Private tour in Helsinki Lesley R

Forest Bathing, Smoke Sauna, Wild Swimming and Highlights of Helsinki

-
Hours icon 6 hours
Private transportation
Private tour for 1-9 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
Start time
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 6 hours
Private transportation
Private tour for 1-9 people
Your party size

1

View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later

Lesley R.

4.8

Guide rating

21

Reviews

Tours delivered

35 hrs

Avg. response time

I am an Authorised Helsinki Guide (2002) and I am an author who has written a popular book about Helsinki's most famous landmark, the Church in the Rock (Temppeliaukio). I am a native English speaker and have dual nationality (British-Finnish). I have been living in Finland for nearly thirty years. I have a fun, relaxed, easy-going personality and I aim to make each tour unique so if you have any special areas of interest, let me know, so I can do some advance research for you. I am happy to tailor in any special requests or visits and base the tour around a particular theme of interest to you. It has been a great privilege to be able to share my passion for both Helsinki and Finland with visitors from around the world for the last sixteen years. During my professional guiding career, I have taken politicians, journalists, bloggers, and celebrities around the city. I treat everyone on any of my tours like a V. I. P and I aim to make all my tours relaxed and entertaining with a good dose of humor. My goal is that everyone goes home with an intimate view of what it is really like to live in Finland and how history, people and events have created the Finland of today. I want to show you what makes Finland and Helsinki so special and why I love my hometown and its surroundings. I live in the north of the city with my family and our dog Bertie Woofster. I enjoy wild swimming, the sauna and walking Bertie around some of the fabulous, urban natural areas in Helsinki. In addition to working as a professional guide, I am a qualified Social Worker and Brief Therapist. During the winter I work in child protection as a Family Crisis Worker. Through this second profession, I keep well informed about socio-cultural and current affairs in Finland. Authorised Helsinki City Guide (Finnish Guide Association). First Aid Certificate. Bachelor of Social Services (Helsinki University of Applied Sciences). Registered to work with children and vulnerable adults (European Police Register). Solution Focused Brief Therapist (Helsinki Psychotherapy Institute). Registered practitioner with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). None.

Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Lesley R.

Overview of your Helsinki tour

  This magical tour gives a thorough insight into Helsinki and its most significant landmarks before taking you on a restorative journey into the forest of SipoonKorpi National Park. Forest bathing will open up your senses to the natural world, slow you down, and relax you. You will savour the sounds, smells and sights of the forest, releasing your sense of joy and calm whilst benefitting from the natural aromatherapy of pine, spruce and birch. Finland is the birthplace of the sauna and there is nothing that compares to the experience of the soothing steam of traditional, wood-fired smoke sauna followed by an invigorating wild swim in the silky-smooth waters of Kuusjarvi lake. The real essence of Finland and its people is captured in the forest, lake and sauna, so come and join me on a journey of discovery.  

Your Helsinki tour itinerary

Scenic drive includes Eira's Art nouveau buildings and garden villas. Following along the coastline past the bustling, old fisherman's market, the Presidential Palace, the magnificent Orthodox Cathedral and the ice breaker ships. Esplanade Park, Finlandia Hall, Finnish Parliament, National Museum, the Opera House and the Unesco World Heritage Site of Suomenlinna Fortress. Stops - Senate Square in the historical centre of the city and was the setting for many Hollywood movies. The square contains some of the finest examples of harmonious neo-classical architecture in Europe. -Inside visit to Oodi a jewel of modern Finnish architecture and innovation. Oodi was chosen as the best new public library in the world in 2019. -Photo stop at the Olympic Stadium site of the 1952 Olympics. -Driving out of the city to the stunning National Park (35 minutes) Relax your mind and body with a Mindful forest walk with expert relaxation guidance . Wood-fired smoke sauna and wild lake swimming. Lakeside coffee and snack.

Want to customize this tour?

Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.

Transport details
Type: Private Transportation

Modern, clean and safe minivan with a professional licensed driver.

What's included
Other
Private Guide
Private Transportation
What's not included
Other: Paid on the spot by the traveller at the sauna( card or cash) Per Adult 13 Euros for the smoke sauna PerChild 7 Euros for the smoke sauna Family ticket for the smoke sauna 30 Euros ( includes two adults and three children
Food Drinks Snacks
Meeting location

Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide:

  • You can request a different meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout process.
Other details
Tour categories
Nature Wildlife And Safaris
Day Trip
Layover
Tour reference number
1007052
Languages
Finnish
English
Activity level
Light
Accessibility
Kid Friendly

Frequently asked questions

Who is this private tour in Helsinki best suited for?

This private tour in Helsinki is perfect for travellers who want to experience both the vibrant city life and the serene natural beauty of Finland. It's ideal for those interested in cultural landmarks, nature enthusiasts looking to enjoy forest bathing, and anyone eager to experience a traditional Finnish smoke sauna and wild swimming. The tour is also suitable for families, as it is kid-friendly.

What should I bring or wear?

Can this private tour in Helsinki be customized to focus on what I want to see and skip places I've already visited?

How long is the tour, and can the start time or duration be adjusted?

Where does the tour start and end?

Is transportation included?

How much walking is involved, and is it suitable for kids, seniors, or travellers with mobility concerns?

Is this private tour in Helsinki suitable for cruise ship passengers as a shore excursion?

What languages is this tour offered in?

What's included in this private tour, and what should I budget for separately?

Is this a private tour? What is the maximum group size and the starting price?

AI-generated. Please confirm details with your guide

-
Hours icon 6 hours
Private transportation
Private tour for 1-9 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
Start time
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 6 hours
Private transportation
Private tour for 1-9 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
Start time
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
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