City break in Helsinki: Tips for a successful trip to Finland

WWhen Finns come across studies that say they are the happiest people in the world, the first thing they do is laugh. But not because they are so incredibly happy at that moment. But rather because they don’t know how not to make the other person look like a complete idiot. After all, hardly anyone here thinks anything of these studies. Are the happiest people in the world supposed to live in a country where there are only a few hours of sunlight in winter? Have you ever seen a film by Aki Kaurismäki, the Finnish grand master of sketching melancholic worlds? Did that look like luck?

But because the people here are definitely among the most polite in the world, they don’t say anything at first. And as they think, they come up with a surprising number of reasons why they are so happy in their country. In addition to a trustworthy democracy, a good healthcare system and a stable economic situation, it lists a number of things that people here do individually to ensure their happiness. So what could be better than looking for a bit of happiness in the Finnish capital during the winter months?