I spent the week (five days) in Helsinki. I'll probably write three or four essays off the topic but there's one significant thing that I tended to notice. Security (safety).
With the exception of the railway station in Helsinki.....I walked around for five days in the city and just never saw the cops. I can't think of a single German city where you would get that feeling or see so little of the police. Maybe twenty years ago, that was possible.....but not in today's atmosphere.
Crime in Helsinki? Almost non-existent. Even if you read up on it.....the most that you have to worry about is pick-pocketing.
No thugs? No drug activity? No nutcases?
Now, I admit....it's brutally cold in the winter (-3 C, with a 20 kph wind).....making it awful cold. With just five hours of sunlight in the winter, People just don't hang out much.
The cops at the railway station? I think they simply drew a line and let the crime crowd know that they won't tolerate anyone just hanging around and making for trouble (like you'd see in Koln or Frankfurt). I stood in the middle of the station and can admit that you don't see dark corners or shady characters eyeballing unsuspecting 'targets'.
Course, on the other hand....it is a fairly socialized country with a high tax rate.....23-percent on sales tax for example. Anyone thinking about settling there or picking it for a new homeland....might examine the cost of living (just the cost of a can of Pepsi), and discuss other options.
On safety, I'd rate Helsinki at a "10".....just don't go in the midst of winter though.
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