Editing Tourism in Finland (section)

== Cities ==
[[Image:Helsinki Cathedral in July 2004.jpg|thumb|[[Helsinki Cathedral]]]]
[[Helsinki]], Finland's capital and largest city, receives many visitors year-round. During the summertime thousands of tourists approach [[Helsinki]] by cruising boats travelling across the [[Baltic Sea]]. [[Helsinki]] is known as a clean, modern, and safe meeting point between the east and west.

Other popular tourist destinations within Finland include [[Tampere]], [[Jyväskylä]], [[Turku]], [[Oulu]], [[Kuopio]], [[Rovaniemi]], and [[Porvoo]].

=== Helsinki ===
{{See also|List of tourist attractions in Helsinki}}
[[File:11-07-29-helsinki-by-RalfR-027.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Temppeliaukio church]] is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city; half a million people visit it annually.]]
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in the country, although it is relatively small compared to other European capitals.

Because Helsinki is located on the coast of the [[Baltic Sea]] and has many kilometres of coastline, most of its central districts are near the seaside. Helsinki is considered a maritime city and is popularly called ''the daughter of the Baltic''.

Helsinki's coastal position makes it ideal to experience in the summertime from one of the many sightseeing ferries leaving from the port of Helsinki. Many of Helsinki's main attractions are also related to the sea, including the [[Suomenlinna]] naval fortress (a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]) and the [[Seurasaari]] Island with its parks and open-air museum. Locals often spend sunny days at the [[Hietaniemi beach]] (often simply called ''Hietsu''), Helsinki's main beach in the district of Töölö.

In the winter-time Helsinki's northern position makes it dark for most of the day, with lighting fixtures such as [[Aleksanterinkatu]]'s Christmas street (''Joulukatu''). During the coldest months of the winter, it is very common for locals to go for walks on the frozen sea, although authorities recommend caution when the ice is thin. There are also many places for [[ice swimming]] along the coast, some with saunas.

Air travel to Helsinki is via [[Helsinki Airport]], situated in the neighboring city of [[Vantaa]], a city part of the [[Helsinki metropolitan area]]. Helsinki also has popular [[Baltic Sea cruiseferries|cruiseferry]] links with [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] and [[Tallinn]], [[Estonia]]. [[Silja Line|Silja]], [[Viking Line|Viking]] and [[Tallink]] are the biggest ferry operators.

Helsinki is also the home of the [[Linnanmäki]] amusement park, which features five rollercoasters and many other rides, including the world's first [[Intamin]] ZacSpin rollercoaster.

Helsinki is a safe city for tourists and a safe place to live. In terms of personal safety, Finland was ranked 14 out of 163 countries according to Global Peace Index 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=Helsinki Finland|url=https://www.travelpricewatch.com/helsinki-finland/|website=TravelPriceWatch|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref>

Helsinki also has efficient tourist information system maintained by the [[City of Helsinki Tourism & Convention Bureau]] located in the city center next to the [[Esplanadi]] park.

Helsinki was ranked 10th of the most expensive cities in the world according to UBS Group AG's Prices and Earnings report for 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|title=UBS Group AG's Prices and Earnings report for 2018|url=https://www.ubs.com/microsites/prices-earnings/en/stories/3-key-highlights-from-our-2018-ranking/|website=UBS.com|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref> Travelers should plan to spend around US$216 or €199 per day on their vacation in Helsinki, which is the average daily cost of staying in a 4-star hotel, visiting 2 popular attractions, using public transportation, and eating out in mid-range restaurants with a glass of wine included.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Helsinki Travel Cost Calculator|url=https://www.travelpricewatch.com/helsinki-finland/|website=TravelPriceWatch.com|access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref>

