Finland's oldest city and gateway to the archipelago
Turku is Finland's oldest city and was its capital until 1812. Its medieval cathedral and castle are the country's most important historic buildings, and the Luostarinmäki quarter preserves wooden artisans' houses that survived the great fire of 1827. Riverside restaurants and old boats line the Aura, the heart of city life in summer. Turku is also the launch point for the Archipelago Sea, with thousands of islands that can be explored by ferry and bicycle on the Archipelago Trail.