Enjoying a Finnish Sauna -- Regardless of where you've bathed before, you haven't been cleansed to the core until you've experienced a Finnish sauna. Whether used for giving birth to babies or entertaining Russian ambassadors, the sauna is often looked upon with almost religious awe, and an enormously high percentage of private Finnish homes and apartments have one.
Hearing a Sibelius Concert -- To listen to the work of Finland's greatest composer, Jean Sibelius, is a moving experience. This sensitive, vulnerable artist achieved a universal melodic language. In his lifetime, Sibelius and his music became the symbol of Finland.
Cruising the Archipelago -- Since Helsinki is the capital of a country of 188,000 lakes, it, too, is best seen from the water. On a warm summer day, take a cruise through the archipelago; you'll pass innumerable little islands and navigate around many peninsulas.
Taking an overnight cruise to Tallinn, capital of nearby Estonia -- Arranging a visa for a visit to Estonia, across the water, is time-consuming and requires planning prior to your arrival in Helsinki. But once you're there, the rich, once-forbidden majesty of this capital of the Baltic republic opens before you, at prices, at least for souvenir goods, that you'll find surprisingly low.
