The Market Square is a central square in Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

, Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

, and one of the most famous market place

Market Place

Market Place is the financial programme broadcast Monday to Friday at 10:30pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl....

s and tourist attraction

Tourist attraction

A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....

s in the city.

The Market Square is located near the centre of Helsinki, at the eastern end of Esplanadi

Esplanadi

In the heart of Helsinki, the capital of Finland, the two streets constituting Esplanadi are officially named Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi...

 and bordering the Baltic Sea

Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...

 to the south and Katajanokka

Katajanokka

Katajanokka is a neighbourhood of Helsinki, Finland, with around 4000 inhabitants in 2005. The district is located adjacent to the immediate downtown area, though in the first major town plan for Helsinki from the mid-18th century, the area fell outside the fortifications planned to encircle the...

 to the east. The Helsinki City Transport

Helsinki City Transport

Helsinki City Transport or HKL is the official city-owned public transport company in Helsinki, Finland. It operates the Helsinki metro, Helsinki tram and ferry boat traffic...

 maintains an all-year-round ferry

Ferry

A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...

 link from the Market Square to Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna

Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori , or Sveaborg , is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands , and which now forms part of the city of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who...

, and in the summer there are also private companies providing ferry cruises, both to Suomenlinna and other nearby islands.

From spring to autumn, the Market Square is bustling with activity with vendors selling fresh Finnish food and souvenir

Souvenir

A souvenir , memento, keepsake or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. The term souvenir brings to mind the mass-produced kitsch that is the main commodity of souvenir and gift shops in many tourist traps around the world...

s. There are also many outdoor café

Café

A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...

s at the square. Some cafés also provide meat pastries ("lihapiirakka" in Finnish), and one advertises their pastries as being "the best in the Market Square… in Helsinki… in Finland!"

The height of the square's popularity is in early October when the annual Helsinki herring market

Herring market

The herring market or herring fair is an annual event held in Helsinki, Finland, in October every year. During the herring market, many archipelagans arrive in the Eteläsatama harbour to sell fish and other archipelago products directly from their boats...

 ("silakkamarkkinat" in Finnish) begins.
A long tradition at the Market Square is a display of old American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 car

Čar

Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...

s on the first Friday of every month. Any motorist with an interest in old American cars can take part in this display. How the tradition originally started is unclear.

Seagulls have become an increasing menace in the Market Square, swooping down to snatch snacks and ice-cream from the hands of unsuspecting tourists.