Palace Hotel, Helsinki (10)

Whether it's architecture, furniture, cars or homeware, there's a lot more to Scandinavian design than clean lines and pared-down shapes. Scandinavia ... more

Because summer is when the Finnish capital really lightens up. St Nicholas' Church might look pretty dusted in winter snow (as does much of the ... more

Designed by Alvar Aalto for the 1952 Olympics, it's been only slightly revamped since then. Rooms from ?230 (£147).

The Palace Hotel , 10 Etelaranta (00 358 9134 56656; www.palacehotel.fi), has great retro doubles (it was built for the 1952 Olympics) from ?120/£83.

Designed by Alvar Aalto for the 1952 Olympics, it's been only slightly revamped since then. Rooms from ?230 (£147).

The Palace Hotel , 10 Etelaranta (00 358 9134 56656; www.palacehotel.fi), has great retro doubles (it was built for the 1952 Olympics) from ?120/£83.

Designed by Alvar Aalto for the 1952 Olympics, it's been only slightly revamped since then. Rooms from ?230 (£147).

The Palace Hotel , 10 Etelaranta (00 358 9134 56656; www.palacehotel.fi), has great retro doubles (it was built for the 1952 Olympics) from ?120/£83.

You can buy a stress-relieving snowball made of plastic, which crunches like the real thing when you squeeze it, at Kiasma, Helsinki's Museum of ... more

Because summer is when the Finnish capital really lightens up. St Nicholas' Church might look pretty dusted in winter snow (as does much of the ... more