Now non-stop flights from Dublin with Aer Lingus two times weekly. On the south coast of Finland, Helsinki has charm and variety of a city built on headlands and islands, where almost every road ends in a view of the sea. Helsinki is one of Europe’s most modern and culturally progressive cities, yet remains in touch with an intriguing history stretching back over 450 years. It is a city of bustling, colourful market squares and halls, of outdoor summer concerts and sports events, of seaside parks, of excellent cafes and restaurants for every taste and budget, top-notch hotels and cutting-edge art in fine museums. It is also a pleasantly compact city, with many of the attractions in the central districts, within easy reach of one another. Attractions range from the fabulous island fortress of Suomenlinna in the entrance to the South Harbour and the Open Air Museum of traditional buildings on the island of Seurasaari, to the startling Kiasma housing the Museum of Contemporary Art and the unique ‘Church in the Rock’. History abounds in the magnificent Senate Square, with its neo-Classical Lutheran Cathedral, in the nearby Uspensky Orthodox Cathedral, and in the art nouveau details of the Railway Museum and National Museum. Excursions from Helsinki might include a coastal steamer trip to the Old Town of Porvoo, a leisurely cruise around the local archipelago, a trek through the National Park at nearby Nuuksio, or a day-trip to the Estonian capital, Tallinn, just 90 minutes by hydrofoil across the Gulf of Finland. Helsinki is also a good starting point for Baltic cruises to St Petersburg to the east and Stockholm to the west.

Departures: Every Tue and Sat.