Helsinki

Today, Helsinki combines being something of an international metropolis while still retaining a small-town feel. The best time to visit is in summer when Finns peel off their overcoats and flock to outdoor bars and cafes to enjoy the sunshine. Helsinki's population is about 600,000, but the Greater Helsinki region including the suburbs of the neighboring administrative areas of Espoo and Vantaa has a population of over 1.3 million. The suburbs rapidly give way to small towns, farms and forests. 

The city is officially bilingual, with an 86% Finnish-speaking majority and a visible 6% Swedish-speaking minority. However, most of the Finnish-speaking majority only know the very basics of Swedish, which they learn in school. Most Finns speak English more fluently than Swedish. Street names and many signs in Helsinki are in both Finnish and Swedish enhancing your Finland vacation with that extra layer of multiculturalism.

There are many major sights to enjoy in Helsinki. Popular with locals, Esplanade Park is a green oasis in the heart of the city, while Helsinki Cathedral is a beautiful and historically significant Evangelical Lutheran church. Within Helsinki itself, the city centre is on the southern peninsula at the end of the city's main thoroughfare Mannerheimintie. Both the central railway station and the main bus terminal are in the city centre.