Small mounds of snow are forming on the corners of Helsinki’s streets. Temperatures in January can drop to -19 degrees Celsius, with daytime temperatures of -2 degrees common. During the cold season, I usually hibernate under a warm blanket, thick woolen socks and a cup of tea, but today is different. I come to the freezing city to find ways to lift my mood when temperatures are low.
According to local expert Heidi Johansson, this is, after all, something of a specialty for Finns, who live in the happiest country in the world. As the darkness of a winter afternoon approaches, we set out on a tour of Helsinki’s happy spots, trudging through the snow. Our mission? Explore the secret to winter happiness.
Happiness Tip #1: Eat well
The first stop on our Happiness Tour is Hakaniemi Market Hall, a renovated two-story former department store, reopened last May. Who doesn’t want to eat in winter? Browse independent market stalls selling everything from colorful licorice cables wrapped in jars to pastries named after poets, fresh fruit and vegetables and glistening salmon fillets.
We sample homemade Karelian pastries, sauna-smoked ham and dried reindeer, all delicious. At the fish stall boxes of herring are smoked until golden brown, and just down the hall is a local cheese stall selling varieties made from Helsinki cows. There’s a good reason why herring is one of the most popular flavors in the Nordic region. Not only are herring historically easy to catch, but they’re also rich in vitamin D, which can help fight the winter blues. Cheese is also rich in tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin and boosts your mood. Finish your tour with a sip of sharp, earthy sea buckthorn juice packed with vitamin C, ready to fight off the winter bugs.
Another reason Helsinki celebrates its food this year is by hosting the Nordic region’s Michelin star award ceremony in May. Inside one of Helsinki’s cheerful restaurants, it’s easy to forget the gloomy atmosphere outside. The city’s dining scene is diverse and vibrant, with many hidden gems. On the top floor of the market hall, Restaurant Kirsikka A fun place to eat with local cuisine and a bright 1950s Italian Riviera atmosphere. In other places, natura We offer modern Finnish cuisine with a signature frozen yogurt dessert like a snowman. roomNew this year, the restaurant is helmed by a showman and star chef, serving Finnish-Kurdish cuisine in an immersive feast for the senses.
Happiness Tip #2: Find green space whenever possible.
In the summer, Helsinki’s parks are full of people, but now there are not so many. Walk towards your next destination, Helsinki. design museum, passing through a park that is now an ice rink. I wonder if green spaces make people happy and what would happen if everything turned white.
That question is answered to a small degree in the Design Museum’s current exhibition.The future of gardens: designing with nature, will run until March 31st. This event celebrates gardens and gardening, from the beauty and functionality of tools and workwear to the design and joy of gardening.
You can also take off your shoes like a former prime minister Sanna Marin and keep walking Alexandra KehayoglouA large embroidered carpet brings back memories of barefoot on the grass in summer. Artistic and avant-garde, fun and unexpected, just what a snowy city needs.
Happiness Tip #3: Focus on color
Its white background is the perfect complement to Helsinki fashion. This is a city where the quiet luxury of muted beiges and browns hibernates and color takes over.A compact stroll design district especially, vima, The racks here are filled with gorgeous, textured, brightly colored and patterned clothing perfect for an extroverted night out.in willow houseorange and pink are fused with gold in unisex kimonos and wraps. marimekkobright poppies spread across everything from placemats to slippers.
I wandered into a designer shopping center. Camp Galleria Discover Klaus Haapaniemiwhose design will be featured in Kate Winslet’s upcoming drama “System”. His richly patterned silks and interior furnishings evoke dark fairy tales where among the trees, foxes and owls there is always a frightening looking spider to be on the lookout for.
Fashion in Helsinki is full of joy. I was also struck by Helsinki’s selection of luxurious earrings. Chiasma Art galleries, the world’s first airport vintage clothing store, etc. Relove.
Happiness Tip #4: Embrace activity.
Back outside, I wonder how people are moving through the snow. In some places, it can be difficult to tell where the pavement ends and the road begins. I spied people riding bicycles with fat tires. According to Heidi, the trend of “winter cycling” is gaining ground on snow-covered streets, with some bike lanes turning into cross-country ski slopes when the snow falls.
In some places, there are deep grooves in the snow and parents are swapping strollers for plastic sleds for school runs. Here in Helsinki, snow turns even the most mundane event of commuting into something fun. And it’s been a while since I put the words “commuting” and “fun” in the same sentence.
Secret of Happiness #5: Sweat it out in the sauna
Finally, what could be more classic in winter in Helsinki than a sauna and a bit of ice swimming? The sky is dark when we arrive Lollya sophisticated modernist sauna spa It belonged to “Vikings” actor Jasper Päikkönen. At the end of the day.
We walk down the hallway by candlelight to the hottest sauna, then nervously make our way to the stairs and the icy sea. It’s my first time swimming on ice. For the first few seconds in the freezing water you feel scared, but soon you feel a surge of energy and pride that you have overcome your fear. A cozy cup of tea, a blanket and warm socks become a distant memory as you head back to the sauna to warm up before hitting the ice again. Instead of feeling half-asleep, which is common in winter, I feel like I’m awake and happy to be alive. I’m here for that. I want to do it again.
These are 5 secrets to make you happy this winter. If you can keep Finns happy in extreme zero temperatures, what can they do for you?
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