Meet your professional English-speaking guide outside the main port gate at the time coordinated with your cruise disembarkation. Be transferred by air-conditioned bus to the city center of Helsinki for a comprehensive tour covering the most notable and must-see parts of Helsinki. See the historical center, the Presidential Palace, City Hall, the Uspenski Cathedral, the colorful Market Square, the Parliament buildings, Finlandia Hall, and the Opera House. Make numerous photo stops, including sites like the Senate Square, the Sibelius Monument and, when possible, the Lutheran Temppeliaukio Church (the church in the rock).*
Upon reaching the Senate Square the very heart of Helsinki see the impressive facade of the Lutheran Cathedral, and spend approximately 20 minutes shopping in the market located nearby. Take pictures of the prominent mermaid statue named Havis Amanda symbolizing the rebirth of Helsinki.
Get back on the bus and relax on the few minute drive to the picturesque and peaceful island where Seurasaari Open-Air Museum is situated. The museum consists of different wooden buildings that used to belong to farmers and citizens all over Finland. Now, they are grouped and represented in the open air to preserve the architectural heritage of Finland. Visitors come here to enjoy wildlife, nature, and to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Transfer back to the ship at the end of the 5-hour tour.
*Visit to Temppeliaukio Church cannot be guaranteed due to occasional religious services and other private events that are held there on some occasional dates.