Helsinki 

 

Helsinki is not only the capital city of Finland in fact, it is the largest city in the country too. The city is located in the southern part of the country blending with the Baltic Sea. The city is very famous for it’s beautiful and gorgeous building with Finnish accents. As the places are located close to each other one can easily stroll to the top tourist attractions of the city.  

 

Day 1

Saariselka - Helsinki

After my magical trip of Saariselka i had already planned a 3 day trip to Helsinki. Firstly i travelled from Saariselka to Ivalo and took a flight from there to Helsinki.

My travel blog covers 12 various places which i visited during my trip in Helsinki:- 

 

Helsinki Cathedral

The Helsinki Cathedral is one of the most popular tourist spot in the city. The was made to dedicated the Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar Nicholas I. The church is made in Neoclassical-style  architecture which is very remarkable. The Cathedral was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and Ernst Lohrmann. The church is a part of Helsinki Empire and also a landmark for those who arrive from sea. 

 

Kamppi Chapel 

The Kamppi Chapel is located in Simonkatu of Helsinki. The place is also known as the “Chapel of Silence” as the chapel provides us an opportunity to calm down and relax. I was amazed when i was entered the chapel because when i was outside the chapel i was hearing so many voices and people moving around me but when i entered the chapel suddenly, there was pin drop silence. The architecture of the chapel is very unique and one of it’s kind. The chapel is designed by Mikko Summanen, Kimmo Lintula, and Niko Sirola and has won International Architecture Awards in 2010.

 

Uspenski Cathedral

The Uspenski Cathedral is the largest orthodox church in Helsinki. The cathedral was designed by Aleksey Gornostaev who was a Russian architect. The Cathedral was built during 1862–1868 period after the death of the architect. The cathedral has one of the most impressive interior and exterior design. The Golden cupolas and facade made with red bricks are the symbols of Russian impact on the Finnish history. 

 

Day 2

Temppeliaukio church

The Temppeliaukio church is a Lutheran Church designed by two bother Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. The church is entirely made into a rock due to which it also known as the “Rock Church” or “The church of rock”. This church is situated in the heart of the city near the end of Fredrikinkatu. The assembly hall of the church is with the help of a dome which is lined with copper and supported by the walls of rock. Many events and concerts are organized here as the place has got one of the best acoustics. There are fixed timing in order to view the church from inside so make sure you are visiting this place on correct time if you want see it’s impressive architecture from inside. 

 

Senate Square

The Senate Square is becoming more and more popular among the tourist as a huddle of gorgeous structures are located around it. The major contributors for the square are influenced by the Holy Cathedral of Helsinki, The Government palace, University of Helsinki and the National Library of Finland. The oldest stone building of the city known as Sederholm is located to the southeast corner of the square and In the middle of the square, there is a statue of Emperor Alexander II which is very ironic. The place is said to the Meeting point for walking tours as almost all the major tourist spots are located nearby. Even the Esplanade park and the Market Square are just a block away from this spot.

 

Finnair Skywheel 

The Finnair Skywheel Helsinki is a popular ferris wheel in Katajanokka in Finland. The ferris wheel is very huge in size and provides spectacular 360° panoramic view of the city. When i was on the top of the ferris wheel i was able to view Baltic Sea on one side and a majestic view of Helsinki on the other side. They were even offering VIP Gondola or Sauna Gondola but was a bit expensive !

 

Market Square

The Market Square is the most famous market of the city. The place is very well known for national as well as International trades. This place has become quite popular among the tourists as there are many booths available here which sell traditional market food, Handicrafts materials and Souvenirs items which you can buy to gift your loved ones. The thing which i liked the most about this place was the heated Cafe tents where i enjoyed a steaming cup of hot coffee in such extreme cold weather. From this place one can took a ferry to a two hundred years old fort known as Suomenlinna.  

The places for day has been finished now it was time for going back to the hotel to get refreshed and getting ready for tomorrow's trip to one of the oldest sea fort Suomenlinna.

 

Day 3

Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna is a very popular 200 years old sea fortress in Finland and is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. To reach this sea fortress i took a ferry from Market square. As i was travelling in Winter it was certainly very cold in the ferry however it was kind a like fun as i was able to view some broken chunks of ice floating into the sea. Once i reached there i visited a few museums and enjoyed the scenery over there. The Fortress has a number of restaurants, museums and private houses. Suomenlinna provides a very unique and mesmerizing experience to visitors of all ages and would recommend it as a must visit in Finland.

