Why is Helsinki the Happiest City in the World?
Finland has been crowned the happiest country in the world for eight years running, and if you’ve ever strolled the streets of Helsinki, you might already understand why. At first look, maybe it’s the cinnamon buns… but if we look closer, we see several key factors that stand out amongst the rest.
The capital city of Finland doesn’t just flirt with joy, it fully embraces it in a its own weird and quirky way. While other cities might aim for a polished look, Helsinki takes a different route: real, natural, warm and welcoming. In Helsinki, they’ll tell you: “We’re not perfect, we’re happy.” And after spending a week here during Pride, exploring saunas on tiny archipelago islands, feasting on plenty of Finnish cuisine, and witnessing a design-forward city that leads with sustainability, I think I understand why it’s so happy here a little bit more.
Here’s a deep dive into what actually makes Helsinki one of the happiest cities on Earth.
1. Helsinki Prioritizes Wellbeing in Every Sense of the Word
The moment you arrive and step off the airplane, you can feel it. Honestly, walking through Helsinki’s International Airport you’ll find plenty of spaces where you could comfortably spend the day. One of my favorite areas was this large-atrium like space with soundscapes playing at just the right volume over the speakers. Approaching the loungers, you are immersed into varying areas of Finland’s natural and beautiful spaces through imagery and sound.
Stepping off the train in downtown Helsinki, you can sense that the air is clean, the pace is calm and easygoing, and the city is set with this balancing act of urban life with the natural and wild surroundings from the harbor to the forests. From physical wellbeing, to emotional and social wellbeing, public services and spaces are available for individuals to connect, socialize, and focus on their own emotional health.
From the Oodi Library, there’s a plethora of artistic tools, lounge spaces that promote socializing, art, photo and video studios, all free to use for the public. And it’s not just about personal wellbeing, but global wellbeing as well. For the last several years, Helsinki has ranked very high on the Global Destination Sustainability Index, most recently landing the #1 spot worldwide. From the offerings of public transit to the methods used to foraging and maintaining sustainable food systems, to the energy-efficient architecture that is increasingly becoming more abundant, Helsinki is proof that sustainability and happiness do go hand in hand.
2. Nature Is a Part of Daily Life (Not Just For Occasional Vacations)
One of the most amazing and surprising parts of Helsinki is how flawlessly it blends city-life with the outdoors. You don’t have to go far outside the city center to immerse yourself in and amongst nature.
Take Vallisaari Island, for example, which is just a short ferry ride from downtown. Vallisaari is a green oasis brimming with biodiversity. On the island you can see deer, butterflies, birds, and tons of fish, all amongst grassy meadows, ponds and sea cliffs with panoramic views. The island feels like a world away from the city, but in reality it’s just a 25 minute ferry ride from the center. While visiting Vallisaari, we got to experience the Helsinki Biennial event which was set up around the island. The Helsinki Biennial is an enormous art event celebrated throughout the city. On the island, life-size multi-media and material art was staged right in the wilderness, taking modern and dynamic approaches that provided unique experiences involving all senses from piece to piece.
Another ferry brings you to Lonna Island, a small island escape with one of the most beautiful serene saunas we’ve ever experienced. Lonna Island’s sauna is wood-fired, gender-inclusive, and contains a loft made from exposed and vibrant natural timber. With nothing but the quiet of the sea around you, it’s hard not to relax here. After 15 minutes sweating it up in the sauna, you can step outside and tiptoe barefoot across a rocky path to plunge into the cold but absolutely refreshing Baltic. It’s the kind of body-reset you didn’t know you needed until you try it! So that’s natural Helsinki happiness in a nutshell.
3. They’re Weird, Wonderful, and 100% Themselves
Helsinki doesn’t do fake, or pretend to fit in with the cool kids. There’s no attempt to be a “cool” European capital in the conventional sense… it’s already much cooler than that.
The people here are self-aware, slightly quirky, and completely unbothered by the performative fluff you might find elsewhere in the world. Whether it’s eclectic and thrifted (but brilliantly gorgeous) style or a combination of flavors from a dish you didn’t know could exist, Helsinki thrives on contrast and character. There is something incredibly powerful about claiming your personhood without giving a care of what anyone else thinks… and I mean, really not caring. This is something I believe is incredibly difficult for Americans to achieve, as we grow up believing that others’ opinions of us matter, and can impact our wellbeing on a day to day basis. But this is a city that celebrates imperfection, and in doing so makes space for everyone. That’s revolutionary. That’s the kind of community you can be a part of without worrying about fitting perfectly. You don’t have to fit in to belong in Helsinki, and that’s what makes it so special.
This is also a city that celebrates diversity. We had the pleasure of spending time in Helsinki during Pride week, and I’m so glad we did. Read the next section to find out why!
