The world's first sightseeing tour for dogs filled a park in Helsinki-the Sibelius monument made of wood and dog portraits were the favorites of the visitors.
Helsinki. On weekends, August 8th and 9th, Finland's capital Helsinki opened the probably first sightseeing route especially for dogs worldwide. Fortunately, the “hundred route” included a dog-sized homage to the world-famous Sibelius monument, a dog café, its own dog island and even special advertising for four-legged visitors. The opening of the route coincided with the 2025 World Dog Exhibition in Helsinki.
Throughout the weekend, over a thousand dogs stood in line with their owners to explore the route, and hundreds stopped at the dog photography spot to be portrayed.
The world's first sightseeing tour for dogs
The Stickelius monument quickly developed into a climax of the sightseeing route, pulled admiring looks of the passers-by and provided enthusiastic reporting. Some spectators even expressed the desire to make it an integral part of Helsinkis, and described it as respectful and creative homage to the original Sibelius monument.
The curator of the Stickelius monument is 'Neris', a rescue dog from Helsinki. By collecting sticks and processing, 'Neris' gained national recognition to a unique public art installation called “Stick Gallery”. From the same sticks, a monument was now emerged in honor of one of the most famous statues of Helsinkis, which is dedicated to the composer Jean Sibelius and was designed by the late sculptor Eila Hiltunen. The Stickelius monument was carefully designed to maintain the proportions of the original Sibelius monument in a scale of 1: 4.
The route also includes a refreshing stop in the Café Dogatta, a “dog café” next to the popular Café Regatta by the sea, one of the most popular visitors to visitors. The crown jewel of the sightseeing tour and the dog luck in Helsinki is the island of Rajasaari-a unique island that is only accessible to dogs in the middle of the maritime heart of the city. It is open around the clock and accessible on foot and offers forests to roam around, beaches to run and water for swimming. The dogs who enjoyed the island had very respected neighbors: the president and Prime Minister of Finland live directly opposite the water and both were spotted with dogs while jogging.
'Dogatta' and 'Rajasaari', some of the highlights of the route, will stay in Helsinki permanently and enjoy the local dogs and their owners.
Are dogs the secret of happiness in Helsinki?
In Finland, a country with 5.6 million inhabitants and around 800,000 dogs, pets are valued family members. An estimated 40,000 dogs live in Helsinki. In fact, Finland has the highest number of dogs per capita worldwide. Perhaps it is worth getting to the bottom of the matter: are dogs one of the reasons why Finns are the happiest people worldwide?
The sightseeing route shows that Helsinki is a real feeling of happiness not only for humans, but also for dogs. Helsinki is known for its beautiful coast, the lush nature, the lively urban culture, the active lifestyle and the integrative atmosphere and offers over 90 special dog parks, several dog beaches and even a 50 hectare forest just for dogs. Dogs and their owners can also access several dog training places all over the city.
In Helsinki, dogs are very welcome in most shops, cafes and restaurants. Some even offer special menus for dogs. Dogs belong to the city culture, even in libraries, where special “library dogs” read the children. Dogs also drive free of charge by all public transport.
“Pets make you happy. This time we wanted to create attractions in some of the most popular places in the city – places that dog owners and their dogs can enjoy together. We are pleased that so many people and dogs experience well -known sights from a dog perspective,” says Soila Lehkonen, Head of Brand & PR at Helsinki partners and responsible for the international marketing in the city.
Fortunately, the dog path reflects Helsinki's commitment to give all residents and visitors happiness, regardless of whether they run on two or four legs.