Private tour in Helsinki Lesley R
4.8
(6) reviews
4 hours
1
4 hours
1
Lesley R.
4.8
Guide rating
22
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.
This private guided tour features four hours of the best of beautiful Helsinki. I want to show you what makes locals and visitors fall in love with this city. Helsinki has it all - tranquil shorelines, stunning nature, world famous sites, architectural gems and quirky corners. Through anecdotes and stories I will make the city, its history and Finnish culture come alive. I am the author of a book about Helsinki's most famous landmark, the Rock Church, so I am also an expert on the church, its architects and its construction. If you have a special area of interest, let me know in advance and I can do some research for you in readiness for the tour. We can include time for shopping at the artisan market to taste some local delicacies such as fried vendice from the lake, wild blueberries or home-grown strawberries. The tour is fun, relaxed and easy-going and I am sure at the end of our day together you will understand why Finland, according to the UN 2018 report, is the 'Happiest Nation on Earth'.
Leslie was a wonderful guide. She catered our tour to all of our requests and even directed us to a magnificent free concert at the end of our tour. She was very knowledgeable about historical content and current information as well. She was personable and fun.
We were 8 women taking the tour with Leslie. It was amazing. Since we had 4 hours Leslie decided to take us to see both the well kniwn list inside Helsinki and going out to see some nature . She was very attentif to our requests . She is very knowledgable and gave us information about different aspects if living in Helsinki. In addition she was lovely and patient. Highly recommending this trip.
Featuring the best of what Helsinki has to offer! *Senate Square/Lutheran Cathedral visit Visit to the what has been voted as the 'World's Best Library' Oodi *The Sibelius Monument visit *The Rock Church ( subject to availability) (visit) *Seaside artisan/food market (optional) *Short nature walk on Seurasaari bridge (visit) Scenic drive (with commentary) passing the, Parliament, Opera House, Olympic Stadium, Icebreakers, Suomenlinna Fortress, Presidential Palace, Uspensky Orthodox Cathedral. This tour is suitable for wheel chairs but please give advance notice as I need to arrange a suitable vehicle.
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.
We will have a private driver and an air-conditioned minibus.
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide:
Finnish
EnglishWho is this private tour in Helsinki best suited for?
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?
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
4 hours
1
4 hours
1
If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
How it works