You don’t meet many people who say, "I always dreamed of seeing Helsinki." It doesn’t have the ring of, say, Paris or Venice. Its Nordic location gives it a reputation for being quiet and expensive and it’s not exactly a tropical paradise. Even so, it has enough in its favor to be worth a visit. It is friendly and relaxing, cheaper than Sweden (though so are most places) and it’s not far away.

On the practical side, if you need to get a Russian visa quickly and reliably, the Russian consulate in Helsinki (on the corner of Vuorimiehenkatu) provides a very efficient one-day service.

Other reasons for going to Helsinki include eating good fish, finding out if the weird Finns in Aki Kaurismaki’s films have real-life prototypes, and breathing clean, fresh sea air. Meanwhile you can soak in the rocky bleakness, neo-classical grandeur, and the Nordic neatness and comfort and modern efficiency that all blend in the city.

Helsinki’s closeness to Russia is apparent in its architecture. Finland was part of the Russian empire from 1809-1917, and until Russian policy took a more autocratic turn towards the end of this period, it was a time that saw Finnish culture and language flourish. Some of the architects that worked in St. Petersburg also worked in Helsinki. The central Senate Square displays the same kind of neo-classical harmony prominent in St. Petersburg, and the Uspensky Cathedral, Western Europe’s largest Orthodox church, is unmistakably Russian-looking with its burst of colorful domes. The church serves not only the growing Russian community, but it also holds Finnish-language services, since a minority of Finns has long been Orthodox.

The Russian influence on the architecture meant that Helsinki was often used by Western moviemakers as a stand-in for the Soviet Union in Cold War-era films, and there are certainly moments, especially around Senate Square, when you could believe yourself to be in Russia, albeit in a more scrubbed and scoured version.

The city’s compactness means you can forget about the shiny modern trams running here and there and tour the sights on foot. From the impressive railway station building it’s a short walk through the shopping district to Senate Square and the stark white cathedral rising at the top of the steps, one of Helsinki’s most famous landmarks. From there, it’s not far to the Market Square by the waterfront where people sell fresh fish and souvenirs.

Also on the waterfront is the Old Market Hall. Here you can tempt your eyes and stomach with piles of salmon, herring, caviar, pancakes and Karelian buns with cheese, potato or fish. For those of you not so keen on marine life, there are also fine chocolates, sweet pastries, meats and sausages and much more.

Other activities in Helsinki include a short boat trip out to Suomenlinna, an old sea fortress built on an island not far from the city. The fortress, one of the largest of its kind in the world, is on the list of world heritage sites, and once you’re done exploring, you can get a huge buffet lunch there for around 10 euros.

If shopping is your thing, Helsinki has no shortage of venues. There is a very large Stockmann’s close to the railway station, and a big bookshop next door selling an extensive range of books in a number of languages. Restaurants can get expensive, but the city’s numerous cafes make good eating spots with excellent, well-presented food and coffee at often quite reasonable prices.

Hotels are not cheap, though there are youth hostel options, especially in the summer. One convenient choice is the Omapohja guesthouse (Itainen Teatterikuja, 3), which offers decent double rooms in a Victorian-style setting from 45 euros and is very close to the railway station.