Helsinki, the capital city of Finland, is a unique Northern European metropolis and is the meeting point of Western and Eastern culture. It is located at the Baltic Sea and accommodates more than million residents. The archipelago which borders the city with many tiny islands makes a tranquil setting for cruises. Helsinki township was set up by ''King Gustavus'' of Sweden as a new trading city in the southern part of the country and a strong contender to Tallin town of Estonia. King ordered burghers of Tammisaari, Porvoo, Ulvila and Rauma to shift to Helsinki and the date on which the order was placed, that is, 25th June, 1550 is identified as city''s foundation date.

Destroyed by fire, city was completely reconstructed in a capital style. John Albrecht Ehrenstrom, resident of city and German architect ''Carl Ludwig Engel'' undertook the project and gave the town its colossal Empire style hub. Helsinki soon became a garrison, university, an administrative and the biggest industrial landscape in the country.

Things to see and do

The major center of city is around the bustling seafront ''Kauppatori'' or market square where you can enjoy your lunch, shop for vegetables and fresh fish and purchase product from market stalls. Then it is Senate Square, an architectural hub  which is definitely worth visiting. You can have an excellent overview of Helsinki from the tallest building , hotel Torni, from where you can see more notable landmarks of the city.

The major landmarks include Finlandia Hall of Alvar Aalto and Steven Holl''s ''Kiasma'', the curvy modern art gallery. An excellent way for vacationers to enjoy fantastic sightseeing is to skip on ''Tram 3T'' that takes in several major attractions. Some other key attractions that you can enjoy on your trip to Helsinki include Temppeliaukio Church, Sibelius Monument, Design Museum, Mannerheim Museo, Finlandia hall and many more.

Airlines flying to Helsinki

Finnair, Austrian Airlines,  Turkish Airlines and British Airways provide cheap air fares to Helsinki

Passport and Visa requirements for US Citizens

U.S. citizens are required to present a valid passport that has at least one blank visa page and the passport should not expire within six months of the last day you are in the country. U.S. citizens are not required to secure a visa in advance of travel to the country. You may stay in the country without a visa for a stay of up to 90 days.