Finnish Lapland

Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

If someone had told me that a diehard sun worshipper like me would participate in a winter adventure trip to Finnish Lapland not once but twice, I would have told him he was out of his mind.  But there’s a reason I returned a second time:  I was amazed by Lapland.  The snow was whiter than anything I’d ever seen.  The sky was bluer than anything I’d ever seen; and the Northern Lights were simply unlike anything I’d ever seen.  Close encounters with nature were about to seduce me.

If dressed properly, Lapland is an incredible destination that brings out the outdoor adventurer in you. Once I hit the ground above the Arctic Circle at the Ivalo and Rovaniemi airports, the daredevil in me came out, all right.  In a part of Finland so far north that grayness overtakes the sky at an early hour and lasts and lasts in winter, nature becomes your best friend as you share a camaraderie with the strikingly cold outdoors and the warmth of the Lappish people. 

 Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

With the adventures to be had, you’ll quickly find yourself bonding with these hardy souls who become your lifeline on the way to experiencing the frigid outdoors in ways you’d never anticipated.  In Saariselkä, a Northern heartland for winter adventures, you’ll drive one of the country’s 200,000 reindeer before you zip across the frozen fells on a snowmobile to a chapel in the middle of nowhere, or take a break at a cozy kota to enjoy a warming glow-fried salmon where it’s de rigueur to slip and slide as you enter inside.  Or perhaps you’ll embark on a day of snowshoeing, ice fishing, or an amazing dog sled safari.  After the rush of crossing the snowy countryside with a powerful motor to push your snow scooter, controlling a team of huskies while standing up adds another high as the challenge becomes keeping the dogs from running after their “friends” and staying in line.  They’re so cute but some definitely have a mind of their own.

    Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

South of Saariselkä and just touching the Arctic Circle are Rovaniemi, the provincial capital of Lapland, and Kemi, home to a different type of ski-doo adventure.  Starting with a more participatory reindeer ride where your prowess earns a reindeer-driving license, you’ll then climb aboard snowscooters that hop over the frozen Gulf of Bothnia to the icebreaker Sampo for a “noisy” cruise that crunches through the icy gulf.  After donning a bright red survival suit and hood that cover you to your nose and leave only an open sliver for your eyes (like the sperms in Woody Allen’s Sleeper), you gingerly lower yourself into the newly opened hole in the ice, splashing and rolling about like a frolicking dolphin.  Rather than feeling like you’re freezing the sensation is one of coolness and a lot of fun capped with giggles at the red blobs all avoiding being splashed for fear of hypothermia.  A steaming bowl of salmon stew awaits you back on board, a beautiful reward for your newfound bravery.  Dog sledding here is less of the control-your-own-sled kind but more of a letting-the-dogs-just-pull-you kind you as you sit back hovered under a reindeer blanket indulging in a warming slog of vodka from your own kuksa (a traditional wooden cup). 

Rovaniemi, staking its claim as Santa’s real home, doesn’t rest on its laurels but instead offers a mix of cultural kitsch and creativity.  Santa Claus Village, a depot for all things Santa, turns out to be a kick for all ages.  I found myself smiling ear to ear as I climbed aboard Santa’s knee, asking for a gift that I knew I’d never receive.  I also picked up a postcard to mail home as proof that I had actually met the real Santa Claus, the one who lives with his elves above the Arctic Circle.   If you need further proof, you can even buy one showing the layout of the streets which are in the form of reindeer antlers (no kidding) or visit Santa Park where Santa and Mrs. Claus reign supreme over their family of elves in an icy universe deep in the woods.

Finnish design ingenuity is the motivation behind the mostly below ground Arktikum Museum, a well curated collection of everything related to the people of Lapland and a unique insight into their way of life, culture and history.  It’s here where you’ll get the lay of the land on the Finnish Sámi, the indigenous tribe and the Inuits of the Americas. The museum, an architectural sight in its own right, features detailed displays and dioramas that show off the dress, crafts and traditions of these people living in the North, not to mention a life-sized polar bear from the region.  In Inari, the Sámi Museum SIIDA and the Lapland Nature Centre offer a second chance for learning about how to live in the extreme conditions of Northern Finland with photos, videos and original artifacts.

             Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

Visually colorful are the Sámi themselves, with their multi-hued, embroidered attire.  On par with some of our own sub-cultures, the size of a woman’s brooch denotes her level of wealth and the spikes of a man’s hat indicate his marital status.  While many of the Sámi are reindeer herders and fishermen, others are accomplished jewelers, using reindeer leather, wood, and semi-precious jewels to create earrings and pins.  The Sámi are happy to share their home and their cuisine, with salmon and potatoes forming the basis of a hearty soul warming meal.

             Photo by Orler Images

Cross-country skiing was invented in Finland, so they say, and it’s not unusual to see even the smallest of children sliding past you on the perfectly groomed trails that line the fells and slopes of Lapland.  One of our favorite adult experiences, however, was the traditional ski boot dance lodge, where we gathered in our snowsuits and ski boots to dance the afternoon away and drink many many beers. Finnish culture is creative and adaptive, to say the least.

            Photo by Orler Images

A must for anyone visiting any part of Finland is taking part in a sauna ritual.  In winter, especially in Lapland, there is a thrill that comes from adding ice or snow to the sauna experience.  We “took sauna” two ways:  first, by sitting inside a multileveled 105-degree wooden sauna and dashing outside to roll around in the snow and repeating the sequence a minimum of two more times.  But, more thrillingly, in Saariselkä at the dramatic Hotel Kakslauttanen, we dunked in water three times instead of snow, made a crazy bathing-suit-and-wool-sock-clad dash over the snow to clamber madly down a metal ladder and dip our heated bodies in a square of icy water before returning to the furnace-like blast of the traditional smoke sauna.  Somehow the combination of sauna heat and beer is quite a motivator.  As crazy as it sounds, the exhilaration was fantastic.  And, in true Finnish fashion, we followed this experience with a lovely meal of fish, potatoes, and berries. 

Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

If you’ve ever wanted to sleep in a snow igloo or a geodesic glass domed igloo, Kakslauttanen igloo village is the resort destination of choice.  With row upon row of glass domes, only lit at night under the star-filled sky, the sight is one you’ll not forget.  However, it WAS easy to forget which one was yours, as each looks exactly alike and even the kick sledge contraptions that lay outdoors to help you move your belongings look alike.  Staying in a glass abode presents other challenges, too, so it took a bit of getting used to.  If you can imagine the manipulations for getting dressed and undressed or using the bathroom, you can guess at the fun we had.  And, sleeping in a glass structure might be a problem for the natural insomniac as well as the adventurer, because why fall asleep when you can watch the Northern Lights from the warm comfort of your bed.  Pretty incredible.

            Photo by Orler Images

On other nights and at other hotels, we viewed the Northern Lights from the frigid outdoors, on these occasions wearing multiple layers and armed with a little Finnish vodka to keep our insides warm even though our hands, feet and face were freezing.  We felt rewarded on these nights as the dancing curtains of lights created a thrilling presentation of greens, whites, and pale pinks.  Again, me, the one who heads for the sun whenever possible, could not get enough of the freezing temperatures and never missed a chance to watch the unforgettable Northern Lights.

            Photo by Meryl Pearlstein

I returned with an interesting mix of gifts:  lovely hats trimmed with rabbit’s fur, a fox boa, reindeer salami, cloudberry jam, and my most prized souvenir, a beautiful pair of Sámi earrings set with tiny white beads, a perfect representation of the white, winter wonderland of Lapland.

The international dialing code for Lapland is 358.                                                                                              
The area code for Lapland is 16.

Finland has an air of mystique. Situated in the northern reaches of Europe as part of the Nordic region, a quarter of its territory is north of the Arctic Circle and further north you're bound for Norway. It has a heavy Baltic influence thanks to Estonia to the south, Sweden to the west and its largest neighbor, Russia, to the east. This provides for a unique east meets west culture which makes for a memorable travel experience.

What I enjoyed most about my visit was that proximity to the Soviet Union. At the time it was the closest I'd gotten and it wasn't hard to recognize the eastern influence. I had heard about the world famous Finnish saunas, the northern lights and midnight sun as well as the grand expanse of a country known for year-round outdoor pursuits.

