Top places to visit in Turku

• Turku Aurajoki River Walk

  riverside-walk · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Aurajoki River walk — Turku's scenic 3km riverside promenade past the Cathedral, the Castle, historic ships (Sigyn, Suomen Joutsen), and waterside restaurants.

• Turku Naantali Day Trip

  medieval-coast · 4.7 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate

  A day trip from Turku to Naantali — the picturesque medieval coastal town with the famous Moomin World theme park, the Presidential Summer Residence, and 18th-century wooden houses.

• Turku Castle

  medieval castle · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  One of Scandinavia's best-preserved medieval castles, Turku Castle (Turun linna) has stood at the mouth of the Aura River since the 1280s. Expanded over 300 years into a vast complex of towers, great halls, dungeons and royal apartments,…

• Turku Cathedral

  Lutheran cathedral · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  The most important medieval monument in Finland, Turku Cathedral (Turun tuomiokirkko) has been the spiritual centre of the country since its consecration in 1300. The soaring Gothic cathedral is the Mother Church of the Evangelical…

• Turku Market Square

  main-square · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate

  Turku Market Square (Kauppatori) — Finland's historic main square with the 1838 Town Hall, the central monument to Per Brahe, and the daily Finnish market.

• Turku Christmas Market

  christmas-market · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Turku Christmas Market (Vanha Suurtori) — Finland's historic Old Great Square Christmas market with traditional handicrafts, glögi mulled wine, and the famous Christmas Peace declaration.

• Ruissalo Island

  island nature reserve · 4.7 rating · about 4 h · check the fee at the gate

  A 10 km² island nature reserve 10 km from central Turku, Ruissalo is the closest natural escape for Turku residents. One of the northernmost natural oak forests in the world, the island has ancient oak trees, wildflower meadows, sandy…

• Forum Marinum Maritime Museum

  maritime museum · 4.5 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate

  The most comprehensive maritime museum in Finland, Forum Marinum sits beside Turku Castle with a fleet of historic vessels moored outside — including the full-rigged ship Suomen Joutsen (Finnish Swan, 1902) and the iron barque Sigyn. The…

• Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova Museum

  archaeology and art museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  One of Scandinavia's most innovative museums combines archaeology and contemporary art. Aboa Vetus (Old Turku) is built above and around medieval ruins — visitors walk over glass floors above 700 years of Turku history, viewing 14th-16th…

• Turku Archipelago Trail

  archipelago · 4.8 rating · about 8 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Turku Archipelago Trail (Saaristoreitti) — a 250km scenic route through 20,000 islands of the Archipelago Sea, by ferry, bridge, and ferry connection.

• Luostarinmäki Handicraft Museum

  open-air craft museum · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The only block of buildings to survive the Great Fire of Turku in 1827 intact, Luostarinmäki is a beautifully preserved 18th-century artisan neighbourhood — 39 workshops, wooden houses and yards on a hilltop exactly as they were in the…

• Turku Sibelius Museum

  music-museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate

  The Sibelius Museum — Finland's only music museum, dedicated to composer Jean Sibelius, with 2,000 musical instruments and the Sibelius family's personal collection.

Things to do

• Turku Archipelago Day Trip by Boat Tour · 8 h · from EUR 49 per person
• Turku Old Town & Castle Walking Tour Tour · 2.5 h · from EUR 20 per person
• River Aura Stand-Up Paddleboarding Activity · 2 h · from EUR 33 per person

Day trips and tours

• Turku Archipelago Island Hop Day 10 h · from EUR 61

Where to stay in Turku

• Old Town & Market Square about EUR 140 per night

  Best base for experiencing Turku's city life — Market Square, Cathedral and River Aura restaurant boats all within 5 minutes walk. Mix of hotels from all price ranges.

• Turku Castle & Forum Marinum about EUR 200 per night

  Quieter waterfront zone near the castle — great for castle visits and boat tours. Slightly removed from city centre but scenic harbour setting. Hotel Kakola (unique prison hotel) is here.

Hotels

• Hotel Kakola 4-star · EUR 150 to EUR 350 per night
• Dream Hostel Turku 2-star · EUR 22 to EUR 80 per night
• Hotel Valo Turku 4-star · EUR 110 to EUR 210 per night

Where to eat

• Blanko Finnish, international, bar · about EUR 35 per person
• Restaurant Smör New Nordic, Finnish, Scandinavian · about EUR 85 per person
• Linnankrouvi Restaurant Finnish, seafood, Nordic · about EUR 42 per person

Getting to Turku

Airport: Turku (TKU)

Getting around

• Bicycle
• Bus
• Walking

More in Finland

• Helsinki
• Rovaniemi
• Tampere
• Savonlinna
• Porvoo
• Kuopio

Frequently asked questions about Turku

What are the top-rated places to visit in Turku?

The highest-rated places in our Turku guide are Turku Archipelago Trail, Turku Aurajoki River Walk, Turku Naantali Day Trip, Turku Cathedral, Turku Christmas Market.

Where should I stay in Turku?

Our guide covers these areas to stay in Turku: Old Town & Market Square, Turku Castle & Forum Marinum.

How do I get around Turku?

Ways to get around Turku covered in our guide: Bicycle, City bus, Walking.

Which airport is nearest to Turku?

The nearest airport to Turku has the code TKU.