Take a tour round the hottest places Helsinki has to offer with Tom of Finland | Photo: Mikko Rasila
Finland might not be the first place to mind when trying to find the hottest destinations for your gay self to visit. But that’s because you didn’t have a stone-hard hunk like Terry Miller taking you on a steamy tour round the capital, Helsinki.
Tom of Finland Store sent their official ambassador to the country to explore its sexier side. The store gets its name from Finland’s iconic erotic artist, who was a heavyweight in hyper-masculinized, homoerotic fetish art. So to get the low-down on what inspired the much-admired art, Terry needed to go there himself.
We also asked him a few questions, because a man who can pull off that much leather must have at least a few good tips on what to do in Helsinki.
Terry Miller at DTM Nightclub during Pride, one of the cities best nightclubs | Photo: Mikko Rasila
Where in the city do you meet the hottest guys?
The hot boys were at DTM (Don’t Tell Mama), one of Helsinki’s two big gay clubs. Though be aware – at least to this big daddy – they are quite shy. Boys were pretty apprehensive about coming up to talk or flirt with me. But the girls in the club…. Good god. They couldn’t get enough.
But DTM is a great place to go party and feel comfortable with your community. Gogo Boys and Drag nights, etc. It’s the closest to a traditional gay club as you’re going to get.
No trip’s complete without visiting fetish store Keltainen Rusu | Photo: Mikko Rasila
How does Helsinki Pride match up to other cities?
The whole city seems to come out for Pride even thought there’s a relatively small gay community in Helsinki. Something like 70-100K people showed up to support and march through the town, all the way to the park where the party went on. It’s a quiet march. There isn’t the bacchanalian thonged dancing boys and dykes on bikes you’d traditionally see in the US, but it’s cool to see so many allies marching together with the queer community.
Löyly private saunas offers something a bit more luxurious to the sauna scene | Photo: Mikko Rasila
What’s your advice to someone going to a sauna for the first time?
Chill and take your time. It’s not like we do in the US after a workout at the gym. Sauna is culture in Finland. Many Finns have Saunas in their homes. The big beautiful modern seaside sauna at Löyly was incredible. With gorgeous rest areas to cool down in, a beautiful wood-fired sauna that is at a pretty high temp, and outdoor lounge areas.
There’s even a small dock to go jump in the fridgid (even in the middle of summer!) Finnish Sea for your ice plunge. Spend a few hours and do a circuit of Hot, Steam and frigid water. It’s really invigorating.
Terry took some time to visit some classic cruising spots | Photo: Mikko Rasila
Where is your favourite cruising spot in Helsinki?
I loved the beautiful City Park near the Ferry Terminals. Cool grassy hills and rocky spots to sit and idly watch boys run around Helsinki in their summer best. There’s a cool observatory in the center of the park and the little road leading up to it was in a scene of the Tom of Finland movie.
It’s a cool location lined by ash trees on both sides. Also the “cabins” in the dark room of Keltainen Russu were pretty cool. Porn playing in little dark rooms as men cruised around the hallways. Some straight, some gay. It was just a seedy atmosphere – in other words, the kind of place I love.
And, of course, a bed photo shoot | Photo: Mikko Rasila
Other than Helsinki, where is the best city for gay men to go?
I mean…. Berlin. Duh.
Yeah… fair enough | Photo: Mikko Rasila
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