=== Tampere ===
{{wide image|Tampere from Pyynikki observation tower.jpg|1200px|A view from [[Pyynikki observation tower]] towards the city centre. The [[Näsinneula]] tower is prominently visible at about a third from the left.}}
[[Tampere]], also known as the "[[Manchester]] of Finland", has often been rated as the most popular city in Finland;<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/tampere_rated_finlands_most_popular_city/10133848 YLE: Tampere rated Finland's most popular city]</ref> perhaps it is precisely for this reason that over the years it has grown into Finland's second largest<ref>[https://sponda.fi/en/a-dynamic-city-of-growth-tampere-is-the-second-largest-urban-centre-in-finland/ A dynamic city of growth – Tampere is the second largest urban centre in Finland]</ref> and the second best-known Finnish city in the world after Helsinki. The old [[industrial city]] built on between lakes [[Näsijärvi]] and [[Pyhäjärvi (Tampere region)|Pyhäjärvi]], and along [[Tammerkoski]] [[rapids]] has also proved to be quite a significant tourist destination with its various national and international events,<ref>[https://visittampere.fi/en/events/ Event Calendar - Visit Tampere]</ref><ref>[https://www.baltic.org/tampere-lakeland-festival-to-celebrate-tamperes-beautiful-lake-nature-in-sarkanniemi-and-mustalahti-harbour/ Tampere Lakeland Festival to celebrate Tampere’s beautiful lake nature in Särkänniemi and Mustalahti harbour!]</ref> museums (such as [[Moomin Museum]]) market places (such as [[Tampere Market Hall]]<ref>[https://tampereenkauppahalli.fi/tampere-market-hall/ Meet you at the Tampere Market Hall - Tampereen Kauppahalli]</ref><ref>[https://theculturetrip.com/europe/finland/articles/10-of-tamperes-top-markets/ 10 of Tampere's Top Markets]</ref>) and, of course, its [[Särkänniemi]] [[amusement park]], not to mention the world-acclaimed nature in Tampere.<ref>[https://www.zanderland.fi/activities/ Other nature experiences and activities  - Zanderland]</ref> Tampere's local traditional food "[[mustamakkara]]" in particular has aroused a lot of interest in the world, all the way to [[celebrity chef]] [[Anthony Bourdain]].<ref>[https://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/a/2012011215067944 AL: Julkkiskokki ahmaisi puoli kiloa mustaamakkaraa] (in Finnish)</ref><ref>[https://www.is.fi/tv-ja-elokuvat/art-2000005713014.html IS: Anthony Bourdain rakastui Suomen vierailullaan mielipiteitä jakavaan perinneruokaan: ”Good stuff!”] (in Finnish)</ref> Tampere also have been officially declared the "[[Sauna]] Capital of the World".<ref>[https://www.spottedbylocals.com/blog/tampere-is-the-sauna-capital-of-the-world/ Tampere is the Sauna Capital of the World]</ref><ref>[https://businesstampere.com/finnish-sauna-society-and-international-sauna-association-tampere-is-the-sauna-capital/ Finnish Sauna Society and International Sauna Association: "Tampere is the Sauna Capital"]</ref><ref>[https://www.themayor.eu/cs/tampere-the-sauna-capital-of-the-world Tampere – the sauna capital of the world]</ref><ref>[https://search.isepstudyabroad.org/University/Detail/76d890f8-e715-42ea-91c3-8629b405c34d Tampere University – ISEP Study Abroad]</ref><ref>[https://saunafromfinland.com/sauna-destinations-in-finland/tampere-sauna-capital/ Tampere – the Sauna Capital of the World ~ Sauna from Finland]</ref>

Many of Finland's most important highways between different cities intersect at Tampere, such as the [[Finnish national road 3|Helsinki-Tampere Highway]] (part of [[European route E12|E12]]). Also, air travel to Tampere is via [[Tampere-Pirkkala Airport]], situated in the neighbouring municipality of [[Pirkkala]], a part of the [[Tampere metropolitan area]].

Tampere is also known for several educational institutions, such as [[Tampere University of Applied Sciences|University of Applied Sciences]] and [[Police University College (Finland)|Police University College]]; the [[Tampere University]], like the city, is also the second largest of its kind in Finland.<ref>[https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/tampere-university Tampere University - The World University Rankings]</ref>

=== Jyväskylä ===
{{wide image|Jyvaskyla panorama.jpg|1050px|A view from Lake Jyväsjärvi towards the city centre.}}
Lonely Planet calls [[Jyväskylä]] as a [[Mecca]] for architecture lovers around the world for its large collection of [[Alvar Aalto]] buildings. The city is the biggest city on [[Finnish Lakeland]] and capital of [[Central Finland]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://touch.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/Jyväskylä/l-destination/g-9021/d-600811|archive-url= https://archive.today/20130127222307/http://touch.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/Jyv%C3%A4skyl%C3%A4/l-destination/g-9021/d-600811|url-status= dead|archive-date= 27 January 2013|title= Introducing Jyväskylä|year= 2012|publisher= University of Lonely Planet|access-date= 4 July 2012}}</ref> Later, a modern architect [[Arto Sipinen]], a pupil of Aalto, has influenced in the cityscape since the 1970s by designing most of the new university buildings in the city.

