One of the world's northernmost capitals, Helsinki is a hotbed for Scandinavian design, museums, and cute cafés. Just 456 km from St. Petersburg, the city is also where east meets west. Mixed in with Art Noveau architecture, Russian-built neoclassical churches remind visitors that Helsinki was once ruled by Czar Alexander I.
Helsinki City Guide Introduction
Today, visitors flock to Helsinki for the beautiful, harbor-side location and the eclectic mix of old churches, modern museums, and pleasant parks. (Not to mention the Finnish saunas!) Helsinki boasts a cute, small-town vibe and is simple to navigate. While the city is expensive, budget hotels and free sights are to be found. Read on for our budget tips and information on getting around Helsinki.
Most popular hotels in Helsinki (by views)
Helsinki blog posts
- Tinkering with Time: Daylight savings time in Europe
- Tampere, Finland: A town with a buzz
- European Rail Update: Summer 2011
- From St. Petersburg to Helsinki, by bus
- European Ferries: 4 interesting new options for 2011
- Europe: 5 daytime rail journeys to consider
- European Winter Festivals: Last Tango in Oulu
- European Train Update: 2011 rail changes
- The Cheapo 100: Our favorite budget hotels in Europe
- Helsinki: Cheapo-friendly summertime attractions