Removals to Finland - Shipping to Helsinki - Moving to Scandinavia

If you are moving to Scandinavia as part of a job move, or to start a new life there, you will want the best possible service for removals to Finland. Greens Removals are experienced in removals to all international destinations and specialise in stress free removals to Finland and shipping to Helsinki.

Removals to Helsiniki, Finland

UK based Greens specialise in overseas moves, including removals to Scandinavia. We provide removals to most destinations in Scandinavia including Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. We provide shipping to Helsinki at very competitive rates and we also provide removals to other destinations in Finland including Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Lahti, Jyvaskyla, Pori, Kuopio, Vaasa and Kotka.

Removals to Finland contact us now to discuss your move or click here for a Shipping to Helsinki quote.

At Greens, we are proud to be registered members of the British Association of Removers (BAR) for international removals. This means that you can be assured of the highest standards of care. Our efficient and friendly team provide tailored packages to suit your needs, so whether you want full or part load removals to Finland, shipping to Helsinki in 20 ft or 40 ft containers, packing, insurance, or storage on arrival, we can help.

You can always be assured of a quality service as our staff have an excellent reputation for international removals. If you would like to find out more about our removals to Finland service, call us direct on 01449 613053 or fill in our online form to receive a low cost European removals quote.

Removals to Helsinki, Finland: Living in the Capital

Helsinki is an attractive and exciting place to be. It has been likened to a mini St Petersburg and was designed in this way when it was rebuilt by the Russian Tsars in 1812. Some 600,000 people live here and it is teeming with interesting architecture and coffee bars (the Finns love their coffee!), as well as being blessed with an coastline full of bays and inlets to explore.

Although most of the population speak Finnish, it is easy to find your way around as many speak good English. However, as in most other parts of the world, they will appreciate it if you can speak at least a few words in Finnish when you move here. That said, if you do, you are most likely to get a response in English.

If you are settling here permanently, you will find the winters uncomfortably cold and long. This is because Helsinki is one of the northernmost capitals of the world. Summers, however, can be surprisingly warm (up to 25C) although they are short and last from June to Mid-August. However, this is when the city comes to life; the parks are crowded with people and restaurant diners clamour for a place outdoors, to soak up the sun.

Another piece of good news is that Helsinki was declared the most liveable city in the world in 2011 (by the Liveable Cities Index). It is a major financial and commercial centre, with as many as 70 per cent of foreign companies in Finland based in the Helsinki area. And you won't feel cut off as Helsinki is easily accessible by ferry to Tallinn (Estonia), Stockholm (Sweden) and St Petersburg (Russia), all great places to spend a long weekend.

If you enjoy shopping, Helsinki is pricy but there are still some great shopping opportunities. The first port of call is to head for the Aleski, which is the main shopping street and you will find a variety of shops including Stockmann, which is the largest department store in Scandinavia. For boutique stores, the Esplanadi boulevards are the place to go for stylish luxury clothing.

If you want to explore the nightlife beer is expensive, but there are some great bars to choose from. For dining out, you will find a good choice of restaurants offering a variety of cuisine, from traditional Finnish cooking to Russian, Italian, Chinese, Nepalese and Belgian food - but don't be too surprised when you get your bill.

Moving to Helsinki, Finland: Places to Visit

More than two and a half million tourists visit Helsinki each year and have at least one overnight stay. In addition to this, the city also receives hundreds and thousands of day trippers from cruise ships.

Finland's capital has lots of museums and interesting places to visit but arguably one of the best tourist attractions is Suomenlinna, which has been nicknamed 'the Gibraltar of the North'. Fewer than 1000 people live on the island which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, full of old fortifications, cannons, theatres, restaurants, cafes and museums. You get there by ferry but entry is free when you arrive, and there are guided tours in English in summer.

Another fascinating place to visit is the Church in the Rock, which is an amazing modern church dug out from a rock. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Helsinki and its interior leaves a lasting impression.

If you appreciate art and monuments, another popular attraction is Sibelius Monument, created in the 1960's. You can find it in the park of the same name and whole construction has been built to resemble organ pipes.

Outside of the main tourist draws, a point of note is that when you move to Helsinki, you'll soon discover that saunas are a way of life in Finland. So don't be too surprised if you are invited to someone's house and are asked to join them in the sauna! There are also a number of public saunas where you would be expected to sit in the nude, but there are separate ones for men and women.

Moving to Helsinki, Finland: Living in Helsinki

Finland has a number of foreigners living in the country, including people from Estonia, Russia, Sweden, Somalia, Turkey, Thailand, Germany and India. For expats, various accommodation is on offer, including apartments and houses to buy or rent.

If you are renting a property, you may be surprised that not all come with light fittings, carpets and curtains, but this is standard. Some, however, may be available with a private sauna and water rates are usually included in the rental price.

You would normally pay your rent monthly in advance and two months' rent in addition to this as a deposit. A tenant would be required to give a month's notice if they are planning on leaving and the owner would have to give at least three months notice if they want their tenants to vacate the property (the notice period is longer if the tenant has been there at least a year).

Moving to Helsinki, Finland: Out and About in Helsinki

Travel in and around the city is by tram, bus or metro, and if you buy a single ticket, you can travel on any form of transport within the city for up to an hour. You can go further afield on regional tickets and full regional tickets.

Taxi fares are heavily regulated by the government, which means that you won't get ripped off. But do bear in mind that you can't expect a taxi to stop for you if you hail one in the street as they are not obliged to do this.

To get back to the UK, international and domestic flights go from and to Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, which is about 12 miles from the city centre.

Removals to Finland contact us now to discuss your move or click here for a Shipping to Helsinki quote.