Turku

Aschan

Aschan is a café and lunch restaurant, until 2018 a popular confectory and café in Turku, now with franchises in Turku and Helsinki. It sells all kinds of coffee, drinks and sweet and salty bakeries, beard, pies and cakes.

Mon-Fri 08:00–20:00, Sat 09:00–18:00, Sun 12:00–18:00

Fabbes Café

Fabbes café is a cosy small café in the beautiful Biskopsgatan area (ÅA campus). 2–3 lunch options, one of which is vegan. Coffee included. They have a nice selection of pies (sweet and savoury), cakes, cinnamon rolls and home-made sweet treats, smoothies, etc. Nearly everything at Fabbe's is baked or produced in house, and you can tell the difference – nothing factory made and few additives. (You can check their web page for today's menu, but the latest news may be from a few years ago.)

Mon–Fri 08:00–16:00; lunch 11:00–15:00, late lunch if anything left·Breakfast €9, lunch €10–12 (late lunch €6), coffee with bun €4

Gaggui

In this tiny café the cakes are the main thing. They are fantastic and made by hand on the site. Coffee is also top-notch and the service is super friendly.

Tue–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat 10:00–18:00, Sun 12:00–18:00

Hansa

More than 150 shops found under one roof, Turku’s oldest and largest shopping centre with a number of specialist shops, including some nice Finnish design brands, and the department store Stockmann. A number of cafés and restaurants.

Mon–Fri 07:00–21:00, Sat 07:30–19:30, Sun 10:00–19:00

Honkapirtti

East Karelian-style large cabin, since decades a stopping point for people enjoying the nature on the island. Unpretentious lunch consisting of traditional pea soup and delicious pancakes. Its coffee table also has a range of traditional delicacies, cakes and pies.

Mon–Fri 11:00–17:00, Sat Sun 10:00–17:00

JukuPark Waterpark

JukuPark is a paradise for the whole family 3 km from Turku center. At JukuPark, come rain or shine, you're sure to get soaking wet! You’re guaranteed a great day with many spectacular water-slides, large heated swimming pools, sunbathing areas together with saunas, shower rooms and the Pirate Island water-world for the little ones. When hunger surprises there are Juku Park’s grills, cafés, kiosk services and terraces available.

7 Jun–10 Aug: daily 11:00 to 17-19:00·€21, children under 4 year free

KOP-Kolmio

KOP-Kolmio is a smaller shopping centre. It offers mostly fashion stores and a few cosy cafés. Also the Föli customer service, combined with Turku social services etc. The building is mostly home to companies, on the upper floors of the building, including the local branch of Yleisradio (YLE), Finland's national broadcast company.

Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00, Sat 10:00–18:00, Sun 12:00–16:00

Kahvila Koroinen

Café with lunch at the former Koroinen farm. The main lunch option usually has a focus on fresh local vegetables, with a nice non-conventional touch. They don't market themself as vegetarian, but most fare seems to be vegan. The association that runs the place, Elävän Kulttuurin Koroinen, furthers handicraft by natural materials, small-scale sustainable agriculture and related themes, which shows. Popular by families. The house is not accessible by wheelchair, but most people sit in the yard anyhow; accessible outhouse toilet 100 m away. Do-it-yourself bike repairs (oil and pump available around the clock). Also courses, cultural events and shop (at some events?) suiting the association's aims.

Café Sun 12:00–16:00·Lunch €10, coffee with cake €7

Kasvis-ravintola

Vegetarian restaurant serving a lunch buffet, using mostly organic and locally grown products. Vegans can eat most things offered, just check the whiteboard (vegan alternatives often available when needed) and choose the outs milk for your coffee (but unless you must, try the included teas of the day instead). The dining rooms are bland in spite of the exterior, but the food is good.

Mon-Fri 11:00–15:00·€7.70–11.50, children 7–12 €5; takeaway €14.50/kg

Kisälli

Old-fashioned style to partly match the location. Self-made fresh bread rolls, buns, doughnuts and pies. Every day there's also pancake and a variety of sweet and savoury pies. And of course, great coffee and other drinks.

Tue–Sun 09:00–17:00 or by agreement

Market Square

Kauppatori

The centre point of Turku's commercial centre is, without a doubt, the market square, with its market and surrounding shopping centres, department stores and independent shops. The market square itself has been a popular shopping and meeting place and an authentic tourist attraction – locals dominate and many do some of their grocery shopping here. Have a coffee and watch the scene, or buy groceries from the stalls of many local producers (those with just a bench sell their own, those selling from trailers are mostly selling produce of others, although e.g. a few fish stands buy from local fishermen or sell own catch). If you are on a budget, check the units, as no per kg prices are required. In 2018–2022, a parking cave was being built under the square, but most of the market activity has returned.

Mon–Fri 07:00–18:00, Sat 07:00–15:00; best in summer before 14:00, when most farmers leave

Mylly

A hundred shops, cafés and restaurants. Free play area and childcare points. Consistent opening hours across all stores (except Alko and office services). Plenty of parking. Large stores spread around in the vicinity.

Mon–Fri 10:00–21:00, Sat 09:00–18:00, Sun 12:00–18:00

PullaPuoti

Close to the Turku Police Station and Hostel Turku. Pastries, snack foods, coffee and filled sandwiches and cakes. For lunch you can choose a soup, salad, pan pizza or pasta. Assortment of gluten-free products.

Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00

Skanssi

Ninety special stores, a hypermarket, a wide variety of cafés and restaurants, an indoor playground, dog sitting service and underground parking.

Mon–Fri 08:00–21:00, Sat 08:00–18:00, Sun 12:00–18:00

Turku Market Hall

Kauppahalli

Completed in 1896, the Turku Market Hall brings a delightful atmosphere reminiscent of times gone by. The old and new meet in the corridors. The market hall, which extends across an entire block, was designed by architect Gustaf Nyström. There are traditional meat and fish counters, delicatessen and speciality shops, bread and cheese shops as well as restaurants and cafés. Stop by the fish shop S. Wallin, try some reindeer meat from Poronlihan erikoisliike Heinonen or buy some cheese at Juustopuoti. Have a coffee and cake in Aschan Blue Train café or shop for souvenirs at the nostalgic Wanha Turku Kauppa (Old Turku Store). There is also a great lunch court at the market hall, where you can choose to eat either ethnic or domestic food.

Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00, Sat 08:00–16:00

Vaakahuoneen Paviljonki

Pavilion restaurant Vaakahuone is an entertainment complex by the river. It offers live music (for dancing or otherwise), a speciality coffee shop, a pizza restaurant, and an à la carte restaurant. The end of the building also serves as S/S Ukkopekka's ticket office.

suXes

Turku, like other larger Finnish cities in general, is quite gay-friendly, though public gestures of affection are not common even for straight couples and might raise some eyebrows. You'll fit in at practically all of the clubs in Turku, but perhaps feel specially at home in suXes, the only gay bar and café in Turku. There you can be openly yourself while enjoying the atmosphere, coffee and drinks.

Daily 19:00–02:00

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)

ÅAS student cafés

Gadolinia Kb

Cafés of the student union of ÅA. Decent cafeteria food.

Lunch for outsiders: €9