Finland is currently experiencing a travel renaissance, as visitors are on the rise and the current cultural scene perfectly complements long-standing traditions.

Northern Lights Discoveries

Winter enthusiasts have ample opportunity to partake in skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and snow safaris, all on the average Finn's hit list. Some of the best downhill skiing in Finland can be found in the Ruka Kuusamo area near the Russian border, or Levi which has the largest ski mountain range in the country. True to Finnish style, the Yllas ski region has a special 'sauna gondola' that allows skiers to change into their swimwear for the 15 minute trek to the mountain top. Others come to catch glimpses of reindeer and huskies in their natural habitat or to venture out into frozen waters on an Arctic ice breaker cruise, unlike anything you've ever experienced.

The Lapland region is for the truly adventurous who might want to spend an evening in an igloo or ice hotel, or see an entire snow village beneath winter's famed northern lights that reflect hues of green and blue from the snow covered land mass. The Kemi Snow Castle has been built every year since 1996 and includes a restaurant, hotel, chapel, and ice sculptures all enhanced by light and sound effects. Kemi is in the northwest at the tip of the Gulf of Bothnia, not far from the Swedish border and just below the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle begins about 10 kilometers north of Rovaniemi, Lapland's capital, and is the official home of Santa Claus. Approximately 200 kilometers further north and close to the two popular ski resorts of Levi and Yllas, you'll find the Lainio Snow Village covering 20,000 square meters and built entirely of snow and ice. The village has a restaurant, disco, art galleries, and a hotel with igloo rooms and artistically designed ice suites. There are also plenty of winterized rustic huts that can be rented for overnight stays. Most are available year round, too, making them ideal for cross country skiing, especially in the Saariselka area, or hiking during the other seasons.

Finland is filled with natural wonders, including seven world heritage sites, such as the astounding Fortress of Suomenlinna, a short ferry out of Helsinki harbor. As well, the Archipelago Trail is about 155 miles in length connecting several islands via twelve bridges and eight cable ferries. A circular route goes from Naantali via Kustavi in the west or from Parainen via Nauvo in the east.

The Retretti Art Center in the beautiful natural ridge area of Punkaharju near the town of Savonlinna, about 200 miles from Helsinki, is one of the largest art centers in the Nordic region. The gallery is unique as it is built both above and below ground where it's incorporated into natural caves. Savonlinna is where opera gained a significant foothold between 1912 and 1916, with the founding of a yearly festival where the performances are staged inside the fifteenth-century Olavinlinna Castle.

Midnight Sun Reflections

With longer days in spring, life takes on a whole new perspective in Finland. Vappu is a national holiday on May 1st that celebrates the season, with parades and parties throughout the country paying homage to the even longer summer days ahead. Finnish people rejoice during the warmer months, benefiting from the midnight sun which provides almost 20 hours of continuous daylight for several weeks in summer.

Culture has a distinctly long and varied history, influenced by Norse paganism and traditional folklore. It combines the indigenous heritage with both Nordic and European characteristics although the Finnish language, which belongs to the Uralic family of languages, is quite different from the rest of Europe. The Finnish National Theater was founded in 1872, and today there are numerous theaters in cities and rural areas with both professional and amateur groups. Finnish cinema also has its roots in the late 19th century but the film industry really began to develop after independence was won in 1917.

Music plays a key role in Finnish culture, much of it influenced by traditional Karelian melodies and lyrics, as seen in the famous Kalevala, a 19th century poem that is the national epic of the country. The composer Jean Sibelius drew inspiration from this source in composing his symphony Kullervo in the early 1890s. His life and work later became important symbols for forming a national identity of Finnish culture.

Helsinki - World Design Capital

Helsinki is a hotbed of music, film, design, and architecture that has quietly made its way into the international scene and is designated the World Design Capital for 2012 by the International Council Societies of Industrial Design. This will allow local culture to shine brightly in various art forms throughout the city, including international exhibitions and showcases never seen before. The central meeting place is a wooden pavilion designed by Aalto University students and being built in the courtyard area between the Design Museum and the Museum of Finnish Architecture. In the summer months the pavilion will become the hub for visitors with a diverse mix of dance, film, design flea markets and more than 250 events, exhibitions and projects.

