Traveller's Uusimaa - New Land
Helsinki-Uusimaa offers a good wiew to the variety of Finland's nature. We are proud of our archipelago and the Salpausselkä esker, love our hills in the north-western Uusimaa area and respect the generous valleys inbetween them.
Have you seen the film "13th Warrior" with Antonio Banderas? According to Viking stories, that mystery land described was the coastal Uusimaa! Uusimaa has at all times been "the inbetween" by its nature: The Baltics came here for fishing, the Vikings crossed on their way to the east and the Slavics on their way to the west. Also the hunting, fishing and fur selling started the early merchandise on our shores and routes.
Yet, Uusimaa ("New Land") is the latest permanently settled part of Finland due to the differences in climate. Life was hard until wheat liberated the peasants from worrying non-snowy winters.
The long history of the region combined with the wealth of the modern cultural scene promises the visitor a host of options to explore. Today, Uusimaa is prosperous with a vivid cultural life and a high-standard education.
Take a historical route along the coast
To experience as much as possible during your visit to Helsinki-Uusimaa, you should travel the King's Road, an ancient highway of historical, cultural and touristic interest which follows the medieval mail coach route. It links the Nordic capitals Oslo and Stockholm with Turku and Helsinki in Finland, and continues directly on to St. Petersburg in Russia.
Already in active use in the 14th century, the King's Road has for centuries been travelled by Kings and commoners alike, all making wide use of churches, estates and inns along the way. The medieval churches and 18th century manufacturing communities are well worth exploring.
