Why Helsinki is the cool city break everyone’s searching for this summer

The recent heatwaves have left me craving cooler escapes. After a sweaty summer in London, all I want is to be surrounded by water. So, to the archipelago of Helsinki. And I’m not the only one heading north - recent research has revealed that the Finnish capital has become Europe's most rapidly trending city break, with a 265 per cent increase in searches over the past year. When I visited in spring, with my husband and young children (age 5 and 2), I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had been warned not to expect a charming little city dotted with the sort of waterside red wooden cabins we expect of a Nordic country. The word ‘brutalist’ had even been mentioned. And on a culinary level, would my children go anywhere near reindeer sausage? What’s it like? From touchdown, the air feels different. Cooler, yes – but often glorious sunshine. It just feels… fresh. Much of the city is spread around various harbourside districts, whether looking out to the open sea, or lakeside. The centre itself has an almost European feel, with wide car-filled roads and vast buildings, and boulevard-style roads lined with trees, spanning out from Esplanadi Park. Cafe culture in the Kallio district of Helsinki, FinlandVisit FinlandThe city’s districts are quite unique, as is the architecture. The inland design district of Punavuori is lively and urban, with 200 ‘design’ stores, including independent shops, galleries, boutiques (check out Relove Freda, a popular thrift store). I also loved upmarket Ullanlinna, and nearby Kaivopuisto, known for their waterfront promenades, sea-view cafes and tall, brightly coloured architecture.Family-friendly city break It is immediately obvious that the infrastructure of the city has been created to look after its inhabitants during the long winter months. The city is beautifully set up to be as user-friendly indoors as out, and is partway underground. When, on a Sunday evening I wondered where everybody had gone and why it was so quiet, I headed for a market to try and buy a bottle of wine (it is unbelievably expensive to buy wine here) and found that half of Helsinki was just chilling in bars on underground streets.Arguably the city library - Oodi - is an unusual place to spend time on holiday, but this one is different - and a good insurance policy for colder, or greyer days. Culturally this felt like a massive living room for a people who spend half the year in semi-darkness. The several floors are zoned: for small children with climbing areas, soft play and obstacle courses, play tables and more, alongside the reading areas there is even a nap areas for babies; cafe zone; gaming areas packed with teenagers, others where people watched films with headphones, desks for workers, and more. Inside the Oodi library in HelsinkiVisit FinlandWhat to doWander around the centre of town, see the big white church made famous by the Sandstorm music video, shop Nordic style at Marimekko, Stockmann (like a design-centric John Lewis) or Iitalla - or find second hand pieces at Artek second cycle or Fasaani antikki. The neighbourhood of Toolo with its calm, wide, leafy streets is a must: museums, iconic theatres, and in particular the landmark Finlandia hall. It’s impossible to miss - a vast modernist, white marble-clad gem designed by Alvar Aalto, which has been recently restored and refurbished. Its new waterfront cafe and shop are great, too. Of course the work of legendary designer and architect Alvar Aalto isn’t just seen at Finlandia Hall but also dominates many restaurants and houses in Finland; a set of his furniture is apparently a common tradition for a wedding present. If the weather is nice, head to the seafront opposite the lush island of Uunisaari. There are ice cream stands, boats to look at and places to have a coffee or drink. I loved the loungers in front of the champagne bar Mattolaituri, from which you can potentially see people washing their rugs in the sea: an old Finnish and Swedish tradition. You can also see some great examples of Jugend architecture just by walking up and down the seafront here, and by wandering through the upmarket district of Eira, renowned for its curved, tree-lined streets and ornate and colourful 1910s three-storey villas and private gardens. Helsinki's Allas Sea Pool and Katajanokka DistrictJussi HellstenIt is credit to how much there is to do in Helsinki that it’s taken me this long to mention the sauna culture. Is it over the top to say that it’s worth coming to Helsinki for the Allas pool seaside sauna experience alone? I don’t think so. A plunge in the 