Things to do in Turku – 18 attractions and experiences

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | Turku is one of our favorite cities in Finland – just the right size, easy to discover and with a wonderful mix of history, culture, restaurants and archipelago feel. The Aura River flows through the city, lined with boats and outdoor cafes, and everything from medieval castles and museums to market halls, breweries and lush Runsala awaits you all around.

Turku in Finland

We have visited Turku several times and in different seasons, by campervan as well as by ferry and plane. Here we have collected our best tips for sights, experiences and things to do in Turku – plus some excursions for those who want to discover more of the area.

1. Stroll along the river Aura

The Aura River flows through the whole of Turku, and this water can be said to be the soul and heart of Turku. As early as the 13th century, the city began to grow around the river, and the river is still important, although its significance has of course changed over the centuries.

Today, you can have a great walk along the river while watching the boats, boat restaurants and people at the restaurants, cafes, shops and stalls that line the river.

2. Take the ferry across the Aura River

If you want to cross the Aura River, there are a number of bridges to choose from. There's also the orange-coloured little free ferry Föri, which crosses the river in about a minute and a half, returning as soon as the passengers are replaced.

3. Discover Kakolabacken and the old prison

Until 2007, Turku Prison was located on Kakola Hill, and most people were probably happy not to visit this place. Today it is completely different. You can take the charming little funicular to the top of the hill, and once up there, hotels, bakeries and restaurants await you.

If you want to experience the vibes of the prison era, check into the Kakola prison hotel. The hotel has been stylishly renovated, and you can choose a "regular" modern room where only small details remind you of the prison of the past. Those who want a more spectacular experience can book a room that looks like a prison cell.

4. Visit Turku Castle

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Turku is visiting Turku Castle. The castle began to be built in the 1280s and soon developed into a powerful fortress. John III and his Catherine Jagellonica lived here, and Erik XIV was imprisoned here. Today, the renovated castle is a popular destination where you can see both historical rooms and modern exhibitions.

READ MORE: Visiting Turku Castle - Swedish and Finnish history

5. See Turku Cathedral

Turku Cathedral was opened in 1300 and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Henry, Finland's first bishop. The church is considered to be Finland's most valuable work in terms of architectural history, and the cathedral museum in the south gallery contains sculptures of saints and altar pieces from the Catholic Middle Ages. In addition, Karin Månsdotter, who was married to Erik XIV and was Queen of Sweden from 4 July to 29 September 1568, is buried here.

Outside the church is a statue of Per Brahe the Younger, who was Governor General of Finland in the 17th century.

6. Travelling in time at Klosterbacken

One thing you won't want to miss in Turku, if you're a history buff, is a visit to Klosterbacken. This is the only major contiguous area of wooden houses that escaped the devastating city fire in Turku in 1827. To tell the story of what life was like in the past, the houses have been preserved in their original location, and decorated so that you can take a little trip back in time.

The houses and interiors tell the story of the lives of the different people in the city: the artisans, musicians, students and vagrants. In some of the houses there are guides who tell you more and answer questions. Very interesting!

7. Discover medieval Turku at Aboa Vetus

The Rettig Palace was built in 1928 as a private residence for the Rettig family, and now serves as a museum of archaeology and contemporary art. On the ground floor you can see excavations and learn a lot about medieval life in Turku. Interesting!

Higher up in the museum, various exhibitions of contemporary art are shown. When bee was here, we could see works by the Finnish artists Tiina Elina Nurminen, Kari Cavén and Rauha Mäkilä.

8. Check out the Pharmacy Museum and the Qwensel farm.

By sheer coincidence we discovered the Qwensel farm and the Pharmacy Museum. The Qwensel farm is the oldest wooden house in Turku, and was once the home of a wealthy Turku family. The house is now displayed as a museum, with rooms decorated in Rococo and Gustavian styles. It also houses the Pharmacy Museum, with wonderful antique pharmacy furnishings.

