Study Visits | ELSA Helsinki

Description

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is located seaside on the southern part of the country. With 640 000 habitants, Helsinki has the vibe of a smaller town filled with indie boutiques, quirky cafés and relaxed ambiance. Academically Helsinki has a lot to offer as most of Finland’s law firms, courts and institutions are situated there. Helsinki is almost 500 years old and has gone through very different periods. One can notice how it has been shaped over the years by both western and eastern culture. Also nature is all around. Finland is almost fully covered by forests and Helsinki is no exception with it’s many green parks and small islands.

Visiting Helsinki gives you a broad and clear overview into Finnish society and legal culture. Don’t hesitate to contact us for more information!

City, Country

Helsinki, Finland

Accommodation Options

A large variety of hostels starting from approximately 20 €/per night / per person and hotels starting from approximately 30 € / per night / per person

Methods of getting from the airport(s)/train-station to the City Centre/Hotel

A frequently running train (Trains P and I) and bus route (615 and Finnair City Bus) connects the airport and the city center. The trip takes 30-45 minutes from the airport to Helsinki Central Station. One way ticket is approximately 5 € / per person for the trains and for the bus 615. One way ticket for Finnair City bus is 6,80 € / per person.

Maximum number of participants that can be hosted

Available upon request

Ideal length of Visit

4–5 days

List of law-firms/firms/Institutions that the groups could visit

Law Firms: All large law firms in Finland are located in Helsinki. Previous study visits have included visits to law firms such as Bird & Bird, Hannes Snellman (one of the largest corporate law firms in Finland) and Procopé & Hornborg.

Courts: Judicial independence is statistically most effective in Finland. In addition to regional courts Supreme Court of Finland, Supreme Administrative Court of Finland and all current special courts such as Market Court are situated in Helsinki.

Authorities and institutions: The Parliament of Finland and ministries of Finland are located in Helsinki.

University of Helsinki: We have the possibility to get lectures from Helsinki University professors. On previous Study Visits we have received lectures for example from Erik Castrén Institute of International Law.

Draft Academic Programme

Visit to a court, the Parliament of Finland or to a ministry

Lecture held by Helsinki University law professor

Visit to a law firm

Draft Social Programme

Helsinki sightseeing: You do not need many days to get to know Helsinki, yet there are many things to experience and see such as green parks, neoclassical architecture, unique churches (for example Temppeliaukio church, built into solid rock), art and history museums and big department stores for variable shopping opportunities. There is also Suomenlinna sea fortress which is a UNESCO world heritage site and only a short ferry ride away.

Finnish food culture: Finnish people drink the most coffee in the world so coffeehouses are part of experiencing everyday Finnish culture. Finnish food has influences from both the Nordics and Russia. Among restaurants, the market halls are good places to try out typical foods like rye bread, salmon soup or reindeer meat. Fresh foods and handcrafts can also be found at the outdoor marketplace “Kauppatori” near the biggest market hall.

Finnish sauna. Sauna is a very big part of Finnish culture and can be tried out in many places in Helsinki. Depending on sauna location, you can take a brisk swim during the experience. In winter, there is also the possibility to try out ice swimming together with sauna.

The Old City Of Porvoo. If you are interested in seeing old wooden town architecture, Porvoo is definitely a place to visit. It is the Second oldest city in Finland and has a charming old town atmosphere not to mention a chocolate factory! The city is around 50 kilometers away from Helsinki and it takes about one hour to travel there by bus.

Other information

Tourist attractions: https://www.visitfinland.com/helsinki/ public transports: https://www.hsl.fi/en

Contact information

seminarsconferences.helsinki@fi.elsa.org