4. Community Runs Deep, Especially During Pride
There are few cities where Pride feels this organic. Helsinki doesn’t rainbow-wash one weekend and move on, especially because you won’t see many if at all any advertisers front-and-center in the parade. Pride is woven into the very core of the city, from the streets to the saunas to in front of city hall, where we gathered before joining the Helsinki Pride Parade alongside over 100,000 people crowding the streets.
Something refreshing to see was the fact that so many businesses and community spaces fully embraced the spirit of Pride. We stayed at the Hobo Helsinki for the week and were incredibly surprised to see how active they were in providing space not only for their guests, but for Helsinki locals celebrating Pride as well! The Hobo Helsinki is a newly opened creativity-focused accommodation that basically doubled as the official Pride House for the week. The hotel operates like a community hub. Hobo Helsinki hosted drag-bingo, LGBTQ+ specific seminars, workshops, and other great pop-up events. The message was clear: you’re welcome here. Something that also caught our eye while touring the city for the week was the number of Pride flags soaring in the sky. Nearly every business we went to we could see a welcoming sign for LGBTQ+ people, an absolutely refreshing sight to see.
And nowhere was the welcoming clearer than at Pride Park Festival in Kaivopuisto. The Pride parade concludes at Helsinki’s largest park, a sprawling celebration of community under the midsummer sky. People celebrate laying out their blankets and setting up for picnics throughout the entire park. Snacks, music, flags, performances, and celebration in all directions.
5. Food Isn’t Just Nourishment, Each Dish Tells a Story
I’ve already spent too many days in Europe getting by just shoving a croissant in my mouth and rushing to the next museum… but here, the food is viewed a little differently. Happiness in Helsinki tastes like filled-to-the-rim vodka shots and a perfectly grilled white fish at Savoy. This restaurant has been an institution since the 1930s. With architecture and interior design that already has a “wow” factor, you can also dine al fresco on Savoy’s balcony overlooking Helsinki’s most beautiful promenade. Chef Helena Puolakka is at the helm of the kitchen, and her creations speak for themselves. This is Finnish fine-dining meets French cuisine. It’s classic, it’s innovative, it’s superb and an experience you can’t forget!
Then there’s Nokka, a Michelin Star restaurant within a gorgeous nautical building right on the harbor. Our dinner featured an exquisite tasting menu including fresh ingredients like reindeer, wild berries, and plenty of sustainably caught fish. Nearly everything is sourced from the forests and waters surrounding Helsinki, and that truly makes all the difference. It’s insane the difference of quality in food that can be observed just by the care taken to source well-produced food. Nothing processed, only the finest within Nokka’s walls. The dining room and setting are just as gorgeous as the food. The historic warehouse perched right on the Baltic provides an optimal setting for a dinner or date. And don’t get us started on the cocktails… Nokka truly feels like a warm tribute to the city’s roots.
And Lonna Island’s modern island cuisine? This one’s homey, innovative, and everything you could ask for after a dip in the Baltic and time in the sauna. One of my favorite things about Finland in general is the abundance of fresh-baked rye bread. However, I have to admit, the bread at Lonna was my favorite I tried during my time. So if you’re looking for fine-dining that can also feel like a home-cooked meal, this is your place. The menu changes with the seasons and the tides. Even if I list everything we enjoyed on our plate, it’s likely that by now, there are new recipes to return to! Every dish is intentional and every plate is like a little love letter to what Finland is all about.
6. Art Is Everywhere and For Everyone
We didn’t expect to be so moved by a temporary art exhibit in the middle of a forest. But that’s exactly what happened during the Helsinki Biennial, staged across Vallisaari Island.
This year’s theme, Shelter, explored the tension between humans and nature, safety and displacement, and fragility and strength. The pieces weren’t confined to white walls, but were scattered across the landscape, utilizing a vast array of materials, and completely life sized. It’s an intense experience to walk amongst and inside some of the exhibits. And I think that’s the point: Helsinki doesn’t believe art is separate from life… it’s part of their daily lives, it’s a part of the ecosystem!
Communities that truly embrace art set a fine example. It shows the public that creativity and thinking-outside-the-box are valuable traits that should be encouraged. So next time you see public murals, displays of art in a park, artists sharing their work in coffee shops and libraries, remember that it’s not just about what’s on the canvas, but the message that it gives to the community.
7. They’re Rooted in Where They Came From
Even the most modern parts of Helsinki come with a side of history. And sometimes, a shot of contraband! During our Smuggler’s Dinner Cruise, we sailed through some of the same archipelago routes that were once used during Finland’s prohibition era. It was sunset, which in Finland in the summer can be quite long — over 4 hours long at that! We enjoyed a lovely dinner window-side and listened to story after story about clever bootleggers, corrupt police, and of course smugglers who used their knowledge of the sea to outwit the authorities.
And then there’s the LGBTQ+ history walking tour, led by local legend Juho from Yoo-hoo! Tours. The tour wasn’t just about sightseeing, but about seeing the unseen and perhaps more hidden parts of Helsinki. We walked around the city visiting some of the old meeting spots that decades ago were kept highly secret. We heard stories and learned a lot about Helsinki resident queer icons like Tom of Finland and Tove Jansson. We also learned about the swift changes that occured from the city moving from criminalization to celebration. The LGBTQ+ history walking tour was a fantastic way to learn more about Helsinki’s quirky and queer culture.
