Helsinki – where modern design and nature entwine
Helsinki's compact urban centre is surrounded by natural beauty. Built along the shoreline of the Gulf of Finland, it unfolds into an archipelago of forested islands and Baltic inlets. You're never far from a green space here, whether it's the neat tree-lined alleys and classical sculptures of Esplanade Park or the bird-filled winter garden and wildlife at Töölönlahti Bay. Streamlined and stylish, Finnish design is world-famous. Helsinki's Design District sits to the south of its centre, in the Punavuori neighbourhood. Visit the Design Museum to learn more about its history and influence, from Marimekko to Artek. Browse sleek homewares and avant-garde fashion in Helsinki's repurposed industrial warehouses. The city's modern architecture is hard to miss, seen in the curving lines of the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art and reflective surfaces of the Musiikkitalo concert hall.