and went off the field so effortlessly and without hesitation. The performance culminated with a joint dance to Tuljak, the “Village Dance.” The final retreat from the field also jolted us with an overwhelming sense of national pride and joy. Words could not describe how grateful I am for being part of the festivity. After the performance, we joined the dancers and spectators to return to Old Town. Eventually, we stopped by the Hessburger at Viru Keskus for our makeshift dinner before a satisfying night of sleep.

Day 7 - Tallinn

Regarding the festival schedule, today was the second and final performance of the dance festival. So we were free to explore Tallinn until the start of Laulupidu tomorrow. We had a day to decompress and be typical tourists. I was determined to see parts of Tallinn that I hadn't experienced during my last visit. At the same time, I certainly did not oppose doing some touristy. One thing we did was climb the Hellemann Tower and enjoy a stroll along the top of the medieval fortification. To my surprise, the elevated walkway seemed a little much for Brian's acrophobia. Just across the street was the St. Catherine's Passage (Katariina Käik), a quaint medieval lane lined with various artisan workshops ranging from metallurgy to textile, glass, and ceramic. Unfortunately, like most of Tallinn, the tranquil space is now inundated with tourists from big tour groups.

The quaint yet chaotic St. Catherine's Passage (Katariina Käik) in Old Town Tallinn — The quaint yet chaotic St. Catherine's Passage (*Katariina Käik*) in Old Town Tallinn

To explore the more contemporary side of Tallinn, we ventured out north of the Old Town to a newly revitalized previously depressed area surrounding the Baltic Station Market (Balti Jaama Turg). It is the ultimate symbol of the young and urban Estonia. The shining new market hall embodies Tallinn's optimism, referential to the past yet daring to project into the future. Just beyond the market is the Telliskivi Creative City, the epicenter of Bohemian Tallinn. We stopped for lunch at F-Hoone, a favorite local hangout serving delicious bowls of pelmeni and home-brew peachy IPA. To satisfy our sweet tooth, we stopped by the ice cream shop La Muu for Estonia's favorite frozen dessert.

We headed to the upscale Kadriorg District to get a dose of high culture. Once the favored ground of the Russian imperial family, today’s Kadriorg hosts the official residence of the Estonian President and Kumu, the national art museum of Estonia. For a country of 1.3 million, Kumu’s collection of Estonian fine arts is nothing less than impressive. Afterward, Brian returned to the hotel for a short nap while I hunted for a raincoat. Due to the projected rain in Tallinn in the next few days, I was determined to prepare for the worst at Laulupidu. I ended up at Solaris Shopping Center just outside of the Old Town. To my delight, there were many Laulupidu-related exhibitions and shops inside Solaris, including a pop-up store by the Estonian National Museum from Tartu. We ended our day early with a lovely seafood dinner at Kalambuur.

Day 8 - Tallinn

The big day finally arrived! Today was the start of Laulupidu, and Tallinn had a palpable energy in anticipation of the largest festival in Estonia’s history. To better understand Estonia’s struggles under Soviet occupation, we visited the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom. Like its counterparts in Riga and Vilnius, the museum documents the horror and cultural genocide carried out under the Soviet occupation. The newly revamped and expanded museum was highly interactive and sought to educate visitors through the words of ordinary Estonians. Just as we were wrapping up our visit, we could see the possessions gathering. Thousands of performing singers and dancers gathered at Freedom Square in central Tallinn to start the 5-kilometer march to the Song Festival Ground. The six-hour parade ended in front of the Song Festival Arch. The master of the ceremony announced each participating contingent, and they were greeted and cheered on by all the choirmasters and the Estonian prime minister.

The parade to the Song Festival Ground is one of the highlight of the festivity.

After the final group arrived at the Song Festival Ground, the mass choir gathered on the stage to await the arrival of the torches from Kalev Stadium, the site of the dance festival performance in the past two days. After the torch was lit atop the soaring observational tower, This was followed by the mass singing of the Estonian national anthem, Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm, followed by an address by President Kersti Kaljulaid. As she noted in her closing remarks, it was time to sing! The theme of the opening concert was traditionally a tribute to past Laulupidu. They often include one song from each previous festival, except one entirely dominated by the Soviet repertoire. For each song, an image of the composer is projected to the ceiling of the Festival Arch.

The amazing mixed choir at the opening night concert.

The night culminated with the debut performance of a new song written specifically for this year’s festival. Titled “Üksi pole keegi” (No One Is Ever Alone), the song was destined to become an instant classic among Estonians. After the last song, we raced to the food vendor to fill up whatever was left on their tray. As we exited the song festival ground, I could not help getting emotional looking at the blazing torch. It was quite a special sight since the lighthouse only shone brightly four nights every decade. I felt very fortunate to be able to witness it. Joining thousands of others, we walked back toward central Tallinn with our spirits high and full of joy.

Day 9 - Tallinn

We had a relatively slow start this morning, particularly to recover from a long day prior but also in anticipation of the hectic day ahead. Today is Laulupidu’s main concert, which started at 1 pm and was supposed to be about eight hours long. From our hotel room, we had a perfect view of Freedom Square, where groups of dancers from Estonia’s diaspora community were rehearsing for a dance concert. While pale compared to Tantsupidu's performance on the previous days, it was great to witness and see casual foreign tourists who could experience a little slice of traditional Estonian culture.

