Amos Rex – is the newish art museum ingeniously contained below the 1930s functionalist Lasipalatsi (Glass Palace). Don’t miss the rear courtyard, the site of Helsinki’s former bus station, now occupied by strange tiled funnels doubling as skylights for the museum.
Wander across to the giant silver shell of Kiasma, the Museum of Contemporary Art, another architectural showpiece. Kiasma forms one side of the ‘People’s Square’ (Kansallistori), a wide space dominated by the sweeping wooden façade of Oodi, the Helsinki Central Library. Take the escalator up to the third floor for a view across to the Parliament House from the outdoor terrace.
Stroll down the verdant Esplanade to the Market Square on the South Harbour quayside. Jump on a ferry for a 15-minute voyage to the Unesco World Heritage-listed Suomenlinna sea fortress.
Spend the morning dropping into the museums and cafés dotted around this windswept mini-archipelago, including the Toy Museum – enchanting for children of all ages.
Finish your explorations with a light lunch at the Café Silo or at the Panimo brewery bar.
Visit the Winter Garden at the northern end of Töölö Bay for a wander around the immaculate rose gardens and hothouse.
Take a pleasant 20-minute stroll along the bay back into the central area. Head over to the Kamppi Centre mall and the street food market 6K for a late lunch. Try the sumptuous boneless fried chicken or an artisan tortilla before taking the 15-minute walk over to the Töölö district and the Tempelliaukio kirkko – the Church in the Rock.
As its name suggests, this unusual place of worship is excavated out of the bedrock and capped with a low-domed copper roof, Helsinki’s best example of modern architectural ingenuity. You’ll still have time for some souvenir and gift shopping in the Design District, clustered in and around the Esplanade. Explore the boutiques along trendy Korkeavuorenkatu.
Drop into Tikau to check out quality Indian handicrafts in Nordic styles and rest up with a coffee and a voluminous cinnamon pastry at calm and cosy Café Succès.See some live music at Storyville’s basement jazz club. Kallio is Helsinki’s hipster central, for dinner from the Middle Eastern/North African menu at Sandro Kallio.
Explore Kallio’s ample bar selection, sampling some fine Finnish craft beers at Sivukirjasto.
Löyly, Helsinki, Finland – No trip to Helsinki is complete without a steam at Löyly. It attracts more than 200,000 visitors a year, and is the youngest building in Finland to be listed as of historic importance, but don’t let that put you off. Shaped like an upturned boat on the stony, once-unloved shore of the former industrial district of Hernesaari, it offers two wood-fired saunas and, best of all, a large double-height smoke sauna, rare in any city.