things to do
Below is some of our favourite things we liked to do when we were staying in Turku. If you’re thinking of going to Turku on exchange, the visitturku website has more great information. It is constantly updated with current events, such as the Turku Airshow or a heavy metal knitting competition. It’s definitely worth checking out.
christmas market
A great way to get into the Christmas spirit is by visiting the Turku Christmas market. With a very traditional feel, the Old Great Square filled with the residents of Turku. Walking past the stalls we were met with smells of the traditional Karelian pastry, handcrafted Christmas gifts and ornaments and someone serving Glögi (mulled wine), which of course we had to get to stay warm during the cold winter night. There were also performers such as fire jugglers and we had the opportunity to meet Santa Claus and his wife, to tell him about the electric scooter we now want for Christmas.
The tree lighting also took place around the start of December, in the cathedral square. This was a very busy event where everyone got together to celebrate the countdown to Christmas. If you are as lucky as us, snow will be falling as the carollers sing before lights are turned on, a very magical atmosphere.
From playing Ping-Pong to smashing a microwave in with a fireman’s axe, there was lots of things to do in Turku with friends. The latter of those activities was the Turku Rage Room. Here, we got let loose in a room with nothing but our mates, fragile objects, and a range of weapons to cause absolute carnage to unsuspecting dinner plates and microwaves. This worked surprisingly well as a post-deadline winddown.
When we were feeling less aggravated, we still had plenty to do. We frequently went to the bowling alley where we played table tennis, table curling, and bowling (obviously) to settle our team disagreements professionally. Another hidden gem which we found towards the end of our stay was Hohtogolf West Coast. This was an underground, glow-in-the-dark, crazy golf venue. If that description doesn’t convince you to go, I don’t know what will.
The Turku Castle is situated at south-west end of the river Aura, just before it opens out into the Archipelago Sea. We walked along the river to visit the castle, where we explored its internal courtyards and walkways. It is a 700 year old building, which has served many purposes to Turku since its creation. Various renovations have taken place, the castle has operated as a court for the Governor General of Finland, it was used a prison and a barracks. It was destroyed in 1941 after bombings, but has since been re-built. The surrounding park was especially nice during autumn as squirrels are running up trees and the leaves are charging colour.
activities with friends
turku castle
There are always events taking place within Turku and the surrounding area worth attending, and if you can’t find any, you’re not looking hard enough. We went along to the Gatorade sporting arena, a 20 minute bus from our accommodation, to cheer on the local ice hockey team Turun Palloseura (TPS). Unfortunately TPS did not come away with the win, so we were clearly not cheering loud enough, but it was a great experience and atmosphere within the arena nevertheless. Although there was no major music events within Turku, there was a huge variety of bands, solo artists and DJs performing in the capital, Helsinki. The team went through to see the drum and bass trio Noisia, who announced their separation shortly after the gig… not because of us though. One major takeaway from the experience was how responsive the crowd was, the Finnish really know how to have a good time; dancing, moshing and embracing the bass that is Noisia.