- City landmarks
- Museums and exhibition halls
- For those in love at sea
- To Turku with children
- Delicious points on the map
- Note to shopaholics
It would seem that neighboring Finland has been studied far and wide by Russian travelers, but every time they find themselves here, they rediscover previously unexplored cities and learn new addresses of restaurants and museums, shops and galleries.
If your visit is planned for the New Year holidays, Finland will bring the pleasant joy of the bustle of Christmas markets, the smell of hot mulled wine and the impeccable skiing of the ski resorts. Want to see the country's main Christmas tree? Then head to Turku, where it is traditionally set on the eve of the main winter holiday.
The city has been known for its cultural and educational traditions since the Middle Ages, and therefore the answer to the question of what to see in Turku would not be complete without museum addresses and the schedule of theater festivals.
City landmarks
During a guided sightseeing tour or a self-guided walk around the city, you will come across several sights that are commonly called the hallmark of Turku. For example, Aborsky castle, whose construction was carried out from the end of the 12th to the middle of the 16th centuries. The Swedes were the first to develop the fortification project after Finland was under their full protectorate. Then the fortress was rebuilt several times, the military lodged in it and monarchs who came to the city on their royal affairs stayed. During the Renaissance, Aborsky castle was honored to become residential quarters, but in the middle of the 16th century. a sad fate was destined for him: the fortress was turned into prison dungeons.
The year of the consecration of Turku Cathedral coincided with the end of the 13th century. Since then, the example of the Scandinavian style in Gothic architecture has remained practically unchanged and has only been restored after a severe fire. The height of the tower of the temple is more than one hundred meters, it is visible from any point of Turku. The cathedral is decorated with frescoes by Robert Wilhelm Ekman, who chose the theme for the painting, in particular, scenes from Kalevala.
In both winter and summer, Turku's Old Square has a lot to see for the visiting guest. During the Christmas holidays, you can go to the fair that sells handmade souvenirs, and in the summer you can take part in the festival dedicated to the history of the city. In the "Days of the Middle Ages" in the Old Square, reconstructions of important historical events and carnival processions are held. The architectural sights, whose facades overlook the Old Square, are the Brinkkala mansion, from where the advent of the Christmas Peace is announced annually on December 24, the secretariat of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the old building of the Swedish Lyceum.
Museums and exhibition halls
Turku is often called a city-museum, and in the extensive list of expositions you can find a wide variety of thematic exhibitions and collections:
- The Luostarinmäki Craft Museum is a carefully preserved old quarter with authentic houses of Finnish artisans. Their homes did not just remain in the same places, despite various urban restructuring and redevelopment. Traditional tools and tools of Finnish craftsmen have been preserved in the houses, with the help of which they weaved canvas, sewed clothes, made furniture, spun thread, repaired fishing nets. The museum is called unique and unparalleled in the world.
- The emergence and development of pharmacy is presented in detail in a museum that has existed in Turku since the middle of the twentieth century. You can also go to the Pharmacy Museum in order to admire the old mansion where the exposition is located. The house of the burgher Kwensel was built in the 18th century. and has practically not changed its appearance since then. A whole world of pharmacology is hidden behind the white shutters of the mansion: pharmaceutical bottles and equipment for the manufacture of drugs and mixtures, tools of doctors and pharmacists, antique furniture and devices.
- The highlight of the collection of the Turku Art Museum is the canvases of Axel Gallen-Kallela, famous in Suomi for his illustrations of the Kalevala epic. Other authors of the exhibited works are known a little less, but visitors interested in painting will be pleased to meet the works of Helena Schjerfbeck, who is known in Europe as an artist who worked in the Art Nouveau style.
Archeology fans should visit Aboa Vetus, where the ruins of medieval Turku await them. The ruins of an entire block, erected in the 15th century, were accidentally discovered during the restoration of the mansion of a noble city family.
For those in love at sea
It would be strange if a maritime museum did not exist in the city, which had weight among seafarers already in the early Middle Ages. In Turku, it is called Forum Marinum. The exposition appeared in the late 90s. of the last century, and it was based on the collections of two previously existing museums dedicated to maritime themes.
