Things to do in Helsinki

Helsinki is a compact capital on a ragged peninsula of the Baltic Sea. The white Lutheran Cathedral looks down on Senate Square, the Market Square sits on the South Harbour, and the island fortress of Suomenlinna is a short ferry ride away. Design shops, public saunas and waterfront cafés make it an easy city to explore on foot.

It is also a gateway. Fast ferries cross the Gulf of Finland to Tallinn in about two to two and a half hours, so the Estonian capital's medieval old town makes a simple day trip. Further east, North Karelia offers deep forest, frozen lakes and the Finnish sauna at its most traditional.