For example, Helsinki City Museum is presenting 'Design in Helsinki Films', opening in February and spotlighting the nostalgic world of Finnish cinema from the 1930's to the 1960's. Highlights include the visual expression of design, architecture, costumes and set design as well as filmmaker profiles. The City Museum's World Design Capital year will culminate on Helsinki Day, June 12th, with the opening of 'Made in Helsinki 1700-2012', an exhibition that will explore the roots of crafts and design with traditionally made objects from the past to the present.

Music buffs will want to check out 'Thank You for the Music – How Music Moves Us', which runs until the end of June at the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art and includes mixed media works by a host of Finnish artists. It's an opportunity to see and understand how music, and the act of listening to it, impacts art and vice versa. Nightlife in the city is predominately DJ driven, but there is a thriving live music scene as well that can be found at such places as, Kaapelitehdas, Suvilahti, and Korjaamo. For bars and lounges there are many to choose from, such as the A21 cocktail lounge, Ahjo Bar in the KlausK Hotel, Konig Club, Jenny Woo, and the infamous Kaarle Xii.

Leisure and Culture

Visually, Helsinki's architectural panorama has a high concentration of past styles including everything from Neoclassic to Art Nouveau (Jugend), to the National Romantic style, an important movement that expressed progressive ideals. Comparisons are often made with St Petersburg. The steps of Helsinki Cathedral are great for people watching and the Tori Quarter, between Senate Square and Market Square which is surrounded by historic landmarks, is being revitalized as the Empire center of the capital.

Summertime is when festivals happen all over, almost every day of the year. Helsinki Festival is the largest and takes place over a two week period at the end of August, this year featuring a varied program of arts and culture. The Savonlinna Opera Festival this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary in July with a line-up of international acts performing in Finland's amazing Lakeland region. The most beloved and colorful celebration is Yuhannes, celebrating the longest day of the year around the solstice. All night parties take place with large bonfires, coaxing festive songs and performances by folk groups.

Helsinki's dining options satisfy both astute foodies and late night partiers with new places opening on a regular basis, such as the Café & Wine Bar K3 in the trendy residential area of Arabianranta. Other options include Saaristo, Sarkanlinna or Walhalla, which is located on the UNESCO World Heritage Fortress Island of Suomenlinna. If you're seeking traditional Finnish, try Elite, Kappeli, or Lasipalatsi, and for modern Nordic food head over to K17 Kitchen, Salutorget, Olo, Nokka, Havis, or Juuri. If you're looking for something extra special majestic Savoy, located high above the rooftops of Helsinki with original furnishings by Alvar Aalto, has delicious food and stunning skyline views.

Helsinki Wholesale Market is a trendy meeting place for fine food lovers near the developing harbor area. For the restless, there are nearly 60 miles of shoreline along which one can enjoy the magnificent scenery and fresh sea air. Helsinki will also play host to both the European Athletics Championships and the Ice Hockey World Championships this year.

2012 and Beyond

At the moment Helsinki is experiencing a revitalization of former industrial warehouse and desolate areas that are being converted into happening locales for living and lounging, such as the previously developed shoreline district Alvar Aalto. The harbor areas of Kalasatama, Jätkäsaari and Kruunuvuorenranta are currently being rebuilt for residential and commercial use and expected to be fully completed around 2030. Finlandia Park is also undergoing repurposing as a cultural hub that encompasses the Helsinki Music Centre, Finlandia Hall, National Opera, Helsinki City Museum, and the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art.

A project called Kulttuurisauna (cultural sauna) is developing a new public sauna culture in Helsinki. The goal is to create an urban place for cleansing, bathing and sharing quiet moments. It is expected to open in summer of 2012 on the Helsinki waterfront, in Hakaniemenranta.

The World Design Capital year also coincides with the 200th bicentennial anniversary of the city being named the capital of the country back on April 8th, 1812. For the previous 600 years Finland had been part of Sweden, with Stockholm as its capital.

