After checking in at Manchester airport, it wasn’t all that long before we were touching down in Helsinki and getting our first glimpse of the Moomins and Marimekko fabrics – you’ll see a lot of these on a trip to Finland (and probably bring something related home with you too).

And then we were out of the airport and ready for the next few days – which mainly involved staying up very late and making the most of the almost midnight sun.

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After a lovely catch-up with our friends, we were back in the centre of Helsinki at just after 10pm.

And the sun was still up!

So we checked in to our hotel and then went for a sunset stroll – along Esplanadi, down to the harbour, then back up to Senate Square by the cathedral. Our first experience of the almost-midnight-sun!

Later in our stay, we took the 8pm ferry over to Suomenlinna – just 15 minutes from Helsinki harbour for another evening stroll in the very lovely evening sunlight. It seemed quite odd to be setting off for an adventure so late in the day – but that’s the joy of the almost-midnight-sun.

And before we came home, I stayed up late again – this time watching the almost-midnight-sun fade away on Saturday night and the earliest of early sunrises on Sunday morning (photos below taken at 11.55pm and 3.05am).

I went to Helsinki and I stayed up late!

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50 for 50 #47: 50 posts for my 50th birthday to be posted before I’m 51.