Helsinki Region

Finland’s capital, Helsinki, together with its neighbouring cities of Espoo and Vantaa, is the biggest urban concentration in the country, with a combined population of about a million. As Finland’s busiest port, Helsinki spills across a group of Baltic islands and promontories, and its smart new suburbs extend into the surrounding forests and countryside.

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Helsinki is one of Europe’s most modern and culturally progressive cities, yet remains in touch with an intriguing history stretching back over 450 years. It is a city of bustling, colourful market squares and halls, of outdoor summer concerts and sports events, of seaside parks, of excellent cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget, top-notch hotels and cutting-edge art in fine museums. It is also a pleasantly compact city, with many of the attractions in the central districts, within easy reach of one another.

Attractions range from the fabulous island fortress of Suomenlinna in the entrance to the South Harbour and the Open Air Museum of traditional buildings on the island of Seurasaari, to the startling Kiasma housing the Museum of Contemporary Art and the unique ‘Church in the Rock’. History abounds in the magnificent Senate Square, with its neo-Classical Lutheran Cathedral, in the nearby Uspensky Orthodox Cathedral, and in the art nouveau details of the Railway Museum and National Museum.

Excursions from Helsinki might include a coastal steamer trip to the Old Town of Porvoo, a leisurely cruise around the local archipelago, a trek through the National Park at nearby Nuuksio, or a day-trip to the Estonian capital, Tallinn, just 90 minutes by hydrofoil across the Gulf of Finland. Helsinki is also a good starting point for Baltic cruises to St Petersburg to the east and Stockholm to the west.

The Southern Point Of Finland, region covered: The archipelago and localities around Ekenäs (Tammisaari) and Hanko (Hangö). Old iron work communities, limestone mine with special exhibitions Lohja (Lojo).


Travel connections: Most visitors to Finland arrive in and depart from Helsinki, and Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport, 19 kilometres to the north of the city, is the biggest international airport in the country, with flights to destinations throughout Finland, Europe, North America and the Far East. There are daily cruise ferry connections between Stockholm and Helsinki, operated by the Silja and Viking Lines. Rail connections operate from Helsinki to all Finnish rail destinations, including Lapland. Express bus services also cover the country from Helsinki.