Anyone been to Helsinki, Finland &/or St Petersburg, Russia

[dusty]

I'd love to know what is great to do/see in Helsinki and any other travel tips for a family with a 9 month old.

We'd also like to get to St Petersburg in Russia if anyone has any tips.

TIA!

[Phteven]

No. But if you go to St Petersburg I am going to turn green and die of envy!!

[aussienic]

My Husbands family are finnish so I can get some ideas for you.. A few of them go over every year.. (great place btw) I want to go one day..

[melbel]

Hubby says do the canal tour in St. Petersburg and go to the Summer Palace .......also the peter and paul fortess is pretty cool.

Get a good baby carrier...not a baby bjorn or one like that...you need one that is good for long amounts of time and for bigger bubbas.....I can send some of Connor's carriers to test out if you don't have one yet .....see if there is a style that suits you.

He says Santa Clause's house is north of Helsinki but all he remembers of Helsinki itself is the nightclubs! *sigh*

[wysiwyg]

Went to Helsinki a few times when lived in uk, love it there. What time of year are you planning on going? Once we went march snow everywhere frozen lakes etc which was one experience the other was july so summer and does not really get dark. Both were before children so were not necessarily on lookout for child friendly stuff. once we did a day trip to Tallin in Estonia which is a couple of hours on ferry and that was lovely, old square reminded me of the child catchers square in chitty chitty bang bang, and lovely architecture. There is a park on an island just off Helsinki which was good too. Beaches there are ok but water very cold, they have stalls selling sugar snap peas on beaches which people eat by bucketful. There are trams there, another reason I love it so easy to get around. One of the times we flew into Helsinki but out of Stockholm and got the overnight ferry between the two, and Stockholm lovely too.

[toomanyshoes]

How many suitcases are you taking?

No advice but very jealous!

[*Infinity*]

Never been to any of those places Dusty but I am insanely jealous of you right now. That is all.

[Nicole S]

I'm with toomanyshoes

How many suitcases are you taking??

LOL!
Am happy to be your Au Pair for the trip
xx

[dusty]

LOL at you guys! I only just found out today where DH's meetings are going to be in May/June so I'm pretty excited 'cause I reckon DD and I need to help him get over there so he wont worry about us

I've always wanted to go to Scandinavia and St Petersburg, and now may be our chance. I've got a feeling Russia is really expensive to travel in these days, anyone know?

Mel thanks for the offer, I'll let you know I was wondering whether a baby backpack like a MacPac with storage room underneath may be the way to go too. I've got friends that used one for a week long festival last year and their 9 month old DS loved it.

wsyiwsg it'll be end of Spring so hopefully getting warmer by then. DH would love to go to Stockholm too, not sure we could fit it in though. Sugar snap peas and trams, I like the sound of Helsinki.

Aussienic that would be great. If they have kids and know what is kid friendly that would be great. DH will be busy in the day so something DD and I could do would be great.

I'm so excited, a great way to spend some of my maternity leave. And we are definitely going to Brussels and London too

[toomanyshoes]

Ah yes. DH is off all over the place this year too, I only wish I could justify the kids and I going with him!