Sweating

There is supposedly one sauna for every two and half people in Finland. Check modesty in your coed locker: Finnish saunas can be naked (although several have designated men’s and women’s days and few these days scoff if you do choose to wear a bathing suit). The brand-new Löyly sauna is the talk of the town, jutting out of Helsinki’s harbor, it looks like a massive pile of logs and is the work of architect firm Avanto. Residents of the hip boho Kallio neighborhood take their steam at Arla, built in 1929 and one of the oldest public saunas in the city. Another great place to sweat in Kallio is Kotiharjun, built one year before Arla, and a relic of the time before every apartment building or house had its own sauna. Bring sauna beer and snacks (for some reason Helsinkis love snacking on small tomatoes at the sauna).

Shopping

Shoppers should first set their course for the Design District, especially the main arteries Uudenmaankatu and Erottajankatu, which are full of galleries, shops, and museums; and Kallio, the hipster hood with a community feel and a proper rebellious streak. Finnish textile designer Maija Arela and her daughters Anni and Viivi sell their luxurious, cooly casual cashmeres and cotton jerseys at Arela. Stop by the flagship of shoe designer Minna Parikka whose rabbit-ear high-tops and other surreal colorful shoes are worn by the likes of Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. Luxbag is, as its name suggests, the place to pick up brands like Balenciaga and Valextra. Its gorgeous interiors are by Esa Vesmanen who also designed the chic all-white optical store Salme Optic where Helsinkians head for cool, subtly colored plastic frames. Liike sells breakout Finnish labels. A visit to any of the iconic textile design house Marimekko’s Helsinki outposts is a must. You’ll see hundreds of happy large prints besides, of course, the well-known poppies.

Tomorrow’s Antique is perfect for vintage savoy vases to pack, or furniture to ship home. Artek 2nd Cycle also has a serious collection of Alvar Aalto chairs and products from Eames. Variety Second-Hand & Vintage’s owner is a bit of an America-phile so there are lots of quirky old Americana, as well as rarer shades of Converse kicks. Vinyl and retro music aficianados should visit Kallion Retro music store.

helsinki Photo: Courtesy of SkyWheel

Late Night

After-hours, try a spin on the SkyWheel at the port area, which, this summer, is offering a particularly Finnish take on the city observation wheel: SkySauna. As its name suggests, it’s a sauna bath in the sky. After, enjoy a stroll and ice cream at famed café and chocolatier Karl Fazer. For something more party-hearty, make your way to Punavuori and Töölö districts to enjoy the neighborhoods’ many cool clubs.

helsinki Photo: Courtesy of Suomenlinna

Day Trips

It’s easy to make day trips from Helsinki. Try a ferry ride to Suomenlinna to see the 18th-century Swedish maritime fortress. After a visit to that UNESCO World Heritage Site, take the stone stairs down to the shore to meet up with locals sunbathing on the beach. Or take easy public transportation from the Eliel Saarinen-designed Helsinki Central Railway Station to see the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University. Or get outdoors with a day trip to the breathtaking, thick forests of Nuuksio National Park.