Turku

Turku combines a historic city centre with nature experiences on the island of Ruissalo. If you’re looking for a holiday apartment in Turku, you can tailor your stay to a wide range of interests: city history and art, routes through the centre, or Ruissalo’s plant collection and landscapes. The time of year also matters when planning, as Föli water buses operate during the summer season from the Aurajoki River to Ruissalo and Hirvensalo.

Ruissalo: gardens, oak groves and waterways

Ruissalo is part of Turku’s National Urban Park. It stretches for about 15 kilometres from Airisto to the village of Kuralan Kylämäki. On Ruissalo, most of the island consists of nature reserves covering a total area of about 344 hectares; most of them are part of the Natura 2000 network. The island’s ancient groves form Finland’s largest and most valuable oak forest area. This makes this part of Turku quite different from the historic sites in the city centre.

Another place to visit on Ruissalo is the University of Turku Botanical Garden. Its public plant exhibition features more than 5,000 plant species and is open year-round to adults and children. If you’re interested in plants, you can include a visit in your stay; if you’d rather spend time outdoors, the island also has the 8.7-kilometre Kansanpuisto Trail. It passes the Ruissalo boatyard and Kansanpuisto Park. Ruissalo can be reached by land or by water. In summer, water buses connect the Aurajoki River with Ruissalo and Hirvensalo.

City routes offering different perspectives

Turku’s Old Town includes the historic centre and the university district. There, layers of history span from the Middle Ages to the present day. The “City Stories from Turku” route runs through the city centre from Turku Castle to the Cathedral and is 4.1 kilometres long. It is accessible. The walk from the Cathedral to the Castle offers an overview of Turku’s cityscape. It focuses on the route and views of the city; the Cathedral itself will remain closed to the public for extensive renovations from 9 February 2026 to 2 December 2028.

Another route, “Turku of Wonders – Serendipities and Secrets”, runs from Samppalinna outdoor swimming pool to Ylioppilaskylä in the city centre and is 4.8 kilometres long. “Turku of Memories” focuses on the personal memories of people born or living in Turku between the 1940s and the 1980s. The shorter route is suitable for walkers and wheelchair users. The 6.2-kilometre “Romantic Turku” route also runs along the riverbank in the city centre.

You can also choose how to get around: the cultural fitness trail “Turku Is... Meet the City through New Eyes” can be completed on foot, running or by bike. When choosing accommodation in Turku, these different routes can shape your interests and daily plans without requiring you to include every route in the same outing.

Architecture, museums and flavours

Turku Cathedral was consecrated in 1300. Its history is presented in the Cathedral Museum in the southern part of the building, starting from the early 14th century. The Cathedral’s current closure is important to keep in mind when planning a visit. Turku Castle has stood watch by the Aura River since the 1280s. In the Luostarinmäki museum quarter, buildings more than 200 years old stand in their original locations. It is the only district of wooden houses to have survived the Great Fire of Turku in 1827. Aboa Vetus Ars Nova combines archaeology and contemporary art as a museum.

Completed in 1896, the Market Hall adds a culinary destination to the cultural experiences: it has traditional meat and fish counters, delicatessen and speciality shops, bakeries, milk and cheese shops, as well as restaurants and cafés. Turku is also known as the gateway to the Finnish Archipelago. When planning your trip, you can therefore weigh up city life, nature and views of the archipelago region.

Discover more places

If you’d like to explore more places in the same directory, you’ll find Harjattula, Laitila, Salo, Nagu, Sauvo, Dragsfjärd, Kaarina and Marttila here.

For the overview of the wider region: Varsinais-Suomi.