In the year 2000-2001, I was in Finland on an official trip around the new year time. Perhaps for the first time I realized that Mother Nature has also been considerate to other countries as well besides our Indian subcontinent.
Well, the more I begun to know Finland and its people the more I started to believe that this certainly is one of the best place I have ever visited. Mother Nature has been really kind to this small place near the North Pole. At times, when the flakes are light and white, I have felt the snow flurries gently fall and get carried away by the gentle breeze. The flakes seem to kiss me as they go past brushing my cheek to form a white layer over everything. Even when you are feeling warm in your room, the temperature could drop away. Finland is a beautiful place no doubt, but people are the kindest and friendliest, that I have ever met. Finland is not only a place where nature meets compassion, it is much more than that. Finland is a feeling. There is something pristine about the whole experience.
I have always believed in Ruskin Bond’s ideology of breaking away from routine and exploring something totally new. Like he did in "Time Stops At Shamli". So one weekend I decided to take a train and explore the countryside with no particular place to really visit. I like such adventures, going out to some place just to see what there is. The whole of train journey I saw the trees and a carpet of snow. It must have been freezing cold outside. I felt truly mystified sitting there and watching trees and snow. It was a good blend of green and white. It was a nice feeling looking at the vast wilderness of the Finland countryside. Once I had travelled for sometime and the train reached a station of some magnitude, I decided to get down. Before the train started chugging, I was already out of the station. I still remember the name of the place - Turku.
Turku is one historical place and not a major city like Helsinki. Turku was a small city but not as small as I had expected/ hoped. I had a good walk by the river and an old church. There was one old castle too, but I could not visit that place because it was closed due to it getting dark and cold. Anyway, came back to Helsinki by night time and remembered this day as one of the most beautiful days in my life.
Since Helsinki is at the southern tip of Finland, you could also plan a trip to northern Finland (and if you are lucky you could see the Northern Lights in the sky - or Auriora Borealis as they are more popularly known).
One aspect that I cannot comment too much about is the safety. I never faced any problem at all and nor did any others whom I met and interacted during my stay.
If you are lucky to be visiting Finland, then you can make best out of it by doing something similar to what I described above. There are enough good a places to visit in Helsinki, if you take their bus trip which takes you to all the places of relevance. I was put up in perhaps the best hotel I have ever stayed in - Hotel Kemp (I was lucky that my company paid for everything!). However, you can make the most of your trip by not just doing the regular trips in and around the city but by taking a trip to country side. Believe me - You will thank me later. Like me you will come back from your trip totally believing - Nature imparts to each season and place, a beauty of its own.