Finland and Turku
Finland is situated in Northern Europe and it has been a member of European Union since 1995. Turku is located on the south-west coast of Finland, where it has maintained contacts with Scandinavia and continental Europe since medieval times. Turku is the oldest city in Finland and since its foundation in the late 13th century, Turku has been Finland’s gateway to the West and a significant route by which innovations have reached the country.
Turku has approximately 180,000 inhabitants and it is an officially bilingual city (Finnish and Swedish). In Turku, everything is easily within reach. The city layout is simple, efficient and easily accessible by bus, bike or on foot. Turku offers excellent travel connections to the rest of the country as well as abroad. The unique Turku archipelago with over 20,000 islands lies just outside the city and is easily accesible. Turku offers plenty of hiking and nature trails through the numerous parks and hills surrounding the city for those who like to jog, ski or skate. Furthermore, Finland’s four distinctive seasons give its nature and Finnish lifestyle an ever-changing aspect.
The three universities in Turku form a unified campus area located next to the historical centre of the city, only a short walk from the heart of the city. With a student population of over 30,000 studying at different institutions of higher education, Turku is a lively and well respected university town offering a wide selection of services, business, sport and cultural activities. There are numerous theatres, cinemas and museums situated in Turku and the city is hosting several festivals and events all around the year. Turku, alongside Tallinn, Estonia, is appointed the European Capital of Culture for 2011.