The colorful, clean, and minimalist seaside city of Helsinki has much to offer visitors. You’ll notice right away how nature-filled and peaceful the capital is, especially because a whopping third of the area is dedicated green space. The architecture and design elements throughout the urban areas are Instagram-worthy and the food culture is constantly offering up something newfangled and interesting.

From wandering through the Old Town to taking a boat over to one of the neighboring islands to visiting a well-curated museum to dining inside at a well-liked market, you won’t be scratching your head trying to figure out what to do here, no matter what time of day it is or what month. Helsinki is Finland’s art and culture hub, which is full of surprises, making the destination one of the best places in the world to visit right now. Below are Helsinki highlights—the top things to do in Finland’s capital city.

Walk or Bike and Explore the Architecture and Design

Best explored on bike or foot, Helsinki, a designated UNESCO City of Design, is the only city on the globe with its very own Chief Design Officer. There is much to see throughout the Design District, with its 25 streets and over 200 points of interest. Here, you’ll find many small design and interiors shops to visit as well as fashion houses.

Visit the Tori Quarter, by Senate Square, which is considered the “new old town”; Lapuan Kankurit, for Finnish textiles; Garden Center for Finnish Fashion; and, of course, the popular Marimekkeo design house, which sells brightly flowered clothing, housewares, and textiles. Not to be missed for design lovers and learners are the Design Museum, Museum of Finnish Architecture, The Aalto House, and the Didrichsen Art Museum.

Seeing the architecture throughout the city, with diverse objectives, charms, and materials—wood, glass, metal, and stone—is worth making the trek to Finland alone. Marvel at: Senate Square; Oodi, Helsinki Central Library; the red bricked Uspenski Cathedral; Temppeliaukio Rock Church; Helsinki Central Station; Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma; and, my favorite, Kamppi Chapel, also known as the Chapel of Silence, which is a wooden windowless quiet space surrounded by the hubbub of the city.

Take a Boat to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress

Walk past talented street musicians playing stringed instruments or the accordion, fishmongers selling fresh catches straight out of their boats along the pier, and vendors selling freshly cut flowers in Market Square. Take the ferry to the island of Suomenlinna where you’ll explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was used to defend Sweden, Russia and Finland.

Carve out an entire day and spend it wandering the island, visiting the many museums, dining (there are 11 restaurants), shopping, stumbling through the fortress tunnel system, and enjoying the surrounding nature. Suomenlinna is open year-round and is free to visit, although there is an extra cost for the six museums.

Sweat in a Sauna

Spending time in a sauna is a quintessential Finnish experience. Steaming in a sauna, followed by rolling in the snow or jumping into the frigid sea, and then repeating the cycle is a deep-rooted cultural tradition. Helsinki is home to many public saunas, perfect for the first-time visitor, and it’s a good idea to visit a modern and innovative sauna as well as a traditional one that has been around for a long time—each sauna provides a different experience.

Löyly, is a favorite for its stunning design, restaurant, and seaside location. You’ll love relaxing in the smoke or wood-heated saunas and cooling off on the terrace. Of course, no matter what time of year, you should swim in the sea for the full experience.

Dine at a Michelin-starred Restaurant

Helsinki is deserving of its Michelin stars and the city has many restaurants that currently hold one star status: Palace, Olo, Grön, Demo, and Ora. From modern Nordic cuisine to plant-based Scandinavian delights to multi-course meals to down-to-Earth dining rooms, you can find what you’re looking for in this pulsating epicure capital city.

Of course, there are great restaurants for every pocketbook throughout the city and you should definitely engage in the coffee culture. Finns are known to drink more coffee per capita than any other culture in the world.