Viking Isabella, Finland

Especially before christmas the atmosphere on board is crazy! You now finnish people drink and party a lot, but some how they drink and party even more when they go on a cruise. If you really want to enjoy the culture on board (thereare sometimes good artist playing there) please choose the morning ship Viking Amorella.

This year 2008 can be the last year we are celebrating Ruisrock on the Awesome Island of Ruissalo. Some environmental activists have been complaining about the noise and stuff for years now, but this particular year they have bigger weapons than ever. So do we - Apocalyptica, HIM and Nightwish!

Kupittaa Adventure Park is a great place to go when you travel with kids. In Summer there are concerts and other events for kids, but you can visit there any time of the year. And it's absolutely free!

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If you are in Turku, you should definitly visit in Turku Castle. You can take a tour or just walk around by youself. The inner court is made of cobblestones. In the castle are sometimes held different exhibition, for example women clothes dating centuries backwards. Guides are dressed old clothes so they create atmosphere for their own part.

Vaihelan Kievari is well worth a stop in Velkua. Very nice hotel/guesthouse with good food, even a winecellar. If Tom is around, he might take you fishing!

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Beautiful place for a sunny sunday walk. Walk along the duckboards and you'll find a funny cottage. Near the cottage you can find the cache "Kaislikossa suhisee 2".

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The best party city in Finland especially during the summer.

Great Naantali! Always sunshine, Moomis, adventures island Väski. Music festivals, and the sea!

Eurokirppis - Radiomiehenkatu 3 Turku

Secondhand shopper sharks bay, in Turku. All you need and more. After few minutes of shopping, you’ll find your basket full of cheap catchs.

The nature reserve place Ruissalo is the place where you can find beautiful and calming nature. There are numerous hiking paths and also smaller paths where you can wonder through the forrest. On the end of Ruissalo there is a camping place with beach. What you should remember, is that the water is actually the sea. So even during the summer time the water can be chilly.
But of cource, since this is Finland, people tend to do some strange things.. Swimming in the sea in the winter is quite common. Saaronniemen Saukot (Saaronniemi=place, saukot=otters) is a "club" where you can try this. It costs about 2,5 euros to enjoy the extremely warm sauna and reaaally cold sea water :) This place is in the beginning of the island of Ruissalo and there is a sign pointing to Saaronniemen Saukot.
http://www.saaronniemensaukot.fi/

Turkuhalli is a big arena where ice-hockey games, festivals and other big events are organized. The main events take place during the winter time, when the finnish ice-hockey league is held. This is an amusing way to start your evening. When the game comes to an end, then you can head towards Turku city centre and carry on to Amarillo restaurant, where the team has an "party" after their every game in Turku.

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If you are a geocacher there is a cache near the Turku Airport parking place. The cache is easy to find even in dark, but it's good to have some light with you. The box is big enough for travelbugs and geocoins.

Now days there are quite a lot of flights from Turku Airport, especially the cheap airlines are flying abroad.

Earlier I knew only the dark side of this mystic island, that there had been leprous people and everyone, who went to that island, never came back to normal life again. We had a conducted tour in Seili last summer and it was so interesting, I heard also the positive aspects. And there was also very unique church. So next summer, take a ferry and go there, but I recommend to take part of those conducted tours. It gives you so much more.

This restaurant is open during summer time, from May to August. It´s situated just by riverside, so you can enjoy the lovely view to Aura river. There is live jazz every evening and no entrance fees. The food is very delicious, at least chicken-bacon pasta :) Staff is nice and friendly. You can go there just to have drinks or enjoy properly meal.

This restaurant is specialised in Mexican food and it´s situated in the city centre. Food is little bit spicy, but tasty. You get spicier food if you like to, by adding extra hot habanero sauce. Inner decoration of restaurant goes along with the theme. All put together, it´s cosy mid-priced restaurant.

This nice restaurant is situated in Naantali, which is approximately 30 km from Turku. Kala-Trappi is famous restaurant in Naantali and it continues the long traditions. Finland´s presidents have been restaurants customers since 1960. Restaurant is open around the year.

This is a nice and cosy pub in the centre of the city of Turku. It´s popular pub to have some drinks before going to bar on Friday and Saturday nights. At downstairs are possible to take a match in billiards.

