Conference city Turku

Turku is a very well-known conference location. It is also an ideal town for both shopping and enjoying cultural events. In Turku everything is within walking distance and situated around the river Aura - the heart of Turku.

European Capital of Culture 2011

Turku is one of the two European Capitals of Culture 2011, the other being Tallinn in neighbouring Estonia. The main focal points for Turku 2011 are well-being, internationalism, and the commercial export of creative enterprise and culture. The activities will be based on a wide definition of culture, with the emphasis on culinary arts, exercise and well-being, science and multicultural encounters and, of course, the creative arts.
Turku 2011 - European capital of culture

Turku’s extremely active Capital of Culture summer season concludes at the last August weekend, i.e., on 25–28 August. The River Aura is set to witness yet another massive public event.
Turku2011 Summer culmination weekend programme (PDF 154 KB)

Activities

Turku is a city by the river. A walking on the riverbanks brings you pleasure of a relaxed atmosphere, restaurant boats, musical events and many other happenings.

As an ancient city, Turku boasts some impressive heritage sites, such as Turku castle and Turku Cathedral. The castle was built in the 1280s and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland; it is also a venue for meetings, banquets, temporary exhibitions, concerts and children’s events. Turku Cathedral dates from the 1300s and is the mother church of the Lutheran Church of Finland and a national shrine.
Turku Castle
Turku Cathedral

Other very popular tourist sites include the museum of history and modern art Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova and Forum Marinum, a maritime centre by the river that hosts maritime history exhibitions and famous museum ships.  Aboa Vetus displays an unearthed authentic, medieval town block, while the Ars Nova exhibits contemporary art.
Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova
Forum Marinum

Turku sits on the Turku Archipelago, which is a unique environment of over 20,000 islands, and islets rising out of the sea. Many parts of the archipelago are easily accessible by ferry, boat, car or even by bike.

History

Turku is the oldest city in Finland, dating back to the year 1229. However, the market place at the mouth of the River Aura, where the town gradually grew, is a great deal older.

Throughout its history, Turku has been an important trading place and traffic crossroads between east and west. Turku remains the fifth largest city in Finland and an important centre for science, trade and culture. The city has about 180 000 inhabitants.

More information on Turku

How to get there?

Turku can be reached by taking a flight to Helsinki and taking a bus or train (2h) connection. Turku is also easy to reach by boat from Stockholm and Tallinn.
More detailed information about the connections

Photos: Turku Touring