Twin capitals of Finland and Estonia!
Helsinki and Tallinn are capitals that are very close to each other – they do not compete but attract many travellers with their proximity and form a single economic and tourist region. The fabulous Old Town of Tallinn and the modern heart of Helsinki, the summer sandy beaches of Tallinn and the rocky shores of Helsinki, cosy cafes, and favourite gourmet restaurants on both sides of the Gulf of Finland as well as endless shopping opportunities.
It doesn’t matter whether you start your acquaintance with Tallinn or Helsinki, it’s worthwhile visiting both cities – there are no more twin capital cities so close to each other! Even if you come from outside of the European Union, there is no difference whether you arrived in Finland or Estonia first, one Schengen visa is valid for both countries, so you will avoid any additional worries when planning your trip.
Just buy a ticket for the Eckerö Line ferry and in about 2 hours you will find yourself in the centre of the capital of a neighbouring country. Both countries use the euro, so you don’t even have to exchange the money!
Two cities, one ship!
The Eckerö Line ferry MS Finlandia connects Tallinn and Helsinki with each other, offering a convenient, fast, and memorable sea connection every day!
On board of the Eckerö Line MS Finlandia, one should try the possibility to get acquainted to the Finnish cuisine. Eckerö Line has a very famous kitchen – our dishes are prepared from pure Finnish product and almost everything from start to end is made on board on the ferry. The classic buffet includes a wide range of seasonal Finnish appetisers, hot meals, and desserts, up to 65 meal choices at a time!
For a more privacy demanding customer, there is the most convenient opportunity to travel in the business class Lounge. In a cosy Lounge, you will find comfortable seats and delicious snacks: sandwiches, pies, muffins, fresh fruits, coffee, and tea to choose from. Travelling in a business class Lounge is very convenient, as you can work here, but also just feel comfortable and enjoy moments of peace and quiet.
Today, in a fast-paced world, a calm shopping environment is very important. On board the ferry, shops have an excellent selection of perfumes and other cosmetics, fashionable clothes, and accessories.
In a Fabulous City of Tallinn
In the mornings, all year round, the Eckerö Line MS Finlandia leaves Helsinki at 09.00 and after couple of wonderful hours on board MS Finlandia, already at 11.15 you will arrive in Tallinn! The UNESCO Heritage Site, the historic Tallinn Old Town, is just about ten minutes-walk away from our port.
The Old Town and its surroundings are full of interesting museums and attractions. The Seaplane Harbour is an architectural predecessor to the Sydney Opera House. Inside the museum, you can see a real life-size submarine and even study it from the inside. The huge space houses full-size seaplanes and a variety of marine vehicles. The museum will tell you a lot about the navigation history of Tallinn.
The Museums of Health, Nature, Photography, Theatre, Music, etc. are in a few minutes’ walk from each other. You can download a map of Tallinn in English with some hints and introductions to local sights or read more on Eckerö Line homepage.
Tallinn has a variety of places for shopping, for example, the main department store Kaubamaja, the shopping mall of Viru Keskus or many other bigger or smaller shops in the city centre.
For those who came to Tallinn just for a day, MS Finlandia leaves Tallinn at 18.30 and reaches back to Helsinki at 21.00.
If you wish to stay in Tallinn for longer than just one day, then we advise you to book the Eckerö Line hotel package from Helsinki to Tallinn! We offer a wide selection of hotels in Tallinn – from five star to three star, matching every budget. There are packages to hotels in the Old Town, in the city centre, and even in other cities in Estonia.
In the Fashionable World of Helsinki
When planning a visit from Tallinn to Helsinki, you have several ferry departures options. You can start your day in Helsinki very early in the morning since MS Finlandia is the first ferry to arrive in the capital of Finland, already 8.15 a.m.! See our timetable for more options!
Our ferry arrives in Helsinki to the Western Port terminal T2, from there you can find convenient connections to the city centre by tram, bus, or taxi. And, of course, there is an option of walking to the centre, which takes about 30 minutes.
Although so close, Tallinn and Helsinki have quite different settings – Tallinn enjoys sandy beaches while Helsinki is set on small idyllic rocky islands. The rocky terrain characterizes Helsinki very well and can be noticed everywhere, even the fast and timely metro has been dug in the rock! The Temppeliaukio Church, one of the most distinctive holy places in the whole world, has also found its place in the rock. The Jugend-style quarters of Eira and Katajanokka are built on the rocks, where each house is a separate work of art.
During the Soviet times, in the centre of Helsinki Americans made films whose action depicted Leningrad or today’s St. Petersburg. Perhaps even today the residents of St. Petersburg feel at home in Helsinki, since the holistically designed and built city centre has preserved its historical beauty to this day. The Senate or the Central Square is still decorated with a monument to the Russian czar Alexander the Second. During his reign, the first signs of a state began to emerge in Finland – its own money, army, post office, and much more.
There are several art museums right in the city centre. You can get acquainted with Finnish art in the Ateneum, the modern art museum Kiasma gives an excellent overview of contemporary art, and the recently opened Amos Rex will direct you to an underground gallery. The city centre is a paradise of culture and shopping. Nearby there are concert halls, galleries, theatres, cinemas, opera house, and museums as well as trendy shopping malls.
Helsinki is a wonderful destination for family travel, you can read more about family attractions here.
For hotel package from Tallinn to Helsinki, including round trip ferry tickets, and accommodation in Helsinki, please click here!