THE TASTY ONE: Helsinki, Finland

The Finnish capital is full of surprises. Some bits feel like Rome, as you idle over coffee at pavement cafes; others feel like St Petersburg, as you stroll by its powder-blue and primrose-yellow Neo-Classical buildings.

But if food is the way to your other half’s heart, head for Helsinki – rapidly establishing Nordic cooking on the global gastro-map. Ingredients are super-fresh, flavours clean, and courses tend to come in lots of one-fork bites – perfect for feeding each other.

Foams and powders rule at Olo (mains from £23), where chef/owner Pekka Terävä serves up ‘New Nordic Kitchen’ at its best. But Savoy (mains from £23) is Helsinki’s most romantic dining spot, with views over the leafy esplanade to the archipelago (expect twists on tradition, such as reindeer served two ways – entrecote with cep mayonnaise, and T-bone with a liquorice sauce).

For breakfast – and great cinnamon buns – try Café Success (Korkeavuorenkatu 2), then shop for sexy stuff at the Design Forum Finland (www.designforum.fi), which parades the latest Finnish designers as well as the kitschest keepsakes. Look around the old market hall, all stacks of plump chanterelles; then snooze at Hotel Glo (www.palacekamp.fi; doubles from £139), where sheepskin rugs and velvet cushions soften the minimalist lines.

Airlines serving Helsinki include BA (www.ba.com) and Finnair (www.finnair.com), both flying from Heathrow

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