Helsinki City Breaks

Helsinki at a glance

Finland’s capital, Helsinki, is ideal for a cosmopolitan city break or as a starting point for exploring the country’s stunning scenery. Negotiating a strong connection with its heritage and landscape, Helsinki is unique and strives to remain so, offering beautiful scenery, elegant architecture and a friendly, laid-back attitude that is both attractive and cool.

Holding a strong connection with the sea, the city is made up of a peninsula as well as a collection of small islands that jut out into the Gulf of Finland. These include the fortress island of Suomenlinna, Seurassaari with its open-air museum, and Korkeasaari where Finland’s largest zoo resides.

Founded in 1550, the city was annexed by Russia in the early 19^th century during which time the Czar decided to build a capital of grand proportions, modelling it in the neoclassical empire style of St Petersburg. Today these historical buildings combine with an embracing Art Nouveau style and a careful preservation of Finnish heritage, displayed in the city’s museums, art and a special connection with the sea.

Perfect if you’re looking for:

• Stunning architecture
• Art and culture
• A weekend short break

Getting around

Helsinki has a diverse public transport system made up of bus, tram, train, metro and ferry services.

A travel card acts as a ticket for all services and can be purchased in 1-7 day increments. Single tickets can also be purchased for one trip on any one of the available networks.

Shopping

Quaint boutiques, expansive malls and designer shops with homemade products make the shopping experience in Helsinki both diverse and appealing.

Look for the Design District Helsinki sticker in shop windows to find hand fashioned jewellery, clothing, textiles and home-wares fashioned in distinctively creative Finnish designs.

Dining in Helsinki

Combine a flair for flavours with modern, cosy venues and you have a taste of the Helsinki food culture. With local classics such as reindeer and lingonberry making an appearance on the menu, you’re sure to discover something you’ve never tried before.

There are also a variety of international cuisines readily available. Everything from noodle bars and Italian bistros to Mediterranean meze and Chinese buffets can be found intermingled amongst traditional cuisine restaurants.

Must-try local dishes:

• Karelian pasties – a thin rye bread filled with rice and often topped with a butter and boiled egg mixture
• Lohikeitto – a creamy salmon soup consisting of salmon fillets, potatoes, leeks and dill
• Laskiaispulla – a sweet roll filled with whipped cream and almond paste

Get your tailor-made city break itinerary

Osprey Holidays can create a fabulous short break to Helsinki designed completely around your needs. We can arrange whatever you need, including:

• All travel and transfers on days of your choice
• Accommodation from our handpicked range of Helsinki hotels, to suit your budget and requirements

Our award-winning team can provide expert advice and recommendations, from general questions to tiny details. Contact us now for your tailor-made itinerary.