Protean contemporary art space Amos Rex is one of the Finnish capital’s newer museums, having opened in 2018 after the complete reconstruction of a 30s cinema, which included the addition of a spaceship-like subterranean annexe. More than just an exhibition space, the museum’s courtyard also moonlights as a skatepark, drinking terrace and meeting place for the city’s sun-seeking cool crowd.

Owned by Finnish actor Jasper Pääkkönen, this super-slinky, design-forward spa, which occupies a prime stretch on the southern tip of Helsinki’s peninsula, provides a sustainable wellness experience and top-notch waterfront views. Sweat your socks off in the sauna, take a refreshing dip in the sea (if you dare), then settle in for a long lunch of fresh seafood on the terrace. Jasper’s salmon soup is the don’t-miss dish.

One of the city’s most striking architectural feats, Helsinki’s Central Library opened in 2018 as a living room for its citizens. Replete with over 10,000 books to borrow (a system that’s managed and co-ordinated by robots), as well as an urban workshop space offering free-to-use 3D printers, sewing machines and a music studio, Oodi is an ode to Helsinki’s mission of being a city that uses design as a force for social good.

The nerve centre of the city’s dynamic art and design scene, Helsinki’s Design Centre is a window into the history, present and future of Finland’s two biggest design and lifestyle brands: Iittala and Arabia. Beyond internationally acclaimed exhibitions, the futuristic space also offers a vintage service, allowing visitors to swap pre-loved ceramics, as well as offering a jam-packed calendar of workshops, events and talks.