The Qwensel farm also has a super cosy little café, with patios in the charming courtyard.

9. Learn more about shipping at Forum Marinum

Forum Marinum is a large maritime museum, located at the lower end of the Aura river. Here you can see everything from historic wooden boats to military ships, and learn about shipping as well as life in the archipelago. The large museum has various temporary exhibitions and activities for children. You can choose to buy a ticket for the museum only, or you can buy a combined ticket for the museum and the museum ships.

10. Board the museum ships

Forum Marinum has a large fleet of impressive museum ships: two large sailing ships, four warships and several smaller boats. The museum ships are open during the summer months, and can be viewed either separately or with a combined ticket together with the museum's exhibitions.

We thought it was cool to see the large sailing ship Suomen Joutsen, and it was also interesting to look around the warships.

11. Shop and eat well at Turku Market Hall

The Turku Market Hall dates from 1896 and was designed by architect Gustaf Nyström. Here you will find meat, fish, cheese, bread and various kinds of delicacies and pastries. There are also restaurants and cafés. Yes, this is a heaven for anyone who loves good food! Don't miss the piisbis doughnuts at Peace of Cake and the delicious pike mousse at the seafood shop. Herkkunuotta.

12. Experience the hustle and bustle of the Market Square

The Market Square in Turku is a centre of commerce and a popular meeting place. Here you can buy fruit and vegetables, take a break for an ice cream or browse the shops and cafés around the square. Various events, such as markets and concerts, are also sometimes organised here.

13. See Turku from the rooftop bar Börs Katto

The Scandic Hamburger Börs is located at the Market Square in Turku. At the top, on the terrace on the ninth floor of the hotel, is the rooftop bar Börs Katto. This is a really cool and cosy rooftop bar, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and a great view of the city.

14. Eat well in Turku

Turku is known as the food capital of Finland and there are quite a few good restaurants in addition to Kaski's. We can recommend these restaurants Tintå, which offers gourmet pizzas and more than a hundred wines, and Nooa which has both fantastic food and a lovely location by the river Aura.

Kaskis is one of Finland's most renowned restaurants. Here, restaurateur Erik Mansikka offers interesting down-to-earth flavours, and it's important to book a table in time. We were here on a press trip a few years ago, and we still remember this restaurant visit as fantastic.

READ MORE: Eating well in Finland - 4 restaurants around Turku

15. Drink local beer at the brewery restaurant Koulu

At the brewery restaurant Koulu, which means "School" in Swedish, you can have a filling buffet lunch or order something from the à la carte menu. Of course, there are many beers and ciders to choose from! We were also here during our visit a few years ago, and we remember not only the good beer, but also all the rooms that remind us that the premises once housed the "Swedish Women's School".

16. Take the children to the Kuppis Park

Kuppis Park is the largest and oldest city park in Finland and is a beautiful green oasis in the centre of the city. Here you can walk, cycle and play various sports. Above all, this is a perfect place for families with children. There is an outdoor swimming pool in Kupittaa, miniature golf, an adventure park and a fantastic "traffic park" where children can drive a pedal car in a constructed small town.

17. Discover nature at Runsala

Just outside the centre of Turku is the island of Runsala, or Ruissalo as it is called in Finnish. This island is wonderfully green and beautiful, with lush oak groves, 19th century villas, beaches, spa hotels, camping and a botanical garden.

18. Experience Turku from the water

A nice way to experience Turku from the water is to join a cruise along the Aura River or out into the archipelago. M/S Rudolfina offers lunch and dinner cruises from the Aura River out towards Airisto, while M/S Aurella offers guided tours along the river with the option to hop on and off at several stops.

During the summer, there are also longer boat trips out into the archipelago, including between Turku and Naantali.

Excursions from Turku

There is much to discover outside of central Turku. With the city as a starting point, you can visit Alvar Aalto's famous sanatorium, discover charming Naantali or venture out among the islands of the Turku archipelago.

