Helsinki

Helsinki is Finland's capital as well as the country's largest city. It is located on a granite peninsula overlooking the Baltic Sea on the north shore of the Gulf of Finland. Helsinki was created in 1550 by Swedish King Gustavus Vasa, and it was included in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland in 1808.

Carl Ludwig Engel (1778-1840) was commissioned to reconstruct the town after a large fire destroyed a third of it in 1808. The ensuing neoclassical city center is planned out in wide, attractive avenues and boulevards with plenty of parks. Many of the almost 300 cruise ships that visit Helsinki each year land right in the heart of the city and many of the city's main tourist sites are within walking distance.

Helsinki is a wonderful city to explore on foot or by bike, and it has an outstanding public transportation system that includes ferries to the islands as well as trains to other parts of Finland. Also, one of the prominent Finland areas of interest is Helsinki's Market Square, where you may take a ferry trip or sample traditional Finnish fare. Make sure you don't miss out on one of Finland's most attractive destinations: Europe!

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Highlights: Taking a Boat to the Fortress of Sveaborg & the Suomenlinna Islands, shopping in Helsinki's Market Square, Temppeliaukio Rock Church, experiencing Traditional Finnish Culture at Seurasaari open-Air Museum, the Sibelius Monument and Park, ...

Best time to visit: May 28th to September 23rd