a few words about Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland. It is in the southern part of Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, by the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is almost 575,000 making it the most populous municipality in Finland by a wide margin. The Greater Helsinki area contains 12 municipalities and has a population of over 1,300,000.
Helsinki is Finland's capital for business, education, research, culture, and government. This capital city is unique among Northern European cities. The lifestyle in the second-most northern capital city in the world is full of contrasts and activities, as Helsinki’s identity has been formed by cultural influences from both the East and West.
Helsinki is spread across a number of bays and peninsulas and over a number of islands. The inner city area occupies a southern peninsula, which is rarely referred to by its actual name Vironniemi. Some notable islands in Helsinki include Seurasaari, Lauttasaari and Korkeasaari – which is also the country's biggest zoo – as well as the fortress island of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg).
Photo Credit: VisitFinland
