As the capital city of Finland, Helsinki plays host to nearly one-quarter of the Finnish population. Being so overwhelmingly at the heart of Finnish society makes the city a vibrant cultural heartland, filled with young people seeking education, employment and adventure. Named as the World Design Capital for 2012, Helsinki is not some backwater city that time forgot, despite its strong Art Nouveau influences from the early 1900s. It is a fusion of old and modern and is also notable for having a higher proportion of women than the rest of Finland. Clearly its subtle charms work.