The Freedom Square and the War of Independence Victory Column.

We left for the Song Festival Ground around noon to score a decent ground for today's concert. Unlike yesterday's concert, we could only get a general admission ticket to the grassy lawn in the back. After grabbing a souvenir picnic blanket, we staked our ground at the far end of the festival. That will be our home base for the duration of the concert. Just as I was on the mission to get us lunch, I realized how crowded today's concert was compared to yesterday's one. It took me twenty minutes to fight back to our little blanketed space.

The concert proceeds with the precision and efficiency of a military operation. The day was organized based on various musical groups, ranging from the boy's choir, men's choir, brass band, orchestra, string orchestra, wind ensemble, female choir, mixed choir, girl's choir, and finally, the joint choir. We noted several wonderful songs throughout the day, such as Ära Mind Lahti Lase, Spordimeeste Lau, Maa Mida Armastan, and Ilmaratas. Nearly half of the songs in today's concert received raucous encore performances. Each composer, lyricist, and conductor was greeted like a rock star.

A vast and overflowing crowd at the main concert of Laulupidu. — A vast and overflowing crowd at the main concert of *Laulupidu*.

There was a true sense of camaraderie between the conductors and the performers. When the Ühendkoor (joint choir) took the stage, everyone stood to their feet to anticipate the most beloved songs. The final few songs carried the most historical and emotional weight for the Estonian nation. My favorite moment was when Tonis Magi, arguably Estonia's most famous singer, took the stage. The crowd went wild, and the emotions of that love song, Ilus Oled Isamaa (You're Beautiful, Fatherland), were overflowing. The final two songs of the official program were the most anticipated, and they have always been the closing songs of past Laulupidu. When the torch was extinguished after the last note of Mu Isamaa On Minu Srm (My Fatherland Is My Love), a true sense of sadness was difficult to put into words. Thankfully, there were a few customary encore songs after the official program. It was truly a musical experience like no other. As we departed the Song Festival Ground for the final time, many emotions filled my heart: it was a day of joy, kinship, and deep satisfaction.

Day 10 - Tallinn - Helsinki

Our last day in Tallinn was bittersweet as we were exhausted yet still eager to explore more of this beautiful country we had come to love. After breakfast, we took a bus from Tallinn to visit the Estonian Open Air Museum (Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum) in the suburban district of Rocca al Mare. A nod to the cultural kinship to her Nordic neighbors, the open-air museum is a collection of vernacular architecture across Estonia. The resemblance to Skansen of Stockholm was immediately apparent; the entire ensemble of rural estates was transported and reconstructed here in a park-like setting. Structures ranged from a chapel, sauna, fishing pavilion, and windmill scattered across a large area. But unlike Skansen, this place was less entertainment-oriented and far more cerebral in its presentation. If anything, the Estonian setting provides a far more authentic experience.

The impressive reconstruction of the Sassi-Janni Farm

Upon return to central Tallinn, we stopped for lunch at Jahu Tänavagurmee just across from the hotel. We stumbled upon this little unassuming place two days ago at the start of the Laulupidu possession. It was one of the best pizzas we have had recently. Living near supposedly one of the best pizzerias in the NYC area, we could confidently say Jahu’s creation is just as good, if not better. If you were in Tallinn, make sure to try their Tartufo pizza! We wrapped up the rest of our afternoon with a visit to the Rotermanni Quarter, just east of the Old Town. It was one of the first gentrified areas of Tallinn and is known for its innovative architecture and boutique shopping.

I took the opportunity to do some last-minute shopping at the famous Kalev Chocolate shop. I was happy to purchase some Laulupidu-themed chocolate! Finally, I visited the Parliament Shop at the top of Toompea Hill to score a few “official souvenirs” before our 6:30 pm ferry back to Helsinki. As we stood on the ferry's top deck, we couldn’t help reflecting on our short visit to Estonia. With the Song Arch on one side and Tallinn’s medieval skyline on the other, we said goodbye and vowed to return one day again. Estonia, you will always have a dear spot in my heart.

Our return ferry to Helsinki differed from our journey a few days ago. We have paid a little twenty euros extra to travel on one of the most recently renovated vessels between the two cities: Tallink's MS Megastar. It was a beautiful journey, and the delicious dinner at their “Delight Buffet” option was amazing. Aside from the excellent dinner and unlimited wine and beer, we were blessed with the beautiful Baltic view from the giant window at the ferry's prow. Despite the stormy weather, we were truly at peace.

Day 11 - Helsinki - London - New York

Our stay at Sokos Hotel Presidentti could be best described as “adequate”; we certainly missed our beautiful room at Scandic Marski the previous week. The breakfast buffet was a mob scheme. We didn't plan for any real sightseeing in anticipation of our afternoon flight back home. Instead, it was time to return to some of our favorite shops in Helsinki. We went around the town to hunt for Finnish design classics from Iittala, Marimekko, Aarikka, and Artek. After getting our VAT refund at Vantaa Airport, it was quite a whirlwind of a few hours, and we struggled to fit everything into our limited luggage space. So that is it for our trip to the Baltic! It has been a trip of a lifetime and one that I will make warm my heart for many years to come.

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