Why now is the time to book a trip to the Finnish capital Helsinki, home to a burgeoning design scene

Revitalise your mind, body and soul by spending a weekend in the Finnish capital, where a whole host of Scandinavian delights await

THE CITY

Finland is the world’s happiest country, according to the 2018 World Happiness Report, the safest, according to the 2018 Travel Risk map, and has more forest per square kilometre than any country in Europe. Joy, security and coniferous firs aside, the country’s capital is a Nordic gem worth singling out for a short trip, thanks to its modern design credentials, small galleries filled with major artworks and increasingly cool restaurant scene. The path to Helsinki is less well trodden than those leading to its Scandinavian counterparts, but a newly opened hotel is hoping to herald ‘a new chapter’ in the history of Finnish hospitality. Head north now.

WHERE TO STAY

We have long anticipated Helsinki’s newest arrival: Hotel St George (pictured overleaf ). Set in a grand 1840s building, it is the creation of Mirkku Kullberg (a former head of Home at Vitra and CEO of Artek) and, as such, is like a cosy, comfortable design museum, created for visitors and locals alike. A palette of dusty pink, olive green and grey-brown provides a serene backdrop to works of art, including an Ai Weiwei installation loaned from the Helsinki Art Museum and Finland’s National Gallery, and classic mid-century Scandinavian furniture. What’s more, the pieces – from Louis Poulsen pendant lights to Skagerak’s ‘Edge’ terracotta pots – are available to buy online from the St George Collection page at the Finnish Design Shop (from £141 per night; designhotels.com; finnishdesignshop.com). Alternatively, the chic Hotel Lilla Roberts serves a satisfying breakfast of Nordic specialities (from £164 per night; lillaroberts.com), while Airbnb offers a selection of excellent light, bright apartments belonging to stylish locals (from £45 per night for a whole apartment; airbnb.co.uk).

BREAKFAST & LUNCH

Start the day at the Vanha Kauppahalli (old market hall) in the Eteläranta district, which has been a purveyor of Finland’s freshest produce since 1889. Pick up a punnet of lingonberries and a cup of the house blend from family-run Robert’s Coffee. For a more substantial breakfast, take a pew on one of Hay’s ‘Copenhague’ chairs at Story – its oven-baked porridge and a cup of ginger tea is an ideal way to start a cold November day (restaurantstory.fi). Continue the decadence with lunch at Finlandia Caviar restaurant and shop, which, as well as its eponymous delicacy, serves fresh oysters and perfectly paired Champagne. For a light bite, opt for the traditional roe toast – there are seven different varieties to choose from (finlandiacaviar.fi).

WINE & DINE

Start your evening with a martini at Jackie, a former bank that Finnish designer Joanna Laajisto has turned into a bar inspired by 1970s Milanese cocktail lounges – there’s copious walnut, leather, brass, oxblood marble and velvet ( jackie.fi). Behind the National History Museum lies the former studio of 20th-century sculptor Johan Gunnar Finne, which is now the Ateljé Finne bistro. His figurative sculptures and reliefs remain, while the menu changes seasonally (ateljefinne.fi). Also steeped in Finnish creative heritage is the Palace Restaurant, a Helsinki institution serving classic Nordic dishes such as crayfish pie. The interior has been revamped by Stockholm-based Note Design Studio, with the original mahogany and veneered teak panelling and 1950s chairs carefully restored (palacerestaurant.fi).

ART & CULTURE

The first port of call has to be the home of Finland’s modernist master Alvar Aalto – the architect and designer built his house in the Munkkiniemi suburb in 1936. It remains full of his most recognisable pieces of mid-century modern furniture, but also some unexpectedly organic, less ‘functionalist’ elements, such as jute-covered walls and an ‘Armchair 400’ upholstered in zebra print (alvaraalto.fi). Another cultural gem worthy of a visit is the Didrichsen Art Museum, a short ferry ride away on Kuusisaari island. The property was designed by a former assistant of Aalto’s, Viljo Revell, for Marie-louise and Gunnar Didrichsen. The couple’s extensive private collection, including works by Giacometti, Picasso and Kandinsky, is now on display to the public (didrichsenmuseum.fi). For a glimpse of extraordinary architecture, head to the Temppeliaukio Church, which was carved in 1969 out of the city’s bedrock (@temppeliaukio). Plus, at the Design Museum you’ll find ‘ Utopia Now: The Story of Finnish Design’, which runs until 2020 and showcases objects from delicate Iittala glassware to 3D-printed platform shoes (designmuseum.fi).

SHOP

Scoop up a secondhand ‘Stool 60’ at Artek 2nd Cycle, the official retailer of pre-owned Aalto furniture (artek.fi), ceramic coffee cups handmade in Finland at gallery-cum-concept store Lokal ( lokalhelsinki.com), and anything from Belgian linen to an antique Chinese cabinet at lifestyle shop Casuarina (casuarina.net). Lastly, pick up a piece of famous Finnish design at cult print and homeware brand Markimekko’s flagship store (marimekko.com).

ESCAPE THE CITY

A huge 99 per cent of Finns visit a sauna once a week, so in Helsinki spending an hour in one is not an indulgence but an essential quotidian task. First, make like a local and head to the fabulously elegant Yrjönkatu swimming hall, built in the 1920s in neo-classical style. There are myriad post-swim sauna options ( hel.fi). For a more indulgent spa experience, go by boat to the tiny isle of Lonna, where former storehouses have been turned into a restaurant, café and state-of-the-art sauna ( lonna.fi).