Ֆինլանդիա․ հանգստի տների վարձակալություն

A warm and friendly welcome to my home at Latokartano/Helsinki! First we start by preparing the dough, toppings and ingredients for the strater, the main course and the dessert. During the cooking process we will make three Courses meals from mostly local and natural ingredients. The aim is that everyone could participate in chopping, cooking and baking process. So be prepared for hand in some traditional Finnish meals twisted by you and me which you might not experienced before. For the starter for instance we could make Karelia Pies (rise/potato) served with a mixture of egges and butter or mushroo soup/meet soup or mixture of both. For the main could be Meatballs with creamy mushroom sose or Finnish style Pie topping with mushrooms/meet, egges and cheese. For the dessert Blueberry/Cranberry Pie, Pancakes, Apple Pie, Cinnamon Roll or Cherry Pie. Upon the guests requests, we can make Meet/Vegetarian/Vegan and lactose-free and gluten free. Part of Leftovers food could be taken for breakfast or your next meal to enjoy. Please check also my "picking wild mushrooms"

My purpose during this tour is to share my passion towards Helsinki, capital of the country that consumes most coffee, has a world famous education model and crazy popular karaoke scene. Apart of sharing many fascinating stories about Helsinki's history, I will be happy to answer your questions about the way of Finnish life and cultural habits. I was born and raised in Finland, and I want you to get a real feeling of Helsinki, not just the touristic one. We'll start the walk from the iconic Senate Square, where's located the city's most famous landmark, the Helsinki Cathedral. You'll see the Bank of Finland and the House of the Estates, and you'll learn about Finland's politics, past and present. We'll also discuss about the development of the Finnish language. On the Market Square, we'll talk about the Finnish gastronomy and see the largest Orthodox Cathedral of Northern Europe. Towards the end, we'll see the Railway Station and the award-winning library Oodi. You'll get to understand the unique Helsinki state of mind and a clear idea of our quite peculiar culture. Why is sauna so important for us? What is the "Unicorn Block" of Helsinki? When do we gather in the Market Square to swim in the fountain? Why is there a statue of a Russian Czar in the most famous square of Helsinki? Is Finnish really that difficult to learn? Let's discover how unique Helsinki really is!

Forget those pre-scripted, crowded, boring touristy tours! In my walking tours, I use my creativity and knowledge to adjust the tour according to your interests and preferences, the group size and the weather conditions; so you will get the best of Helsinki. We will walk together in and around the city center, discovering Helsinki's secrets, learning its history, culture and traditions. Why do Helsinki people have picnic on top of graves? What was the meeting point of the bohemian people of 1880s in Helsinki? How did they build a church inside a giant granite rock? Where did Lenin hide when he was running away from the Tsarist Russia? Which statue is the one that seagulls hate the most? Where did they bury thousands of bodies during the plague? Why is the largest Orthodox cathedral located in a Lutheran country? Where can you eat the best salmon soup of your life? Why Finnish people still cheer for the opponents of the Swedish national football team? How did a Finnish architect influence generations of American architects and skyscraper designs? We will find answers to all of these questions and more, while visiting each of these important locations in Helsinki. Other things to note Be prepared to walk 6-7 km and come with comfortable walking shoes and extra layers for warmth. Please remember to check your messages on your Airbnb account or Airbnb mobile app as that is the main communication tool. You can check out my website for various tours www.atamantours.com

In one hour, we will take pictures in a place of your choice. Don't worry if you don't have yet any idea in mind - in this case, I will take the liberty to suggest a couple of locations that are not only pretty but also easily accessible in Helsinki. What you will receive: pictures in smaller resolutions for social media posting, and 5 full edited pictures of your choice

The purpose would be to take a journey ecologically and responsibly, respecting nature and creatures. The Journy start from the city center coming by bus to the direction of Vantaa/Sipoonkorpi National Park and walk about 10 minutes from the bus stop to the destination until we reach the forest trails. Then we walk/hike for about an hour or two to discover some wild fungus and a small lake in the park, collecting edible mushrooms and learning about super quality mushrooms and those that are toxic, the founded edible mushrooms are grilled and the rest distributed among the guests. We will have a break at the fire place with the beautiful view of Bisa lake to eat home made organic wild mushroom soup and pie/slice of pizza, also we grill at the fire place, i usually bring brown bread sandwich and sweetcorns, but upon the request of the guests we can BBQ food containing meat for instance sausage. I am flexible with the schedule in the afternoon, and we are as long as guests enjoy the nature and the park. Please consider at least two hours of walking from the bus stop to the national park and back to the bus stop. PLease check also my cooking class "nicolas´s kitchen"