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Finland : Helsinki - August 2008

Country Code: Dial 8 for Finland

Clean, green and friendly, Helsinki is a great place to visit any time of the year. But Finland’s largest annual event, the Helsinki Festival, which runs from 15-31 August, makes the city unmissable during summer. Evgenia Ivanova ups the ante

Getting around

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is 15km from the city centre.

Bus: Buses 415, 451 and 615 run to the city centre from the airport. The journey takes around 35-45 minutes (the 615 is the quickest route). A one-day tourist ticket costs €11 and is valid on all public transport.
Taxi: The journey from the airport to the centre of Helsinki takes approximately 30 minutes and costs about €30.
Tourist information: The main office is at 19 Pohjoisesplanadi, (tel. , hel2.fi).

CITY CENTRE

Helsinki city centre manages to fuse small town charm with big city opportunities. There’s some great shopping here too.

Sleep soundly – Next to the railway station, Holiday Inn Helsinki City Centre is in the thick of things. Hostel Erottajanpuisto (9 Uudenmaankatu, 2169, erottajanpuisto.com, rooms from €49) is worth checking out if you’re on a tighter budget.

Culture vultures – Culture vultures Stroll along Esplanadi, Helsinki’s answer to ChampsÉlysées. For fresh, contemporary art, visit Kiasma (2 Mannerheiminaukio).

Must eat – Kämp Café (29 Pohjoisesplanadi, tel. ) serves one of the best breakfast buffets in town. If you’re here a little later in the day, try the pan-fried pike with whitefish roe sauce or duck liver parfait with port jelly. Czech restaurant Vltava (2 Elielinaukio, tel. ) serves home-made sausages and an excellent selection of beers and ciders.

Must drink – Climb up to the terrace of Ateljee Bar (5 Kalevankatu), perched on the 14th floor of Sokos Hotel Torni, for some of the best views in the city. » Shop till you drop The huge Forum shopping centre (between Simonkatu, Mannerheimintie, Kalevankatu and Yrjönkatu) is good for mainstream fashion. Kämp Galleria (4 Kluuvikatu) is for those with more expensive tastes.

Dance the night away – Rub shoulders with local celebrities at Studio 51 (51 Fredrikinkatu), modelled after New York’s legendary Studio 54.

SUOMENLINNA

Located on a group of islands just off Helsinki, Suomenlinna is one of Finland’s most popular tourist attractions.

Culture vultures – Make sure you visit the fortress, which was built during the periods of Swedish and Russian rule. Also make time to wander through Suomenlinna’s six museums and soak up the beauty of the archipelago while you’re here.

Must eat – Ravintola Walhalla (A10 Suomenlinna, 8552) is known for its good food, excellent wine list and the stunning sea views from its terrace and bar. Pop into the intimate Café Vanille (C18 Suomenlinna, tel. ) to write your postcards – they sell cards and stamps here.

Must drink – Suomenlinnan Panimo (Rantakasarmi) serves a good selection of locally brewed beers.

KATAJANOKKA

This island sits just over a bridge from Senaatintori (Senate Square). The laid-back area pulls in visitors with its art nouveau architecture and maritime romanticism.

Sleep soundly – Housed in what was once a dockside warehouse, Scandic Grand Marina is blissfully peaceful yet centrally located. Despite being set in a former prison, the rooms at Best Western Premier Hotel Katajanokka (1 Vyökatu, 6450, bwkatajanokka.fi, rooms from €85) are unexpectedly bright and modern. Try to bag one of the three junior suites with private saunas.

Culture vultures – The domed Uspenski Orthodox cathedral (1 Kanavakatu) stands as an imposing reminder of Russian rule in Finland. It’s also the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe.

Must drink – Get comfortable on the spacious terrace at Katajanokan Kasino (1 Laivastokatu), an elegant place that’s steeped in history.

TÖÖLÖ

Well-connected to the city centre, this quiet district is home to Hietaranta beach and lots of antique shops.

Sleep soundly – Known as ‘the church in the rock’, Temppeliaukion Kirkko s a modern church cut into the cliffs, and one of Helsinki’s most significant landmarks.

Shop til you drop – If you have a passion for antiques and collectables, head straight to Hietalahti Market Hall (Hietalahdentori).

Compiled by Evgenia Ivanova