Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Helsinki

Helsinki was created as a trading town by Swedish King Gustav I in 1550, but it is believed that Swedish settlers had arrived here in the 1300s. Sometimes called the “Daughter of the Baltic,” Helsinki is a port town through and through. Its close connection to its Baltic neighbors, Sweden and Russia, has shaped its history for better and worse over the last 400 years. Both Finnish and Swedish are official languages, and you will find a statue honoring Russian Tsar Alexander II in the middle of Senate Square.

Helsinki is many things. It is the northernmost city on Earth that has a population of more than a million people. It is the northernmost EU capital, and it is the only metropolis in Finland. In 2012 it was named a World Design Capital, and it is regularly recognized as being one of the world’s most livable cities with one of the highest standards of living anywhere.

Helsinki’s close ties to the Baltic are on clear display for the visitor to the Finnish capital. This city is spread over a large peninsula and 315 islands. Senate Square with the Helsinki Cathedral on it are the city's top attractions. Market Square, another popular site near downtown, lies right on the seafront, and is a spot from where ferries depart to the famous sea fortress of Suomenlinna.

From Market Square, head on to the Old Market Hall to pick up some food for a picnic in the nearby Esplanadi Park. But that’s just the start. You can see all that Helsinki has to offer by taking a self-guided walking tour of this beautiful, friendly, and fabulous Nordic city.