Free things to do in Turku

13 places in Turku with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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Kuralan Kylämäki – Village of Living History
Kuralan Kylämäki
Kylämäki in Kurala is a village of living history, where visitors can travel back in time to a typical farm of south-west Finland in the 1950s, complete with authentic scents and rural atmosphere. It is made up of four farms with buildings standing at their original sites. The Kylämäki Village is ideal for families with children, since touching and experiencing is allowed – and there are corners with period toys and playing equipment. The village has been inhabited since the 7th century. In the summer months, you can see women at their domestic chores in the Iso-Kohmo House, making juices and jams, or dairy treats traditionally prepared around Midsummer. Visitors get to participate in some of the farm's tasks, such as hay making and handicraft: 1950s-style items out of clay, paper, yarn or fabric, tablet weaving with plant-dyed yarns and making leather belts and pouches. The themes vary, check in advance to time right. There is also an experimental archaeology workshop. In addition to research, it lets children explore prehistoric working methods and test their hunting skills using ancient weaponry. There is cooperation with revival associations. The workshop is open all year round.
summertime Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00, also open around ChristmasFree
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Martin's Church
Martinkirkko
Martin's parish was founded in 1921 after which the parish council decided to build a church of its own. The church was consecrated on the 450th anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther, on 12 Nov 1933. The designers of the church were the architects Totti Sora and Gunnar Wahlroos. The church represents architectural functionalism. Martin's church is a long church with three aisles with very narrow side aisles. The church has a functional and singular practicality of its own. The barrel-vaulting of the roof is one of the most outstanding features of the church. The whole altar wall is covered with an al secco painting of the Saviour nailed to the cross at Golgatha. This massive work is 15 m high and 9.5 m in breadth. At the time of painting this was the largest painting of its type in the whole of Scandinavia.
Open by agreement. Service in Finnish on Sundays at 10:00Free
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Seikkailupuisto
Äventyrsparken
This adventure park is the ideal environment for encouraging imagination and creative play. You are allowed to get wet in the mushroom fountain and get a thrill from the zip line. In addition to a large assortment of playground stuff in the lush park area, to be used freely, the adventure park offers guided activities from art and handicraft workshops to songs and music at the music playschool, and theatre performances. There is a kiosk where you can buy ice cream, drinks and snacks. It is also possible to grill your own food at the barbecue sites. Nearby in the park there is a bouncy castle and a traffic town.
Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00Free
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Skating worm
Luistelumato
Meandering skating lane forming a circle, 5–6 m wide and 500 m long. Skate rental (also hiking skates), hot drinks for sale. Roller skating in the summer.
Equipment rental Mon Wed Fri 17:00–20:00, Sat Sun 10:00–18:00, from middle Dec, unless rainingFree; skates: adults €5, children €1; hiking skates €5/2hr, €12/week; roller skates €5; drinks €1; skating free
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St Catherine's Church
Pyhän Katariinan kirkko
St Catherine's Church represents old medieval church building tradition. Although it was completely destroyed and has undergone several renovations, it has preserved something of its original appearance and retains the basic plan of a medieval Finnish church. There is a cemetery by the church.
Open by arrangement, and special eventsFree
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St Mary's Church
Maarian kirkko
Probably built in the 1440s, partly later in the 15th century. According to folk tradition, St Mary's Church was built at a place where sacrifices had been performed in heathen times, in the village of Räntämäki. It had also been the site of the village burial ground and a place of assembly. The village of Räntämäki was renamed after the patron saint of the Church, St Mary, and in the records it is sometimes referred to as the parish of Räntämäki, sometimes as St Mary's. The church took the name of St Mary from the nearby episcopal church of Koroinen, its original patron saint having been the first Bishop of Paris, Saint Dionysios. More of the original decorations have survived than in most other Finnish Medieval churches. There is a cemetery by the church.
Jun–Aug: Mon–Fri 12:00-17:00. In wintertime open by agreement. Service in Finnish on Sundays at 10:00Free
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St Michael's Church
Mikaelinkirkko
The western skyline of the city of Turku is dominated by Michael's Church which was consecrated in 1905. It was designed by Professor Lars Sonck. When he won the competition for the church in 1894, Sonck was only a 23-year old architectural student. Michael's church is a distinguished example of the neogothic style in architecture. It is a long church with three aisles, galleries and a multifaceted choir. In addition to the main entrance there are also doors at each corner of the church. The sacristy is behind the choir. The main spire rises to a height of 77 meters from the foundations. Many locals favour it as a wedding Church.
