Hotel Manta
Helsinki has many top hotels including Hotel Kämp, but the most exclusive hotel in Europe this summer will be the pop-up suite that Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi is building around the Havis Amanda statue, the beautiful symbol of Helsinki in the Old Harbour Market Square. Hotel Manta of Helsinki will consist of one single suite built around the statue, which will become a part of the interior decor of the room. It’s open from August 15 to October 12.
Market Square, Kaartinkaupunki
www.helsinginjuhlaviikot.fi
Helsinki Festival
The Helsinki Festival is the biggest art festival in Northern Europe. It’s a high-quality, multidisciplinary art event that aims to make art accessible for all. For 15 days during the second half of August, the city bursts with energy that stems from the unique blend of performances from international artists alongside huge city happenings such as the Night of the Arts.
www.helsinkifestival.fi
Kappeli
Near to Hotel Manta of Helsinki is the restaurant Kappeli (the Chapel), which was opened in 1867 and is a staple favourite among the summer crowds.
Eteläesplanadi 1
www.kappeli.fi
Aleksanterinkatu
Helsinki is a modern European metropolis where all international luxury brands have their own shops, many located on and around the street known as Aleksanterinkatu. But, why come to Helsinki to buy the same stuff that you can get anywhere? Instead, look for quirky antique shops in the former worker’s area of Kallio. Finland has a very interesting history as the borderland between Russia and Scandinavia, so you can sometimes find antiquities from Tsarist Russia as well as beautiful samples of Scandinavian design.
Restaurant Day
The greatest dining experience you could experience this month is Restaurant Day, which is held every three months and is the typical Finnish way of ‘carnivalising’ the often senselessly rigid EU rules for making and serving food to the public. People make food and create their own pop-up restaurants all over the city, which means you’ll get the chance to taste local creations from one-of-a-kind temporary restaurants.
www.restaurantday.org
Kunsthalle Helsinki
The Kunsthalle Helsinki is a cultural institution hosting exhibitions, shows and concerts. Don’t miss the exhibition of Hilma af Klint, a Swedish painter who expressed herself in beautiful abstract motifs well before non-figurative painting was publicly accepted as an art form (exhibition runs from August 16 to September 28). She was secretly avant-garde and in recent years the real value of her work has been recognised.
Nervanderinkatu 3
www.taidehalli.fi
Suomenlinna
Another must-visit landmark is Suomenlinna, which is a fortress complex built across six islands and is a 15-minute ferry ride from Helsinki. This unique location is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and you can opt to take private tours and even have private dinners in the restored mill, granary or barracks.
www.suomenlinna.fi
A concert by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
This ensemble is one of the best in Europe right now. The acoustics in the Musiikkitalo (Helsinki Music Centre) — designed by the Japanese guru of acoustics Yasuhisa Toyota — is something one must experience to believe.
Mannerheimintie St
www.musiikkitalo.fi