Hotels in Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki is the capital of Finland, founded in 1550 as "The Daughter of the Baltic". It’s been the capital since 1812, when it was totally rebuilt by the Russian tsars along the lines of a Saint Petersburg miniature. Today, this city is an international metropolis while retaining the atmosphere of a small town, home to about 560.000 people. The city is at its best in summertime, when the outdoors view is amazing and people are on the streets enjoying the sunshine.

The unofficial symbol of the city is the Lutheran Cathedral, an amazing white cathedral dominating the central Senate Square. Other notable churches within the city are the Uspenski Cathedral, the Temppeliakio Church and the St. John’s Church. Besides all these beautiful churches the city also has some fine museums to show you, and many are interesting both from the inside and outside, as their architecture is fantastic. The Athenaeum Art Museum is the most significant art museum of Finland, having the largest collection of paintings and sculptures. If you want to learn more about the history of Finland, it’s nice to visit the National Museum of Finland, displaying artifacts and items relating to Finland’s history. Other notable museums include the Museum of Cultures, the Design Museum and the Heureka Science Center. The city center has some other notable buildings as well that you definitely shouldn't skip. Such as the Sibelius Monument, the Parliament House and the Finlandia Hall. Helsinki hosted the Olympic Games in 1952 so it also has some historical remains of this event, such as the Olympic Tower and the Olympic Stadium.

If you are looking for a nice outdoors to take a stroll, you can visit the great city parks Helsinki has to offer. For example the Esplanadin puisto, an often lively spot in summertime with free concerts given by local artists. Another beautiful park is the Kaivopuisto, located on the coast in the most southern part of the city. This is where you can enjoy the view of the people on the promenade and the sailboats sailing around. Shopping in Helsinki is not very cheap, but there are plenty of nice things on offer around the city. It has some large department stores and malls, such as Itäkeskus, which is the largest mall in Finland, the Kämp Galleria, which is the most extravagant mall of the city, and the Kampin Keskus, a new shopping mall with many international brands. Helsinki will definitely provide you with plenty of sightseeing and great opportunities to enjoy its nature and its shops. For useful advice on planning a holiday to Helsinki please make use of our comprehensive map which gives detailed information about your destination, its attractions, hotels and much more.