Itä-Helsingin historiallinen lähiluontokohde Mustavuori – villieläimiä, lehtoja, luolia, linnoituksia ja rotkoja

Nyt löytyi Itä-Helsingistä lähiluontokohde, joka on todellinen helmi! Se on nimeltään Mustavuori. Nimestään huolimatta Mustavuori on upean vehreä ja vihreä keidas.

Lähiluontokohteet ovat nousseet viime aikoina arvoon arvaamattomaan kun elämä on siirtynyt kaiken maailman huvituksista kotioloihin ja ja ihmiset viettävät paljon aikaa kodin lähialueilla. Meidän suureksi onneksi täällä Helsingissä on aivan mielettömiä luontokohteita aivan nurkan takana!Jo useiden vuosien ajan olen säännöllisesti muutaman kerran viikossa käynyt juoksulenkillä Itä-Helsingin Mustavuoren metsäpoluilla korkeiden lehtojen siimeksessä. Laajalla alueella risteilee yhteensä seitsemän kilometriä hyväkuntoisia hiekkapohjaisia luontopolkuja.

Mustavuoren merkittyä kuntopolkua kiertämällä matkaa kertyy reilu kaksi kilometriä. Täällä Mustavuoren raikkaassa ilmassa ulkoillessani tekee aina mieli kuunnella mieluummin luonnon ääniä ja lintujen sirkutusta kuin

Tampere by Night, Finland

Welcome to Tampere, the “Manchester of Finland”. After dark. This may sound a bit dodgy, but believe me, it is not. It is magical I would say.

The city of Tampere, which is located between two lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, and linked to one another by Tammerkoski rapids, was Finland’s most important industrial centre in the 19th century.

Today, Tampere is a modern and vibrant city with more than 200.000 inhabitants. The industrial red-brick buildings on the banks of Tammerkoski rapids form a Finnish national landscape that gives the city centre a distinctive look and feel.A couple of weeks ago I visited Tampere for four days on business. After a long and hectic day full of meetings I was tempted by crisp autumn air and clear skies. I changed into

Free Souq Waqif Walking Tour, Doha, Qatar

On my first evening in Doha, I did a free Souq Waqif walking tour seeing all the highlights of the bazaar area. The tour was organised by my hotel Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels and all guests staying in any of their 9 boutique hotels in Souq Waqif are welcome to join in.Souq Waqif (“standing market”) is a lively bazaar area right off Doha’s seaside promenade Corniche. Souq Waqif is a combination of traditional and modern, and it is one of the most culturally rich places in Doha. Walking around in the maze of narrow alleyways takes you on an authentic journey back in time and you get to feel what

Kusadasi Travel Guide: What to See and Do in Kusadasi, Turkey

The lively town of Kusadasi on Turkey’s west coast is dominated by package tourists from all across Europe and offers plenty to do for all ages. As I wrote in my earlier post, my first impression of Kusadasi was not the best ever, as the town is too touristy and busy for my taste, but on a positive note there are however lots of interesting things to see and do hidden behind the scenes so you just have to go out there and explore!

Picture-perfect Postcards from Turkey

Many of you already know that this summer I travelled solo around Turkey for the most amazing 2 months. I discovered bustling cities, quiet small villages, lush green mountains, turquoise seas, golden beaches, ruined ancient cities, Unesco World Heritage Sites and so much more. I was totally blown away by Turkey’s beauty and the wealth of historical and natural attractions. I cannot wait to share all my exciting adventures with you guys but before I do that I would like to

Helsinki: Photo Tour of Isosaari Island

You may have read in my earlier post Island Escape in Helsinki Archipelago: Former Military Island Isosaari that the gorgeous island of Isosaari was very recently opened to the public after being closed for military purposes for over a century. Isosaari island is a must see for everyone in or visiting Helsinki. This is where history, military and wild nature meet and blend together harmoniously.

In addition to my informative previous post on Isosaari I want to share a few more captivating photos and mysterious details of the island with you. Hope you enjoy the photo tour!

Surveillance towers, fortifications, casemates, secret tunnels, artillery weapons

Island Escape in Helsinki Archipelago: Former Military Island Isosaari

A couple of weeks back in mid June another former military island called Isosaari was opened to the public in Helsinki archipelago. Isosaari island was in military use for over a century until it was abandoned in 2012.Together with the other recently opened former military islands of Vallisaari and Lonna, Isosaari island is a great addition to the recreational islands of Helsinki archipelago. All these islands make a great

Rhodes Road Trip: East Coast from Rhodes Town to Lindos, Greece

On the first day of my Rhodes road trip I explored the west coast of Rhodes from Ialyssós all the way down to Fourni Beach and returned back to Ialyssós via mountains and cute little inland villages. Earlier I had also discovered the medieval Rhodes old town together with the more modern part of Rhodes town, so on the second day of my road trip it was time to hit the east coast of Rhodes.This was my itinerary on the east coast:

Rhodes Road Trip: West Coast from Ialyssós to Fourni Beach

Rhodes is a large and versatile island with plenty to see and do. I had already explored medieval Rhodes old town together with the more modern part of Rhodes town as well as the historical town of Ialyssós and Filerimos Hill. However, there is much more to Rhodes than just these places so I rented a car for a couple of days to discover the island further.My plan for day 1 with the rental car was to explore the west coast from Ialyssós all the way to down to Fourni Beach and return in the afternoon via

Top 5 Inspiring Museums to Visit in Helsinki

Helsinki is full of interesting museums and now that it is the darkest time of year with short, grey and gloomy days I decided to go out there to explore the museum scene of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.

As I mentioned earlier, I have never been a big fan of museums and never in a million years thought I would get excited about museums but on my explorations I actually found some great gems and fantastic sources of inspiration. Did I find the inner artist or historian in me? Not really, but it did widen my horizons a bit more and I did enjoy a great deal!

Hot Spot by Mona Hatoum. Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma.

Oh and one great tip: some museums in Helsinki offer