Jun–Aug: Mon-Fri 11:00–18:00, Sat 10:00–13:00, Sun 11:00–13:00Free
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The Medieval Market
This is the best (and original) Medieval Market in Finland. Follow the rows of market stalls at the Old Great Square and take a trip back in time to Medieval Market with performing groups, jesters and minstrels. People working at the festival dress up in medieval costumes and act out scenes in the middle of the street, rather than on stages, giving you a feeling you're genuinely in medieval Turku (the theme is some specific year, and you may hear references to "current" events). In the area for work displays artisans will demonstrate medieval working methods. Visitors can watch the smith working away at their forges, see how beer is brewed using ancient recipes and touch freshly tanned leather. At the children's activities area the smallest of the family can get into baskets of a roundabout. The Old Town Hall hosts events for science, art and fashion. The whole family can enjoy the medieval amusement. Medieval costumes for adults and children are available for hire at the event. Medieval-style food, clothes and souvenirs available on site.
End of June; Thu Fri 12:00–20:00, Sat Sun 12:00–18:00Free of charge, but charges for food, drink and souvenirs
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Turku Cathedral
Dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Finland’s first bishop, St Henry, Turku Cathedral, on the hillock of Unikankare, is Finland’s National Sanctuary. It was consecrated in 1300 and is considered to be Finland’s most valuable historical monument as well as the mother church of the Lutheran Church of Finland. It is familiar, even dear to practically every Finn. Its bells chime at noon over the radio throughout Finland, and they also proclaim the Christmas peace to the country. Every part of the cathedral reflects the details of Finland and Turku's history; resting under the protection of the arches are bishops, captains of war, and one queen, Catherine Månsdotter of Sweden.
Closed for renovation from February 2026 to Advent 2028Free. Museum upstairs is €2/1/1
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Turku cemetery
Turun hautausmaa, Begravningsplatsen i Åbo
The main cemetery of Turku, inaugurated in 1807, now covering 60 ha. Wood and mossy outcrops blend into the cemetery landscape, probably a quite uniquely Finnish touch. The old part, closer to the centre, is the more interesting one for most, where there are many graves with elaborate sculptures. There is also a Jewish and an Orthodox part inaugurated in the 19th century, the Muslim Tatar part from 1915 and the Catholic part from 1936. In the old part there is the Resurrection Chapel from the 1940s (easiest access from Hautausmaantie 21) and by the new part (by Skarpkullantie 2) there is the Holy Cross Chapels from the 1960s. If you just want to see an ordinary Finnish cemetery, there are smaller ones e.g. by St. Catherine's Church and by Saint Mary's church.
24 hr dailyFree
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Varissuon jäähalli
Ice field in an underground hall, skating for the public (no ice hockey) at certain hours when not in other use.
Mon–Fri 13:45–14:35, Thu also 18:00–18:50, Sun 10:00–10:50Free
Do Not mapped
Cross-country skiing
There are skiing tracks in most suburbs, as jogging routes are transformed to skiing routes, with groomed tracks and a lane for freestyle skiing (80 km maintained by the city in good winters). The Nunnavuori routes (0.35 and 1 km on flat ground, 1.7 km in easy hilly terrain) are maintained also in adverse weather, which gives them the longest season (in 2021–2022: from 5 Dec). At one of its starting points, Eskonkatu/Kurrapolku near Impivaara, there is equipment for rent (Sa–Su 11:00–16:00; equipment to be returned 20 min before closing) and coffee, warm juice and snacks for sale (by a charity; usually somewhat longer hours than the rental; sausage €1, coffee and bun €2). Many of the routes have lighting 06:00–22:00.
Free; equipment €5/3/1 (children: <20yrs)
Do Not mapped
Minor skating fields
There are minor skating fields in most residential areas, without artificial cooling and thus more dependent on weather. Some have ice hockey rinks, some have changing rooms.
Free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Turku (CC BY-SA 4.0).