Helsinki's Urban Vision: Walk with a City Planner

Emek was an amazing guide. His knowledge of all things Finnish, from history, politics, life in Finland and Helsinki in general was very extensive and he showed us a side we would not have known if we did not take this tour. He explained all the different architecture and why things were built as they were and why. He finished off taking us to the Central Library which is a must if you go to Helsinki. It is a wonderful concept that needs to be developed in more places for their residents. I world highly recommend this tour and Emek as a guide 100%.

Emek was an amazing guide. His knowledge of history, politics, Finland and Helsinki in general was very extensive. He provided a very thorough tour explaining the architecture through the ages and how Helsinki grew. I would thoroughly recommend this tour and Emek as a guide.

Our guide Emmick was a very personable, knowledgeable person. He gave an excellent overview of Helsinki history while walking around key downtown Helsinki places, for example the Plaza. He was very good at entertaining and answering questions. The only thing I would be a bit critical about is that there was little discussion or explanation of the actual planning aspects of Helsinki. I had hoped to learn more about historical as well as current planning in downtown Helsinki.

My wife and I took actually 2 tours with Emek in August 2025. One was the general walking tour and the other was the architectural tour. Both were amazing. Emek was incredibly knowledgeable. His tours were jam-packed with a stunning amount of information. He made these tours entertaining and inspiring. At times he was very serious and at others would speak about little funny idiosyncrasies of some places along the way. One of the best stops on the tour was the central library where we spent a fair amount of time. He made us want to have such an amazing place in our city (New York). We always think the Big Apple has the biggest and the best of everything, but this library sets an entirely different standard for public venues and Emek’s tour brought it to life for us. We both wholeheartedly recommend taking several tours with him.

A great history of Finland and Helsinki. Our guide, Emek, was knowledgeable and interesting. Wear comfortable shoes.

A nice overview of Helsinki history, architecture and current affairs. Emek was personable and knowledgeable.

This was a great experience... Helsinki is filled with magnificent buildings. Emek showed us how the political influences of Sweden and Russia were evident in the style of the buildings of different periods, giving us an enlightening picture of the history of Finland.

Emek has an encyclopedic knowledge of Helsinki, Finland, and the region in general. Also, a great sense of humor. Emek had narratives to tell but handled every comment and question fully. We enjoyed the tour immensely and recommend unreservedly.

Tour starting point was easy to find and we had a small group of American and Australian tourists. Emek is so knowledgeable about Helsinki! He tells you a lot of the history of the city to start out and then shows you some of the famous Finnish architectural landmarks. We learned quite a bit about the library culture in Helsinki with a stop at the gorgeous public library. Emek is available to ask any questions you have about the city or Finland. Truly a fascinating tour!

A fun, friendly, and incredibly informative tour with a great guide who can talk about just about anything you might be interested in! This tour made me seriously want to move to Helsinki.