Travel solutions: Helsinki

Iconic Aalto glassware

Completed in 1971, this angular white marble edifice is now one of the city’s most famous tourist landmarks. Less attractive on the outside but the most interesting on the inside is the Social Insurance Institution. Completed in 1956, its gleaming tiles, shiny striped floors and classic Aalto lighting creates architecture that is both beautiful and functional.

Helsinki is a compact city of just 565,000 (compared to London’s 7.5 million), easily negotiated on foot or, if you’re in a hurry, tram. The Aalto buildings, despite their age, remain pristine; elsewhere the city is equally spotless. Even the modern steel and glass Kamppi shopping centre (which also houses a bus station and metro) is orderly, litter free and devoid of gangs of hoodie-wearing teens. What youths there are seem rosy-cheeked and well-scrubbed, and their nonchalant lounging could have been art-directed for a fashion shoot.

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Bold textiles at Marimekko © Ofelia Pablo

The streets around Uudenmaankatu form the official Design District, clustered with small outlets selling fashion, wood, textiles, lighting, antiques, jewellery and fine art. Its focus is the Design Forum, a shop and series of gallery spaces featuring homegrown and international talent. On the elegant main shopping streets of Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi, which run down to the harbour, the Artek store sells furniture and products by classic and contemporary inter-national designers: popular Finnish company Marimekko showcases its trademark bold prints; and Iittala still sell Aalto’s famous vase among their range of glass and ceramics. Prices are cheaper than the company’s London stockists, but for the real bargains it’s worth taking a bus six kilometres out of town to the Iittala factory shop for some serious price reductions on seconds and sale goods. I added a Moomin mug to my shopping bag plus a small Aalto vase (almost half-price at £16). If you’re really keen you can book a tour of the glass factory and museum and see first hand how your famous Aalto vase was made.Getting there Air Berlin flies from London Stansted to Helsinki from £64 return (www.airberlin.com).

Where to stay Sokos Hotel Helsinki, Kluuvikatu 8, 00100 (00358 9 131 401/ www.sokoshotels.fi/english) Standard twin room, winter leisure
rate €76.Architecture tours of Helsinki are provided by Archtours (www.archtours.com).

‘Alvar Aalto Through the Eyes of Shigeru Ban’ continues at the Barbican until May 13.

For more information on travelling to and within Finland visit the Finnish Tourist Board (www.visitfinland.com).

Helen Sumpter