In the capital city of Helsinki, southern Finland

 " Joka vanhoja muistelee, sitä tikulla silmään." ("A poke in the eye for the one, who dwells on the past.") -- a Finnish saying

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(in southern Finland) Helsinki, the capital of the country, is found on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Often considered to be Finland's only metropolis, it is the world's northernmost metropolitan area with more than a million people; it is also the northernmost capital of an EU member state. Sitting on the edge of the Baltic Sea, the modern, cosmopolitan city of Helsinki offers the beauty of its natural surroundings, which blends quite nicely with its high-tech achievements and contemporary trends. An eyes-wide-open walk through the city's center reveals layers of history, while modern architecture and cutting-edge style suggest a city that's looking far into the future. Visit Helsinki during its endless summer days or wait a bit, and enjoy some adventure here -- on snowy winter nights. While it is a culture-packed urban center, Helsinki is indeed surrounded by sublime natural environment that's easily reached from every part of the city. Opportunities for activity abound here, from boating to the islands of its archipelago, strolling along its beaches (or through its extensive parks and gardens), and hiking in surrounding forests. When snow blankets this city in the Winter, and Helsinki freezes over, snowshoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing, ice skating, and ice fishing on the bays are quite invigorating ways to keep warm while remaining in touch with Luontoäiti (Mother Nature). Although Finland is known for its streamlined, functional, stylish design, pioneers such as Alvar and Aino Aalto cemented its reputation in the 20th century, and the capital continues to be the country's creative hub. Helsinki's modern design scene is now one of the most stimulating in the world today, and a major influence across the globe. Boutiques, workshops, and galleries filled with glassware, lighting, textiles, and innovative homewares proliferate in the Design District just south of the city center, in Punavuori, which is home to Helsinki's superb Design Museum -- and throughout the city, from thoroughfares to repurposed industrial spaces. Besides the design scene, architecture in Helsinki is also flourishing. Contemporary highlights include the Kiasma museum of contemporary art and the concert hall (Musiikkitalo). Modernism is exemplified by Alvar Aalto's Akateeminen Kirjakauppa and Finlandia Talo concert hall, along with Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen's awesome rock-carved church, the Temppeliaukio. Finland's art-nouveau movement, National Romanticism, has also left a glorious legacy of buildings, as exemplified by the city's beautiful train station. Functionalism, wooden architecture, and Byzantine-Russian, neo-Renaissance, and neoclassical styles are all now woven into the fabric of today's Helsinki.