 

Okay! So it was the last day which i spend in Helsinki but wait my trip is not over yet as i have planned to add Stockholm to my itinerary . And travelling from Helsinki to Stockholm will be interesting as will be taking a Cruise from here. Took Viking line Cruise which Departs from Helsinki at 5.30 pm and arrives in Stockholm at 10.00 am. If you have time and can plan this option as it is a perfect way to leave the beautiful City of Finland!

Helsinki 

 

Helsinki is not only the capital city of Finland in fact, it is the largest city in the country too. The city is located in the southern part of the country blending with the Baltic Sea. The city is very famous for it’s beautiful and gorgeous building with Finnish accents. As the places are located close to each other one can easily stroll to the top tourist attractions of the city.  

 

Day 1

Saariselka - Helsi.....

This Trip was Planned to See the Magnificent Northern Lights 

To see these lights we have to travel closer to the northern pole so you can choose between north Sweden, Norway, Iceland or Northern Finland even Canada is an option but i had selected Northern Finland!

So my Journey Begins from Mumbai ...

About Destination

Saariselkä is a village located in a mountainous area in northern Finland. And it is about 250 kms north of the Arctic Circle. If you are from Asian Sub Continent or countries where you do not see Snow very often you will find this part a completely different world! It is Surely is once in a lifetime experience!

So how do we go Mumbai - Ivalo - Saariselka

Travelling from Mumbai there is no direct flights to Ivalo but you will find 1 or 2 stop  flights from Mumbai to Ivalo which will have a stop over in one of the European Cities and prices could vary depending on when you travel and when you book prices could be in the range of 25000 - 35000 Rs 1 way fare

Once you reach Ivalo Airport they have a bus which leaves at periodic time slots you can check there timings and use this service to reach your hotel. You can also opt for taxi ride but it would be costly affair.

Ivalo to Saariselka is a half an hour Drive and depending on your wait time for bus you could reach your hotel one and one and half hour from the time you arrive at airport.

Local Sight Seeing Lapland Activities in Saariselka

Husky Ride

i would recommend everyone to try this activity where 6 - 8 huskies pull your sledge in snow and you experience the scenic nature all around while your huskies pull you around.

Before you Start they brief you how do handle the sledge and it can be a challenge to handle the sledge in slopes for example if you are going up the sledge you have to get down and start pushing the sledge to support the husky climb the hill and if you go downhill you need to apply the brakes else it may hurt the huskies but only rule is never to leave the Sledge else your huskies will leave you

For  more details about the service provider visit :  http://www.huskyco.fi/  

Snow Shoeing

Snow Shoeing you get to walk on the fresh snow wearing a racket (snow shoe) it is a different experience of its kind and i am glad i could try it! We did it at saariselka national park and was organised by Lapland Safaris. A Group of 10 - 15 people trek in the dark in the national park and follow our instructor in wilderness it can be really tough at few points in the trek especially when you fall down it is almost impossible to get up on your own in the soft snow but everything was worth it and it was once in a lifetime experience for me. If you are lucky you can also find the northern lights!

For  more details about the service provider visit : https://www.laplandsafaris.com

Skiing in Saariselka

If you want to try Skiing in Saariselka then saariselka ski resort is a place which accommodates everyone from beginners to expert they have hourly daily and weekly pass available and for beginners like me they have packages with gear and instructor also where they teach you basic techniques of skiing and you get to try it on the slopes for beginners and if you do well you get to try steeper slopes but unfortunately i could not make it to the next level!

For  more details about the service provider visit : http://skisaariselka.com

Visiting Santa Village

saariselka - rovaniemi

Visiting Santa village in Rovaniemi to plan this you need to spend one full day here as travelling from Saariselka to Rovaniemi takes 3 ½ to 4 hours one way but you have bus from morning 8 o'clock and we can book bus online. Santa’s office is right at the coordinates of the Artic Cicle and you get to meet and greet him in his office for about 5 to 7 mins. They Do not charge you for meeting him but if you need to take a pic with him then it is charged at 20 Euros and a pack of 2 pics and video of our interaction is 40 euros. But felt like a child again to meet him and also talk to him about my trip details. Spent half a day there roaming around. They also have reindeer rides there and ice restaurant but did not try it as was going to visit ice bar in Sweden. Had booked my return bus at 5 in th evening so visited Arktikum Science Centre from there which was like half an hour drive from there. You get to learn more about the local history and culture there also the huge glass ceiling structure lets you enjoy the northern lights in the night but unfortunately i had left before that.

