Welcome To the e-travelguide to Hotels, guest houses and attractions in Helsinki.

Make the most of your time in Helsinki, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links above to plan your visit.


Founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden, to encourage trade with nearby Tallinn, the capital of Finland is in its relative infancy compared to many European cities. Helsinki stands at the doorway between Scandinavia and Russia, and its geographical position and resulting history have shaped the face of the city today. The influence of both eastern and western Europe is still present in the image that Helsinki presents to the world, with the city’s proximity to both Stockholm and St Petersburg most evident in the design of its buildings. A particularly striking example is the Uspenski Orthodox Church, which could have been plucked right from the streets of Moscow. Following a fire that ravaged the city in the nineteenth century, the German-born architect Carl Ludvig Engel was commissioned to rebuild the city. The impact of his work is manifest in the pure neoclassical buildings that frame the famous Senate Square, including the Helsinki Cathedral that today stands as a symbol of the city. Helsinki’s unique architectural image results from a combination of its heritage and the eye-catching twentieth and twenty-first century design that is a characteristic of modern Finnish life. This quintessential awareness of good design permeates many other activities in Helsinki.

Visitors to Helsinki cannot fail to notice that the city is clean and well organised. Built on the Gulf of Finland, Helsinki grew up around a natural harbour and the sea is a constant presence in the city, which is surrounded by water on three sides. Visitors to Helsinki usually feel very safe. The centre of town is largely free from signs of graffiti or vandalism, it isn’t unusual to see children happily wandering the streets and disabled people frequently find their needs met at every turn. Many of the major tourist attractions in Helsinki are surprisingly modern, from the Temppeliaukio Church in the Rock to the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Finland’s modern identity is affirmed. Many museums and art galleries also document the city’s rich history, and the Ateneum is home to the country’s largest collection of art.

Helsinki has its place in modern Europe as an industrial and commercial centre. A number of grand hotels and high-end restaurants cater for those travelling on business and at the other end of the scale discreet coffee shops and tiny arts venues provide entertainment for the budget traveller. Helsinki is urban and sophisticated although on the whole it is also compact and friendly, earning it comparisons to a ‘big village’ amongst locals. This makes the city ideal for tourists who can explore most of the sights on foot and negotiate their way confidently past sidewalk cafes and boutique shops.

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