Helsinki was founded by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden in 1550 on the mouth of the Vantaa River. In the mid-1600s the centre was moved to its current location on the southern peninsula, where the deeper waters allowed Helsinki to compete better for Baltic Sea trade.

Capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland

In 1748 Sweden built the massive Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress off the coast of Helsinki to counter the growing threat from Russia. Finland eventually became part of Russia in 1809, after which the status of Helsinki was raised to capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812. A monumental city plan was drawn up to reflect the power of Russia and the Tsar.

Helsinki rapidly grew to become a modern European city in the late 1800s. By the early 20th century, the population of Helsinki exceeded 100,000, helped by its university and growing industry.

Centre of culture and administration

In 1917 Helsinki became capital of the independent Republic of Finland.

As the 20th century progressed, Helsinki earned its place among the world's metropolises. The Summer Olympics in 1952, the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 1975, and Finland's membership in the European Union as of 1995 are landmarks on the road to internationalisation.

Helsinki was one of the nine European Cities of Culture in the year 2000. Today, Helsinki is an archetypal 21st century city, enjoying the comforts of an ultramodern infrastructure and the reassurance of its unspoilt nature.






What to See


Helsinki is a compact and beautiful city that is ideal for seeing on foot. The city also has an excellent public transportation system for getting around and visiting outlying areas.

Senate Square and Market Square - the Heart of Helsinki

The Senate Square and surrounding buildings form a unique and cohesive example of Neo-Classical architecture. The square is decorated by three buildings designed by C. L. Engel between 1822 and 1852: the Cathedral, Council of State and the University of Helsinki.

In the immediate vicinity you will also find the National Library, the Sofiankatu museum street, Esplanade Park and the Market Square. In the summer the Market Square is filled with stalls selling fruits, vegetables and souvenirs. It is also a great place to admire, taste and purchase fresh and smoked fish.

Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress

Built in the 1700s, Suomenlinna is one of the world's largest maritime fortresses and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Built on six islands off the coast of Helsinki, Suomenlinna is today one of the most popular sights in Finland.

Suomenlinna offers an unforgettable experience for all ages, offering museums, special events, idyllic cafes and cosy restaurants. It is a great place for a walk year-round, and in the summer you can also enjoy a picnic and go for a dip in the sea.

Linnanmäki Amusement Park, Sea Life and Helsinki Zoo - Great for the family

Linnanmäki has been the traditional highlight of every Finnish child's summer holiday for the past 50 years. The amusement park offers thrills for the whole family. The rollercoaster is the perennial favourite and is backed up by all the latest rides - at least one new ride every year.

The Helsinki Zoo on Korkeasaari Island is another family favourite, featuring exotic animals from the Arctic tundra to the tropical rainforests. It is a great place in the winter too, as 80 percent of the animals can be seen throughout the year.

Sea Life takes you on a voyage from the tropical oceans to the Arctic Sea, not forgetting the Baltic Sea along the way. The exhibitions present many species whose environments are under threat. As well as seeing live creatures, visitors can also enjoy interactive and educational presentations.

Distinct and impressive churches

The Cathedral of Helsinki is perhaps the most photographed and recognisable building in Finland. Designed by C. L. Engel, the Cathedral celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2002.

The Temppeliaukio 'Rock' Church is one of Finland's most popular tourist attractions and one of the most respected examples of modern architecture in Helsinki. Quarried out of the natural bedrock, the church has excellent acoustics and is a popular venue for concerts.

Completed in 1868, the Uspenski Cathedral is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. With its golden cupolas and redbrick facade, the church is one of the clearest symbols of the Russian impact on Finnish history during the 19th century.

Ateneum and Kiasma - Two worlds of art

The Ateneum Art Museum is the National Gallery of Finland. The nation's largest art collection includes an impressive exhibition of Finnish art from the mid-1700s to the 1960s. The museum's foreign collection features western art from the mid to late-1800s to the 1950s, including works by Van Gogh, Gauguin and Cézanne. Special exhibitions are also arranged.

Kiasma is the controversial and intellectually stimulating Museum of Contemporary Art designed by world-renowned architect Stephen Holl. The museum features art from the 1960s to the present day and includes installations, media art, music and film.

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Fun for the Family


Helsinki offers something for all ages and is as if made for vacationing families. Even better, the best sights for kids are usually just as much fun for grown-ups!

Traditional favourites

The Linnanmäki Amusement Park has entertained families for over 50 years. These days, families can also enjoy the adjoining Sea Life and the Linnanmäki Toy and Play Museum.

