Downtown
The heart of the city, central Helsinki, is the city's main thoroughfare. Classical and contemporary styles are blended here with a harmony that cannot be found anywhere else. The once sleepy Senate district has undergone a major revitalization that has been a resounding success. Just behind it, the Kruununhaka district charms the visitor with its quiet cobbled streets, Art Nouveau houses, flea markets and florists.
Shopping enthusiasts will find plenty to do in downtown Helsinki with the many shops and large shopping centres in the area. The Helsinki winter has even led city planners to build underground paths leading from one shopping paradise to another. You can get carried away by the crowds on Market Square or flee them on the Katajanokka peninsula, and end up stopping at one of its old-fashioned cafés or trendy restaurants to taste local or more exotic flavours and, above all, to enjoy the delicious contrasts of this still beating heart, between tradition and modernity.Around Kallio
To the north-east, Kallio is the industrial heartland. A former workers' stronghold that has become a working-class district, it is home to both modern buildings and wooden workers' houses from the 1920s, near Vallila and Käpylä. It is pleasant to stroll through the large covered market of Hakaniemi, to rediscover the flavours of childhood in the Linnanmäki amusement park, to take some fresh air in the charming Alppipuisto park... In Arabia, another district within the district of the most exotic: traditional place of manufacture of the big brands of ceramics and glass, become a bobo and student district with its architectural constructions out of nowhere. Kallio is also a place where art is displayed in the street and where you can find good addresses: trendy bars, small and cheap restaurants, charming local cafés, trendy clubs, vintage shops, record shops... Finally, Kallio is a district where you can still enjoy the sea, thanks to its seafront and the charming islands of Mustikkamaa and Korkeasaari, which are home to many species listed in the municipal zoo.
Around Töölö
Töölö is a district of walks and culture and is all about light and shade: between land and sea, bordered by the bay of Töölö to the east and the Baltic to the west, this commercial, cultural and sporting centre is also a gentle mixture of town and country. On foot or by bike, a stroll is in order in Hietaniemi, in the large cemetery that has become a place for walking, where a certain serenity fills the place with a gentle presence. Following the coastline, it takes us to the sea and the magnificent sandy beach, then to Sibelius Park, a tribute to the classical master. To the northwest, other green spaces await nature lovers, including the unmissable island of Seurasaari, where you can also discover the traditional Finnish life of the past.
South maritime
Heading south with its Art Nouveau buildings, superb parks and seashores: the maritime south is a true ode to nature. The design district par excellence, with its many art galleries, its dedicated museum and its many small designer boutiques, it is also the Esplanadi's most secret neighbour. You have to wander around this district (by tram, on foot) to appreciate all its charm, strolling through its streets and often looking up to contemplate its thousand and one architectural facets, its little hidden shops, its unexpected bars buzzing with nightlife. The small (and large) chefs' addresses are legion and pleasantly surprise the taste buds of gourmets. During the day, you can take advantage of the boats bound for the mysterious islands of the capital's archipelago: from Suomenlinna to Pihlajasaari, via Uunisaari and Harakka, each island has its own unique character and it's good to stop off on each of them to breathe in the different flavours of the Finnish capital. In the evening, you can lose yourself in the blue (or white, in winter) immensity of a suspended sea, while in the distance a ferry glides on the foam, leaving for other destinations.
