Turku Overview

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 market is also regularly convened in the square outside the cathedral. A short walk away at [                  ] is the Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova museum which is one of Turku's newest attractions. Aboa Vetus (Old Turku) comprises a short but enthralling walk around medieval ruins discovered underneath an old mansion. There are some excellent interactive displays which enlighten you about life in medieval Turku. In conjunction with Aboa Vetus is the Ars Nova art gallery. This has constantly rotating displays of modern art by both Finnish and foreign artists.

For those with more time on their hands, a leisurely stroll on a summer's day through the Port Arthur neighbourhood gives a feel for what Turku used to look like before 50s and 60s architects massacred the centre with some concrete monstrosities.  Most of the handsome wooden houses on leafy streets have been lovingly restored and this is a throroughly pleasant area. A peek into one of the communal gardens is also worthwhile albeit these are private residences so be careful not to trespass.

While there is plenty of culture and places to see in Turku, it is still a fairly small city and won't keep most travellers entertained for more than a couple of days. However, Turku is the ideal base for trips into the Turku Archipelago which with its tens of thousands of islands in the Baltic is Finland at its finest. Here you will find picturesque villages, excellent fishing, every watersport imaginable and a developed tourist infrastructure. If you're travelling around Southern Finland, the Turku Archipelago is an absolute must! For groups, it is recommended that they rent a traditional Finnish summer cottage with its obligatory seafront wood-heated sauna. Travelling around is best done by hire-car or bicycle along the Archipelago Circular road linking dozens of islands and some of the most beautiful scenery. You'll also be surprised at how easy it is to get public transportation to event the most remote villages.