With all these events, celebrations, and developments happening over the next several months, it gives even more reason to visit Finland in 2012 ... and many years beyond!

In Finland, sauna is more than a stress-buster. It's more than a medical miracle, too, though saunas can ease a range of complaints, from high blood pressure to poor circulation. In Finland, sauna is practically a religion—an integral part of the Finnish "circle of life" since the Stone Age. Saunas were once used for childbirth, to cure the sick, to celebrate bridal showers, and, finally, to wash the dead. Even heroes of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic, took saunas.

Today, there's at least one sauna for every one of five million Finns. Families and friends meet for weekly saunas in homes and apartments. Or they congregate in public establishments like Helsinki's Kotiharju Sauna, the city's oldest wood-fired sauna, or Tampere's Rajaportii Sauna, Finland's oldest, built in 1906. In summer, Finns head to their lakeside or seaside cottages to hunker down in rustic outdoor sauna houses and cool off in fresh, clear waters. They frequent villages and islands where sauna-bathing is the central activity, like Saunasaari, just off Helsinki's coast. Or they journey to the far north, to Lapland, to take saunas in traditional wood Sami huts, or aboard the world's only gondola sauna high above the Ylläs ski resort.

Throughout the year, in cities and rural outposts, Finns gather in saunas—not only to sweat out the physical and mental toxins of day-to-day life, but to connect with each other, and with the spirit of löyly, the healing mist that rises, incense-like, when cold water is thrown on hot, stone-covered sauna stoves.

The Finnish sauna experience might sound intensely private or insular, but it isn't. Finns actually delight in sharing sauna culture with visitors. There's even a company—Cosy Finland—that arranges Sauna Evenings year-round for foreign visitors. Guests join English speaking Finnish hosts—ranging from young artists or professionals in their 30s to well-traveled retirees—at their homes in Helsinki, or in Mikkeli, Tampere or Turku, about two hours away. The three-hour evening includes chit-chat on sauna lore (including, perhaps, a tale about the household's resident sauna elf), instruction on sauna use and etiquette, and an actual sauna, with or without the hosts, depending on your modesty threshold. Afterward, there's a customary light meal of sausages, beer and soft drinks, or coffee and pastries. Guests gain a deep understanding of how integral, even holy, the sauna experience is to Finns, whose humor and easy-going charm practically guarantee a fun evening.

If you'd rather design your own sauna experience, there are plenty of opportunities. Virtually every hotel and inn throughout the country has at least one sauna. Deluxe establishments usually have several - separate men's and women's saunas as well as a VIP sauna, which business execs and other groups can book. Since visitors are usually out sightseeing, big-city hotel saunas are often empty. Want to banish jet lag, or relax after a long day of sightseeing or shopping? Step into a sauna for 20 minutes, and emerge rejuvenated.

In addition to hotel saunas, there are spas and wellness centers throughout Finland. Only 20 minutes north of Helsinki, the Flamingo Spa is a mile and a half outside Helsinski-Vantaa International Airport. Along with swimming pools and hot tubs, there's a fragrant spruce-wood sauna, and a bio-sauna featuring lower temperatures and higher humidity.

In the heart of downtown Helsinki, an even more authentic sauna experience awaits visitors at Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall. Two blocks from the Kamppi bus station, the hall is across from the Art Deco-style Hotel Torni, a notorious haunt of World War II British spies. Dating from 1928, the renovated hall has a Neoclassical-style swimming pool surrounded by columns plus several men's and women's saunas. The saunas and pool are clothing optional. In fact, a note on the website states that "bathing suits have been allowed since 2001."

Truly adventurous types can head to one of Helsinki's public saunas. Up until the 1940s, Helsinki had as many as 120 public saunas. Today there are just three: Kotiharju Sauna, Sauna Arla and Sauna Hermanni. All are in the Kallio, a working class neighborhood that's a 15-minute metro or tram ride northeast of downtown.

