Frequently asked questions

The castle is a walkable 3 km from Turku's Market Square along the Aura riverbank, or a short ride on city buses that stop nearby. It's also within easy reach of the railway station and the Silja and Viking ferry terminals.

The museum doesn't publish a recommended duration. The castle has 164 rooms and the route covers the main castle, the bailey and two attic exhibition halls, so most people find they want a couple of hours or more; the museum's own guided tours run 60–75 minutes and cover only part of it. There's no fixed schedule, so you set the pace.

Yes. The towers and stone stairways, the life-size wax figures of Duke John and Catherine Jagiellon, the scale model you can peer into, and the real weapons and armour on display tend to capture children's imaginations — and in the castle-history exhibition a gnome character guides younger visitors through five of the displays. The stairs are narrow and steep, so keep younger children close.

Partially. A lift reaches the Great Hall on the 2nd floor, the chapel and sacristy on the 3rd and the Southern Exhibition Hall on the 6th, and there is an accessible restroom on the route, but not every area can be reached: the courtyard is paved with uneven natural stone, stairs are steep and doorways can be narrow. Pushchairs cannot be used in the museum. The accessible entrance can close in winter when there is snow on the ramp. Contact the museum ahead of your visit to plan a suitable route.

Yes, personal photography is welcome throughout. Flash and tripods may be restricted in a few rooms to protect fragile textiles and painted surfaces, and signage on site will tell you where that applies.

The castle is closed on Mondays year-round, and runs reduced hours or closes around Midsummer (19–21 June) and Christmas (24–25 December). We'll flag it if a closure affects the date you've chosen.

Two of the castle's oldest interiors. The Sture Church was built in the 1480s for governor Sten Sture the Elder, who also raised the upper levels of the eastern tower; the Nun's Chapel is one of the vaulted rooms from the castle's 1300s–1400s building phase, alongside the King's Hall and the Gentlemen's Cellar. They are among the least-altered spaces in the castle.

This site is an independent visitor guide to Turku Castle. When you choose a tour or experience, you book it directly with GetYourGuide, which takes the payment, confirms the booking and handles any changes or cancellations. We may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.