Helsinki is the most modern and relaxed city in its region, with ample offerings for visitors who look for new experiences, nightlife and trendy activity. In addition, Helsinki is considered green, clean, compact and rich in cultural offerings, according to a new survey of Nordic and Baltic destinations by Wonderful Copenhagen, the Danish capital's official tourism website. A typical visitor to Helsinki is active, seeking to explore the city independently and to make contacts with locals.

Tourism has grown sharply in Helsinki over the past five years, and in 2007 growth was markedly stronger in Helsinki (9 percent) than the average in European cities (4 percent). At the same time, Helsinki has emerged as one of the world's most popular host cities for conferences.

Helsinki will receive close to two million international visitors in 2008, with U.S. visitors representing the largest national group from outside Europe and the fourth largest group overall. Helsinki hosted a record number of cruise boats in the summer season of 2008 – 270 in all – which brought 338,000 day visitors to the city, the majority of them from the United States.

New restaurants have popped up in a steady succession in Helsinki, many of them among the best in the Nordic countries and on a par with top European rivals. Gourmets in Helsinki are served by innovative menus that rely on rich local produce including fish, meat, mushrooms, and berries.

The Nordic countries' largest nightclub opened in Helsinki just months ago, to add to a long list of clubs that stay open until 4 in the morning. Helsinki is also a Nordic mecca for the gay culture, with Scandinavia's largest gay club in the city center.

The capital of Finland, Helsinki is also the country's cultural capital. There are two symphony orchestras, an opera and a ballet, several chamber orchestras, and a high number of popular music ensembles. There is a strong theater scene, and Helsinkians are avid users of cinema. Helsinki is the home of famous Finnish design, found in a design district where all the leading Finnish design brands are located within a short walking distance from each other.

Helsinki has rich architectural layers from Russian-era Neoclassical and national-romantic Art Nouveau to Modern and Contemporary. The emphasis in Helsinki's city development is on closeness to nature and a human scale with low-rise buildings and low volumes. Movement in the city is mostly by public transportation, and the central areas are served by a dense network of tram lines. For visitors, the trams offer a pleasant way to get around in the city on many scenic routes.

Helsinki is a maritime city, largely built on islands and waterfronts and enriched by an archipelago of some 300 islands. The sea and the shoreline provide ample opportunities for boating, fishing and other water sports.

Large green areas – one-third of the city's land area – offer opportunities for outdoor activities all year round, with close to 300 miles of trails, 600 miles of bicycle paths, and 125 miles of maintained cross-country ski tracks in the winter. The dozens of ice-skating rinks include one on a downtown square. A wilderness area is only half an hour away from the center, available for hiking, canoeing and camping.

The Port of Helsinki including its city-center harbor receives nine million passengers each year, two-thirds of them en route between Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn, a medieval city only 50 miles from Helsinki across the Gulf of Finland and another popular tourist destination. At the height of the summer season, there are approximately 40 departures to Tallinn daily. There are two daily departures to Stockholm throughout the year.

Helsinki's international airport has repeatedly been rated one of the best in the world. It serves as an important hub between major European and Asian destinations.

In the summer season, visitors to Helsinki are served by Helsinki Helps, young people who patrol streets offering information and help to visitors. This year the Helsinki Helps, fortified by a mascot for children, served 90,000 visitors.

Helsinki wishes you all the best for the Season and the New Year.

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