9 Reasons Why Helsinki Is The Nature Capital of the Entire World

1) It’s never more than a 10-minute walk to the nature

In Helsinki, you are literally in the middle of nature. Helsinki is the only capital in the world where you can wake up in a good state, go to the Opera and go to the forest to pick mushrooms during the same day. No matter where you are, a piece of nature is always just a short walk away. Even in the very heart of the city centre. There are three arboretums, historic mansion parks, dozens of other parks and wild nature areas.

2) Central Park is the green livingroom of Helsinki

Central park is the green city centre of Helsinki. It is the most popular park of the entire country. Central park is visited annually by nearly as many people as in all Finnish national parks in total, almost 2.5 million. Just lift the packpack at the yard of the Helsinki Opera House and walk through the park to the wilderness. As far as you want. The green space continues all the way to Lapland.

3) It’s the capital of the land of 40 national parks

Helsinki is the capital of Finland, the land of national parks. There are 40 national parks, and they are visited more than 2.8 million times a year. The country’s most stunning nature can be found in these parks, that are open to public around the year.

4) There are 7 national parks within 1,5 hour drive

There two national parks in the Helsinki metropolitan area: Nuuksio and Sipoonkorpi. In addition there are 5 more national parks less than 1.5 hours away. In any Finnish national park you get to experience silence very easily. You can be in touch with nature without any filter in between. At the same time, you get directly into your own private space where nobody comes to disturb. Visit a national park during the day and in the evening you can still enjoy a concert, go clubbing, dine in a restaurant or go see a movie.

Nuuksio national park

5) There are dozens of recretion forests

There is no other capital region of over a million inhabitants in the world with so much surrounding nature. In addition to national parks and parks, there are dozens of recreation forests, routes and areas. Their purpose is to provide an easily accessible place for everyone to relax in the middle of pure nature. Try one of those.

6) The city has green, softly breathing lungs

The nature areas surrounding the city clean the air and bind impurities. The vegetation also reduces noise impact. Finland is one of the world’s top countries in the purity of air and quietness. And you really can feel this in the capital area.

Haltiala forest. Photo by Emilia M, read more here.

7) The Viherkehä Green Ring

Cities all around the world are surrounded by the ring roads. So is Helsinki. But this capital city is also surrounded by a green ring. The Viherkehä (Green Ring) combines different natural reserves in an unbroken chain around Helsinki: parks, recreation areas and national parks.

These hundreds of conservation and recreation areas surround Helsinki in about a 40-mile radius. From Sipoonkorpi national park you can walk or ski even over 40 miles to the beautiful cape of Porkkala along the Viherkehä area. You only have to pass underneath big roads via underpasses.

8) It’s called the Daughter of the Baltic Sea

That’s how they call Helsinki. Helsinki was built where land and sea meet. Nature is present in many forms, sea included. The Helsinki metropolitan area has its own archipelago. Many of the most spectacular places are located just in the islands.

9) The inhabitants are nature addicts

Finnish nature relationship is unique. In the summer, on the fairways it feels, that the whole city is leaving for the weekend and heading into the wild. And the Midsummer’s Eve it is also absolutely true. The city centre is practically deserted. Everybody is in the nature.

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