Turku Travel Guide

Turku (Swedish: Åbo) is Finland's oldest city, and used to be the country's largest until the mid-19th century. Believed to have been founded in the early 13th century, it is the cradle of modern Finnish culture and has extensively influenced Finnish history. Turku's fantastic culinary scene has earned it the nickname "the Paris of Finland" and the city has been called "Finland's gateway to the West". Bisecting Turku city centre, the River Aura is the heart and soul of the city: this is where Turku was born, and a large part of city life – museums, sights, restaurants and cafés – is still concentrated on the riverside. The river banks form a national urban park allowing for a pleasant stroll from the Turku Cathedral to the Turku Castle. Close to the river mouth is the island of Ruissalo, with oak forests and 19th-century villas. Turku is at its best in summertime, when it hosts many festivals, including rock festivals, chamber music festivals and a medieval fair. But do not forget the

Turku is well connected to the rest of the country by rail and road, and has flights from Helsinki and Mariehamn. From the west (Åland and Sweden), ferries are the main option, although there are flights for those in a hurry. The ferries take cars. There are a few flights also from across the Baltic Sea and from some more distant places. Turku is a good yachting destinations, for those on the Baltic Sea or ready to make the longer voyage.

Crime/violence:Low

See alsoNaantali.