Helsinki’s many faces
Helsinki is trendy and rich in culture, characterized by flavours of both East and West. The city has ample offerings for visitors who look for new experiences and nightlife. Distinctive features of the city are large green areas and a strong presence of the sea.
Dynamic throughout the year
Helsinki offers a lively cultural calendar all year round. The city’s museums and galleries put on display a wide variety of exhibitions, both national and international. The classical music scene is active, with the two symphony orchestras Helsinki Philharmonic and opera. Other music offerings range from street musicians to jazz clubs. There are more than ten professional theatre and dance companies.
The city features prominently on the gastronomic map of the world. Restaurants specialize in creative uses of local produce, fish and meat.
Nightlife in Helsinki is characterized by a strong DJ-led club culture. The band scene creates a flow of novel music and new stars. The city’s main events include youthful music festivals. The culture factories Kaapelitehdas (Cable Factory), Suvilahti and Korjaamo
provide venues for the visual arts, music and dance. Helsinki also has an active gay culture.
Outdoor activities in all seasons
Helsinki is a welcoming city for the physically active. The close-by nature, parks, waterfronts and sea offer many opportunities. The City maintains facilities for hiking, jogging, running, cycling, roller skating, skiing, skating, swimming and a variety of other sports.
Helsinki is a city for boating enthusiasts, with 12,000 boat berths. The city has more recreational fishing than any other capital city in Europe, claiming 50,000 amateur fishermen. Many of the islands of Helsinki’s extensive archipelago are open to the public.
Wilderness is no more than half an hour from the city centre by car: the Nuuksio National Park with its marked trails, cooking shelters and camping sites is ideal for short hiking trips.
Helsinki also offers urban opportunities for camping: Rastila Camping is one of the most popular camping sites in Finland, located by the seaside and accessible by the metro.
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