The Helsinki Zoo on Korkeasaari Island is a fantastic destination for enjoying the nature and marvelling at exotic animals.

At Seurasaari Island you can walk around the Open-Air Museum and admire Finland's traditional wooden buildings.

The Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress promises an adventure with every visit. The historic milieu, unique archipelago, restaurants and museums will appeal to the entire family. Suomenlinna is also a great place in summertime for a picnic or swim in the sea.

Quality museums and gardens

Helsinki offers over 70 museums to choose from. Kids will love the Theatre Museum, Natural History Museum, Tuomarinkylä Children's Museum, Tram Museum and even the Museum of Contemporary Art, Kiasma.

Another great way to entertain the family is to go see the canaries at the Winter Garden or the many exotic plants at the Botanical Gardens.

Action and new discoveries

Children love action, and Helsinki has it! A guaranteed success in summertime is a visit to the Lego Show family theme park near the centre of town. At the Serena Water Amusement Park you can either spend the day relaxing or having fun in the water. If you are more interested in stimulating the intellect or satisfying your children's curiosity, then you must visit Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre.

You will not run out of ideas in Helsinki. How about a little go-kart racing, or a weekend of snowboarding? You name it, Helsinki has it.

Around town

Helsinki has fantastic public transportation that is especially convenient for family travel. Getting from the city centre to the beaches is no problem. It is also a great way of seeing the town, especially if you hop aboard the 3T tram.

Quality sightseeing tours are another recommended option for discovering Helsinki.

Helsinki's many beautiful parks offer peace and relaxation during the warm summer months. The surrounding archipelago offers a chance to explore the islands, swim and arrange unforgettable picnics. In cold winters you can skate on the sea or choose from dozens of ice-skating rinks throughout the city.

During Christmas the city celebrates with light and music. You might even run into Santa Claus and his elves. Shopping centres and boutiques are open on Sundays during the Christmas season.

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Young People Only


Helsinki is a Western European cultural city that has nevertheless found its own niche between East and West.

Internationally Helsinki is known for its unique designs, architecture and high technology. The city is also increasingly mentioned in connection with graphic design, music and youth culture.

Clubs, music and restaurants

Helsinki does not compete with other cities in terms of the amount of nightlife but rather its quality. A wide range of clubs and bars offers a choice of atmospheres and price levels. Whether you want to hang out with the art students, media types or working class Joe's, the city centre has the establishment you are looking for. Pub-crawlers should also check out the Kallio district near the centre.

There is no shortage of special events either, such as the Koneisto Festival of Electronic Music, the Funky Elephant Festival for rhythm music and the fortnight-long Helsinki Festival.

Helsinki's restaurants offer everything from Michelin-starred haute cuisine to Tex-Mex. Be sure to try out some traditional Scandinavian food, Russian dishes or any number of ethnic and international restaurants.



Culture and shopping

The majority of Helsinki's cultural establishments and sights are situated within walking distance of the city centre. Art museums, such as the Tennis Palace Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, are just a stone's throw from the Senate Square and the best shopping streets.

In addition to major shopping centres, Helsinki offers hundreds of tiny and unique boutiques, including original designer shops. If you are into music, you will have to visit the Lifesaver record shop, which specialises in rhythm music, or Digelius Music, which has achieved almost cult status in Finland.

Intriguing urban districts

Helsinki's excellent public transportation makes it easy to reach sights and destinations further afield. A cheap and fun way to see different sides of the city is to jump on one of the many trams, especially the 3T from Kallio to Eira or the number 4 from Katajanokka to Munkkiniemi. Other Helsinki districts that are worth a visit include Ruoholahti, Vallila and Käpylä.

Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress and the many parks and beaches situated throughout the city are ideal places to relax, or even go for a swim in the midnight sun during the summer.

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Shopping in the centre


The main shopping streets in the centre are Mannerheimintie, Aleksanterinkatu, Kaisaniemenkatu, Pohjois (North) and Etelä (South) Esplanadi, Bulevardi and Fredrikinkatu. Nearly all of the major malls, department stores and little boutiques are within walking distance of each other.

The best-known department stores in the city centre are Stockmann, Sokos and Aleksi13. Forum, Kluuvi, the Kiseleff Bazaar and the new Kämp Gallery are the main malls.

Cornucopia

Stockmann and Sokos are the biggest department stores. Only a couple of hundred metres from each other, they are both famous for their high-quality brands and comprehensive selections of goods. They are ideal places for one-stop shopping.

