Hello 👋 In this 5day /4 night adventure, we will be exploring landmarks and locations relating to 3 centuries of foreign intervention in Finland : from the Great Northern War in the 1700’s, to the Cold War in the 1950’s and up to this day. I have travelled Finland extensively for the past 20 years, as I am lucky to have family and friends there. Ove the years, I have fallen in love with the country and its people, and I am looking forward to share my insider (and also my outsider.. ) view of this amazing country ! I have collected so many stories to share with you, and many astonishing places to take you to !! History is a key component of this trip. I have created a narrative of epic proportions, and it’s all about Finland : a country synonymous with peace, but whose unfortunate location at the northern border between East and West has seen it turn it into a battlefront of empires for the last 3 centuries. Swedish, Russians, Germans, and Soviets have trodden this land, sometimes as allies, often as enemies. And yet through blood and toil, through civil war and conflict, Finland emerged independent and free. This is an explosive, poignant and less known story that deserves to be told. It is a legendary tale of terrible odds and improbable hardships, of folkish innovation and unwavering spirit. Its result has defined modern Finland, the country we will get to know up, close and personal during this trip. In the course of our adventure, we will visit hidden bunkers, trenches, flak towers, a prisoner camp, forgotten war graves, and a huge island fortress (or two). We will enjoy Modernist architecture, the vast woods, many lakes, local food, loads of snow and sunless days in the winter, the permanent daylight in the summer, and of course - the world famous Finnish sauna !! We will be residing mainly in traditional style accommodations, with an effort to maintain an authentic or historic feel at all times ! The tour includes 4 nights accommodation. If you won’t be in Helsinki already, you’d have to book the previous night directly, and I could help you make arrangements. We will sometimes take lunch on the go – the Finnish staple of dried Silka fish, Karelian pies, smoked salmon and rye bread. We will also stop at traditional or historic locations, such as the Four Winds Cafe, once owned by Marshall Mannerheim – the legendary Finnish military leader and statesman himself. There will be a choice of local restaurants we will use for dining.A memorable buffet meal on the top of Haukilahti Water Tower will be optional. 💰 The price includes : - 🛏️ 4 nights accommodation - 🎟️ All entrance tickets and fees - 🚗 Transport/Petrol/Road Toll - ✋ A fun, informative and experienced co-traveller who will take you to amazing, off beaten path places (me) ❌ What's not included : - Meals - Flights - Airport Transfers - Personal expenses such as additional services, shopping, gifts or souvenirs - The pre-trip overnight. An additional night(s) accommodation can be arranged near the meeting point Please note : Although the trip is available all year around, access to certain locations depends on seasonality. Accommodation : Depending on seasonality and your personal wishes, we will have the option to stay at hotels, hostels, B&B's, or log cabins. The price may reflect a mix of individual and shared-type accommodation - such as a small hotel, or a house with separate bedrooms and shared facilities, so keep an open mind ;-) I will be checking with you individually to understand your needs - however I will never asked you to share a room with somebody else. Are you in? Send me a message 📬
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Trip Itinerary
1
Helsinki
Day 1-2
We will muster at the Kauppatori market by the port, where we’ll have strong coffee in a tent, and select our lunch for the day : dried fish and meat, smoked salmon, boiled potatoes will be wrapped in paper parcel for us to take away. Hopping on a boat, we’ll spend several hours exploring Suomenlinna, the sprawling Swedish-era sea fortress that has guarded Helsinki harbour for centuries. We will discuss Finland’s national emergence in a backdrop of war and conflict, and its important role in 18th century geo-politics, while exploring fortifications and tunnels, see bastions and naval batteries, and even enter an old coastal submarine. Then we will have a picnic at the battlements with amazing sea views of the archipelago. Depending on seasonality, we might be able to opt for Isosaari instead, another military island fort that has been inaccessible to the general public until recently. It features interesting fortifications, casemates, barracks, a Civil War era prison memorial, the mysterious Englishman’s grave, and a torpedo test station. There’s plenty to see and do in either island, and all is linked to the A Lion Rampant’s narrative. In the afternoon, we will continue our exploration in suburban Helsinki, visiting a number of obscure historic locations. We will see a number of abandoned trenches, a lonely civil war grave, and a hilltop flak battery as we transition from Russian Imperial times to the episodes of the Finnish Civil War, that led to Finland’s independence in the aftermath of the October Revolution in Russia. In the evening, we will escape the city, and head west into the woods. We will stay at a wonderful, traditional B&B wooden house, where we can enjoy sauna and the magical onset of the Finnish White Night. Unless if it's summertime, then we will be opting for a flame - grilled barbecue feast and a swim in the nearest lake !