Once in the halls of Forum Marinum, you will get acquainted with the technologies of building ships used in different historical eras; find out where, when and how the first motors appeared; Learn to find contraband with the help of an exhibition organized by the Customs Service; delve into the history of the sailing ship, which is called a national treasure in the country.
The museum dedicated to the sailing ship Suomen Joutsen showcases the history of the Finnish naval training vessel. National treasure "Suomen Joutsen" first went out on the water at the beginning of the last century and has made many ocean and sea expeditions since then, until he stood for eternal anchorage at the Center for the Study of Navigation in Turku.
To Turku with children
Sorceress Tove Jansson was actually a writer, but her Moomin heroes are loved by many generations of children in Suomi and around the world. A theme park dedicated to the magical characters from Tove Jansson's fairy tales near Turku is the most important point on the map for young travelers.
The park in the town of Naantali is open only in summer, and during the rest of the year on the island of Kylo, where Moomin Country is located, you can just walk. The island is connected to the land by a pontoon ferry, along which hundreds of enthusiastic fans of the Moomin people flock to the park every day at the beginning of summer holidays.
Do not think that the park in Naantali is popular only with young tourists. For some time now, Moomin-style weddings have become very popular with newlyweds from different countries, and therefore it is now considered a good omen to catch a festive procession on the paths of Moomin-country.
Delicious points on the map
Dozens of cafes and restaurants will offer tourists a hearty meal in the historical part of the city for every budget. Especially picturesque are the establishments on the banks of the Aurajoki River, where hundreds of various fish dishes are prepared:
- Near Turku Cathedral, you can visit the MAMI restaurant, often referred to by culinary guides as one of the best in Suomi. Seafood dishes are highly esteemed here, but, if you wish, you can also find hot meat dishes. The institution is especially popular in the evenings, but even at lunchtime, MAMI may not have a free table - book it in advance!
- Among all the restaurants in the country, Pinella is considered the oldest. Its staff carefully preserves the Finnish traditions of the beginning of the last century, and this devotion to the classics can be traced in everything - from service to recipes of dishes. The Pinella chef prefers solid food made from simple products. However, he manages to combine ordinary meat and vegetables in such a way that the guests are not only satisfied, but also pleasantly surprised by the delights, the essence of which is simplicity.
- On the menu of the floating restaurant Svarte Rudolf you will find many interesting fish and meat dishes, and its cuisine is called international. On the tables you can see food invented in different parts of the world, and the wine list is thought out so perfectly that choosing the right drink for any dish will not be a problem.
- Kaskenahde, stylized as a fisherman's dwelling, will delight the visitor with traditional Finnish food: fresh salmon soup, reindeer meat with berry sauce and cloudberry ice cream. The small, family-run business has been around for many years and has received only rave reviews from tourists.
If you love the Viking sagas and want to imagine how Scandinavian sailors dined in the early Middle Ages, head to Viikinkiravintola Harald. This institution in Turku serves venison strung on a sword instead of a skewer, and potatoes are placed on the tables on the cuts of birch trunks. Going to Viikinkiravintola Harald is also worth visiting for the interior. The tables in the restaurant are made of natural wood, the walls are covered with not too polished logs, and the lighting completely imitates the conditions in a Viking castle - candles are burning on the tables.
Note to shopaholics
Turku became an important shopping center in Finland already in the Middle Ages, so today going to any of its stores means finding and choosing everything you need for yourself and your family. It is especially beneficial to shop during the sales seasons, which usually happen in late December-January and July-August.
For fresh produce from local farmers, head to Kauppatori. The shopping area in the center of Turku also offers products from local artisans - a great option to choose souvenirs and gifts for friends and family. On Kauppatori you will also find clothing and footwear stores: from the world famous H&M to Kapp Ahl, where products by Finnish designers are presented.
Not far from the square, there is a large shopping center Hansa, where more than 150 trade marks and brands are presented. In Hansa, you should go for shoes, clothing, sports goods, jewelry and home textiles.
There is another chain of clothing stores in Turku, whose manufacturers use only natural fabrics and materials. Kaisla outlets also offer accessories - bags, scarves, jewelry and shoes.
