In case you didn't know, art transcends all cultures and demographics! Turku was also named The European Capital of Culture in 2011!

Welcome to Turku, Finland, a quaint medieval city with an archipelago problem.  Once the capitol and largest city in Finland, in 1809 when Sweden ceded Turku to Russia Helsinki took over the reigns of both populous and industry.  Personally, I liked Turku much better than Helsinki, if not for the vast spread of islands in the Baltic Sea, but for the old-charm, cultural antiquity and general pleasantness of its people.  We went for hikes by the Aura river, entered castles and churches built in the 13th Century, AD and visited the island of Naantali.  Perhaps my favorite part was the fact that the Finnish speak an average of 3 languages each, English being one of them.  We met a variety of friends and partied it up with the locals nightly, and I could not get over how absolutely accommodating the Fins can be! I would definitely live here in a heartbeat! KISS MY TURKU!