Kallio - A Vibrant Helsinki District

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Kallio – A Vibrant Helsinki District

Kallio - A Vibrant Helsinki District

The eastern end of Helsinki’s heart, particularly the densely inhabited Kallio, has sparked to life in recent years. Formerly a working-class neighbourhood, the laid-back, idiosyncratic and spirited area has a noteworthy array of boutiques, cafes, restaurants, bars and more.

Kallio, like the upscale neighbourhood of Punavuori 20 years earlier, has undergone a facelift after drawing a young, diverse and entrepreneurial population. And although its run-down charm has in part evolved with the arrival of trendy cafes, brunch spots and boutiques, the neighbourhood hasn’t yet lost its distinctiveness.

Kallio is known for housing students and young couples, and on weekends its ruggedly hip bar scene lures in trend-conscious types from around town. The culturally permissive and liberal Kallio could be recommended to fans of Berlin’s Kreuzberg, Neukölln or Friedrichshain, or those who feel at home in London’s Hackney.

Kallio can be easily accessed from the city centre by walking, a city bike in the summer or taking one of the many tram routes that go to the Hakaniemi market square.

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Helsinki is a modern, pocket-sized European city known for design and high technology. Helsinki’s attractive and unique character comes from its proximity to the sea, as well as its location between the East and the West.

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Market finds and boutiques

An exploration of Kallio can start at the market square of Hakaniemi. Its distinctive feature is a century-old market hall that sells everything from vegetables, fish and freshly baked bread to jewellery, clothing and vintage stamps. The Hakaniemi outdoor market offers the opportunity to take a coffee break inside a café tent. The Market Hall, meanwhile, is a recommended lunch spot in addition to its shopping options. The hall is under renovation until 2020 and a substitute market hall serves customers during the renovation period.

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Unique shops

Pass the Jugend-style church of Kallio and head to Karhupuisto (Bear Park), marked by its bear statue. Then continue to explore the streets of Fleminginkatu, Helsinginkatu and Vaasankatu, and the small idyllic neighbourhood of Torkkelinmäki. Kallio’s up-and-coming shopping scene offers visitors everything from little paper shops and vintage stores to flea markets spanning from the Hakaniemi Market Square to the northern end of Kallio near Vaasankatu.

Bear Park invites to enjoy

Bear Park (Karhupuisto), surrounded by Jugend-style architecture, is one of Kallio’s central meeting places. Bear Park Café, open in summers, invites crowds to spend afternoons outdoors. Other restaurants and small coffee shops near the park, popular with locals, are open year-round. A stone’s throw away are the Kallio church and library, both a century old.

Laid-back bars and booming culinary scene

Kallio offers a wide selection of welcoming cafes for working, meeting friends or simply enjoying a breakfast or brunch during the weekends. The area is also home to a diverse and excellent array of cuisines that are popular with the locals. In Kallio, one can enjoy anything from Thai food to Georgian cuisine, Chinese food, vegan and vegetarian options, artisan pizza and Finnish classics.

The area is also famous, even notorious, for its bar scene. Local breweries, hipster bars and nightclubs as well as popular watering holes offering a glimpse of what the area was like a few decades ago – it’s all in Kallio. Venture northeast of the area to the old meatpacking area of Teurastamo (word literally meaning abattoir in Finnish) to find a melting pot of food and urban culture.

Parties and festivals in and near kallio

Kallio Movement (Kallio-liike in Finnish) is a collective that participates in local politics and organises block parties and flea markets. The Kallio Block Party, organised by Kallio-liike, takes place in August on the streets of Kallio – in a different location each year. Brilliant music and a variety of performances entertain the young and old until late at night.

Flow Festival, a popular music and arts boutique festival, takes place right next door to Kallio in a historic power plant area in Suvilahti. Flow Festival has hosted many famous artists from Björk and Iggy Pop to Kanye West for over a decade now.

Historical and fresh

Kallio is an area that is becoming more vibrant, and its selection of services is broadening. There is a new restaurant or bar opening almost on a monthly-basis. Kallio is rapidly changing and evolving, yet there’s a sense of authentic and long-spanning Helsinki life.

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Kallio – A Vibrant Helsinki District