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Finland : Helsinki - December 2008

Country Code: Dial 8 for Finland

Hidden in darkness and covered in layers of fluffy snow, the Finnish capital feels really festive at this time of year. People sip glögi (mulled wine) at pre- Christmas parties, try their luck at the Christmas sales, pick up gifts at the outdoor markets, and prepare to go mad on Senate Square during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. Evgenia Ivanova joins them

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

Downtown in December twinkles with hundreds of Christmas lights.

Sleep soundly – Protected by the National Board of Antiquities, the Sokos Hotel Vaakuna does a nice line in traditional Nordic design. Rooms are light and bright with white walls, lots of polished wood and pale suede sofas. Book a room on the ninth floor for the best views of the city.

Culture vultures – Head to Senate Square on 31 December to see the entire city celebrating New Year’s Eve.

Must eat – Savoy (14 Eteläesplanadi, tel. ) is a must visit, partly for the dishes made from organic ingredients, but also for the interior created by important Finnish designer and architect Alvar Aalto.

Must drink – Don’t be fooled by the fact that Bar Nolla (21 Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu) looks like a school cafeteria. It’s a popular pre-club venue playing new rave and punk disco.

Dance the night away – Lost & Found (6 Annankatu) is one of the liveliest clubs in town. Be warned, though, the queue gets long after 11pm.

Shop til you drop – Look around the bright tents of the bustling St Thomas Christmas Market in Esplanadi Park for handmade scarves, gloves and hats or Finnish delicacies. It runs from 8-21 December, on weekdays from 11am-6pm and on Saturdays and City lowdown Sundays from 10am-5pm. Don’t miss the capital’s main shopping street Aleksanterinkatu either. There’s a sale taking place right after the 26th.

PUNAVUORI

Stylish Punavuori is the place to stock up on rare vinyl and designer threads.

Sleep soundly – Omena Hotel Eerinkinkatu is clean and modern.

Shop til you drop – Stupido Shop Record Store (23 Iso Roobertinkatu) has an extremely large selection of CDs, vinyl LPs and DVDs. Ruutu-Rouva (16 Fredrikinkatu) sells vintage clothing and accessories from top international designers. Check out Ivana Helsinki (15 Uudenmaankatu) for an original blend of Slavic and Scandinavian design

KATAJANOKKA

Just a stone’s throw from the city centre, this tiny island is an oasis of tranquillity and a good place to see Helsinki’s art nouveau architecture.

Must eat – Elegant Bellevue (3 Rahapajankatu, 9560) is the oldest Russian restaurant in town, and serves dishes like blini with roe, roast fillet of reindeer and pot-roast bear steak. Popular with locals, the laid-back Mount Everest Nokka (12 Luotsikatu, tel.) serves excellent tandoori with vegetarian options. There are three branches in Helsinki, but this one is thought to be the best.

Must drink – Housed in the former city prison, now the Best Western Premier Hotel Katajanokka, the Jailbird (1 Vyökatu) serves up cocktails with names like Getaway Car and Escape With A Sheet. Why not toast your impending nuptials with a Life Sentence For Two?

TÖÖLÖ

In walking distance of the centre, this peaceful district is home to many government buildings, cultural institutions and parks.

Culture vultures – Fashionably situated in the old tram depot, the Korjaamo Culture Factory (51A-B Töölönkatu) is the newest and largest independent cultural centre in the country, combining galleries, a café, bar, club space, theatre, shop and the Tram Museum. Don’t miss an organ concert inside Helsinki’s most famous landmark, Temppeliaukion Kirkko (3 Lutherinkatu), an ultramodern stone church.

Must drink – Happy Jazz Club Storyville (8 Museokatu) is a favourite with the politicians who wander over from the Houses of Parliament next door.

Compiled by Evgenia Ivanova