EXPERIENCE LIFE AS A FINN: HELSINKI BY BIKE!

Description

We will discover the capital and its cycle routes, pedalling across green areas and parks. We will also have the opportunity to see museums, admire the sea and feel the spirit of the city centre.

What we will see

• Plague Park, Old Church
• Mannerheimintie, Kiasma - Museum of Modern Art, Temppeliaukio - the 'Rock Church', Finlandia Hall and other buildings and monuments of national historical interest
• Shipyards and Kaivopuisto Park
  
• Station and Senate Square

What we will do

• Our guided bike tour will begin right at the port, where we will set off in search of Helsinki's most important sights and corners. Plenty of stops are planned en route (to catch our breath) and to listen to interesting stories about the history and culture of Helsinki.
• We will continue on to Old Church Park, known colloquially as Plague Park because, in the early 18th century, thousands of victims were buried there. We will visit the historic wooden church; it may be sparsely furnished and austere in its design but its simplicity is truly charming.
• Our next stop will be the Kiasma, a modern art museum reopened in the spring of 2015 after extensive renovation work.
• Along the Mannerheimintie, we will visit the Lutheran church of Temppeliaukio, the Rock Church, a modern masterpiece built inside a rocky hill, an unmissable example of rock architecture.
• The Mannerheimintie is rightly considered Helsinki's main street. Staying on it throughout, we will be able to see: the Parliament, the scene of many crucial moments in the political life of the nation, the National Museum, Finlandia Hall, an important conference centre that plays host to all kinds of events and is well-known for its famous architect Alvar Aalto, and finally the new Opera House.
• We will move on to the hard-working shipyards, the oldest in Finland, before continuing to Kaivopuisto Park, the oldest and most famous park in Helsinki that is extremely popular with the locals.
• We will then pass the railway station, a European masterpiece by the architect Eliel Saarinen and the terminus for the Allegro, the high-speed train to Saint Petersburg.
• Before returning to the port, we will stop in Senate Square, home to the white Lutheran Cathedral, the University and the Palace of the Council of State, which contains the Government and the Office of the Prime Minister of Finland. The Statue of Alexander II, built in the centre of the square, is one of the city's most important tourist sights and commemorates the relationship between Finland and Imperial Russia.

What you need to know

• Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.
• We recommend wearing sports clothing.
• The safety helmet provided must be worn during the excursion.
• A certain degree of physical fitness is recommended for this excursion.
• Minimum age: 12. The height of any children must be provided at the time of booking.
• This tour does not feature a guide, but a local escort. 
• The brake is situated in the rear pedal, not on the handle.