Hunting the northern lights

Northern Lights - there are tours organized by lots of local operators where they take you to spot the northern lights but i would recommend you can do this on your own if you are lucky and the solar activity is high you will be able to spot the lights from anywhere in saariselka but best place to spot is where the light pollution is less so you can walk to the Saariselka national park where it is dark and spot the lights easily and capture them . It gets really cold there at night and the brightness of the lights really depends on the intensity of the solar activity happening at that time so you may see really bright colours or grey pacthes in sky depending on the the solar activity. To plan this on your own you can check the predictor online which is not very accurate but can give you some idea of whats happening.

Northern Light Predictor : http://www.aurora-service.eu/aurora-forecast/  If the Kp number is high then the chances of seeing the light is high but it does not mean if it is high you will definitely see it as it depends on lot of factors but i guess keep looking up in the sky and keep asking people if there is activity you will definitely hear the buzz. Also if you need to capture the northern lights in your standard phone camera settings you might not be able to capture good images but you need to set it in pro mode or use a DSLR to get good images captured Saariselka for me was magical and was really in love with the place’s serene surroundings and and its untouched beauty would definitely love to go here again!

So the trip is not over yet after 5 Wonderful Days in Saariselka i move to my Next Destination Helsinki!

This Trip was Planned to See the Magnificent Northern Lights 

To see these lights we have to travel closer to the northern pole so you can choose between north Sweden, Norway, Iceland or Northern Finland even Canada is an option but i had selected Northern Finland!

So my Journey Begins from Mumbai ...

About Destination

Saariselkä is a village located in a mountainous area in northern F.....

State of Rajasthan is India's most colorful state and also known as the Land of kings where wealthy kings have built their magnificent palaces and Forts. I had planned a 5 day trip to Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. From Mumbai there is a Direct flight to Jodhpur Airport which is a military controlled Airport. You can arrange pickup and Drop service with your hotel or even take local cab or Rickshaw at the Airport. Jodhpur - Jaisalmer is a 4 hour drive.

Here are the Places which you must see in Jodhpur:-

Umaid Bhawan Palace
One of the popular tourist spot interestingly the palace built by Maharaja Umaid Singh is divided in 3 parts ,1 part is where still the Royal Family Stays 1 part is a 5 star hotel managed by the TAJ it was awarded world's best hotel by tripadvisor and a small portion open to public. Though the property looks huge, the part open to general public is rather small area. Considering We have to buy ticket to visit did not find it value for money. There is a display of the premium vintage cars fleet outside owned by the royal family. Overall if you have the time and wish to know more about the royal family you can visit there.

Jaswant thada

It is a Cenotaph built in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II and now serves as a cremation ground for the royal family of Marwar. It is a beautiful place adjoining a lake and can see the fort on one side and city at birds eye view from the other. The main building is built of White marble and surrounded by beautiful lawns. It is very peaceful place.

Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh fort is one of the largest forts in india and located the at 400 Feet above the city level. On the 2nd gate wall you can still find the Cannon ball marks fired by the attacking armies of Jaipur. This is a very big fort and the museum is very well stocked and informative you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours in here. Within the fort are brilliantly crafted and decorated palaces. These include, Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana and Daulat Khana. The museum houses a collection of palanquins, howdahs, royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes, paintings and furniture. The ramparts of the fort house preserved old cannon (including the famous Kilkila), and provided a breathtaking view of the city. there is a option to buy Elevator Tickets if you don't want to walk it up.

Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park

Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, spreads over 72 hectares, adjoining Mehrangarh Fort. The park contains ecologically restored desert and arid land vegetation The park was created to try and restore the natural ecology of a large, rocky area adjoining and below the fort and opened to the public. If you are interested in Trekking and travelling in a group then you can visit this place in morning or evenings. The place is open in afternoon but it may be difficult to trek in those high temperatures. There are 5 or 6 different tracks you could follow and can spend easily 4 or 5 hours in there. The park includes a Visitors Centre with Interpretation Gallery, a native plant nursery, small shop and cafe

Clock Tower

The old clock tower gives a nice view with the fort in the background. Huge market place. Bargain shops. And a lot of eating options. Also the old town is accessible from the narrow streets

Bishnoi Village

Bishnoi Village is Located 25 kms from Jodhpur. Bishnoi’s are the most practical, simple, nature loving and eco-friendly sect of Hindu religion. Founded by great visionary saint Guru Jambheshwar. In 1485 he has laid down 29 principles (rules). Bish means 20 and noi means 9. Thus, Bishnoi translates as 29. Bishnoi was the first sect/religion emphasizing love, peace and harmony among not only human beings but also with Mother Nature, wild animals and trees. They are the only Hindu Sect buried after their death as they do not allow cutting of trees to be used for funerals. They take care of deer and cows as their own babies and also consume Opium as part of their rituals.There is a beautiful lake near the village the Guda Bishnoi Lake which is Home for thousands of migratory birds in the month of November and you can easily spot deer and specially Black bucks passing through the bushes as you drive to the village and near the lake.In the village you get to visit their home and see the local and traditional skills like pottery and Rug Making.Rug Making is a long process where depending on the size of the Rug it may take few weeks even a month to complete a single piece of Rug. Also they make it from Camel Hair which is removed twice a year to make this Special Rug.Overall if you want to know more about local culture and want to spot migratory birds or Blackbuck you should give it a try.Try their Local Cuisines: Dal Bati , ker sangri , Pyaz Kachori and Mirchi VadaPlaces to visit in Jaisalmer

Sam Sand Dunes

It is located on the outskirts around 42 kms from main town you see lot of tour operators in line giving you options for the camel ride and Desert safari Packages along with dinner and local folk performance even tent stays ( AC and Non AC). Desert Safari was good experience but if you have done desert safari in dubai then this one was no way near that. Sunrise and Sunset are beautiful in this place. i did not stay here but was not satisfied with the food quality in our tour operators place.If you plan to visit here would recommend do your research online and negotiate well before booking. For me it was more of last minute plan and was at the mercy of our driver which turned out to be expensive as they overcharged me for everything.

Patwa ki Haveli

Patwaon ki Haweli is one of the five havelis which was intricately carved houses built by the rich Gujarati family who were silk route traders and money lenders for the king and kingsmen. Five Havelis were built for 5 children of the Gujarati Businessmen and also those days with lack of water in the Area it was built with unique interlocking system of the Stones without using cement and water for construction. It is a 5 storied Building with 2 levels of Basement and 3 levels above the ground. It is also believed that these businessmen use to Smuggle Opium and these basement levels were used to secretly store the opium Stock.It was a sneak peak of the rich indulgence of this family in terms of modern day goods available even during that era - the display of opulent silver furniture , leisure of chess made from Camel Bones and Chaupar in their Game Room , musical instruments, gramophone , kitchen accessories like noodle machine , kerosene based fridge , ice boxes ; modern toys , toilet , iron , sewing machine, gold hand carved dresser , Camera etc. The building Architecture and its interiors are itself worth seeing.

Jaisalmer War Museum

The Jaisalmer War Museum is located 15 km short of Jaisalmer on the Jaisalmer - Jodhpur Highway. There are 2 Halls in the musuem and vehicles and tanks displayed in open ground.-Laungewala HallThe Hall showcases the progression of the Battle of Laungewala as it took place on the night of 4 December 1971. The Hall also displays Indian Army operations on Eastern and Western Sectors during Indo-Pak War 1971. The 106mm RCL Gun displayed in the Central Foyer had a vital role in stopping the initial armour assault during the Battle of Laungewala.-The Indian Army hallThe Hall also displays arms and ammunition captured and equipment used during various wars by the Indian Army.