Interesting looking yellow building. We were there first at night, but it was way too scary. We wen't there again next time in the day light. It's interesting to think how much all the electricity things have chanced since the turn of the century. It's an old yellow brickhouse!

Funny little thing.

In the late October there is Silakkamarkkinat in Turku. It's a market or a fair where are dozens of market stalls and several of them are selling all kinds of fish, especially Baltic herring.

This year Silakkamarkkinat was 23.-26. October and they usually are around same time. The market is located on the bank of the Aurajoki.

They are also selling lots of beautiful handicraft products.

There is a ski slope in Hirvensalo, but now days there hasn't been enough snow to open the hill. Anycase, you can allways climb up the hill to see the view. In a sunny day you can see far away. Especially in Autumn Turku is looking quite nice :)

And you can find an intereting ols quarry here too. On the bottom you can find a geocache, but it's fun to climb even with no such puspose :D You can find the quarry from coordinates N 60° 16.938 E 022° 13.983. Be careful in winter cause the quarrys wall is slippery!

This nightclub is situated opposite the market square and it´s in the same building with Sokos Hotel Hamburger Börs. It´s a popular nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights. First there is a lounge bar (which is restaurant ShamRockCafe during day time until 11 pm.), then there is the actually bar with two sides. On the one side they play today´s hit music and the other side Finnish hits and hits from 80´s and 90´s. If I go out to have fun I go to Börs. I like it most of the Turku´s supply of nightclubs.

Tired of all the travelling and would like to take a nap or just a moment to relax? Head to the naphouse in the center of Turku! It's free and the doors are open for anyone from 12-18 (not on mondays). There's also a cafeteria where you can buy some drinks or snacks. To see if there happens too be some events when you're around, check out their web page.

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If you ever end up in Turku (which you should do) go and check out the Castle. Take the tour, it's worth the money and it's a good story. The castle looks great too and is really close to the harbor and heart of Turku.

If you ever end up in Turku (which you should do) go and check out the Castle. Take the tour, it's worth the money and it's a good story. The castle looks great too and is really close to the harbor and heart of Turku.

If you ever end up in Turku (which you should do) go and check out the Castle. Take the tour, it's worth the money and it's a good story. The castle looks great too and is really close to the harbor and heart of Turku.

According to local joke, Raisio is the biggest traffic lights in Finland which has official city position.

Fast-growing, medium-sized city without anything special to offer for travelers. Check out neighbors Turku and Naantali.

Sorry, only in finnish :)

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Definitely visit local shopping mall Mylly. Better shops than in Turku which is located just nearby. Now also Ikea, Biltema, Plantagen and Bauhaus have their stores here.

A wonderful little "mountain" in a small town called Masku. There is a very beautiful view from the top of the Kajamonvuori. And you can also find a geocache from there.

You can read the cache information from http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c9eee8f5-30a4-481b-a9e5-e7620a9314ac

There are couple of places I like in Nousiainen. You can find a beautiful, high bridge from the back of the church of Nousiainen. You would never expect to see something like that in there! That really made an impression on me. Other thing I like about in Nousiainen is a hiking trail that begins from Nousiainen. It's called "Lakjärven vaellus" in Finnish. And the hike trail has 10 geocaches within 5 kilometers!

I must say the only good part of this park is that it is free. It really lets one down. Nothing special.

The City of Sun. Beautiful place on summer, rather empty on winter. Still, a highly recommended place to visit.

Alfa
Best used-book store in Turku. Wide selection of comics. Actual gold mine for true collector. Also for music and film shopping.

Festivals are always festival and especially in Finland it means people get drunk. If you ignore that (:P) you can find out that in Ruisrock people are more merrier and more social than an usual Finnish person. People gather to Turku from all around Finland and Ruisrock is a great place for meeting new friends. Atleast I always do so :D

So if you don´t have hear about the massive student party what is held in Silja Europa cruise ship. The name for this party is GOOM. There is the hold ship full of student from finland and also people from foreign coutries. If you are not a student you can also joint to the trip. One and only rule is that every body will have fun:) You can choice from one cruise to two cruise.

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Turku Hostel is a great hostel in Turku. The staff is really nice and helpful and you also get a good night sleep. Nice lounge and kitchen makes the place even nicer.

