Wild, untamed Helsinki

There is an edge to Helsinki, that’s hard to describe. You can sense it in the bricks and bars and little cafes of the Kallio district. You can hear it in the beats of Club Ääniwalli pouring into the soft white summer nights, and in the sound of sand under your trainer, as you head for a run in the nearby forest. 

It’s hard to describe, but you’ll know it as you find yourself sitting on the boards of community-run Sompasauna, skipping small talk and diving straight into something soul deep with someone you just met. You’ll know it as you explore the canopy kiosks around the city only to realise that you’ve just hit a neighbourhood festival, a poetry night or an open air rave for kids and elders alike. 

Yes, there is an edge to Helsinki. We could call it real. We could call it authentic. We could call it untamed. We can certainly call it Helsinkian.