Helsinki's Market Square
Helsinki, Finland's Market Square, in the center of everything, is filled with atmosphere, food, and fun.
Jan 13, 2007 Lisa Sabol-Sikorski
Fur hats perched on styrofoam heads, fresh fish displayed like fine jewels, seagulls sitting on top of tents with cooks leaning over large grills with seafood paella, people rubbing their hands over reindeer skins, and wooden boats bouncing between large cruise ships are part of what makes Helsinki, Finland's Market Square unique. The colorful, eclectic Market Square, known in Finnish as the Kauppatori, stands in the shadow of the Presidential Palace and the Baltic ,is popular among tourists and Helsinki dwellers alike.
During the warmer months, the western end of the square is filled with fruit and vegetable vendors. In summer, stands overflow with home grown berries. There must have been at least ten varieties of strawberries for sale this summer, not to mention cloudberries, lingonberries, and blueberries. As you walk east in Helsinki’s Market Square, you’ll see fresh salmon, arctic char, roe, herring and other seasonal fish on ice. This is an opportunity to grab a quick, casual, but fresh lunch from one of the stands selling seafood paella, salmon and potatoes, or reindeer sausage. Eat at one of the picnic tables to people watch or admire the boats in the harbor.
Continue walking east and you’ll see furs, reindeer skins, stuffed toy reindeers, and Nordic wool clothing for sale. There are vendors selling silver and spectralite jewelry, watercolors of city scenes, framed photographs of Finland, and traditional wooden kitchen utensils. The combination of international visitors browsing the stalls, Finns buying their daily provisions or just soaking up the sun, food being prepared outside, seagulls soaring above, and home grown souvenirs for sale make for a festive atmosphere.
The Market Square is a short walk from the major cruise ship marinas and the Esplanad. During October, the Market Squareis the site of Helsinki’s Herring Festival, where fishermen from southern Finland bring their fresh catch, along with traditional picked or marinated herring, for sale. After October, there are vendors and shoppers who brave the weather conditions all year long, but the market is considerably smaller until April or May, when the weather becomes more hospitable.
For more information on Helsinki, see Helsinki's Best Outdoor Cafes, Helsinki Winter Bars, Helsinki Dining Guide: Finnish/Russian, Helsinki Dining Guide: International Cuisine, or Sauna Like a Northern European.
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