8. The City is Designed for All of Us (Not Just Some)
Everything from Finnish dish-ware to armchairs are thoughtfully designed to provide the best experience for its users. But where the real star shines is the city’s seamless public transport. This is a city where no car is needed. The public transport from trains and ferries to busses is extremely accessible and reaches to all corners of the city. Helsinki design is really all about functionality, comfort and beauty that maintains a purpose. Funny enough, when citizens opt for smart and sustainable public transport, the air is cleaner, the oxygen is richer and the people are happier.
Even the ferries that carried us between Market Square and the archipelago were part of the experience. Onboard, you’re struck by the view from Helsinki’s waterfront to the small islands that dot the route. There’s no rushing, or loud announcements shouting at you, it’s just smooth movement through space.
9. Helsinki Is One of the Safest and Most Inclusive Cities in the World
There’s something incredibly freeing about walking hand-in-hand with your partner through a foreign city and never once feeling the need to look over your shoulder to make sure you’re safe. So that’s what it’s like in Helsinki.
The country of Finland consistently ranks among the safest for LGBTQ+ travelers. Helsinki’s openness isn’t just a kind of temporary performance that happens during Pride. You can see that it’s deeply ingrained. Here, legal protections obviously cover the basics, so LGBTQ+ people are protected from discrimination based off gender or sex. Another important factor is that representation and inclusive action throughout the community like making gender-neutral saunas available, hosting drag brunches, making space for queer bars, and displaying pride flags — these actions all contribute to a sense of safety. This is something that many of us don’t take for granted, and I can imagine how this reflects with all who may feel different or not of the norm. To feel truly happy, it’s important to also feel safe, welcomed, and like you belong.
In Helsinki, being different doesn’t really make you an outsider, it makes you part of a greater mosaic.
10. Helsinki Doesn’t Chase Perfection, it Cultivates Joy
Maybe this is the real secret. Helsinki isn’t trying to be your favorite city. It just is what it is. It’s weird, wild, serene, sustainable, queer, and deeply self-aware. In a world full of cities competing to be the next “it” place, Helsinki is happy just being Helsinki. That kind of authenticity hits like fresh oxygen wafting in from the Finnish forests.
People here laugh easily at themselves, at the weather, and at the absurdity of life. Helsinki finds reasons to celebrate, even in the small things. They take care of their land through sustainable practices and take pride in their ability to live green. They aren’t in a rush, but take things slow. They work to live well but they don’t live to work. They’re very happy and take pride of their breaks and sabbaticals. Helsinki makes time for the sauna, and to eat tasty and well-sourced foods slowly. They drink strong coffee (sometimes up to 8 cups a day)! And when the sun sets after 11:00 pm in the summer, they sit on their balconies or stay up a little longer.
You also have to be aware of the ever-present change in seasons in Finland. While the summer is incredible and offers almost limitless daylight, the opposite can be true for winter. There is a season of darkness and cold in Helsinki, and I’ve heard that not just looking to enjoy the moment you’re in, but the ability to stay thankful and look forward to what’s coming can make all the difference. It’s not perfect. The weather can be temperamental, difficult, and dark… but there’s happiness, because people choose to look forward to the coming summer, and lean into that gratitude.
Until We Meet Again, Helsinki
By the time we were saying our goodbyes, we realized we weren’t quite ready to leave. However, the best kind of happy (and souvenir) isn’t just a vacation high, but a kind of happy that you can take with you back home. We left Helsinki with full stomachs, relaxed minds, and many, many new and wonderful memories. As we took off, we waved down below to the archipelago as a “see you again soon Helsinki!” You’re also our happy place now too!
Are you planning your own Helsinki adventure? We recommend:
Booking a stay at Hobo Helsinki — especially during Pride season.
Taking the ferry to Vallisaari Island for art, nature, and perspective shifts.
Spending the afternoon at the sauna on Lonna Island — then jumping into the sea.
Dining at Savoy, Lonna, and Nokka for a full culinary picture.
Walking the city with Juho at Yoo-hoo! Tours on his LGBTQ+ tour.
Coming with an open mind, a mostly-empty schedule, and a swimsuit!
The capital city of Finland doesn’t just flirt with joy, it fully embraces it in a its own weird and quirky way. While other cities might aim for a polished look, Helsinki takes a different route: real, natural, warm and welcoming. In Helsinki, they’ll tell you: “We’re not perfect, we’re happy.” And after spending a week here during Pride, exploring saunas on tiny archipelago islands, feasting on plenty of Finnish cuisine, and witnessing a design-forward city that leads with sustainability, I think I understand why it’s so happy here a little bit more.
Here’s a deep dive into what actually makes Helsinki one of the happiest cities on Earth.