Show of hands: Who’s been to Helsinki? Yeah, that’s what we thought. Compared with Stockholm and Copenhagen, the Nordic capital has barely registered a blip on most travelers’ radar. It could be because Finns, humble to the point of forgettable and ever the underdog, are not natural self-promoters—even with so much to brag about, starting with their greatest export. If design is Helsinki’s national religion, Alvar Aalto is its patron saint: There’s scarcely a public building or neighborhood restaurant that doesn’t pay homage to him in some way. In this walkable town that offers immediate access to nature, you can see where Aalto got the inspiration for the organic shapes of his famous Iittala vase and bent-plywood stools and chairs: Helsinki’s islands in the Baltic, full of pine and spruce forests, are just a five-minute boat ride from downtown. The daily sauna, however, may have the most cultural significance. Finns set aside at least an hour a day for the ritual, and once you see the hip new style of public sauna taking off around town, like Löyly, you’ll understand why—and want to continue that tradition back home.
A LONG WEEKEND IS ALL YOU NEED. LUCKILY, FINNAIR DOES FREE STOPOVERS OF UP TO FIVE DAYS.
__
Design to Steal For Back Home
Alvar Aalto fanatics should definitely tour his home in the Munkkiniemi area (and the nearby mid-century-mod house museum, Didrichsen, filled with Finnish artifacts). But if you want to take your Aalto fandom next-level, do dinner at the Savoy. In 1937, Aalto designed everything here—tables, sofas, light fixtures, a bar cart. Try to look past the frayed fabric on the chairs: His estate stipulates that pieces can never be replaced.
Speaking of Dinner...
...make time for Ultima. Since opening in May, it’s been a local favorite for pan-roasted quail and biodynamic reds, though its Michelin-starred chef, Tommi Tuominen, does a mean crispy cricket as well. Yes Yes Yes (bonus points for the catchy name) is more relaxed, with plates of halloumi and fried cauliflower alongside sea-buckthorn cocktails, which are apparently a thing here. Nearby, at BasBas, hipsters pour sancerre and chianti in a candlelit, moody space that’ll make Williamsburgers feel right at home.
Where To Shop for Finnish Fashion and Style
Samuji for asymmetrical skirts
Frenn has cotton men’s button-downs
Liike stocks dresses from label Dusty
Artek sells Aalto lamps
Lokal for Anna Kantanen ceramics
Arela has the coziest knitwear
Out of the Dark does Nordic furniture
The 153-room Hotel St.George opened in central Helsinki in May, and it’s the kind of property that puts a city on your must-go list. Ai Weiwei did a sculpture, there’s a gift shop by Monocle, and the rye toast at breakfast may be Finland’s best.
Go Sweat it Out
Saunas are life here. To put it simply, there are at least 1.6 million saunas in Finland, and just 5.5 million Finns. Recently, things have been, uh, heating up, with cool new public saunas around town. Back in 2016, the Finnish film star Jasper Pääkkönen opened Löyly (it also hosts parties that rage on until 2 a.m. on its huge terrace), and last year, Lonna island, one of the countless islands in Helsinki's archipelago that you can hike, sauna, and picnic on, launched a woodstove version where guests can hop from sauna to sea. It's a quick boat ride away from Saunasaari, or Sauna Island, which has log cabins and three types of sauna with views over the water to the Helsinki skyline (you won't believe how close you are to the city when soaking in their outdoor hot tub, shrouded by spruce forests and outdoor smokers filled with thick slabs of salmon). Across town, Kaurilan’s is in a 19th-century log cabin. Two things to remember: When you sauna, you sauna nude. And the après-sauna beer rivals that of the après-ski.
More Islands to Explore
Seurasaari for the 16th-century homes
Suomenlinna to explore the fortress
Kaunissaarifor beaches and fishing