Helsinki Outdoor Markets

Now that the weather has gotten a little warmer here in Helsinki, outdoor marketplaces have sprouted up all over the city. Nearby, the mostly empty cobblestone square is transformed on weekdays and Saturdays (very little is open on Sundays) into a bustling marketplace sporting bright orange tents, with vendors that sell flowers, vegetables, fish, baskets, plants and baked goods. And as if the cafes inside the market hall and along the streets nearby are not enough, the Hakaniemi Market also offers two tent cafes for morning coffee and pastry. Still very early in the growing season for this northerly country, fresh veggies and fruits come mostly from the southern european countries. With very few organic offerings, I try to buy local and look for the Suomi label when picking up produce for dinner. Relatively affordable by Helsinki standards, the outdoor marketplace nearby makes the daily task of shopping for food that much more pleasurable.