Finland
Named the ‘Design Capital of the World’ in 2012, Helsinki is also known as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Almost completely surrounded by water, it sits on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. Influences from both the East and West have fashioned the city’s architecture with an interesting combination of Nordic Minimalism, Modernism and Art Nouveau. The city has its own Design District with a number of walking routes and in summertime there are open-air markets which are a food lover’s paradise. Other notable attractions include the Temppeliaukio Church, quarried out of the natural bedrock, and the UNESCO World heritage-listed Suomenlinna, one of the biggest sea fortresses in the world.
