Turku / Åbo
The large city of Turku (Swedish: Åbo) lies in the far southwest of Finland, on the Baltic Sea coast. The archipelago offshore forms the transition between the west Finnish coast of the Gulf of Bothnia and the south Finnish coast of the Gulf of Finland. Turku is considered Finland’s oldest city. It was founded in the 13th century. Until the 19th century, Turku was Finland’s largest and most important city, and it is located in Finland’s Swedish-speaking coastal region. Today, Turku is Finland’s fifth-largest city. The metropolitan area around Turku is the country’s third largest, after Helsinki and Tampere. The archipelago off Turku stretches westward to the Åland Islands. A road runs far into the archipelago, crossing bridges and using ferries. In addition to rail, road and air connections, the ferry port plays an important role in Turku’s transport links. Large ferries operate from here via Mariehamn in the Åland Islands to Stockholm and also to ports in the western Baltic, such as Travemünde.
Schären vor Turku in Finnland
Photo: © Archipelago-®TurkuTouring
Things to see in Turku
Turku’s oldest and most historic buildings are the remains of the medieval castle and the cathedral. The castle is considered the largest surviving medieval building in Finland and is now a museum. Turku Cathedral dates back to the 13th century and remains the main church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, serving as the seat of the archbishop. An open-air museum on Klosterbacken (Cloister Hill) grew out of a district that survived the great city fire of 1827. Several museums provide insights into the city’s long and rich history. The Forum Marinum, Finland’s national maritime and naval museum, is particularly noteworthy.
Holidays in and around Turku
There is an exceptionally wide range of options for an active family holiday in and around Turku on Finland’s Baltic coast. Activities such as hiking and cycling can be combined with a wide choice of excursions by boat or ship. A variety of comfortable holiday accommodation ensures that a Baltic Sea holiday in and around Turku leaves little to be desired.