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The view from the top is great, if the weather is clear. It's quite suprising to see a view like that in the middle of.. well nothing.

The cache is quite easy to find. Be careful especially with kids because there is usually some broken glass on the ground.

If you are not a geocachers, that doesn't matter. View is still beautiful :D

The archipelago of Taivassalo can be breath-taking especially in summer time. The roads go here and there like in the middle of the sea. Imagine a warm and sunny summer day (yes, sometimes there are those in Finland!) and you're chillin on the beach and the waves wet your feet... Well, maybe it can happen if you rent your own cottage :D But anyhow, the views are relaxing.

This is a suitable restaurant for person, who likes to eat much fish and fresh home-made food. I have been there so many times and liked a lot. They make breads themselves and you can also buy breads to take home with. I didn't find any home pages of this restaurant, but I think it's open all year round!? Because I have been there only in the summer...

I think this is the best Chinese restaurant in Turku. Food is good and prices are economy. There are 4-5 different meals at lunch at each day, so you have choises to make. Staff is friendly and quick. In the background they play Chinese music.

I have heard that it's a bit difficult to find to Cantina Azteca. But if you see the signs of TINATUOPPI, the next door is to Cantina Azteca. Great place. It's a shame people don't go there that often.

We were here in the evening when it was allready dark. You could almost feel the ghosts running around :) Impressive place. It's located near the see and in dark you could see beautiful lights from the opposite shore. I could imagine going there again in the summer with picnic lunch or something.

Once again, a stunning view! I can't believe there are so many places near home, where you wouldn't have gone with out a friends tip.

There is parking place in coordinates N60,23.621 E022,26.030 and from there you can walk to the hill along the trail. Be careful at the top, because there is a cliff. It takes about 10 minutes to climb there, but it takes much more time to admire the view :D

We were here in the autumn when there was the first night frost. We walked along the nature trail and climbed to the hill just when the sun was rising. View was absolutely beautiful! No noises and the wind was calm. It's a shame we didn't have a picnic basket with us :)

Because the ground was freezed you had to be really careful in the hill. There is an interesting ski jumping slope near the parking place in the coordinates N 60° 11.973 E 022° 03.357.

It's a lot easier to come here in stead of Turku center to shop. Parking place is free and all the boutiques are close to each other.

They have just opened a new Earth Collection boutique in Mylly. Boutique is small, but the clothes are adorable. The owner is an older lady who likes to talk a lot :)

Picture is from the parking place :D

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The most beautiful place in whole Varsinais-Suomi! Go and see for your self, if you don't believe me :)

There are about 8 different nature trails in Nauvo, and Kasberget is one of them. The trail goes up the hill and the view is literally breath-taking.

We didn't walk the whole trail and it took us only about half an hour. Unbelievable place.

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Once again a place where isn't that much to do, unless you like hiking, walking or anything else, that has something to do with going out. And I don't mean bars now :)

The good side is that every where you go, you can see the ocean which is beautiful.

We were here in a bit strange time. It was in the beginning of November and there was absolutely nobody in the guest harbour! We went there first in the evening and there was a beautiful lightning. It felt like christmas. The see was calm and there was fog on it. Strange little place.

We went there again in the morning with picnic basket. Sun was shining and it was still beautiful, although the place looked totaly different in day light. So you can visit here also in Autumn, not just in summer time.

This Hammudi has a least two groceriesshops and one pizzeria. These little foodmarkets offers you foreign foodstuff for example from Arabia and other oriental countries.

Literally breath-taking place in Ruissalo is Outori's beach where you can go ice-swimming in winter! The address is Tammirannantie 39 and of course there is also sauna. If you go there once it costs 3 euros. The sauna is warm on tuesday and thursday evenings.

Pizzeria Dennis makes the famous Dennis pizzas :D They are also serving other foods, but I usually take the pizza because is so good. The service is exellent! I once asked for a big cola, and said that I want it to be really big. I waited a few minutes and the waites brought me a one litre pint :D

If you are coeliac, they can make a pizza for you too, and at least last time, it was the same price as normal pizza.

