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No visit to Helsinki is complete without exploring the fortified islands of Suomenlinna. Reached by a 20-minute ferry ride, the island group is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the sea fortress of Sveaborg, which literally translates as "Swedish Castle," dominating the destination.
Helsinki, the capital of Finland, sits like a diamond among the hundreds of islands scattered like emeralds that surround this stylish and historic city. Besides magnificent architecture and a culture-packed urban center, Helsinki is all about the great outdoors. Leafy forests, verdant parks, and golden beaches are there to be explored, and provide the visitor a communion with nature. And while summer is perhaps the most conducive season in which to explore, winter brings with it a charm all of its own to make Helsinki an ideal all-year travel destination. So, how about it?
Click through for ideas on where to go and what to see.
Another one of Helsinki's ecclesiastical head turners is the remarkable Temppeliaukio Rock Church. No, this is not a heavy metal music venue. Instead, it's a religious site the underground interior of which is carved out of and built directly into solid rock.
Set on the eastern fringes of the city is the compelling Seurasaari Open-Air Museum. Comprising a collection of old timber buildings scattered through woodland, including a church from Kiruna that dates back to 1686, Seurasaari is where to learn how Finns lived in a bygone age. Adding authenticity to the experience is a group of actors dressed in traditional clothing to show you the ways of yesteryear.
Finland's greatest classical composer is Jean Sibelius (1865–1957). A monument shaped as a cluster of pipes that creates music as the breeze whispers through them can be admired and listened to at Sibelius Park.
Up there with the Lutheran cathedral for its imposing looks, Uspenski Cathedral is certainly worth getting up close to for its stunning red brick facade and multiple towers and spires.
The cathedral's interior preserves a collection of rare icons and religious paintings. Linger in front of the magnificent iconostasis (pictured) and be overwhelmed by its beauty.
If you're up for some fun, head over to Linnanmäki, Finland's most popular thrill-a-minute amusement park. Located north of the city center, the park features no less than eight roller coasters among its assorted rides.
Modern art enthusiasts can ensconce themselves in Helsinki's funky Museum of Contemporary Art, known locally as Kiasma (kiasma is Finnish for charisma).
The collections include galleries dedicated to post-1960 Finnish art, but also feature pieces by Dutch artist Karel Dujardin (1626–1678), French painter Honoré Daumier (1808–1879), and the Italian painter Antonio Rotta (1828–1903), among many others.
Many tourists traveling to Helsinki will arrive in the city at the railway station. Take time to absorb this compelling Art Nouveau building before moving on. It was designed by Eliel Saarinen (1873–1950), the man also responsible for Chicago's Tribune Tower, completed in 1925.
The Ateneum is part of the Finnish National Gallery and houses the most comprehensive collections of classical art in Finland. You should put aside at least a couple of hours to absorb the treasures within—and there are plenty of standout don't-miss exhibits.
Vincent van Gogh's bright and breezy 'Street in Auvers-sur-Oise' from 1890 is also among the Ateneum's famous pieces.
It's always worth checking out the cultural program on offer at Finlandia Hall, Helsinki's premier concert and convention venue. If nothing else, step back and admire its extraordinary facade of chalk white Italian Carrara marble.
Waiting to greet you at Korkeasaari Zoo are residents such as this one, a beautiful snow leopard. There are about 150 species in all housed at Korkeasaari, which is unique in that the zoo sits on an island. A ferry and water buses take visitors to the zoo during summertime from the Market Square. There's also a road bridge connecting the island to the mainland.
Built deliberately to reflect Finland's medieval churches and castles, the National Museum of Finland (Kansallismuseo) presents the nation's history, from the Stone Age to the present day. The prehistoric section is, in fact, the largest permanent collection of archaeological materials in the country.
Helsinki hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1952, with much of the action taking place inside this historic stadium. It's undergone considerable modernization since, but the iconic tower appears the same as it did then. Inside the stadium is the Finnish Sport Museum.
