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

1) It’s never more than a 10-minute walk to 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 pick mushrooms in the forest on 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 center. There are three arboretums, historic mansion parks, dozens of other parks, and wild nature areas.

2) Central Park is the green living room of Helsinki

Central Park is the green heart of Helsinki. It is the most popular park in the entire country. Central Park is visited annually by nearly as many people as all Finnish national parks combined—almost 2.5 million. Just lift your backpack at the yard of the Helsinki Opera House and walk through the park into 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, which are open to the public year-round.

4) There are 7 national parks within a 1.5-hour drive

There are two national parks in the Helsinki metropolitan area: Nuuksio and Sipoonkorpi. In addition, there are five more national parks less than 1.5 hours away. In any Finnish national park, you can easily experience silence and connect with nature. At the same time, you step into your own private space where nobody will disturb you. Visit a national park during the day, and in the evening, you can still enjoy a concert, go clubbing, dine in a restaurant, or see a movie.

Nuuksio National Park

5) There are dozens of recreational 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 recreational forests, routes, and areas. Their purpose is to provide an easily accessible place for everyone to relax in the middle of pristine nature. Try one of these spots.

6) The city has green, softly breathing lungs

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

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

7) The Viherkehä Green Ring

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

These hundreds of conservation and recreation areas surround Helsinki within about a 40-mile radius. From Sipoonkorpi National Park, you can walk or ski over 40 miles to the beautiful cape of Porkkala along the Viherkehä area. You only need to pass under major roads via underpasses.

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

That’s what they call Helsinki. Helsinki was built where land and sea meet. Nature is present in many forms, including the sea. The Helsinki metropolitan area has its own archipelago, and many of the most spectacular spots are located on the islands.

9) The inhabitants are nature addicts

The Finnish connection to nature is unique. In summer, you can feel that the whole city is leaving for the weekend and heading into the wild. On Midsummer’s Eve, this is absolutely true—the city center is practically deserted, as everyone heads out into nature.

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