Laced with green parks, fabulous sculptures, and fascinating squares, Helsinki is a wonderful travel destination. It is the capital of Finland, and is home to 800,000 people. It is surrounded by water on three sides, and touring Helsinki on foot is always your best bet. The city is compact and elegant, with the majority of citizens extremely well educated. The population is quite affluent, but is not an overly self-indulged people, especially considering they live so well. The locals still refer to Helsinki as their big village, and they are always very helpful and kind to tourists. This is definitely a city that has four distinct seasons, and if you are visiting Helsinki in the winter, you had better bundle up. Located on the southern coast of Finland, during the summer, Helsinki has some of the longest days anywhere in the world. During this time, it is not uncommon to have days that last over twenty hours.

Helsinki is one of the major cultural centers in all of Europe. The architecture is magnificent, and the museums and galleries are incredible. Helsinki has wonderful shopping and dining facilities, and is a pristine and inspiring city to visit. Everything seems clean and organized, and the government really takes care of its citizens and visitors. The quality of life here is extraordinary, and with each season comes a different version of the city. The public transportation system in Helsinki is efficient, and everything is very accessible. The city serves as a meeting place between western and eastern cultures, making Helsinki a wonderful cultural center. In 1952, the Olympic Games were held here, and soon after this grand event, the world began to truly embrace Helsinki as the tourist haven that it is. Americans and Europeans saw the well-organized country of Finland and fell in love with it.