The 23rd Sigrid Jusélius International Symposium
May 31 - June 3, 2009
'Aging, Neurodegeneration and Mitochondria'
organized by Sigrid Jusélius Foundation and University of Helsinki.

Welcome to Finland and Helsinki

Symposium venue The Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre of Hanasaari Link to the website "how to to get to Hanasaari Cultural Centre"

Finland

Finland, a member of the European Union since 1995, has about 5.2 million inhabitants and is one of the largest countries in Europe by area. Finland is a northern country of great beauty with a distinctive cultural life. Approximately two-thirds of the country’s surface area is forest, and there are nearly 200 000 lakes. Finland’s coast – with more than 95 000 islands – is one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the world. The miraculous brightness of the northern summer night is a well-known fact, but it is impossible to imagine and comprehend without experiencing it.

Currency: EUR (Euro, €)
Weather: The average daytime temperature in June is 15–22°C. Nights are colder. Rain may occur.

For more details, please see:

• www.visitfinland.com
• www.virtual.finland.fi
• www.fmi.fi/weather/climate.html

Helsinki

The town of Helsinki was founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden and has been the capital of Finland since 1812. The architecture and the culture of the city were both influenced by the East and the West. Helsinki is today the centre of Finland’s cultural and business life.

More than one-fifth of the country's population lives in the Helsinki area. It is easy and safe to get around the capital. Public transport is good. Nature is near, even in the middle of Helsinki, as over thirty per cent of the city is devoted to landscaped parks. Helsinki is located by the sea and the sea is an essential part of the personality of the city.

For more details, please see:

• www.helsinki.fi
• www.visithelsinki.fi

How to get to Helsinki

By plane

Helsinki-Vantaa airport has direct flights from dozens of European airports, for example. The airport is situated 19 kilometres from the centre of Helsinki and can be reached by taxi in about 25 minutes (about EUR 35). You can also take the Finnair airport bus (about EUR 5.20), which stops at the Hotel Scandic Continental, or Bus 615 (about EUR 3.60) to the Helsinki Railway station.

For more details, please see: www.finavia.fi

By ferry

There are daily ferry services to Helsinki from Sweden and Estonia. For more details, please see:www.tallinksilja.com, www.vikingline.fi, www.lindaline.fi, www.eckeroline.fi

The city of Helsinki and the metropolitan area (street search and zoom):
Helsinki.fi -portal: