Fascinating Turku

Fascinating Turku

How do you recognise a medieval European town? Some say it is the riverfront, the market square, the castle and the cathedral. That sounds familiar – in fact, that sounds like Turku! Turku is not only the one city in Finland to meet all of the above criteria, but also a vibrant modern city of many events and a European Capital of Culture in 2011.

Along the Aura River – the Plough River – you can walk through medieval cobblestone streets. The river is the heart of the city. During the summer, the riverbanks come to life when people gather here to eat, drink and listen to music. There are old sailing ships moored in the river, and you can take cruises out into the archipelago or to nearby Naantali. Cruise ships sail daily from Turku Harbor across the Baltic to Sweden.

Officially, Turku has been on the map by the Aurajoki river since 1229, and the buzz hasn’t stopped since. In the summer the city overflows with events and festivals: tango, middle age, music, theatre, art, design and much more.