This European City Has Been Crowned One Of The World's Most Liveable Places

Helsinki has been ranked as one of the world’s most liveable cities by the Economist Intelligence Unit, coming ninth overall and second in Europe, behind Vienna. The list is ranked using certain factors organised into five categories – stability, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and environment. Helsinki received top marks in stability and healthcare this year and high marks in almost every other category. These are just some of the reasons why:

Infrastructure

Helsinki’s grid road system and well-organised public transport network always keeps the city moving on time, even during rush hour. Tram routes circle the city, ferries provide transportation to the off-shore islands such as Suomenlinna, and the city has the northernmost subway system in the world. The central train station is regarded as one of the best in the world and the Helsinki-Vantaa airport is known for being highly efficient, even keeping flights on schedule during a blizzard.

Crime

Social and religious rights

Finland is often praised for its secular social democracy society and lack of political corruption. The general attitude is that individual political or religious views don’t matter as much as being a good and responsible citizen. As such, Helsinki is one of the most diverse cities in Finland, in terms of both race and religion, with churches and temples of different denominations.

Sports and culture

Helsinki is one of the Nordic countries’ hubs for sport and culture. The city has 70 indoor sports facilities (the most popular of which is ice hockey) which are available for public use. For culture, there are numerous art galleries, museums, theatres, libraries, and concerts, all of which are accessible to everyone, and many of which frequently exhibit emerging local artists.

Food and drink

A diverse population also means a wide range of cuisine from different cultures. Helsinki has many international restaurants, with Indian, Nepalese, Japanese, and Turkish being especially popular. The city’s location on the southern coast on the Baltic Sea also means there are lots of freshly caught fish sold in the markets. There are huge events held annually celebrating the fish catch, including the Baltic Herring Market and the Crayfish Festival.

Housing

Like all capital cities, Helsinki’s housing is more expensive compared to the rest of the country. However, the housing is top quality with easy access to amenities and there are very few run-down buildings. Strict housing laws make all homes warm and comfortable even during the coldest parts of winter, and almost all homes come with access to a Finnish sauna. Even social housing for the homeless is of good quality in Helsinki, allowing people to get off the streets and ease back into society safely.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.