2degree seawater pool (ouch), lengths in the 27degree lengths pool, then the sauna to warm up. All with the sun twinkling on the sea. It has a beautiful rooftop terrace, and cafe, and a sand area for the children to play in, with loungers to lie on, while staring out at sea and thinking yes - this is how I want to do summer, not sizzling in 40 degree heat on the Med. It’s simple and it’s done beautifully.While I’m not the biggest fan of zoos, it would be remiss not to mention this one, which is on its own island - you travel there by ferry, which departs from the ‘Kauppatori’ market place. As zoos go, it’s not a bad one in terms of animal welfare; they mostly house cold-tolerant species such as Finnish forest reindeer, Amur tigers, snow leopard, wolverine and Bactrian camels; there are no large mammals from warm regions. There’s a decent cafe, and a barbecue area too. What to eat and drinkRestaurant Savotta: Like stepping back in time, this traditional restaurant in Senate Square is a must. Cosy, rustic, and like having supper at your Finnish grandma’s house (I imagine). The hearty menu is inspired by Finland’s lakes and forests; we had reindeer sausage with lingonberry sauce, and a warm salmon salad with potato salad and buttermilk sauce.Vallila is a neighbourhood just north of Helsinki city centre, known for its colourful wooden houseVisit FinlandIhana Kahvila Baari: a lovely family-friendly cafe behind the Espa park, which serves coffee, pastries and wine Bob’s Laundry: very cool cocktail bar and hangout in Punavuori… and still a working laundry. The vintage style is Palm Springs x Andy Warhol. Delicious cocktails, too.The Old Market Hall in the harbour: a covered market with rows of stalls selling traditional fare - I loved the creamy salmon and potato soup and salmon on rye flatbread circles with a little wine (11euros for medium). The reindeer salami was also an unexpected highlight. Read MoreBaskeri & Basso: In Ullanlina, I adored this restaurant; an East London warehouse vibe, with model-esque waitstaff and modern Finnish cooking. Try their other spot too, Basbas Kulma. Cafe Regatta: a lakeside spot which not only serves coffee and sandwiches, but also sausages and marshmallows to cook on the open fire - heaven! There are also playgrounds, and a beach for the children, and a canoe and SUP station - being a sheltered bay, it’s safe for younger children too (supregatta.com). Off to the (other) islandSo one bluesky (still only 2 degrees in April) day, we took the 20-minute (very windy) ferry across to Suommenlina, a UNESCO heritage site, and one of Helsinki’s 330 islands. It is built around a former 18th century fortress. This is where to find the pretty Scandi huts. We had lunch at the charming Cafe Silo, a big warming bowl of Mexican-style tomato soup and salmon toasts for the adults, followed by a blueberry cheesecake, then popped down to the museum (Moomins galore, of course), saw a submarine, hit up the excellent playground, then got the ferry back again.Where to stayThe Grand Hansa Hotel: a luxurious and grand hotel just behind the central railway station, with 224 rooms in upmarket Scandinavian style. The breakfast buffet has everything from pancakes to freshly cooked eggs, and practically its own salmon bar. The spa in the basement is a real haven, using traditional Finnish treatments. Rates start from €279 / £239 per night, nh-collection.com Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4: recently renovated, this is a modern design-led hotel. The entrance hall of Solo Sokos Pier 4 hotelSolo Sokos hotelThe cavernous entrance hall alone is breathtaking; wait until you sit on a curved chair in the bedroom, in front of floor to ceiling windows watching boats coming in and out of the harbour. Some rooms have a private sauna. Even if not staying, go for the breakfast (25E for non-guests) - fresh bread from Kannisto’s, local gourmet cheeses, various organic porridges, cold cuts (of course, plenty of salmon), homemade smoothies and granola - and all with a Finnish nod. Rates start from €145 / £125 per night, https://solosokoshelsinki.com-hotel.website/ Need to knowEmployers have to pay staff double on Sunday, so many places don’t open. General transport: Download the HSL app, from which you can buy tickets for buses and trams. How to get thereFinnair (www.finnair.com) offers return fares from London Heathrow to Helsinki, from £168 in Economy Class, and £496 in Business Class including all taxes and charges Finnair offers direct flights from London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh to Helsinki all year round – with their Heathrow service operating up to six per day