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Sarah Hudson

I'm an Australian born journalist, copywriter and acrobat and the secretary of a Finnish social circus association. I moved to Finland six years ago and love the place. Not sure how it all worked out this way, but life for me is all about good friends, good food and being upside down as often as humanly possible.

Places Sarah Hudson loves in Helsinki

• A21 Feel fabulous

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  Sarah Hudson / Perfect for making someone feel fabulous on their birthday or graduation, and not really ...

  
• Academica Hostel Out with the old, in with the you!

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  Sarah Hudson / University dorm rooms during the school year and a clean, neat and comfortable hostel ...

  
• Adams Hip to be square

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  Sarah Hudson / It's quite new on the Helsinki scene, but already giving us not-so-teeny bopper types ...

  
• Alppipuisto Hippies in their natural habitat

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  Sarah Hudson / If Koffinpuisto (Sinebrychoff's park) is the hipster park, then this is the hippie park ...

  
• Amos Anderson Gallery Artsy treats

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  Sarah Hudson / A very popular local art and design establishment, there's nothing stuffy about this place ...

  
• Ansa Kauppa Old school chic

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  Sarah Hudson / Vintage shoes, clothes, jewelry and accessories to make both boys and girls swoon with ...

  
• Arlan Sauna Sweat it out with the locals

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  Sarah Hudson / A much-loved public neighbourhood sauna since 1929. That's a lot of history and a lot of ...

  
• Bäkkäri Rock it like you mean it

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  Sarah Hudson / A rock bar with some serious attitude and a seriously busy schedule of events and live gigs ...

  
• Brooklyn Cafe Slice of NYC in HKI

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  Sarah Hudson / Chilled out tunes, the sunshiney vibes of Brooklyn and muffins, brownies and bagels so good ...

  
• Cafe Bar no 9 A reliable choice

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  Sarah Hudson / A waft of steamy air laden with the scent of stir-fry, pasta dishes and salads, greets you as ...

  
• Cafe Jääkellari Cosy ice cellar?!

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  Sarah Hudson / Another nice, warm place to hide out in when you get tired of roaming over the windswept ...

  
• Cafe Regatta Cafe by the seaside

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  Sarah Hudson / Love, love, love this tiny cute little wooden building right next to the water in Meilahti.

  
• Cafe Vanha Old school haunt

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  Sarah Hudson / The former house of the Helsinki University student union, this beautiful ...

  
• Cafe Vanille Shelter from the wind

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  Sarah Hudson / This quaint little cafe is located in the old Russian merchant's quarter opposite the ...

  
• Cheap Sleep Hostel Sleep it up in Kallio!

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  Sarah Hudson / A great location for those who like to party on the more alternative side of town, it's one of ...

  
• Circus Helsinki Fun at the circus

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  Sarah Hudson / A huge and well-equipped converted warehouse circus school for children, amateurs and ...

  
• CIRKO Center for New Circus Circus spectacular!

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  Sarah Hudson / The Suvilahti area has all of a sudden turned into a cultural hub in just the last year or two ...

  
• Designmuseo Superstars of Nordic design

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  Sarah Hudson / Sometimes the exhibits here are excellent and really give you a good picture of Finland's ...

  
• Eeron Keittiö Eero's kitchen is your kitchen

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  Sarah Hudson / A truly loved local favourite, founded in 2001, this restaurant offers friendly and ...

  
• Esplanadi Park Head to Espa!

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  Sarah Hudson / One of the best things about Helsinki is that there are relatively few places that are "just ...

  
• Euro Hostel Euro-nto something here (Sorry!)

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  Sarah Hudson / Multilingual staff, family, single, twin and triple rooms and dorms, and of course, a sauna. A ...

  
• Green Room Back 'a Bäkkäri

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  Sarah Hudson / It's attached to Bar Bäkkäri, of course.

  
• Grotesk Special treat

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  Sarah Hudson / It's got a big reputation, but it's not at all up it's own bottom, so to speak. The experience here ...

