Helsinki is divided roughly into districts.
The Center The historic core stretches from Senaatintori (Senate Square) to Esplanadi. Senate Square is dominated by the Lutheran cathedral at its center, and Esplanadi itself is an avenue lined with trees. At one end of Esplanadi, the wide Mannerheimintie, extending for about 5km (3 miles), is the main road from the city center to the expanding suburbs. The section south of Esplanadi is one of the wealthiest in the capital, lined with embassies and elegant houses, rising into Kaivopuisto Park.
North of Center If you'd like to escape the congestion in the center of town, especially around the rail terminus, you can follow the main artery, Mannerheimintie, north. This section of Helsinki is between Sibelius Park in the west and a lake, Töölönlahti, in the east. It has a more residential feel than does the area in the center, and several fine restaurants are here. Those driving cars into Helsinki prefer this section.
Kruununhaka & Hakaniemi The district of Kruununhaka is one of the oldest. Helsinki was founded in 1550 at the mouth of the Vantaa River, but was relocated in 1640 on the peninsula of Vironniemi in what's known as Kruununhaka today. This section, along with neighboring Hakaniemi, encompasses the remaining buildings from 17th-century Helsinki. The waters of Kaisaniemenlahti divide the districts of Hakaniemi and Kruununhaka.
The Islands Helsinki also includes several islands, some of which are known as "tourist islands," including Korkeasaari, site of the Helsinki Zoo. The main islands are linked by convenient ferries and water taxis.
Called the "fortress of Finland" and the "Gibraltar of the North," Suomenlinna consists of five main islands, all interconnected, and is the site of many museums. You can spend a day here exploring the old fortifications. Seurasaari, another island, has a bathing beach and recreation area, as well as a national park and the largest open-air museum in Finland. One of the islands, tiny Kustaanmiekka, is the site of our longtime favorite restaurant (Walhalla) where you might want to enjoy lunch while exploring the Suomenlinna fortress and museums. Prior to our most recent visit to Helsinki, we had assumed that the grim, windswept fortifications of Suomenlinna were frequented only by non-Finnish tourists. Quite the contrary: Many Helsinki residents ferryboat over at weekly intervals, winter and summer, for meditative walks, reading, and personal reflection.
Espoo Many workers in Helsinki treat Espoo as a bedroom suburb. Actually, since 1972, when it received its charter, it has been the second-largest city of Finland, with a population of 220,000 and a recent expansion of its museum scene.
Tapiola Another "suburb city," Tapiola was founded in 1951, providing homes for some 17,000 residents. This "model city" greatly influenced housing developments around the world with its varied housing, which ranges from multistory condo units to more luxurious one-family villas. The great Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, was one of its planners.
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