The Old Town of wooden houses is tucked behind Pargas Church, a beautiful early-14th-century building with whitewashed walls, medieval murals and brick Gothic supports.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Luostarinmäen Käsityöläismuseo
10.15 MILES
When the savage Great Fire of 1827 swept through Turku, the lower-class quarter Luostarinmäki escaped the flames. Set along tiny lanes and around grassy…
7.58 MILES
Like the bow of a ship tipped on its end, this unusual structure is perched on a rock and surrounded by forest on Hirvensalo island, 7km south of Turku…
9.66 MILES
Founded in 1280 at the mouth of the Aurajoki, mammoth Turku Castle is easily Finland’s largest fortress. Highlights include two dungeons and sumptuous…
10.34 MILES
Art and archaeology unite here under one roof. Aboa Vetus (Old Turku) draws you underground to Turku’s medieval streets, showcasing some of the 37,000…
10.51 MILES
The ‘mother church’ of Finland’s Lutheran faith, Turku Cathedral towers over Turku. Consecrated in 1300, the colossal brick Gothic building was rebuilt…
9.7 MILES
Partly housed in an old granary, this excellent maritime museum offers a comprehensive look at ships and shipping, from scale models to full-size vessels…
15.69 MILES
Crossing the bridge from the Old Town to Kailo island takes you into the delightful world of the Moomins. The focus is on hands-on activities and…
9.63 MILES
Anchored outside the Forum Marinum is a small fleet of museum ships that you can climb aboard. The mine layer Keihässalmi and the corvette Karjala take…
Nearby attractions
0.14 MILES
If you think the artwork of Salvador Dalí is surreal, see what you think when you experience it in the context of a fishing village in the Finnish…
0.29 MILES
When Lenin was on the lam from Russia to Stockholm in 1907, he stayed in Pargas under the pseudonym Mr Mueller. The outdoor local-history museum contains…
7.58 MILES
Like the bow of a ship tipped on its end, this unusual structure is perched on a rock and surrounded by forest on Hirvensalo island, 7km south of Turku…
9.63 MILES
Anchored outside the Forum Marinum is a small fleet of museum ships that you can climb aboard. The mine layer Keihässalmi and the corvette Karjala take…
9.66 MILES
Founded in 1280 at the mouth of the Aurajoki, mammoth Turku Castle is easily Finland’s largest fortress. Highlights include two dungeons and sumptuous…
9.7 MILES
Partly housed in an old granary, this excellent maritime museum offers a comprehensive look at ships and shipping, from scale models to full-size vessels…
10.03 MILES
In a beautiful 1907 building surrounded by parkland, the Turku Biological Museum shows off Finland’s fauna and flora in 13 realistic dioramas, including…
10.08 MILES
Naturalistic and cubist-tinged sculptures donated by artist Wäinö Aaltosen are on display in this gallery, along with temporary exhibitions of…