Turku · Backpacking
ON A BUDGET
Finland's oldest city, built along a river, with a free ferry crossing it every few minutes.
The riverbank
Hostels sit along Läntinen Rantakatu and near the market square, with one aboard a moored ship. The centre, castle and station are all walkable.
What a day costs
EUR 50–85: dorm 25–40, food 15–25 with lunch buffets and supermarket cooking, a Föli day ticket under 10. Cheaper than Helsinki across the board.
Föli buses and the Föri
Föli runs cheap buses and city bikes, and the little Föri cable ferry has crossed the river free of charge for over a century.
Free by day
The Föri crossing, the cathedral, the oak woods and beach on Ruissalo island, and the riverbank walk down to the castle.
The river boat bars
From May to September a line of permanently moored ships along Aurajoki serve as bars and terraces — the default meeting point for anyone under thirty.