Ravintola Hiili is a pretty new restaurant in Kuopio, located on a small and quiet street near the market square. The house itself looks drab, but the restaurant has been fully refurbished lately and designed with style. There is also a small terrace on the inner yard.

As the name implies (Hiili ... More >

Moderna Museet is the leading modern art museum in the Nordic Countries, and it is worth the walk from the city if you have a few hours to spend with culture. The museum is located a couple of kilometers out of the city centre, on a beautiful Skeppsholm island that is a destination itself. It is eas... More >

Scandic Park is a typical four star Scandic hotel found in almost every major city in the Nordic Countries. The rooms are big, beds are comfortable, and the breakfast buffet is good. Everything just works, and the price is decent. In our case, we spent less than 100€ per night for four people (two... More >

Mama Roma is a chain of small Italian restaurants in St. Petersburg that offer excellent value for the money, and work especially well with children not familiar with the Russian cousine.

We visited one of their restaurants on Vasilevsky Island, on delta of Neva, and were very happy with the food... More >

A friend of mine who had lived in St. Petersburg for many years recommended Stolle for any and all quick and tasty eats. The café chain that has several stores around the city is focusing on traditional Russian pies; heavy in filling (and fat), delicious in taste.

We didn't try the café part at... More >