Moscow

Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow

• Try to learn Russian in bits, its not very different from English. Keep a map of metro lines with you as it is a lifeline in Moscow.
• Most of the attractions are concentrated around Red Square. Kremlin's armoury show is most sought after and you should reach early to buy tickets there.
• Dont forget to try the river cruise and the Russian way of drinking vodka - that is quick shots in succession.

Moscow was convenient and exhausting at the same time. The capital of Russia is grand in every possible way and yet broken into clusters that stand by themselves. Moscow is a city of cities just like any major capital in the world. It has couple of jewels, just like any major town, that fall in many a traveller's bucket list. It has a river flowing right across it. Add to that the football fever that was peaking when we reached with the host city inaugurating the FIFA world cup in a week time. We were at the right place before time.

Arbat Street

Saint Petersberg

Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow

• Take a hotel as close to Winter Palace as possible. Not only most of the attractions are around this but also the buzz on the street with various kind of artists performing is truly engrossing.
• Book the ticket for Hermitage in advance online. It is bit costlier but will save you lots of time as the entry queue for online tickets is separate.
• Cathedrals are closed on different dates of week so plan ahead if you want to cover a particular one. River cruises are a great way to cover some of them.

Russia is as foreign as I have been to a country. There is almost nothing written in English and almost nobody speaks English. You depend on google to do most of your navigational work and Uber to take you around. We reached Saint Petersberg on a windy midday and immediately felt the handicap of not knowing Russian.

View from Hotel Terrace

Tallinn

Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow

• Have a good breakfast and carry a bottle of water all the time. Tallinn demands a lots of walk up and down the old town which at times can be tiring.
• Buy a sim when you reach Estonia. Most of the international networks either don't work here or are super costly. Carry an umbrella if you are going in rainy season.
• Take St. Olaf's entry ticket to the top. It costed us €3. There are few views in Tallinn that can beat what you can see from up there. Most of the other entries in Tallinn are free.

The Old Town of Tallinn is a magical place or so it seems. In a space of few square miles, you will come across a hill, a sky high cathedral, few viewpoints and an old way of life. Within the walls of the old town, life takes a backseat. You wish to fill your eyes with the beautiful structures that makes you hungry. There are rows of restaurants within the gullies of Tallinn in case you do not prefer the Town Hall Square that hosts the open restaurants.

Inside the Old Town

Helsinki

Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow

• Helsinki is for walkers. Be ready for the regular jaunts and start with a good breakfast. While the Pohjoisesplanadi is the heart road, there are several excursion specially the ones towards Sibelius Park and Rock Church that will beg a long walk.
• Soumenlinna and Valsaari are islands accessible by frequent ferries. In summer they are open till late and hence one can plan them even in the second half of a day.
• Most happening place is the Helsinki Cathedral and nearby market. City park is not far where you can see approaching and leaving giant cruises.

Helsinki had the typical Scandinavian air - crisp and cold - when we came out of the Helsinki airport. A regular Finnair bus service took us to the city centre. It took us some time to figure out direction to our hostel and then some. It was a long journey from India hence we settled for a short nap. When we woke up it was still bright day and we were ready to explore the city.

Helsinki Cathedral

Soumenlinna, Finland

Soumenlinna - Helsinki - Tallinn - St Petersburg - Moscow

• Soumenlinna from one end to another would be at least a mile long and given detours, one need to travel at least 3-4 miles to cover the basics. Be ready for these long walks.
• There are beautifully placed restaurants and cafes within the fort walls that tempt you to just settle after a long walk. Do that.
• The periphery throws great views of the sea and parts of fort island. Make sure you walk along the edges to cover that.

Soumenlinaa & Vallisaari are two islands south of Helsinki in the Baltic Sea. It takes €4 and half hour to reach the islands - cheap for the rustic life one witnesses here. It was the same day we reached Helsinki that we ventured for these islands and loved what we saw. Clearly the brightest gem of tourist spots in Helsinki, that were a perfect start to our visit to Scandinavia.

Fortress of Soumenlinna