  
• Hakaniemen Kauppahalli To market, to market we go!

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  Sarah Hudson / It's a beautiful old market hall with everything you need for that fancy dinner party ...

  
• Helsinki Tourist Info Tourist info

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  Sarah Hudson / When we run out of ideas we'll send you here. Helsinki city's main tourist info office is ...

  
• Hietaniemi Beach Copacabana of Helsinki

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  Sarah Hudson / Being beachside in Helsinki is not actually as bad as it might sound and during the loooong ...

  
• Hietaniemi Cemetary The peaceful dead

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  Sarah Hudson / Another great place for a walk or a run, it's tranquil and in a truly beautiful location by the ...

  
• Hostel Erottajanpuisto Central hostel

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  Sarah Hudson / This is the most central hostel we can think of in terms of Kaartinkaupunki. Perhaps the ...

  
• Hostel Suomenlinna Hostel on an artisan's island

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  Sarah Hudson / Reachable by a 15 min ferry ride from the centre, staying here is really something special ...

  
• Hotel Kämp Posh drinks

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  Sarah Hudson / Probably Finland's most famous hotel, you might well find yourself having a tipple at the ...

  
• Il duetto Real Italian

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  Sarah Hudson / Throwing a little Italian pizza into shopping centre life, this modern pizza and pasta ...

  
• Kaffecentralen Frederikinkatu Epicentre of fab espresso

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  Sarah Hudson / Kaffecentralen's three popular and well-situated cafes pride themselves on their ...

  
• Kaffecentralen Korkeavuorenkatu Great coffee in a lovely part of town

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  Sarah Hudson / These three popular and well-situated cafes pride themselves on their well-trained ...

  
• Kaffecentralen Museokatu Coffee lovers' Mecca

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  Sarah Hudson / This bunch own three popular and well-situated cafes and they pride themselves on ...

  
• Kahvila Sävy Good coffee in Kallio

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  Sarah Hudson / Their new place is open and airy, and its a tribute to their impact on the Kallio cafe scene ...

  
• Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens Botanical dreaming

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  Sarah Hudson / Close to the central station, the Botanical Gardens features shrubs, flowers, herbs ...

  
• Kaisla Real beer in a real pub

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  Sarah Hudson / Any self-respecting beer connoisseur shouldn't walk past Kaisla. It’s quite large and ...

  
• Kaivopuisto Park life

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  Sarah Hudson / One of Helsinki’s favourite green places, it’s a big, sprawling park with an observatory and ...

  
• Kamppi Shopping Centre Shopping. Mall.

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  Sarah Hudson / Well, it's a shopping mall. What more can we say? It only appeared a few years ago, so the glitz an ...

  
• Katri/n Floaty and feminine

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  Sarah Hudson / Floaty, feminine and romantic lines are the trademark of designer and seamstress, Katri N ...

  
• Kiasma Funky artspace

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  Sarah Hudson / It's an easy to find landmark in the city and frequently the exhibitions are the sort that ...

  
• Kippo Frozen Yogurt Frogurt!

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  Sarah Hudson / A tiny little, bright and clean nook of a place which is easy to miss. They do really good ...

  
• Kitchen & Co Get on the glad rags

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  Sarah Hudson / In the heart of Helsinki, they offer a range of mouthwatering dishes and wines. With a classy ...

  
• Kuudes Linja Must-go party place

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  Sarah Hudson / One of Helsinki's best known and most established live DJ and party venues. You haven't ...

  
• La Torrefazione Central cuppa

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  Sarah Hudson / A popular new roastery/cafe, right on the main shopping street, it attracts locals and ...

  
• Lauttasaari/Lehtisaari Island paradise

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  Sarah Hudson / Depending on the season you can come out here for berry picking or mushroom picking - or just ...

  
• Lemon Grass Tasty Thai

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  Sarah Hudson / A good location, hearty portions and they're not afraid to spice it up. They do an excellent ...