2
Hanko
Day 2-3
We will make our way to Hanko, where we’ll understand the resulting effects in the aftermath of the Winter War, and the beginnings of Soviet intervention and presence in Finland : there will be monuments, tanks, and bunkers. We’ll talk about the Soviet enclave at Hanko, and the protracted siege of the city during WW2. Then we will discover the abandoned German Internment camp, and hear the complex story of the Continuation War, where Finland found itself in a precarious position : Deploying a carefully balanced political posture, they fought against USSR and the Allies as co-belligerents with Nazi Germany with a view to reclaim their territories lost during the Winter War. At the end of this conflict, Finland again found itself in the impossible position of switching sides again and betraying the Germans, as a prerequisite for peace with the USSR. It was now demanded that their former co-belligerents had to be expelled, sometimes forcibly, from Finnish territory. We will visit the site where they were interned as prisoners of war. We will take lunch at a local buffet, such as the Four Winds Cafe, once owned by Marshall Mannerheim – the legendary Finnish military leader and statesman himself. In the evening, we will retire to our traditional B&B for another relaxing night.
3
Kirkkonummi
Day 3-4
We will spend the last day of the expedition inside the Porkkala Parenthesis, the territory ceded by Finland to the Soviets as a prerequisite for peace. There are several interesting remains of the the Soviet Cold War presence : Buildings, airbases, bunkers, cemeteries, and other places of interest. Here, we unfold the final chapter related to Finland’s Cold War history, the ultimate sacrifice in the country’s long road to independence. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the abandoned flak towers in Rajamaki, the birthplace of the Molotov cocktail, and another important relic of Finland’s 1939 Winter War epic. Depending on seasonality, we might be able to visit the town’s obscure Industrial and Alcohol Museum. In the evening, we will retire to our hotel in Helsinki, and get ready for the final day’s urban adventure !
4
Helsinki
Day 4-5
We will spend the morning admiring the significant architectural heritage of its western suburbs. From the ambitious Modernism of the T3 urban regeneration project in Tapiola, to the iconic brutalist water towers around Espoo, to the more recent defensive architecture of a city that’s prepared for everything and the future. We will take a luxurious buffet lunch at the top of the iconic Haukilahti Water Tower, admiring the urban sprawl of Helsinki around us. In the afternoon, we will see some of Helsinki’s most defining monuments – at least as many as we can fit in : The modernist Tempelliaukio Church carved into granite, the humming Sibelius Monument, the Brutalist Module, the socialist realist Soviet Peace & Friendship Monument, or the mind blowing tower of the newly renovated Olympic stadium, before we head for farewell snacks and drinks !
5
Helsinki
Day 5-6
The last day will be free in Helsinki. Depending on whether you need to catch a flight to your next destination, I will be available to direct you to more of the city's best kept secrets. I could join you in visiting one of Helsinki's main sights or museums, or we can go for a memorable swim in one of the Finnish capital's heated open air-pools. Anything goes on that morning really, depending on your mood and how much time you got !
Trip Summary
Accommodation
Hotel & Bed & Breakfast & Hostel & Apartments
6 days trip
Helsinki, Hanko & 3 more
Transportation
Car, Train, Trekking
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