Three metres of personal space? Not tonight.

Quiet, but out

Finns keep their distance even at the bus stop, and in Helsinki bars people rarely walk up to strangers. The evening often starts slowly: dinner or a terrace first, then on to Kallio or Punavuori, and at weekends many nights stretch into the early hours.

In summer the city wakes up: terraces and beaches fill, the nights are light, on May Day (Vappu) Kaivopuisto is full of picnics, and in August Flow Festival brings crowds to Suvilahti. At Midsummer the city empties as many head to their summer cottages. In November it is dark by four, and that is when a good reason to go out is worth its weight in gold.

YesTonite is that reason. Switch on "I'm going out tonight", see who else is heading out, say hi and agree on a place. Your name only shows once you decide to share it in the chat.

Friday and Saturday are the biggest nights, and many only set off after ten. The pre-Christmas party season (pikkujoulu) in November and December fills bars on weeknights too.

Where Helsinki goes out

• KallioA relaxed bar district north of Pitkäsilta bridge, cheaper and always lively.
• PunavuoriIso Roobertinkatu and around: bars, restaurants and design shops.
• Kamppi and ErottajaThe central club area, which fills up after midnight at weekends.
• Kalasatama and SuvilahtiFormer slaughterhouse and power plant sites: food, bars and events.
• KaivopuistoA seaside park that fills with picnics and sunset watchers on summer evenings.