  
• Liberty or Death The finest cocktails in town

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  Sarah Hudson / It's pretty new, tiny and rather quaint, adding a little bit of a "boutiquey" flavour to the ...

  
• Liike We liiiiike it!

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  Sarah Hudson / There's some kind of weirdness and minimalism that gives Nordic design its appeal. It takes ...

  
• Livin If your home's your castle

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  Sarah Hudson / Who could survive without the thrice-annual gaze-touch-and-drool type expedition to ...

  
• Loose A liberal living room for good people

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  Sarah Hudson / Located not too far from Kamppi on a street which has a few great little bars and eateries ...

  
• Market Square (Kauppatori) Central market square

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  Sarah Hudson / Helsinki’s famous Havis Amanda fountain, or “Manta”, stands here. Sculpted in Paris in 1906 by ...

  
• Mbar Drop in, chill or get some work done!

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  Sarah Hudson / A trendy, funky, central, international cafe/bar. An institution for locals and ...

  
• Moko Madhipsteries?

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  Sarah Hudson / Situated at the end of Helsinki's design street, it's a popular lunch place for all the ...

  
• Molly Malones Helsinki Ex-pat haven

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  Sarah Hudson / Ah, Molly’s, home of real live music and real live ex-pats. A classic melting pot for meeting ...

  
• Musta Kissa Locals' loungeroom

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  Sarah Hudson / It really is the locals' loungeroom. Small, cosy and about as local as it gets, but in a young and ...

  
• Natural History Museum Not-so-musty museum

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  Sarah Hudson / Actually one of the coolest Helsinki museums cleverly disguised as...well...an old museum. If ...

  
• Navy Jerry's Ahoy there, m' parties!

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  Sarah Hudson / It's the new place to be. Pure and simple.

  
• New Bamboo Center Cheap 'n cheerful

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  Sarah Hudson / Fast, informal service, generous portions, very tasty dishes and a constant supply of ...

  
• Nosturi Down by the dockyards

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  Sarah Hudson / Next to the harbour at Punavuori you'll find one of Helsinki’s best known music venues. The ...

  
• Omena Hotelli Systematic sleepin'

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  Sarah Hudson / Rooms for 1-4 people, the same price no matter how many, online booking and a system where you ...

  
• Orion Cinema From cult to culture

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  Sarah Hudson / Helsinki’s beautiful classic arthouse and foreign cinema, housing the national ...

  
• Pacifico Pacific thrills

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  Sarah Hudson / Owned by one of two local young Finnish brothers, both of whom are lovers of all things ...

  
• Patrona Mexican food love affair

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  Sarah Hudson / The food. Oh my god, the food. It's fresh, zingy, authentic and crafted with love and real ...

  
• Pikku Vallila Bar with spirit in historic wooden house

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  Sarah Hudson / Not many of Helsinki's wooden buildings remain, as back in the day residents liked to burn ...

  
• Prkl Bar/Club Slay a beer or two

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  Sarah Hudson / Ancient Finnish wisdom states that even at its absolute worst heavy metal is still far ...

  
• Ravintola Bellevue More Russian than Russia

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  Sarah Hudson / It's the real deal. Not like the fancy schmancy modern food that doesn't make a dent in your ...

  
• Ravintola Hoshito Japan comes to Finland

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  Sarah Hudson / Hoshito is a perfect example of the new wave of global cuisine that’s blossomed in Helsinki ...

  
• Ravintola No. 11 Eat like Kaurismäki

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  Sarah Hudson / A classic Helsinki eatery that's popular with working people keen to get a hefty feed in ...

  
• Roska Trashy fun

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  Sarah Hudson / Despite the decor, it isn't actually trashy at all. A Helsinki classic and a real local ...

  
• Ruuto-Rouva Vintage through and through

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  Sarah Hudson / It's run by two little old ladies who have their own definitive views on what looks good. They ...

