Your LOC have pooled their local knowledge in order to produce a list of recommendations for activities, eateries, and local sights to visit. Please enjoy, and if you have any questions about any of the below, feel free to ask in Slack.
Kakola Spa
Kakola hotel guests can visit Kakola spa for a reduced price of €25 for three hours. Opening times are 1400-2100 on Mon – Thursday. They have a range of pools and saunas, details at the link above.
Excursions
For those who want to get a bit out of town, we suggest the following (covered by the Föli free bus/waterbus ride QR code):
Ruissalo is a long island just off the coast of Turku, connected by a bridge. It takes about 25 minutes on the #28 bus to arrive at the far end of the island, where there is a beach with beautiful views. The waterbus connects to Ruissalo and the ride is a journey to enjoy! Highly recommended if you want a small taste of the Turku archipelago. There is also a public sauna at a different location on Ruissalo, where one can enjoy a swim and sauna for €8. They are open until 2100, but note they are closed on Monday and Wednesday.
Naantali is a town just north of Turku. One of the oldest towns in Finland, it is the home of the presidential summer residence as well as Moominworld! It is a beautiful town to explore, and one can walk across a bridge to the island that hosts Moominworld and enjoy the views. Visitors can walk around inside the Moominworld freely when it is not open. It takes about 40 minutes to get to Naantali by bus from central Turku.
Tuorla Observatory used to be the place where you could find Turku astronomers, before they moved to the main University of Turku campus. Now under the administration of Space Park Väisälä, it is still a nice place to visit, with a museum and planetarium available. The nearby cafe/restaurant Tuorlan Majatalo offers homy Finnish food and atmosphere. Reachable from central Turku in half an hour by bus.
Coffee/Bakeries/Snacks
Bageri Å: A bakery located within the conference venue! It offers coffee brewed from the roasters next door, and a selection of delicious bread and pastries.
Rebelle: Cute little coffee shop in the downtown area. Tasty hot chocolates, cakes, rice bowls and even some cheeky wine options. Closes early, at 6pm, but a nice weekend spot.
Restaurants
Taco Nito: Mexican takeaway restaurant located close to the Market square. Fantastic burritos, multiple vegetarian options. Quite a small place, but suitable for takeaway for large groups.
Smör: Fine dining restaurant serving Nordic cuisine using local ingredients.
Harald: A restaurant for those who want a Viking experience! Never mind that Finland is not so famous for Vikings 🙂 Good for those who want a themed experience and more unique food options such as Reindeer or Elk.
Pawon Lawu: Indonesian restaurant near the University hill, easily accessible with a bus. Their beef rendang is sublime but they also offer some vegetarian options.
Ravintola Norsu: Asian style restaurant halfway between the symposium venue and the Market square. Vegetarian friendly with some vegan options.
VG Wok: This Asian style restaurant has several venues near the university, so a walk or a quick bus ride is required. However, they are completely vegetarian and have large selection of vegan dishes.
Dennis: Locally beloved Pizza restaurant for over 50 years!
Hesburger: The original Turku burger chain that has spread all over the country. Their Double Burger (kerroshampurilainen) has been the Big Mac killer in Finland for decades. Nearest restaurants to the venue are on the Market square.
Ravintola Komppeli: Relatively affordable restaurant serving classic options. Close to the conference venue.
Löytö gastropub: Big, affordable pub staples down by the river. Burgers recommended! Close to the conference venue.
Nerå: Restaurant by the riverside. Close to the conference venue.
Bars
Brewery Restaurant Koulu: A spacious pub with beer garden in an old schoolhouse. Serves a variety of beer that they brew on site, as well as pub food. Importantly, this is the venue for the inaugural Astronomy on Tap Turku event on the conference Tuesday!
Kakola taproom: Bar located at the conference venue, in the old prison kitchen. Serves beer from the Kakola brewery. Also a pizzeria!
The “Beer boats” (e.g. Papa Joe, Cindy, etc): These are a number of bars / restaurants grouped together in boats along the river Aura. A fantastic place to sit if we are lucky with the weather!
Teerenpeli: Bar located near the Market square. Serves excellent beer and whiskey from their own brewery / distillery.
Uusi Apteeki (New pharmacy): Cosy bar in an old pharmacy building with original interiors. Close to the town centre.
Mallaskukko: A traditional British-style pub with a very wide selection of beers. Between the hotel and the market square.
Kerttulin Kievari: If you are a big whiskey fan, this is the bar for you. Small dark bar in a very out of the way location, with a huge whiskey selection. Also tends to have interesting beer. 35 minutes across town from Kakola, but could be worth it!
Walo Rooftop bar: A rooftop bar close to the Market square.
Bar4: A great local cocktail bar near the Market square with experimental seasonal recipes along with the classics.
Bar Rento: Living room vibe interior with a nice selection of beers and cocktails just on the corner of the Market square. Has a large terrace section on the pedestrian street for those sunny evenings.
Hunter’s Inn: A city staple with a nice selection of beers and a large bar menu which includes elk sausages. Also hosts a small arcade with cabinets from the 80’s and 90’s. Beating your colleagues in Mortal Kombat 4 with a beer in your hand has never been more fun!
Sightseeing
Turku Castle: The original center of power in Finland from the 13th century to early modern period. Has an expansive museum inside but closes early. A good option for a weekend. This is the location of the welcome reception on Monday!
Aboa Vetus Ars Nova: The archeological museum hosts an underground excavation of medieval Turku which includes ruins of houses and forgotten everyday items. The building also contains a museum of contemporary art.
Luostarinmäki Museum Quarter: This neighbourhood survived the Great Fire of Turku in 1827 and has been turned into a museum.
Cat Cafe Mirri: Coffe/tea, sweets and cats? What else do you need! Cozy and artistic cafe with a few (3-4) cats hanging around freely, unlike cat-packed crowded places you’ve seen elsewhere.
Posankka: The unofficial pig-duck mascot of Turku!
Turku Cathedral: 13th-century cathedral, possibly the best-known landmark of Turku city. Closed for renovation, but the plaza is nice to visit (ELT not included).