Location: Turku
Top Things to do in Turku
Top Restaurants in Turku
Top 10 Things to do in Turku, Finland
Turku (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈturku] ( listen); Swedish: Åbo [ˈoːbʊ] ( listen)) is a city on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Southwest Finland. Turku, as a town, was settled during the 13th century and founded most likely at the end of the 13th century, making it the oldest city in Finland. It quickly became the most important city in Finland, a status it retained for hundreds of years. After Finland became part of the Russian Empire (1809) and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland was moved to Helsinki (1812), Turku continued to be the most populous city in Finland until the end of the 1840s, and it remains a regional capital and an important business and cultural center.
Restaurants in Turku
1. Turku City Library
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 210 reviews
Reviewed By Raymond W - Chengdu, China
This is not just your average city library. It is a historic building in a Neoclassical style with columns and fine brickwork. It isn't everywhere the local library has a Reading room with Corinthian columns!
I came in here to enjoy the historic architecture but they have a great English language section if you want to sit in a comfy chair and do a bit of Reading. I read a few poems from Derek Walcott's "Collected Poems" and enjoyed the ambience.
2. Turku Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 880 reviews
Reviewed By Elle_Ventrouge - Helsinki, Finland
Did not really expect that this castle can be so interesting! Not overcrowded (at least in March), nicely renovated and having supportive and efficient personnel. Wall thickness is impressive!
Bailey gives a hint about everyday life of people in different centuries through well-preserved rooms. Some of them are accessible, others need to be looked through a plexiglass shield. Both experiences are amazing!
Entrance fee is €11 and covers both the main castle and Bailey. Wear something comfortable, you will have to walk up and down a lot!
3. Luostarinmaki Handicrafts Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 217 reviews
Reviewed By Katherine L
We spent hours exploring the fascinating shops, workshops, and living spaces in this gem of a living museum. Highly recommended, except for those who have difficulty walking. For them, alas, it is quite inaccessible.
4. Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 223 reviews
Reviewed By Nea_Barman - Helsinki, Finland
I have been visiting Turku many times but never visited the museums. This history and modern art museum truly amazed me. Also the museum shop was nice - small but really nice. The cafeteria looked nice sunday afternoon playing jazz. The only down side was that the caffe did not accepted American Express. I so wanted to enjoy class of cava at they nice Terrace but had only amex and museum card. But defenetly if you visit Turku and you love history or art - or just museums - visit here!
5. Forum Marinum Maritime Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 175 reviews
Reviewed By Cheryl M - Spokane, Washington
Turku has centuries long history with maritime industries, including ship building. And the ships built in Turku range from small crafts to ocean going cruise ships, which are more like ocean going cities. Forum Marinum details Turku's marine history quite well. It also has an impressive collection of outboard motors and wooden leisure boats.
My husband and I were tight on time to make a 4 PM Seating at Kaskis so we didn't tour the restored ships at Forum Marinum. From their exteriors, they looked beautiful.
6. Turun Kauppahalli
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 146 reviews
Reviewed By 10Patrick - London, United Kingdom
Good selection of different vendors - market is big enough for there to be a choice but small enough that there is limited repetition. Caters largely to a local crowd - so does not feel as touristed as some of the markets in Helsinki.
7. Turku Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 528 reviews
Reviewed By Keith S - Leesburg, Virginia
The change from Catholicism to Lutheranism is very evident in the austere decorations of the Cathedral. The building is interesting, a mix and match on the outside and very nice on the inside with high vaults. The park and trees surrounding are also nice.
8. Turku Art Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 106 reviews
Reviewed By vedet - Turku
Robert Doisneau's "My Paris" exhibition presented more than one hundred photographs by Doisneau, between 1930 and 1980 or something like that. You can always also see part of the permanent collection, which is mostly Finnish and Nordic art, and one of the best in Finland. The collection consists of almost 7000 works.
9. Pharmacy Museum and Qwensel House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 89 reviews
The Qwensel House is the oldest bourgeois housing from the autarchic times in Turku. The house was built approximately in the year 1700 to an area that was reserved for the nobility. Check for opening times online.
Reviewed By andrewjameswarren - Cambridge, United Kingdom
This place is on the north river walk, but rather hidden away. It is genuinely interesting, with some splendid rooms not only showing a pharmacist lived and worked in the 19th century, but also the herbs and spices employed medicinally. Reasonably cheap to go round, and well worth a half hour visit by the layperson, not just the specialist
10. Sibeliusmuseum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Open: Tuesday-Sunday 11-16, Wednesdays also 18-20 The Sibelius museum is the only museum totally devoted to music in Finland. The museum building, designed by Woldemar Baeckman, is one of the most original Finnish creations of the 1960s. A selection taken from the 1900 instruments of traditional and art musics from all around the globe is exhibited. One room is naturally reserved for Sibelius´s life and work. During the autumn, winter, and spring seasons the museum hosts chamber music Concerts on Wednesday evenings.The collections available at the Sibelius museum are of interest to both experts and ordinary music lovers.
Reviewed By JMGeneva - Geneva, Switzerland
Not being particularly interested by the history of music I did not expect much from this museum however the visit was surprisingly pleasant. The museum is split in 2 parts, the first exposing a collection of (mostly ancient) instruments. It is very well done and informative and an opportunity to see quire rare pieces. The second is on the life of Sibelius. Well done as well although this would be mostly interesting for the true fans of the musician, Still it gives an idea of the local life when he was living in Finland. There is a nice auditorium in the centre of the Museum that is probably a good place to listen to Concerts as well. Not bad.
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