Opened in 1928, Kotiharju Sauna is Helsinki's oldest wood-fired public sauna. Though the Helsinki Culture Capital Foundation helped renovate the establishment in 1999, be forewarned: this isn't the Ritz-Carlton. Upon arrival, you'll see groups of ruddy faced men lounging outside, towels wrapped around their waists and smoking cigars, beneath a red neon SAUNA sign. If you're tempted to turn tail, persist—and be rewarded. Inside the crowded foyer, you can pay for your sauna, rent a pefletti, or towel, and arrange for a washerwoman. You can even make reservations for a cupping session—a recently revived, if archaic procedure, during which a therapist uses a cupping hatchet to make small cuts in your back and places glass cups fitted with bulb syringes over the cuts to draw out "bad blood" and release "feel-good" endorphins. Cupping is considered perfectly safe and aficionados say the procedure energizes them, but it's definitely not for germophobes or the squeamish.

Upstairs in the women's section, the simple dressing room has about 50 old wood lockers with keys and rag rugs on the floor. I had brought along a bathing suit, but quickly noticed that none of the sylph-like 20-somethings flitting around the women's dressing room had a stitch on. So, I followed suit, stripped bare as the day I was born, and dove in. In the industrial looking wash room with its row of showerheads, I lay on a table covered with plastic sheeting, while a washerwoman, Minna Ilvonen, scrubbed me, back and front, with pine-scented soap and a stiff brush, and hosed me off. Then I stepped into the sauna—a large amphitheater like room with concrete risers covered with narrow wood slats. I was not alone. Though the tradition of giving sauna bridal showers died out a century ago, it's now being revived. Hence the gaggle of 20-somethings who filled the dressing room.

Once in the sauna, the girls left their boisterousness behind. We smiled and nodded politely to one another, then closed our eyes and leaned back to take in the löyly. And what steam it was! After experiencing electric saunas, I understood why Finns swear by wood-fired saunas. Not only is the air softer, moister, and gentler on the nasal passages, but the smell of burning wood seems to transport you to a deep, dark Scandinavian forest.

For the next two hours, I followed the classic sauna routine: I'd sit and sweat for about 15 minutes, then cool off in the shower, then head back to the sauna for 15 minutes, then repeat. At one point, a woman asked me to thrash her, head to toe, with a silver birch whisk, known as a vasta or vihta. I happily obliged, and was lightly flogged in return, a process that opens the pores, sloughs off dead skin and gets the circulation going. Later, I learned that it's good manners to comply when someone asks you to swat their back (or any other parts of their anatomy). After three or four rounds of sauna, I showered and dressed, leaving the girls behind to braid each others' hair, exchange gossip, and feast on traditional post-sauna snacks, including beer and soft drinks, in the dressing room. Walking out into the cool air of a spring evening in Helsinki, I felt completely spent, but also incredibly clean, relaxed and rejuvenated. Why, I almost felt Finnish.

The Capital of World Design, 2012

If you're thinking of passing on Helsinki this winter as out of the way and too cold, you're definitely not keeping your New Year's resolution to be a more trend-setting traveler. In fact, you're falling way behind the curve. Finland's capital has been a design hothouse for longer than most of us have been on the planet and this year it's more exciting than ever. Helsinki is happening, haven't you heard?

In Finland, architects are revered, furniture is an obsession, and a new wool muffler or mobile phone is an agonizing choice. If this describes your idiosyncratic behavior, too, you owe it to yourself to visit Helsinki. Design pilgrims will thrill to the feeling that they've discovered an intense subculture. Finns are discreetly reticent. But they bask in their compatriots' game-changing architecture, interior design, furniture, and fashion.

This year is a great time to go as Helsinki is the World Design Capital for 2012 and it's an easy trip, too. Finnair flies nonstop from New York, Miami, Toronto, and about 50 European cities, awarding One World Alliance mileage (American Airlines).

In spring and fall, Helsinki has a clear, cool, Baltic charm with a sky that is uniformly white, which acts almost like a photo studio's seamless roll, spotlighting its memorable architecture. Summer is the best time to visit, naturally, when the days are long (close to 20 hours) and the humid continental climate brings comfortable temps averaging around 70 degrees. Bright sun and a prevalent café culture bring Helsinki residents out of doors and they take to the streets on these balmy days and long, lusty nights. Conversely, winter brings some darkness with it but temperatures are buffered thanks to the Baltic Sea and Gulf Stream and are much higher than the northern location would suggest with an average of about 25 degrees.

