Helsinki

Introduction
Helsinki is the capital and biggest city of Finland, situated on the coast of the Baltic Sea in the southern part of the country. It is the northernmost capital city in the world. Finns often advise that the best time to visit Helsinki is in summer: when the weather is warmest and the sun shines at night, when outdoor bars, cafes, and terraces spring up, and when Helsinki's many public parks are filled with picnics, festivals, sunbathers, and revellers. (See Summer in Helsinki). However, an adventurous traveller is encourage to visit in Winter to get a taste of the real "Finnish experience".

CouchSurfing in Helsinki
The CouchSurfing situation in Helsinki is generally pretty good. There are a decent ratio of hosts to surfers, especially in the winter months; which means it is relatively easier to find a couch in Helsinki when compared to larger capital cities such as Paris or Berlin. Helsinki has a large and active community for it's size; with regular weekly events such as the Weekly Meeting, in addition various weekday and weekend meetups, multicultural dinners, large multi-day events, parties and excursions.

Other Hospitality Exchange Networks
Memberships of alternative hospitality networks such as BeWelcome are increasing, however there are still very few BeWelcome hosts in the Helsinki region.

Tips for Finding a Host in Helsinki

 * You don't neccesarily need to find your host in the 'center' of the city. Many people, including hosts, live outside the city center. The 'city center' itself is rather small and the bulk of the residential buildings lie to the North, East, and West. Public transport in Helsinki is excellent and will likely be the main way your host travels around the city.
 * Consider searching for hosts in the two other cities in the Helsinki metropolitan region: Espoo and Vantaa. In fact, many districts of Espoo (Otaniemi, Tapiola, Leppävaara) are actually closer to Helsinki city center that the furthermost districts in Helsinki itself.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
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 * I want the real Finnish sauna experince. Where do I go and what do I do?
 * Where can I book a sauna in the Helsinki region?
 * Where can I go camping in the Helsinki region?
 * What's the coolest/hippest place to hang out?
 * I've come for the legendary Finnish metal scene. What bars and clubs should I go to?
 * Where can I find an apartment or room-mate?
 * What's the cheapest way to get to Helsinki?
 * How do I get to St. Petersburg from Helsinki?
 * When is the best time to visit Helsinki?
 * What is there to do in Summer?
 * What is there to do in Winter?