Well it was a wet, cold welcome to Helsinki - only 5 degrees!!! We started the day with a bus tour to gain an oversight of the city and to view some of the sights. We were then dropped off in Senate Square where we could take to the streets to get a feel for the city. Central Helsinki is relatively small and can be explored by foot.

The city of Helsinki is called the 'Daughter of the Baltic' and consists of 315 islands. As the capital city of Finland thereare many places of great historical as well as political importance. The city can be considered comparatively new as it was founded only in the sixteenth century (1550).

So what did we see......?

Sibelius Monument In the Sibelius Park is the world famous composer Jean Sibelius' (1865-1957) monument by Eila Hiltunen. Built using 24 metric tonnes of metal it was unveiled 7 September 1967. The Sibelius Monument, resembling organ pipes, is made of welded steel with over 600 pipes and with the bust of the composer on one side. The pipes used in the monument resemble the Finnish forests and are made in order to create a whistling music, as the wind blows by.

Senate Square is the city's centre for arts, culture, religion, politics and education. Senate Square is highlighted by its neoclassical architecture and in the middle of the square is the statue of Tsar Alexander II of Russia.

Helsinki Cathedral built by Carl Ludvig Engel, rises on the northern side of the Senate Square and is the stage of national and academic festive services. The church is part of Helsinki's Empire era centre and a landmark for those arriving by sea. It has become the symbol of the whole of Helsinki. Earlier called St. Nicholas Church and Great Cathedral, the current main church of the Helsinki Diocese was completed in 1852. Sculptures of the twelve apostles guard the city from the roof of the church.

Helsinki's Senate Building (Valtioneuvoston Linna) lies close to the cathedral and presides over Senate Square. Built almost 200 years ago, the architecture of the Valtioneuvoston Linna is instantly recognisable, since the facade is predominantly yellow, with white columns and windows. Formerly used by the Imperial Senate of Finland, this local landmark is now used by the Finnish government and prime minister.

We then headed down to Market Square where an open air market was taking place selling tourist souvenirs, handcrafts, farm produce and fresh fruits. Dominating much of the central Market Square with its imposing architecture is Helsinki Town Hall (Kaupungintalo) featuring a pale blue façade and was originally used as a rather grand hotel when it first opened in the 1830s. However, in the early 20th century it became the city's magnificent town hall, although it did function for a short period as a hospital during the First World War.

Regularly used by Finland's president, the Presidential Palace (Presidentinlinna) is a major landmark in central Helsinki and is hard to miss alongside Market Square. The Presidentinlinna was built in 1818 and just 20 years later became owned by the state. Many grand state functions often take place within the palace walls, while guided tours allow tourists to glimpse at the grandeur and immense scale inside.

Not far from Market Square is the Uspenski Cathedral. A classical onion-domed Russian church Uspenski Cathedral serves Finland's small Orthodox minority and is the largest Orthodox Church in Western Europe. The name comes from the Russian uspenie, from the Dormition (death) of the Virgin Mary. The five domes are topped with 22-carat gold, and some of the icons within are held to be miraculous.

We then walked briskly along the Esplanade with its little cafes and several statues. If it wasn't so cold I think this would be a nice place to sit and contemplate life but not today. We then headed into the city centre with our aim to reach the Rock Church which had not been included in our tour but which I had researched before we left home.

Parliament Building - The Eduskuntatalo almost resembles a classical Greek temple, due to its many grand columns and steps. This listed building is where the Parliament of Finland regularly meets and was built in the 1920s, following a competition to choose the most suitable location. Particularly impressive is the Hall of State and the Session Hall, while visitors may also be interested to observe the parliament from the public balcony area, when it convenes each Tuesday and Friday. Tours in English at 11AM and 12PM on Sat, 12PM and 1PM on Sun. Free entry

Both an iconic and functional city landmark, the Railway Station (Rautatieasema) is one of the finest Art Nouveau buildings that you encounter in Helsinki. Built in the early part of the 20th century and almost 100 years ago, the Rautatieasema resembles a palace in appearance, and features a large arched entrance and huge clock tower, with distinctive green copper roof.

The Three Smiths Statue (Kolmen sepän patsas) situated in the intersection of Aleksanterinkatu and Mannerheimintie, is a popular meeting place, while also being an icon of Helsinki. It hasn't always been this easy for the iconic naked blacksmiths... In WW2 the base was damaged during a bombing, the anvil of a smith still has a hole from the shrapnel.

After trying to follow the directions given by our tour guide we resorted to following a map which finally led us to Rock Church (Temppeliaukio Kirkko) at the end of Fredrikinkatu. Excavated directly into solid rock, the Temppeliaukio church is situated in the heart of Helsinki,. Because of its special architecture, the church, completed in 1969, is one of the main attractions in Helsinki. From above the domed roof looks like a UFO has landed!!! The church roof is lined with 22 Kms of copper and supported on the rock walls by reinforced concrete beams. The interior walls are of rugged rock and rubble wall. An ice-age crevice serves as the altarpiece. Whilst it is minimalistic to say the least there is a really pleasant vibe and as one person said to me "if I was going to pray anywhere it would be here". Due to its excellent acoustics the church is a popular venue for concerts. Open 10AM-5PM daily. Entry 3€, under 18 free. Well worth a visit.

It was all too quickly time to head back to the ship......one day in Helsinki is not enough but at least I have had a "glimpse" of this beautiful city.