Helsinki's taxi fares may be on par with London's so if you're feeling extravagant and have a set destination that's not too far, jump in one. However, I suggest you pick up a Helsinki card which will entitle you to unlimited travel on public transport and prepare to hop a few of the eco-friendly, ever-present trams that weave their way throughout the city's nooks and crannies. It's the Euro way to run, don't you know? Plus, much of Helsinki is walkable so put on those walking shoes for leisurely strolls along Mannerheimintie, the main drag.

It's a good idea to stay in the center on or near Esplanadikatu (Esplanadi), a broad boulevard with a lovely green park in its center, like Paris or Buenos Aires. Many of the main attractions are close-by and in good weather, locals hang out there, snacking, socializing, picnicking, and swigging from a taskumatti, a useful word here when your thoughts turn to partying – a flask. With the easygoing nature of the populace, it's a cinch they will.

The Esplanadi is a good perch to survey Helsinki's spectacular Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Finnish Modern architectural heritage. Finland's architects consistently broke new ground and this capital city is their temple. History happened here. A few minutes away by foot, Eliel Saarinen's 1914 Helsinki Central Railway Station sets the tone for every monumental railroad station of the 20th century. Retail shrines to design dot the boulevard including ARTEK, a timeless home furnishings brand founded by Finnish architectural deity Alvar Aalto, Iittala , whose iconic product is a freeform glass vase designed by Aalto and Marimekko, the Mod, big-print 1960s fashion company currently reinvigorated by devout fashionistas like Sarah Jessica Parker.

In Helsinki, design envelops you. Don't miss the Design Museum, which provides a crash course in all innovations Finnish. Its circa 1873 home -- a storybook, multi-spired confection – is a striking contrast to the minimalist modernity within. Just east of the Esplanadi, Katajanokka, an island joined by a footbridge, proves a treasure trove of Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture. You'll be enchanted by charming, yellow-hued apartment houses and by Uspenski Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox masterpiece. Just down a hill from the cathedral is Alvar Alto's sternly geometric, Lego-like headquarters of Enso-Gutzeit. This mining company evolved from the world's first corporation, a copper mine that issued ownership shares in 1288.

A prowl through Arabianranta, a design-oriented model community of apartments, offices, and shops, involves a train or bus ride well worth the undertaking. This "Art & Design City," which houses The Aalto University School of Art & Design, will strike creative-spirited visitors as a utopia. (About the odd name: when the neighborhood was settled, it was considered far from downtown Helsinki, much like the landmark Dakota apartment building on New York's Upper West Side).

Who are these Finns, with their intricate language, their intuitive design sense, and their newly won independence (1917) from Russia? Visitors in search of the elusive Finnish soul will find clues at Stockmann, a landmark department store with the kind of psychic power that Macy's Herald Square exerted on mid-century New York. Elsewhere, department stores have been eclipsed by chic boutiques, state of the art mega-malls, and e-commerce. But Stockmann, still the belle of the ball, decrees and bags the Finnish lifestyle: fresh rye, wheat and potato bread, herring fifty ways, gaily packaged licorice candy, real paper books, Finnish housewares that put Sweden's IKEA to shame and stylish, sturdy sweaters, parkas, and boots befitting the folks who invented the ice hotel. (A Finn once told me: "There's no bad weather, only bad clothes.")

On a good weather day, join these hardy Finns in Hesperia Park in the heart of Helsinki as they stroll, dog-walk, and jog the path that circles Toolonlahti Bay. Finlandia Hall, a majestic, white marble concert hall designed by Aalto and the indisputable bastion of modern Finnish culture, lords it over this lofty setting. Its repertory celebrates Finland's beloved composer Jean Sibelius, who set the national epic, Kalevala, to music. The sculpted steel Sibelius Monument, unveiled in 1967, is just a stone's throw away in the Toolo district's Sibelius Park, a spectacular reminder that Finland's gift for design keeps evolving.

Dress well – you know how Finns feel about bad clothes – and contemplate Helsinki, where culture, design, and the freewheeling Finnish soul all run free.