Moomin world – Nipsun putiikki

Is amusement park in Naantali. Moomin world shop offer the most wide selection of moominproducts. All moomin characters as toys.Lots clothes and containers. I my self bought bogy soft toy from the boutique. I’ m going to visit Moomin world every summer!

Kuralan kylämäki

Museum where you can see alive domesticated animals! Pigs, chickens, sheeps and cows. Lot of fun for children and also present boutique where you can find heritage handcraft products. Speciality, is that you can bye old recipies for finnish tradition foods.

Uppveg in Turku sells ekological and ethical shoes and clothes. They have also books, bags and stuff. Vegan friendly. :D

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Naantali's guest harbour is a lively and idyllic place. The slowly swaying sailboats, restaurants, narrow alleys and boutiques makes you feel an experience.

Mylly shopping centre is situated in Raisio. You can take the bus to Mylly from Turku. You can easily spend a whole day here. This is a perfect place to shop when it´s raining. Here´s everything: shops, cafes, restaurants, parking (it´s free of charge) and supermarket. All the shops are open weekdays until 9 pm. and weekends until 6 pm.

This is a cosy and nice mid-priced hotel in Turku. It´s situated 3 bloks away from market square to harbour, so that is a walking distance. Personnel is warm and friendly. There is also a small parking place at the backyard of the hotel and it´s free of charge for customers.

This is an Italian restaurant. They serve pizzas, pastas and some other types of food too. The garlic bread is so good :) There is a terrace at th roof which is open during summer time. I ate pizza and that was big. I think even you are very hungry, you stomach will be full after pizza.

No better palce to spend summerdays than ruissalo's beach

For all the Spotify-users, here's the playlist for Ruisrock 2009. At least 90% the playing bands - can't guarantee that they'll play all of the songs. :P Lots of superior finnish performers - A hint for all you foreigners...

spotify:user:jarnojii:playlist:1d3SfQfQumW37vAS8KarTM

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Great kiteboarding and snowkiting school in Turku. check www.finkite.com

City has got a classic touch, warm and beautiful.

If you have seen enough chain hotels, try Hotel Amandis next time you visit Naantali. Right in the heart of everything, a bit shabby rooms (kitchenette in every room!) but wonderful easy going staff and a marina view from own terrace. You can either cook your own breakfast in room or buy it from the hotels restaurant (small buffet breakfast).

Mind you, the parking is bit difficult in old Naantali - Amandis has it's own parking lot in inner court but it's very small. In principle there is enough room for car / room.

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Right in the heart of everything, a bit shabby rooms (kitchenette in every room!) but wonderful easy going staff and a marina view from own terrace. You can either cook your own breakfast in room or buy it from the hotels cafe (small buffet breakfast).

Mind you, the parking is bit difficult in old Naantali - Amandis has it's own parking lot in inner court but it's very small. In principle there is enough room for car / room.

Link to hotels homepage

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Small studio for 1-3-persons in the centre of Naantali. It's fully equipped and cosy.Situation is near Turku, the European Capital of the Culture in year 2011.

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Vehmaan kirkko is a beautiful church in Vehmaa. Near the church you can find a small coffee shop (kesäkahvila) in the summer and a small christmas shop before Christmas.

At this cosy and popular gastro pub you are welcome to have a drink or a multicourse dinner!

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The WA Museum of Art is a great venue for those that are into contemporary art! The architecture is also awesome.

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The great musical Les Misérables is still played in the fall 2011 on Åbo Svenska Teater. The great ensemble is may be "Better than in London"

Turku Touring's Tourist Information serves travellers and citizens in the centre of Turku. You can have brochures and expert information on the entire province. TurkuCard - visitor´s benefit card, cruise and sightseeing tickets, T-shirts with Turku-theme, travel books and maps are available as well. They also rent cottages and in summertime also bicycles.

Delicious food!

Cradle of classical music in Turku. If you love music, here is the place for visits. Artistic director Maestro Leif Segerstam from January 2012

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Åbo Svenska Teater is situated in the middle of Turku.

This lovely bourgeois home from the 18th century is well worth the visit.

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Have You seen the ghost of the theatre?

Great place for all of you hooked on history!

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Luostarinmäki is an unbelievable place! This is what Turku looked like some 200 years ago.

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the exhibitions are brilliant!

the exhibitions are brilliant!