Tervetuloa Helsinkiin !

Of course I could also have said "Välkommen till Helsinki" since both Finnish and Swedish are official languages of Finland. In fact, all street signs display the Finnish and Swedish names.

But Geri puts it best -

Among the available excursions, we chose "Art & Architecture of Helsinki". I wouldn't necessarily have thought of Finland as architecturally interesting, but having been occupied first by Sweden, then Russia before gaining its independence in 1917, the city's buildings are a mix of classicism,  byzantine,  neo-renaissance, neo-classical and mid-century modernist styles.

Our first stop was Tuomiokirkko, the Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral, the neoclassical centerpiece of downtown Helsinki.

Its patron, St Nickolas and his entourage stand in the open square, inviting all to visit.

After a short driving tour of the downtown, we headed for our second significant stop, Temppeliaukio or Rock Church. Literally blasted from the native granite, it is topped with a copper roof and 180 windows. The acoustics are so good, it's used for concerts almost as often as religious services.