Stockmann, occupying a whole city block and with its main entrance at the corner of Aleksanterinkatu and Mannerheimintie, is the Nordic region's largest department store in terms of both space and turnover. Underneath the clock above the main entrance is a popular meeting place in the centre of the city.

Stockmann also includes the Academic Bookstore, which is in a separate block on the opposite side of Keskuskatu and connected to the department store by a tunnel. A book-lover's paradise, the store is housed in a magnificent building designed by Alvar Aalto.

Stylish malls

Behind the glass wall at the end of the Forum building in Mannerheimintie are many floors of shops, cafès and restaurants. Like a department store, it is an ideal place to do all or most of one's shopping in the same place. A long pedestrian tunnel links Forum and Stockmann and a shorter one leads to Sokos just across the street.

Kluuvi is a handy shopping centre quite close to the Senate Square. It is popular with young shoppers who go there to buy trendy fashion clothes.

The Kiseleff Bazaar is probably the most fascinating of the shopping centres from the visitor's point of view, because many of the shops there specialise in handicrafts and souvenirs. A lot of city residents go there in the run up to Christmas to buy seasonal decorations and gifts.

Kämp Gallery is the newest shopping centre and part of the same development as the luxury Hotel Kämp. Designer goods are sold there in shops bearing some of the world's most famous brand names. It is also an enjoyable place to sit down and have a cup of coffee under the handsome roof dome.

Fashionable shopping thoroughfares

Aleksanterinkatu, the long pedestrianised street connecting Mannerheimintie with the Senate Square, contains many shops and several department stores. It is a good place to buy clothes, footwear and jewellery.

Running on either side of a linear park parallel to Aleksanterinkatu are the two Esplanadis (Pohjois=North and Etelä=South). The shops there are a glittering showcase of Finnish design: names like Arabia, Hackmann, Karvinen, Marimekko and Artek are very strongly in evidence.

In addition to Sokos and Forum, Mannerheimintie has the Lasipalatsi ("Glass Palace"), which contains several shops, mainly to do with information technology. Further north along the street there are many more shops, mostly fairly small, but very interesting.

The small, personable boutiques along Fredrikinkatu sell a wide range of fashion and interior decoration articles. Shoppers can likewise find a lot to interest them in the streets intersecting Fredrikinkatu: one of them, Bulevardi, is a good place to look for art, antiques and leather products.

Itäkeskus - the shopping paradise in the east

"Itäkeskus" means "eastern centre", and that is exactly what it is: a new urban centre in the eastern part of Helsinki and connected with the main centre by metro. Its heart is a massive mall, along which are shops belonging to the best-known retailers in addition to many restaurants and cafès. All eastbound metro trains from the centre of Helsinki go to Itäkeskus.

When are they open?

Shops are generally open 9 - 18 on weekdays and 9 - 14 on Saturdays; department stores and shopping centres are open 9 - 21 on weekdays and 9 -18 on Saturdays. In summer and before Christmas the department stores can be open also on Sundays until 9 pm.

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Touch of Luxury


There are those that demand only the very best on their holidays. Helsinki is a refined and cultured destination for even the pickiest travellers. A unique combination of Nordic moderation and old world exoticism guarantee an unforgettable visit.

Helsinki is a peaceful and elegant city. There is plenty to do for leisure travellers, activity seekers and cultural aficionados alike.

Select accommodation

Situated in the heart of Helsinki, close to the Senate Square and Esplanade Park, the Hotel Kämp is the only five-star luxury hotel in the entire Nordic region. As with all hotels in the centre of Helsinki, the best shops and restaurants are conveniently located a short walk away.

Luxury accommodation is also available slightly out of the centre, for example at the Hilton Strand or the Hotel Kalastajatorppa.

Quality shopping

Finnish designer products are a must for the serious shopper and can be found at, for example, Ril's, Vuokko Nurmesniemi's and Marimekko's boutiques. Unique Finnish jewellery can be admired and purchased at Kalevala Koru's and Tillander's fine establishments.

Designer products and furniture are available at Skanno, Emporium and Design Forum Finland, as well as smaller designer boutiques along the side streets of Helsinki. The Kämp Galleria shopping centre next to the Hotel Kämp is filled with quality outlets.

Refreshing outings

The beautiful archipelago and proximity to nature offer a great environment for outdoor activities in Helsinki. What better way to crown your holiday than a hike through the Nuuksio National Park? There are two 18-hole golf courses in Helsinki plus dozens of others outside of town.

