Finland

In 2025, I made my way north to visit a friend in Helsinki — a city that feels both quietly powerful and effortlessly cool. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by the calm rhythm of everyday life there: trams gliding through the streets, the crisp air off the Baltic Sea, and people unbothered by the cold, moving with purpose and ease.

We spent our days wandering between cozy cafés, design shops, and seaside saunas, talking about everything and nothing as the sun lingered late into the evening. There was something grounding about Helsinki — a blend of simplicity, beauty, and honesty that makes you want to live slower, think deeper, and breathe a little easier.

“Helsinki is a city where you can hear yourself think — and that’s a rare kind of beauty.”
— Tove Jansson