Gadisar Lake

The Scenic lake is surrounded by temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. It is the only reservoir in Jaisalmer and they offer boat ride too

Jaisalmer Fort

Jaisalmer Fort is one of the largest fully preserved fortified cities in the world. It is a World Heritage Site. It was built in 1156 AD by the Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal, from whom it derives its name. The fort stands amidst the sandy expanse of the great Thar Desert, on Trikuta Hill. Palace and Jain temple are places to visit inside the Fort. The fort's massive yellow sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, fading to honey-gold as the sun sets, thereby camouflaging the fort in the yellow desert. For this reason, it is also known as the Sonar Quila or Golden Fort. The fort is located along the southern edge of the city that bears its name, and is perhaps one of the more striking monuments in the area, its dominant hilltop location making the sprawling towers of its fortifications visible for many miles around.

Mandir Palace

Small palace which is again part of it is open to visitors and part is converted in Hotel also has a small temple .The stone artwork on the structures is really magnificent. Small place would not keep it in the must do list.Visiting the Land of kings and experiencing their Royal Lifestyle was indeed a memorable Experience!

State of Rajasthan is India's most colorful state and also known as the Land of kings where wealthy kings have built their magnificent palaces and Forts. I had planned a 5 day trip to Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. From Mumbai there is a Direct flight to Jodhpur Airport which is a military controlled Airport. You can arrange pickup and Drop service with your hotel or even take local cab or Rickshaw at the Airport. Jodhpur - Jaisalmer is a 4 hour drive.

Here are the Places which you must see i.....

Hello Friends,

Today I am going to share my Tourism experience of one of the famous Historical District in Maharashtra i.e."PUNE". Pune is a Place where there are many of ancient things we can see. My last Weekend I visited to Pune with my tourism team and done fun a lot.We can Visit Pune From Mumbai Airport to Pune via Plane or we through Train also. Me and my team visited Pune By Car from Mumbai to Puen via Mumabi-Pune National Expressway. we reach in Puen on Saturday Morning. First we visited in Pune to "Shivneri".The birthplace of The Greatest Management Guru Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.From Pune city within the distance of 70km Shivneri is form in Junnar. Here there are many places to remember great things of Shivaji Maharaj.We can see the history of Shivaji Mahraj though Sinhgadh, Pratapgadh, Purandar any many more forts. Every as single thing of Shivaji Maharaj has its own History. Then My second reason to visit Pune is to see the Palace of Maratha's greatest King "Peshva Chatrapati Bajirao" Most of a times we know this name as Bajiraao-Mastani. So here I saw the Ancient Haveli of Bajirao that is famous with the name of "Shanivarwada".Shanivarwada has form very close from Pune railway Station. Now days Shanivarwada is place of Festivals. Today’s Shanivarwada is a plce of Meeting and Greeting of people at the time of festival.This is all about Historical places. Then we stay @Manthan Hotel in Swargate at night. Good and reasonable food is availbe here.
On next day, We get to know that Pune is not only famous for Ancient History But here, now we can see the New Pune with flavor of Ancient House. We visited Ganesh temple "Shrimant DagaduShet Halvai" this is one of the richest temple in Pune.Which is form in Swargate. After that we visited "Tulashibaug" nearest from the temple. This is a shopping Street in Pune. Here we can buy Modern things with Ancient type. such as Pune's famous Peshvai sari, Radhanagari Sari, Brahmani dreses,etc. After that the most lovable of mine is to eat Famous food in Pune. Everyone knows that every city has its own Food as Mumbai's Vadpav, Chennai's Dosa. In Pune the main Food I seen i.e."Misal Pav". "Chitale Misal" in Pune is world famous Misal.At present also I can't forget the taste of that Misal Pav i'll say everyone in Puneri Marathi language "Punyala  ya ani Chitale Misal kha".I'll must say that visit Pune and take a taste of Chitale's Misal. Chitale's Misal in one of the attraction for every tourist. So is all about short review of Pune by me. So Go visit and see the Ancient Beauty in today's modern style in Pune.

Hello Friends,

Today I am going to share my Tourism experience of one of the famous Historical District in Maharashtra i.e."PUNE". Pune is a Place where there are many of ancient things we can see. My last Weekend I visited to Pune with my tourism team and done fun a lot.We can Visit Pune From Mumbai Airport to Pune via Plane or we through Train also. Me and my team visited Pune By Car from Mumbai to Puen via Mumabi-Pune National Expressway. we reach in Puen on Saturday Morning. First.....