Most of Helsinki's
nightlife is centrally located around Uudenmaankatu
and Eerikinkatu and bar-hopping is easily done
on foot.
The Helsinkiläiset are relaxed about their dress code and visitors
will feel at ease in anything from jeans to eveningwear, depending
upon the venue. Helsinki seems to specialise in the bar-cum-restaurant
– the early shift comes to dine, the later crowd to come to
party. Most stay open until about 0300hrs during the summer, while
hours vary in the winter. Discos or nightclubs generally close about
0400hrs.
The Finns love dancing to tango music and many of the restaurants
have dancefloors. Outdoor dancing is a particular favourite and
can be found at Pavin tanssilava, in nearby Vantaa.
The legal drinking age is 18 years old although
some pubs and discos have an age limit of 21 years.
The minimum age for nightclubs is generally 24 years.
The cost of a bottle of beer is approximately €3-3.50, while
a glass of wine from €3 to €4.
The best guide to the city is Helsinki
This Week published by the City of Helsinki Tourist
Office and widely available.
Bars
Most of the bars are found on 2 nearby streets, so a bar crawl will
reveal most of Helsinki’s nightlife. Start at media hangout
Bar 9, Uudenmaankatu 9, domain of Helsinki’s
movers and shakers. Just next door is Bar Tapasta,
Uudenmaankatu 13, a hole-in-the-wall bar, always spilling over with
a hip crowd washing down tasty tapas with a few beers.
Bar Corona, Eerikinkatu 11, has billiards, pool
and a laid-back atmosphere, where you can either perch at the bar
or sit outside. Just next door is Moskova, normally
packed with youngsters enjoying a honey-vodka or 10. Further down
the street, Mother, Eerikinkatu 2, is the newest,
trendiest hangout, while further along is Con Hombres,
Eerikinkatu 14, a small, often packed gay bar, which plays some
of Helsinki’s best techno tunes. There’s also Café
Soda, Annankatu/Uudenmaankatu 16, which is popular with
younger people and is a bar as well as a club. To experience the
Finnish national passion for tango dancing first hand, Vanha
Maestro, Fredrikinkatu 51-53, is where it all happens.
Cover charge is €5 weekdays and €8.50 at the weekends.
Casinos
Casino
Ray, Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 4, is open daily from
1200hrs to the early hours of the morning, an international casino
with games including roulette, blackjack, punto banco, money wheel
and more. Players must be at least 18 years old
and require a passport to obtain a membership card. Smart dress
only.
Clubs
Café
Soda, Annankatu/Uudenmaankatu 16, is a café by day,
bar by night and nightclub after midnight. DJs spin Helsinki’s
best moves and grooves and a young, crowd frequent the bar and dance
floor.
Nightclub DTM, Annakatu 6, is
large, noisy, gay and steaming with pumping techno music. Hotel
bars tend to cater for the business crowd – some of the more
popular include the Helsinki Nightclub, Sokos Hotel,
Kluuvikatu 8, Helsinki, Yliopistonkatu 8, and Hesperia
Nightclub, at the Radisson SAS Hesperia Hotel, Mannerheimintie
12. Also very popular is 10th Floor Dance, Kaivokatu
3, which attracts a mix of celebrities and business people.
Live music
The best source of information on entertainment is found in the
daily press or Helsinki This Week. The
Finnish Music Information Centre (MIC), Lauttasaarentie 1 (telephone
number: (09) 6810 1313, fax number: (09) 682 0770, e-mail: info@mic.teosto.fi,
website: www.fimic.fi),
also provides information.
Current Helsinkian rock groups include:
Ultra Bra
Nylon Beat
HIM
Darude
Bomfunk MC
J Karjalainen
Heikki Silennoinen Soul-special
Sami Saari
Other favourite singers include Karita Mattila,
Arja Koriseva (the queen of Tango music) and Soile
Isokoski. A good club for live music is the Nosturi,
Telakkakatu 8. For major rock concerts, the main venue is Tavastia
Klubi, Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6.
Jazz
Music
The
Storyville Live Jazz Club, Museokatu 8, has a different band
on most nights, including the Helsinki City Jazz Orchestra.
The newest jazz club in the city is Jumo, Pursimiehenkatu
6. |
