Haltia Turku & Finland'S South Coast

The gateway to Nuuksio National Park is this atmospheric modern visitor centre in the shape of a nesting duck. Inside, exhibitions evoking the sights and sounds of the Finnish landscape are backed up by interactive information screens. At its heart is an offbeat installation of two swans playing DNA chess. There's an upstairs restaurant and mountain-bike hire; you can also rent kayaks and snowshoes. From Espoo train station (linked to Helsinki's train station), catch bus 245 to the Solvalla stop. At 1pm on Thursdays, you can take a one-hour guided tour of the centre in English (€5).