OK so I’m no expert and I wasn’t in Finland for long but I did do a bit of drinking there in Jarvenpaa, Helsinki and on the island of Suomenlinna. And Thirsty Thursdays is begging for the untold stories to come out so these are the six coolest bars from my visit in January 2015 where I toured Suomenlinna, got naked in saunas in Jarvenpaa and stayed in the Eurohostel in Helsinki. Finns like to drink despite the hefty prices of booze in the bars, I still headed out for some tipples!
Thirsty Thursdays: The Six Coolest Bars I Visited in Finland
1. Teerenpeli Bar, Helsinki City Centre, HELSINKI
Teerenpeli Bar is in the city centre of Helsinki, very close to the train station and makes their own beer. It’s a great bar with good selection of home brewed beer but pricey, so pop in for one or two beers and be done with it. Good staff too – easy on the eye guys. I tried a lager and an ale in January 2015 and they were 6 Euros each.
Teerenpeli Bar, Helsinki, Finland.
Teerenpeli Bar, Helsinki, Finland.
2. Kaisla Beer House, Helsinki City Centre, HELSINKI
Another cool beer house is the Kaisla Beer House which is has a huge selection but also equally dear (hey we are in Finland) Expect to pay between 4.40 and 8 Euros for a beer. A big hall room with loads of tables to chat and drink. Thanks to Atte, Sonja and Sofia for taking me here.
Kaisla: Coolest Bars in Finland
Beer with Sonja in Kaisla Bar, Helsinki, Finland
3. Roskapankki Bar, Gallio, HELSINKI
Deep in the Gallio District lies a few travellers cheap gems. This bar, Roskapankki serves up beers for around €3 Euros. This is in a studenty area and the meaning of Roskapankki is apparently “Garbage Bank”, it’s a great cheap bar though. Thanks to my friend Sonja who lives nearby and recommended this place.
With Sonja, Sofia and Atte in Roskapankki.
Outside Roskapankki Bar, Gallio, Helsinkki, Finland.
4. Hemingway’s Bar and Cafe, Punavuori Rodbergen, HELSINKI
This was the first ever pub in Finland I visited and quite fitting too. I’m a big fan of Ernest Hemingway and a bit of a sucker for places named after him, after my time in the Hemingway pub of Ohrid (Macedonia) and the Hemingway Inn in San Jose (Costa Rica).
Hemingway’s Bar and Cafe, Helsinki.
Hemingway’s Bar and Cafe, Helsinki.
5. Suomenlinna Centre Cafe, SUOMENLINNA
I visited Suomenlinna in the off season (January) so this means that the main bars and tourist places on the four islands are not always open. However I heard that they make their own beers on Suomenlinna so I just had to try one, and preferably on the island. Near the ferry terminal and the tourist information office is the Suomenlinna Centre Cafe which is licensed. In here I tried the dark Suomenlinnan Porteri which was excellent but 6.80 Euros.
Having a porter in Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna Centre Cafe.
6. Macarthur Irish Pub, JARVENPAA
While I was staying with my friends in Jarvenpaa, I wanted to visit a pub in their hometown. Jarvenpaa doesn’t attract a lot of tourists though and this Irish Pub isn’t an ex Pats hangout but a place where the locals head. I washed down a cider in here on a karaoke night. I was there with Sonja, Sofia, Atte and Reina. Beers and ciders are around 5 Euros each.
McArthur Irish Pub in Jarvenpaa, Finland.
With Atte and Sofia in McArthur Irish Pub in Jarvenpaa, Finland.
So that was a short wee trip to Finland on my journey and I loved it. Thanks so much to the hospitality of Atte, Sofia, Sonja and Karoliina for my time there. Hope to see you again soon.
Videos from my trips to some bars in Finland:
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