Day six kicks off with a match up between neighbouring countries. The fact that it is in St Petersburg makes it a very short trip indeed for the Finns.

With Finland once under Russia’s rule, this is likely to be a fiercely contested match.

Finland

I last visited Helsinki in 2019. I actually worked there for a week and commuted by tram to the office every day. A great experience indeed.

Helsinki has two very fine cathedrals, both situated close to the main waterfront where ferries depart for the islands.

The Lutheran cathedral was originally built from 1830–1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. Indeed it was known as St Nicholas’s Church until Finland gained their independence in 1917.

The Eastern Orthodox cathedral is called Uspenski Cathedral. Consecrated in 1868, it is a fine example of an orthodox church both inside and out. It looks out onto the harbour and affords some fine views.

Russia

When visiting the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad we took the train to the coast to Svetlogorsk.

Amazingly this stretch of coastline supplies 90% of the world’s amber. You name it and you can buy any souvenir made of amber that you can think of whist there!

It made for a very pleasant few hours as we walked along the prom and ate ice-cream like a local.

Match prediction – Russia 1 Finland 1