Turku - Surroundings

From Kuusisto a 300m/330yd long suspension bridge (1963) crosses the Rävsund to the island of Kirjala, where a road goes off on the left to the well-preserved 15th century castle of Kvidja, 7km/4.5mi southeast on the north side of the island of Lemlahti, which once belonged to Bishop Magnus Tavast.

Brinkhall Manor is a group of Neo-Classical buildings that were completed in 1793. They are located on the Island of Kakskerta. The gardens and park surrounding Brinkhall Manor are 300 years old and feature a Fruit and English garden.

16km/10mi southwest of Parainen (leaving on the road to the Airisto Hotel) is the little port of Lillmälö, from which the route continues on a ferry (free) and then a country road running southwest by way of the Nagu Islands to the island of Korpo, lying far out to sea (35km/22mi to Korpo church, which contains some old wood sculptures).

Leave Turku on Road 1 and in 9km/5.5mi, at Kaarina, turn right into Road 180, which runs south over the Pohjoissalmi (North Sound) on to the island of Kuusisto (Swedish Kustö). Just beyond the bridge a road branches off on the left to the ruins of Kuusisto Castle, at the east end of the island. Founded in 1317, it belonged to the Bishops of Finland and was demolished in 1528, after the Reformation.

The route from Turku continues on a country road which branches off Road 8 on the left, heading for Askainen. In 7.5km/4.5mi it comes to Nyynäinen, 1.5km/1mi southwest of which is the church of Lemu. Askainen, 8km/5mi beyond Nyynäinen, has an old stone church. 2km/1.25mi west, on the coast, is the manor house of Luohisaari (1655), birthplace of Marshal Mannerheim.

On the island of Luonnonmaa to the west of Naantali, which is linked with the mainland by the Ukko-Pekka Bridge, stands Kultaranta Castle, the summer residence of the President of Finland.

Museum of Archaeology and History Aboa Vetus is built around an excavated medieval city block. The arched cellars and cobblestone streets had been buried underground centuries ago, without trace.

Museum of Contemporary Art Ars Nova, means New Art and, as its name implies, exhibits the art of our times. The Matti Koivurinta Foundation's own collections showcase the works of top 20th century Finnish and foreign artists, from Leena Luostarinen to Picasso.

2km/1.25mi beyond the turning for Kvidja the road crosses the Hässund and comes in another 4km/2.5mi to Parainen (Swedish Pargas), a town noted for its limestone quarries (cement factories). It has an old stone church with a beautiful interior and a few straw bale cabins that were completed in 1997.

2km/1.25mi northeast of Cathedral Square (along Hämeenkatu, then beyond the railroad turn left into Kirkkotie) is the little 14th century church of St Karin (Kaarinankirkko). In the churchyard can be seen the grave of the legal scholar Mathias Calonius (1738-1817), first governor of Finland after its annexation by Russia, who insisted that the country's old laws should be maintained.

3km/2mi northeast of Turku station on the Tampere road (Tampereentie) is St Mary's Church (Maariankirkko), a well-preserved 14th century church of undressed stone. Nearby, at the village of Räntämäki, are the remains of the first Christian church in Finland, believed to have been built in 1161.

13km/8mi southwest of Parainen, amid a great scatter of skerries, is the island of Stormälö, with the Airisto Hotel, run by the Finnish Tourist Board (open in summer).