Turku

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Overview

As is the case for a number of countries, this, the oldest city, is not the capital, although it has been! With more museums than is possible to mention here (more in fact than the capital, Helsinki, itself) the visitor will have more than ample opportunity to sate their cultural hunger. There are a couple of wildly differing music festivals and another celebrating Turku in its medieval days. There are strong associations withe the river which means there are a number of boat restaurants and bars which, particularly in the summer, are a great place to soak up the atmosphere.

A must for every traveller to Turku is a visit to Turku Castle which is one of the largest medieval castles in the Nordic countries. It was also the first building in the Nordic countries to have central heating but being wood-fired and a pretty damn big building, it used up so much of the nearby forests that it was soon abandoned. The castle is conveniently located by the port from which the wildly popular cruises to Stockholm and Mariaanhamina depart. These ferries, as well as those from Stockholm to Helsinki, are a common route into Finland for those on a tour of Scnadinavia.

The medieval cathedral, like the castle, has been built in several stages and the different styles are clearly visible. The cathedral is conveniently located by the river bank and is surrounded by restaurant boats making it a great spot to visit just before or after lunch. A medieval...more

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History

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When to Go

This is absolutely a summer destination. If you're in Finland in the winter, you want to be in the North and would be advised to skip Turku, but if you're in there in the summer, Turku, and more importantly the Turku archipelago, is an absolute must. The Finnish summer is short but glorious and runs from June to August but early June and late August can get somewhat chilly if you're unlucky. If you're here around midsummer, make sure you go to a raising of the Midsummer Pole. This tradition takes place in the Swedish-speaking islands of the Aland province as well as the Finnish-speaking county of Kustavi which is an hours drive from Turku.

Midsummer is also the biggest party of the year for Finns and generally includes copious amounts of drinking. Turku is a vibrant university town so good parties can be found here on midsummer's eve.

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