#1 We enjoy the water
Right in the heart of the city, next to the Market Square, is Allas Sea Pool, where you can enjoy a swim in between going to the shops, for example. There’s an old saying that Finnish summers are short and lacking in snow. The truth is that we also have many heatwaves, as reflected in the numbers of visitors to the pool. Altogether, Helsinki has 16 swimming halls, outdoor swimming pools and sea spas.
#2 We organise village festivals
Local residents are very active, and lots of neighbourhoods organise their own events and village festivals. The Kumpula district has the oldest and best-known village festival, or Kyläjuhlat, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. The popular event includes flea markets, live music, entertainment for kids and sports competitions. The organiser is the local culture association Käpylän kulttuuriyhdistys.
#3 We like urban parties
In addition to smaller neighbourhood events, or perhaps as a result, we also know how to enjoy big parties on the city streets. Kallio Block Party is an urban event that is packed with live music, food stands and dance performances. The block party is organised by the volunteer organisation Kallio-liike, whose members are locals who live and work in Kallio.
#4 We spend time together
Especially in summertime, Finns like to be out and about, filling the restaurants and cafés along the Helsinki shoreline with friends having a good time. The biggest age group in Helsinki comprises 25-29 year olds, of whom there are 63,662. The young people in this photo are at Löyly.
#5 We love books and libraries
We devour books and visit libraries often. Helsinki has almost 50 places where you can borrow a total of over 1.5 million books. Helsinki’s libraries attract around 6.5 million visitors a year, including 400,000 at the old and distinguished Töölö Library. The new Helsinki Central Library Oodi attracted 55,000 visitors on the first day!
#6 We are fascinated by art
Amos Rex art museum opened in 2018 and became an instant success. The museum was built partially underground at the iconic Lasipalatsi “glass palace”. The first exhibition was “Massless” by the Japanese teamLab collective, which presented interactive digital installations. The exhibition attracted around 240,000 visitors during the first four months, and locals sometimes lined up for hours to get in!
#7 We ramble in nature
Nature is present in the Finnish capital and accessible just a short distance from the city centre. The city’s own Central Park, Keskuspuisto, divides the city north of the Töölönlahti bay, while Nuuksio National Park in Espoo offers genuine wilderness experiences just a short drive away. Helsinki’s oldest public parks date back to the 1800s. Guided park tours are offered, but everyone is free to enjoy them as they like!
#8 We come to life in spring
Finnish autumns are long and dark, and the winter months are often cold and snowy. It is no surprise, therefore, that the spring brings us to life – even if it is the shortest season of the year, lasting just 6 to 9 weeks. The average daytime temperature in springtime is between 0 and +10 degrees Celsius. In Helsinki, the thermal spring begins at the start of April.
#9 We ride the metro
Helsinki’s metro network is 43 kilometres long and connects the eastern districts to Espoo in the west. The metro system is wonderfully simple compared to most cities: there is just one fork going west and two going east. Helsinki’s metro was inaugurated in 1982, while construction of the western metro to Espoo was completed only in 2022. The network has 30 stations altogether, and the metro is used by around 63 million passengers a year.
#10 We are used to living with snow
Snow usually covers Helsinki by January at the latest. The amount of snow varies a lot from year to year, and in the best years there can be over half a metre of snow. Helsinki is used to the snow: snowploughs are busy in the earliest hours of the morning, and trucks transport the snow out of the city to special collection points. There is even a snow melting facility in Espoo to cope with excess snow!
