Explore Turku

Things to Do in Turku

Turku is Finland's oldest city, and its compact riverside center packs history, culture, and charm within easy walking distance. Here are our favorite spots to visit, including our own café, often the highlight of the day for visitors.

​

Turku Castle

Finland's largest medieval castle, with history dating back to the 1280s. Explore exhibitions and genuine medieval atmosphere right at the mouth of the Aura River.

​

Turku Cathedral

Finland's national cathedral and one of the country's most important medieval buildings. Its tower rises over the city skyline, and inside you'll find memorials dating back to the 1300s.

​

The Aura River

The heart of the city: historic ships, cafés, and lively riverside life line the banks, especially in summer. A walk along the river is an easy way to see the whole center.

​

Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum

The only part of Turku spared by the Great Fire of 1827, now an open-air museum. See what 18th-century Turku actually looked like.

​

Pharmacy Museum and Cafe Qwensel

Turku's oldest surviving wooden building, the Qwensel House, completed around 1700, is home to both the Pharmacy Museum and Cafe Qwensel. Stop for handmade pastries or Afternoon Tea in the same courtyard people have walked through for over 300 years.

Turku Art Museum and Café Victor

Turku Art Museum is one of Finland's oldest art museums, set on the striking Puolalanmäki hill. After your visit, stop by the museum's own café, Café Victor, Cafe Qwensel's sister café, run by the same company and serving pastries baked with the same care.

Turku Market Hall

A traditional market hall full of local delicacies, lunch spots, and city-center atmosphere.

​

Turku works well for a day trip or a longer stay: most of these sights are within walking distance of each other, and Cafe Qwensel makes a convenient stop along the way whenever you need a coffee break steeped in history.