  
• Seurasaari Open air history

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  Sarah Hudson / One of those amazing Helsinki green places that's just a stone's throw from the city. A great ...

  
• Sibelius Monument Monument to a composer

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  Sarah Hudson / 24 metric tonnes of abstract act in honour of the famous Finnish composer, the monument was ...

  
• Siltanen Bridge to a better place

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  Sarah Hudson / It's got a down-to-earth vibe and it's easy to find yourself hanging out here all afternoon ...

  
• Sinebrychoff Park Sunshine or sledding

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  Sarah Hudson / "Koffari" is a favourite summer hangout for the young Helsinki hipster crowd...and anyone ...

  
• Sinisen Huvilan Kahvila Cafe with a view

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  Sarah Hudson / It's a favourite of joggers or cyclists as they take a break during a circuit of Töölönahti ...

  
• Sivukirjasto Library come pub, or pub come library?

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  Sarah Hudson / The kind of place where you’ll find board games, a peaceful atmosphere and a range of books to ...

  
• Stupido Shop For the smart muso

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  Sarah Hudson / Your friendly local dealers. Music dealers, that is. Knowledgeable staff who're passionate ...

  
• Suomenlinna Not-so-tropical island retreat

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  Sarah Hudson / It's a lovely place to go to get out of the city - even though it's just ten minutes from the ...

  
• Suomenlinna Museum Interesting historical outpost

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  Sarah Hudson / Suomenlinna has a really interesting history, paralleling Finland's history - first under ...

  
• Suvilahti Graffiti Wall Make your mark

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  Sarah Hudson / This 100m long wall, dedicated to your self expression, is located in the old industrial ...

  
• Taitoliikuntakeskus Playground for grown-ups

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  Sarah Hudson / The favourite new craze in Helsinki, an amazingly well-equipped "sports acrobatics ...

  
• Tavastia Rock out like a local

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  Sarah Hudson / Now here's a real Helsinki tradition. A club that's been open since the start of the 70s, it's the ...

  
• Temppeliaukio Church More rocky than rockin'

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  Sarah Hudson / It’s known as the 'rock church', but don’t be misled, as many a tourist has been - it's not Finland's ...

  
• The Torni Toilet Picturesque pit-stop

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  Sarah Hudson / It's the first place you take anyone who's visiting the city to get a view over the fairytale ...

  
• Tiger

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  Sarah Hudson / Here you won’t feel overdressed if you decide, for once, that you don’t feel like going out in ...

  
• Tin Tin Tango French feel in Töölö

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  Sarah Hudson / It's a classic local haunt with a very "French" feel. Many locals use this place as their home ...

  
• Töölö Winter Garden Tropical Helsinki

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  Sarah Hudson / This beautiful old greenhouse has a large variety of cacti and other succulents for ...

  
• Tuomiokirkko (Cathedral) The Big White Church

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  Sarah Hudson / The green domes of this white-walled Evangelical Lutheran Church that towers over ...

  
• UFF second hand Give clothing a new life

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  Sarah Hudson / The branches of this cool second hand chain are located throughout Helsinki. Everyone in ...

  
• Uimastadion Home of Speedos

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  Sarah Hudson / Stadikka, Finland's home of Speedos. This Olympic length swimming pool is a mecca on hot days ...

  
• Unicafe No frills eating

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  Sarah Hudson / This university owned cafeteria ensures that the youthful student population of ...

  
• Vapiano Helsinki Whack it on my card...

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  Sarah Hudson / A centrally located fast-casual restaurant. You get given a “credit card” at the door, then ...

  
• Vegemesta Vege masters

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  Sarah Hudson / Local people starting something they believe in. It's an important fuel-stop for non-meat ...

  
• Venue The spot

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  Sarah Hudson / It used to be called YK Clubi and be a favourite student haunt for live gigs. Then they ...

  
• Wrong Asian Kitchen So wrong it's right

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  Sarah Hudson / Fast and filling, this Asian noodle bar is a good place for a refueling stop in the centre of ...