Not to be missed – this is a wonderful experience I was fortunate enough to travel to Helsinki, Finland and spend two days in the sprawling city. There is so much to see and do but by far the greatest experience of the entire stay was the walking tour with Emek. Not only is Emek a true pleasure to be around, his wealth of knowledge regarding Helsinki and the Finnish culture is impressive. It was a dreary March day with persistent drizzle, but Emek’s demeanor and personality quickly made us forget we were wet. I came away with much more knowledge of Helsinki than I could have thought possible in the short few hours of the tour. He imparted more tidbits of information from historic events and occupation, to modern preferences and practices, building and architectural styles to fashion, language, politics and religion. He answered all questions asked thoroughly and often elaborated to provide deeper context. The groups are small, making discussion and questions easier and the whole experience more personal. I would highly recommend taking Emek’s tour if you find yourself fortunate enough to be in Helsinki.