Secret Helsinki

An indispensable guide for those who thought they knew Helsinki well or would like to discover the other side of the city.

A dog that managed to catch 108 criminals without human help, a statue of a homeless alcoholic, the antiaircraft defences where Tom of Finland became a war hero, a plaque in honour of somebody who never existed, a chance to swim naked in the the country’s oldest swimming pool, the only church in the world that doubles as a lighthouse, a free sauna open 24 hours a day, a walk through the water to a secret island, a hidden Kalevala-scene fresco inside the Old Student House, a natural waterfall within the city, the location of Star Wars’ Princess Leia’s necklace, ‘Short Island’ – the antithesis of New York’s Long Island, a church turned nightclub turned church again, the only statue of a Russian tsar outside Russia ...

Far from the crowds and the usual clichés, Helsinki offers countless off-beat experiences and is home to any number of well-hidden treasures that are only revealed to residents and travellers who find their way off the beaten track.

An indispensable guide for those who thought they knew Helsinki well or would like to discover the other side of the city.