Paimio Sanatorium – world-class architecture

Paimio Sanatorium (Pemars Sanatorium) is located about 30 kilometers from Turku and is one of Alvar and Aino Aalto's most famous works. The sanatorium was built in the 1930s for tuberculosis patients, and the architecture was designed down to the smallest detail to contribute to the well-being of the patients.

Paimio Sanatorium has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2026, as part of the world heritage with works by Alvar Aalto. We visited the sanatorium on a guided tour, which was an exciting way to both experience the architecture and learn more about life at the sanatorium.

READ MORE: Weekend in Turku - spa, culture and good food

Naantali and Moominworld

About 15 kilometers from Turku lies Naantali, a charming little coastal town with wooden houses, small shops, restaurants and boating. We think Naantali is well worth a trip in itself, especially during the summer when the city is at its liveliest.

Naantali is also home to Moominworld, where families with children can meet Moomin, Little My, Snufkin and other characters from Tove Jansson's stories. The theme park is located on the island of Kailo and is open during the summer season.

READ MORE: Things to do in Naantali - 15 tips for a Finnish archipelago gem

READ MORE: Visiting Moominworld in Naantali - tips and info

Discover the Turku archipelago

If you want to venture further out from the city, the Turku archipelago awaits, with islands, small communities, ferries and beautiful archipelago roads. Here you can discover Pargas, Nagu and Korpo, among others, or set out on the Archipelago Ring Road.

We have traveled to the area several times, both summer and winter, and will collect our best tips in a separate guide to the Turku archipelago.

More to do in Turku

If you have plenty of time, there is of course even more to discover in Turku. Here are some additional tips:

• Sibelius Museum – music museum with instruments and exhibitions about, among other things, Jean Sibelius.
• Turku Art Museum – classic Finnish art and contemporary exhibitions in a grand building above the city center.
• WAM – art museum by the Aura River, which will reopen after renovation in October 2026.
• Biological Museum – natural history museum with dioramas showing Finland's animals and nature.
• St Michael's Church – magnificent neo-Gothic church from the early 20th century.
• Turku Swedish Theatre – Swedish-language theater in a historic theater building at Salutorget.

Accommodation in Turku – hotels and camping

There are plenty of hotels and other accommodations in Turku. We have visited the city several times and have tried a few different options – from central hotels to the old prison on Kakolabacken and camping in green Runsala.

Scandic Hamburger Börs – right at the Market Square

Scandic Hamburger Börs is located in the heart of central Turku, right by the Market Square. We stayed here for a winter weekend and especially appreciated the central location, with restaurants, shopping and many attractions within walking distance. At the top of the building is also the rooftop bar Börs Katto, with a nice view of the city.

Solo Sokos Hotel Turun Seurahuone – central boutique hotel

On another visit, we stayed at the Original Sokos Hotel Seurahuone, which is also very centrally located. The hotel is decorated in a personal boutique hotel style and is great for a weekend where you want to be able to discover large parts of Turku on foot.

Hotel Kakola – stay in an old prison

For a slightly different accommodation, we can recommend Hotel Kakola on Kakolabacken. The hotel is located in the former prison and here you will find both modern hotel rooms and rooms that still have the character of an old prison cell. We have stayed here ourselves and found it to be a fun and different experience.

Runsala Camping – stay with a campervan close to nature

When we visited Turku with a camper van, we stayed at Runsala Camping (Ruissalo Camping), on the island of Runsala just outside central Turku. The campsite is beautifully situated in the greenery and has a beach, a bathing jetty and a sauna. It is about 10 km to central Turku and you can cycle into the city.

More to see and do in Finland

Are you planning a trip to Finland? Here are more guides to exciting places to visit:

• Things to do in Mariehamn
• Things to do in Helsinki
• Things to do in Naantali
• Things to do in Rauma