Stop 1: Copenhagen
Stop 2: Stockholm

Well here we are in Finland, folks!  Our Baltic cruise stopped in Helsinki on a drizzly Sunday, admittedly not the best for photos (drizzle) or tourism (Sunday).  The biggest attractions in town are several churches, so that is what we toured. 

The shuttle from the cruise terminal dropped us in downtown Helsinki, a short walk from Esplanade Park and Market Square.  I quite enjoyed walking around Market Square and could have spent a lot of money on the lovely leather goods and the works by local artisans.

Our first cathedral stop was Helsinki’s Russian Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral.  While it’s a lovely space, and by far my favorite church in Helsinki, it doesn’t at all compare to what we’ll see on Baltic Cruise stop 4: St. Petersburg.  Pretty nonetheless, though, yes?

Church 2: Helsinki Cathedral on Senate Square.  This one is Lutheran, and looks much more impressive on the outside than the inside, in my opinion.  I love the green domes though!

From there, we rode the tram to Temppeliaukio Church, known as the Rock Church.  For obvious reasons:

A ceiling of copper coil was an interesting way to close this church, which is literally blasted out of a rock.

Verdict on Helsinki?  Seeing it for a few hours on a cruise stop was sufficient for me, but should I ever go back, I would adore visiting the Olympic Park!

Photos either from my personal collection or Feisty Tourist’s. Visit the Feisty Tourist blog for her recap of Helsinki.

Next up, my absolute favorite place on the cruise: St. Petersburg, Russia!