Must-see attractions in Turku & Finland's South Coast

  • Water Tower

    Zip up the lift to the top of the 50m-high water tower on Vartiovuori Hill for sweeping views across town and out to sea.

  • Kotkan Saaret

    The smattering of islands off the coast of Kotka are former military outposts, some of which are now open to the public. Several boat trips depart from…

  • Nuuksio National Park

    Close enough to Helsinki for a half-day trip, 35km northwest of the city, this 4500-hectare national park gives an immersive introduction to Finnish…

  • Kultaranta

    The Finnish president’s summer residence is an elaborate stone castle on Luonnonmaa island, its tower visible from Naantali harbour. Designed by Lars…

  • Naantalin Kirkko

    Medieval Naantali grew up around the Catholic Convent of the Order of St Birgitta, which was dissolved after the 1527 Reformation. Towering above the…

  • Sibelius Museum

    Finland's most extensive musical museum displays some 350 instruments from accordions to Zimbabwean drums. A separate section is devoted to Finnish…

  • Neljän Tuulen Tupa

    On Little Pine Island, 1.5km east of the town centre, is the House of the Four Winds, where locals snuck swigs of ‘hard tea’ during the Finnish…

  • Turun Taidemuseo

    Turku Art Museum is housed in a striking granite building with elaborately carved pilasters and conical turrets, perched on a hill on the north side of…

  • Pyhän Laurin Kirkko

    Dating from the 1480s, Lohja's medieval church contains incredible murals, mostly dating from the beginning of the 16th century. Starting from the right…

  • EKTA Museum

    The highlight of the Ekenäs museum is the exhibit on the life and art of Finnish painter Helene Schjerfbeck, with a rotating display of 30 artworks. Other…

  • Hamina Bastioni

    The ruins of the 18th-century Hamina Bastion include 3km of crumbling stone walls that would have made a star-shaped fortress. The bastion comes alive for…

  • Maretarium

    Kotka's modern Maretarium has more than 20 giant fish tanks representing various bodies of water. The Baltic tank is the largest, with local sea life fed…

  • Sapokka Vesipuisto

    Sapokanlahti is a natural inlet in central Kotka that provides the setting for the tranquil, award-winning Sapokka Water Garden. The centrepiece is the…

  • Ruotsinpyhtää Church

    In 1743, when the Treaty of Åbo split the village of Pyhtää in two, the local church ended up on the eastern (Russian) side of the border. Shortly…

  • Ekenäs Church

    This Old Town church is the only baroque greystone church in Finland. The original church was constructed between 1651 and 1680, but it was destroyed by…

  • Walter Runeberg Sculpture Collection

    This gallery has 150 sculptures by Walter Runeberg, the eldest son of national poet JL Runeberg. Walter Runeberg produced the town’s sculpture of his…

  • Naantali Museum

    Housed in three Old Town wooden buildings dating from the 18th century, Naantali's museum traces the town's history from its convent roots, with plenty of…

  • Söderlångvik

    The beautiful manor house Söderlångvik belonged to local newspaper magnate and art collector Amos Anderson. There are paintings, furniture and special…

  • Merenkulkumuseo

    Housed in a red salt warehouse on the seafront, the Maritime Museum has collections and exhibitions related to the town's seafaring history. The highlight…

  • Taidetehdas

    This former tractor factory is now an exhibition space, with rotating exhibitions of contemporary art. The centrepiece is the permanent display of the…