---

Meet the artists shaking up the cultural scene and leaf through this literary hub´s many libraries - did someone mention the Moomins?
Helsinki is a tale of two cities. Arrive mid-winter and you´ll find a frosty wonderland of deserted, snow-caked streets, the residents holed up in cosy, impeccably designed cafés. Come in summer, when the sun refuses to set, and you´ll catch locals partying merrily into the early hours and leaping gleefully into the Baltic Sea.
The Finnish capital is used to being eclipsed by its older - and perhaps trendier - Nordic neighbours but it has far more to offer than the first-time visitor might think. We´ve taste tested both the classic restaurants serving heartwarming dishes (reindeer fillet, anyone?) and those taking new Nordic cuisine to all-new heights.
We´ve mapped out runs along the waterfront and sized up the visionary structures of design icon Alvar Aalto. Plus, one or two saunas to kick back and relax in - it´s up to you whether you sweat it out in your swimsuit or the buff. Whatever the season, Helsinki´s streets, forests and islands are ripe for exploring. So pull on your snow boots - or your sandals - and join us for a tour of this confident and cultured city.

---