Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

Helsinki-Tallinn (2h)                         Tallinn-Helsinki (2h) ETD: 10.30am (GMT + 3)                ETD: 7.30pm (GMT + 3) ETA:  12.30pm (GMT + 3)                ETA: 9.30pm (GMT + 3) Tallink is an Estonian maritime transportation company that was founded in 1989. Its history can be traced back to 1965 when the Soviet Union-based Estonian Shipping Company started introducing passenger ferry services between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia.

Tyynenmerenkatu 14, Helsinki, Finland There's one other country that I covered during my summer trip last June, which was Estonia. My BFF and I decided to have a day trip to Tallinn Old Town. The West Harbour of Helsinki serves passenger ships to Tallinn and St. Petersburg, Russia. It's located in the southwestern part of Helsinginniemi peninsula.

South of Helsinki, Finland Welcome to the second part of my adventure in Suomenlinna, one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Finland. After exploring the northern island as described in Part 1 , my BFF and I made our way to the southern island to discover more of the unique military architecture.

South of Helsinki, Finland Translated as 'Castle of Finland' from Finnish, Suomenlinna is an inhabited 18th century sea fortress built on a few islands off the coast of southern Helsinki. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, it offers a picturesque landscape that's perfect for a day trip from the city.

Helsinki, Finland Helsinki is the capital city and the most populous municipality of Finland. It's the third largest city in the Nordic countries after Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway. I feel that Helsinki, as one of the highest urban standards of living in the world, is rather slow-paced compared to many other major capital cities across the globe.

Mechelininkatu, Helsinki, Finland I was unsure whether to write on Sibelius Park as a separate post or include it somewhere in a future post since I didn't take lots of photos there. However, I think the park that's situated within the Töölö neighbourhood of Helsinki deserves its own entry due to the presence of a cool-looking monument there.

Lutherinkatu 3, Helsinki, Finland Opening hours vary throughout the year Generally opens at 9.30am-12.00pm and closes at 5.00pm-8.00pm daily A place of worship unlike any I'd ever seen prior to my visit to Helsinki, Temppeliaukio Church is a Lutheran church built directly into solid rock. Visited by approximately half a million people annually, the church was constructed from February 1968 to September 1969.

Puistokatu, Helsinki, Finland Situated at the tip of Helsinki peninsula, Kaivopuisto Park is said to be one of the oldest and most loved parks in central Finland. Especially popular in summer for sunbathing, the park offers a breathtaking view of the sea, along with winding paths and varied terrain.

Eteläranta, Helsinki, Finland Market Square, known as Kauppatori in Finnish, is located on the eastern end of Esplanade Park in Helsinki. It holds an interesting tradition of displaying old American cars on the first Friday of every month, but I didn't get a chance to see them last June.

Liisankatu 21, Helsinki, Finland Daily: 10.00am - 6.00pm The Moomins are a family of hippopotamus-like creatures designed by a Swedish-speaking Finnish illustrator named Tove Jansson. Originally appearing in a series of comic strips and books, they've been made into TV series and films as well. As a fan, I made it a point to drop by one of the cafés in Helsinki.

Unioninkatu 29, Helsinki, Finland Daily: 9.00am - 6.00pm Helsinki Cathedral is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Helsinki, which picture is commonly used during news weather reports. It's a Lutheran church that was built between 1830 to 1852 as a tribute to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, who was then the Grand Duke of Finland.

Annankatu 1, Helsinki, Finland Located in a relatively less busy part of the capital city near St. John's Church, Hotel Anna (3*) has got a total of 64 guest rooms. It has been serving guests from far and wide since 1985, although the history of the building dates back to 1925 when it was first used as a church.