The [[Alvar Aalto Museum]] and the Museum of Central Finland form a centre of culture in the immediate vicinity of the historical campus of the [[University of Jyväskylä]]. Both museums are designed by a functionalist [[Alvar Aalto]]. The Alvar Aalto Museum displays the artist's most important work and design. The Museum of Central Finland specializes in cultural history. It serves both as the town museum of Jyväskylä and the provincial museum of Central Finland. [[Nokkakivi|Nokkakivi Amusement Park]] is about 20&nbsp;km from Jyväskylä.<ref>[https://www.rantapallo.fi/suomen-matkailu/kaikki-suomen-parhaat-huvipuistot-katso-lista/ Suomen parhaat huvipuistot - Rantapallo] (in Finnish)</ref>

One of architect Aalto's most significant works Säynätsalo Town Hall is located in [[Säynätsalo]] island on Lake [[Päijänne]].

The city hosts the '''[[Rally Finland|Neste Oil Rally Finland]]''' (formerly known as '''1000 Lakes Rally'''). It is the biggest annually organised public event in the [[Nordic countries]], gathering over 500,000 spectators every year. The rally has been held since 1951, first as a national competition, then from 1959 on as a [[European Rally Championship]] event and since the introduction of the [[World Rally Championship]] in [[1973 World Rally Championship season|1973]], as Finland's WRC event.

'''UNESCO World Heritage''' site [[Petäjävesi Old Church]] is located in vicinity of Jyväskylä.

=== Porvoo ===
{{wide image|Porvoon ranta-aitat panoraama 2.jpg|1050px|A view from [[Porvoonjoki|Porvoo River]] towards the Porvoo Old Town.}}
[[Porvoo]] has often been called an authentic small town<ref>[https://www.hs.fi/koti/art-2000006363042.html Yllättävän menestyvä kaupunki] (in Finnish)</ref> and has been chosen as one of the most beautiful towns in Finland on several occasions.<ref>[https://travelmelodies.com/porvoo-finland/ Porvoo – The Little Fairy tale Town in Finland]</ref> The city  is one of the six [[Middle Ages|medieval]] towns in Finland, first mentioned as a city in texts from the 14th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, the city played an important role in connection with the [[Diet of Porvoo]], when Finland, which at that time was part of the [[Russian Empire]], gained [[Self-governance|autonomy]] in the form of the [[Grand Duchy of Finland]].<ref>[http://www.porvoo.fi/index.php?mid=2439 Porvoo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719121744/http://www.porvoo.fi/index.php?mid=2439 |date=2011-07-19 }}</ref>

The Porvoo Old Town is a popular tourist destination, known for its well-preserved 18th and 19th century buildings and 15th century cathedral, the [[Porvoo Cathedral]]. The Old Town together with [[Porvoonjoki|Porvoo River]] River Valley is recognized as historically and culturally significant as one of the [[National landscapes of Finland]]. Porvoo is also culturally important in that many of the most significant writers, starting with [[J. L. Runeberg]], are largely from Porvoo or its immediate sub-region municipalities (such as [[Johannes Linnankoski]] from [[Askola]]).

Attempts have been made to make the Porvoo Old Town a '''UNESCO World Heritage''' site, but so far it has not been qualified.<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11166489 Miksei Porvoon historiallinen keskusta kelpaa maailmanperintökohteeksi – Museovirasto: "Linjausten mukaan Suomen ei pitäisi ehdottaa sitä"] (in Finnish)</ref><ref>[https://www.hs.fi/mielipide/art-2000006377007.html Miksi Vanha Porvoo ei kelpaa Unescon maailmanperintökohteeksi?] (in Finnish)</ref>