Customer Reviews

Helsinki: The Bradt City Guide (Bradt Mini Guide)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was expecting something larger with better maps, but still this pocket-size book is filled with fascinating, up-to-date information. I had last visited Helsinki in 1974, so I was surprised to see how the country has changed. I found references to many valuable Finnish websites that expand on what's found in this book. The book is also valuable in informing how much money (Euros!) it costs to visit. Overall, the book decreased my pre-trip anxieties about visiting a foreign country.

I really wanted to like this guide. It is compact and easy to carry. Unfortunately the maps are incomplete, with very few of the streets named. Many museums in the city were not included. Information on sites and history seemed to be accurate, but locations were not indicated. I finally gave up and used the far superior information provided by the information desk at the airport and the hotel in Helsinki.

This guide is very difficult to use for a day of sightseeing in Helsinki. The one city map is split between the pages in a confusing piecemeal format. The museum hours were not always correct, and it was sometimes difficult to find information. The history and background information about the Helsinki and its sights was useful and informative. Still, if you want a user-friendly guide that will actually help you get around the city, look elsewhere.

I love the Bradt guide series and am so glad she has branched out to the more popluated cities and countries. No guide has the info that a Bradt guide does.