The leafy Esplanadi Park, lined with cafes and shops, is a breath of Central European sophistication in the middle of Helsinki. Locally known as "Espa," oblong-shaped Esplanadi stretches for four blocks between the squares of Erottaja to the west and the Kauppatori to the east. Designed by architect CL Engel and opened in 1818, it's one of the city's most loved green spaces and fills with picnickers on sunny days. In fact, this is where Finland's cultural elite – writers, painters and composers – have gathered since the Finnish language and cultural identity, in opposition to Swedish and Russian ones, were being promoted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
These figures, from composer Jean Sibelius to painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela, met in Esplanadi's glitzy Kappeli glass building, adorned with glittering chandeliers, eating and drinking till the small hours of the morning. Kappeli means "chapel" in Finnish, and the restaurant is truly a holy institution, beloved by locals and visitors. In summer, sit on the terrace and watch the world go by; at other times, get cozy indoors and order the gourmet salmon soup. The bandstand in front of the restaurant features performances in the summertime.
Spot the statue of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finland's national poet and composer of the national anthem, in the center of the park, unveiled in 1885.
