TURKU, FINLAND

We begin our tour from the port, where the River Aura meets the sea. We will travel by coach, taking approximately 15 minutes, to the site where the Castle of Turku was initially built in 1280. A guided tour will take us through the major parts of the castle, to give us an idea of life in the 15th century.

We begin our tour from the port, where the River Aura meets the sea. We will travel by coach, taking approximately 15 minutes, to the site where the Castle of Turku was initially built in 1280. A guided tour will take us through the major parts of the castle, to give us an idea of life in the 15th century. The castle houses an important collection of medieval wooden sculptures, glass, and gold and silver artefacts. Leaving the castle, we will drive through the centre of the city to reach the Handicraft Museum – a living, open-air museum with artisans showing working methods from the 18th century. These buildings, about 60 in total, were saved from the Great Fire in 1827 that destroyed much of the city. Our final stop is at Turku Cathedral – the mother church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and Finland's national shrine. It is also the seat of the Archbishop of Finland. It is Finland’s oldest cathedral, and was consecrated in 1300. The memorials and smaller details of the church provide a good deal of information about the history of the Finnish people. The Cathedral is the final resting-place of several bishops and even a queen. After our guided tour here, we shall have a short drive to return to our ship.

This tour involves a moderate amount of walking – approximately one and a half hours – over cobblestones, steps and many stairs (in the Castle). It is not suitable for passengers with limited mobility or wheelchair users. The Cathedral sometimes holds services, concerts and public functions; therefore it can not be guaranteed that it will be open for visitors in which case our visit will be external only. The order of sights visited may vary.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2008 SCANDINAVIA & BALTIC SEASON