Helsinki residents and visitors alike can take advantage of the city's Central Park, a large envelope of wild shady woodland embroidered with walking trails and cycle tracks. A café and sauna complex is set in the middle of the park.
Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865–1931) is arguably Finland's most recognized painter. It's fitting then that his studio and house at Tarvaspää is now a museum. It contains a permanent exhibition of Gallen-Kallela's own paintings, graphics, and tools.
Akseli Gallen-Kallela is best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. Pictured is 'Lemminkäinen at the River of Tuonela,' painted in 1920.
Järvenpää, 37 km (23 mi) north of Helsinki, is where to find Ainola, the former home of Jean Sibelius and his wife Aino, for whom the residence is named. It's maintained by a museum foundation, with fans of the Finnish composer making regular visits to the well-preserved lakeside property.
In fact, if city life starts becoming a grind, consider a day trip to Hanko. Located 130 km (80 mi) west of Helsinki, this charming beach-blessed seaside resort works wonders in restoring energy and vitality, especially at any one of its enticing bars and restaurants.
Chapels and churches pop up everywhere in Helsinki, and this one, called the Kamppi Chapel, is also known as the "Chapel of Silence." It's designed as a place of solace and refuge from the city's hustle and bustle and is located in one of Helsinki's busiest neighborhoods. Inside, you can almost hear yourself breath.
Helsinki's major landmark is its Lutheran cathedral. Completed in 1852, the church's tall, green dome surrounded by four smaller domes provide the city with a distinctive architectural focus. The cathedral is a popular visitor attraction, the gloomy crypt being an especially creepy draw.
As evening falls, Helsinki's historic waterfront and Market Square district is bathed in warm spotlight. The Square is lined with numerous restaurants that take full advantage of the romantic Nordic setting.
Hotel Torni, which dates back to 1931, was once the tallest building in Finland. The views from it are still as lofty, such as this wonderful panoramic sweep over the southernmost districts of Helsinki from the top floor. The picture takes in the cupola of Helsinki Old Church and its surrounding park while the twin towers of St. John's Church and the spire of Mikael Agricola Church (right) can be seen in the middle distance, backdropped by the Gulf of Finland.
Helsinki's Market Square (Kauppatori) enjoys a wonderful location on the harbor front bordering the Baltic Sea. Shop here from spring to autumn for traditional Finnish food and souvenirs. In October, the annual herring market festival takes place.
Helsinki's suburbs are fringed by lovely bays and some glorious beaches. Among the best bands of sand is Hietaniemi, a popular beach volleyball venue, and Aurinkolahti (pictured), which means "sunny bay."
The hundreds of islands that make up the Helsinki archipelago also include Valkosaari Island, known for its excellent restaurant (foreground). Luoto Island is in the background.
The archipelago of Helsinki consists of around 330 islands, and it could take a lifetime to explore. Instead, take a sightseeing cruise and visit some of the best, including the aforementioned Suomenlinna. Vallisaari is also worth discovering, as is Vartiosaari.
The winter chill brings with it a different kind of thrill. When snow blankets the city and seas freeze, Helsinki takes on a completely new veneer. This is the time for winter sports activities and perhaps for lingering a little longer in those same museums, galleries, and restaurants.
Sources: (Architectuul) (AllMusic) (Chicago Architecture Center) (Obelisk Art History)
See also: Is Oslo on your mind?
Works by foreign masters include 'The Road Bridge at L'Estaque,' painted by Paul Cézanne.
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Helsinki, the capital of Finland, sits like a diamond among the hundreds of islands scattered like emeralds that surround this stylish and historic city. Besides magnificent architecture and a culture-packed urban center, Helsinki is all about the great outdoors. Leafy forests, verdant parks, and golden beaches are there to be explored, and provide the visitor a communion with nature. And while summer is perhaps the most conducive season in which to explore, winter brings with it a charm all of its own to make Helsinki an ideal all-year travel destination. So, how about it?
Click through for ideas on where to go and what to see.