You can also mix things up by hopping over to the medieval city of Tallinn for the day. The crossing takes just 18 minutes by helicopter and an hour-and-a-half by fast-ferry. Prices are surprisingly affordable.

Cultural gems

Friends of the opera and ballet will be wonderfully intrigued by the National Opera. Classical music can in turn be digested at the Finlandia Hall and the House of Culture. All three buildings are also classics of Finnish architecture.

Sate your appetite

A wide range of restaurants offers many alternatives for even the choosiest gourmets. Restaurant Chez Dominique has been awarded two Michelin stars, and it is an ideal retreat for an intimate dinner. Nearby you will also find G.W. Sundmans, Helsinki's other Michelin-starred restaurant.

The Restaurant Sipuli in Katajanokka will in turn delight you as much with its view of the Uspenski Cathedral as with its fine food. For a more modern and Nordic cuisine, try the Restaurant Töölönranta near the National Opera.

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Never a dull moment!


There is music in the air in August. The arrival of spring is celebrated in April. September is the time to sample some special fish dishes at the annual "Herring Market". The more fit run the City Marathon in July, and August brings the eagerly-awaited Helsinki Festival.

Vappu, the big spring carnival

The last day of April is the beginning of Vappu. The word is derived from "Walpurgis" and has traditionally been the spring festival of students and workers, but now the entire nation celebrates with equal fervour. Down in the Market square in Helsinki, students place a white graduation cap on the head of the Havis Amanda mermaid statue. The thousands that have gathered to witness the event cheer and raise their champagne glasses in a toast. Long live spring!

All through Vappu, shrill whistles sound and colourful balloons, streamers and decorations are everywhere. Regardless of whether the weather is warm or (more likely) cold, everyone wears spring clothing. Not even the harshest nip in the air slows the pace; everyone is on the go, on their way to restaurants, out in their boats or just to party. Revellers throng the streets until the small hours.

The following morning the students in their white caps gather in large numbers for brunch on the hill called Ullanlinnanmäki in Kaivopuisto Park to welcome the new day and spring.

Regional fairs, Helsinki Day, running for fun

The women really rev up their energy in May. Thousands of them compete in a 10k mini-marathon, looking forward to reaching the finishing tape and being pampered by the men who are there to take care of the logistics and other practical arrangements.

Helsinki Day is celebrated on 12 June to mark the city’s birthday. Admission to many museums and exhibitions is free of charge and a lavish programme of events is arranged in parks, squares and other public places. The platform in Esplanadi Park near the Market Square is always a big crowd-puller.

The first year of the Third Millennium will be a double jubilee for Helsinki, which will not only be celebrating its own 450th birthday, but also basking in the international limelight as one of the nine European Cities of Culture.

The festival that crowns summer

Juhannus, Midsummer, is celebrated all over the country on or about the longest day of the year. The word itself has connotations of the Feast of St. John and one of the traditions associated with it in Finland is a large bonfire in every village. Boats that were no longer considered completely safe on the water used to be consumed in the fire, while the villagers revelled in fun and games all around it. The main public Midsummer celebration in Helsinki is on the museum island of Seurasaari, where the programme is designed to suit all age groups and the huge bonfire burns right beside the water’s edge. Summer is at its freshest and most verdant.

Many people move out to the countryside for their holidays in July and the city gears down to a more relaxed pace for the month. The tempo quickens again in August when the Helsinki Festival brings a rich programme of orchestral and chamber music, opera, dance, theatre, jazz, rock, art exhibitions and film.

As August draws on, open-air performances and the "Art goes Kapakka" series of events ("Kapakka" is the Finnish word for "tavern") stretch out the evenings. The Art goes Kapakka series takes music and other disciplines of the arts to clubs and restaurants, free of charge. The Helsinki Festival reaches its culmination during the "Night of the Arts", when art institutions, galleries, many museums and bookstores are open into the small hours.

Markets and festivities

The Herring Market held in the Market Square in October cherishes a tradition dating from the 18th century. Baltic herrings, both fresh and prepared in a variety of ways, are sold there to be eaten on the spot or to go.

Another place to look for delicacies is the Tuomas ("Thomas’) Market in Esplanadi Park in December. Home-made organic glögi mulled wine and spiced cakes are in keen demand.

Crowds always gather in the Senate Square on the last evening of December to welcome in the new year. Once again the square becomes the focus of national attention, because the festivities there are televised.

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Helsinki

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