FI · Southwest Finland · 60.45°N 22.27°E

turku

A medieval castle, riverside cafés and ferries out to Finland's southwest islands.

Best time
May–September is best for riverside cafés and island trips, with the most ferries in July–August. Winter is cold and dark, with fewer leisure sailings.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Helsinki, usually via Singapore, Doha or Istanbul (about 16–18 hours all in). Turku is about 2 hours by train from Helsinki. Finland is 5 hours behind KL in summer and 6 in winter.
Save postcard
FI · Southwest Finlandturku60.45°N 22.27°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,A medieval castle, riverside cafés and ferries out to Finland's southwest islands.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingTurkuFI, Southwest Finland
KLturku
≈ 9,125 km from KL, as the crow flies
Turku Castle.

Photo: Markus Koljonen (Dilaudid) · CC BY-SA 3.0

1 / 5

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Turku is Finland's oldest city, strung along the Aura River from the cathedral to a medieval castle by the sea. It's an easy city break and the gateway to the thousands of islands of the southwest archipelago.

Makan

  1. Salmon soupCreamy fish soup, a good market-hall lunch.Map ↗
  2. Archipelago breadDark, sweet malt bread from the islands, eaten with fish or cheese.Map ↗
  3. KorvapuustiCinnamon buns for a break on the river walk.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Turku CastleA medieval castle by the harbour, with stone halls and royal rooms from the 1500s.Map ↗
  2. Aura RiverRiverside paths, boat cafés and the Föri, a little ferry that has been crossing since 1904.Map ↗
  3. LuostarinmäkiWooden houses that survived the great fire of 1827, now a crafts museum.Map ↗
  4. RuissaloAn island of oak woods, beaches and old villas, a bus ride from the centre.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Turku Cathedral, Finland's national shrine, is closed for renovation until late 2028.
  • For an island day, pick one route, such as the boat to Naantali or a stretch of the Archipelago Trail; the full loop takes several days.
  • Halal kebab and Middle Eastern places are in the city centre; out on the islands, plan on fish.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.