Turku is famous for the Castle and the Cathedral, but also because here takes place the oldest rock festival in Finland. The Ruisrock that since 1969 every July hosts the most famous national and international rock artists that follow one another on five different stages. The city of Turku, is a small village that rises in the part South – West of the nation. It has a very troubled history, in fact it was the capital until 1812 during the Swedish domination, and today is home to the oldest university. The presence of a Finnish university makes it a center particularly crowded with young people, with a lively and creative atmosphere. Due to its proximity to Sweden, a large portion of the population speaks Swedish as an official language. The peculiarity is that even many inhabitants of Turku are much more similar to Swedes than to Finns. The city of Turku is crossed by the river Aura, around which stand the main attractions of the city, such as the Castle and the imposing Cathedral, one of the oldest buildings in the city. Along the banks of the river you can find yourself in front of old ships that today have been transformed into museums, restaurants, clubs or bars. The Aura River is crossed by several bridges, but for pedestrians the most characteristic way to cross the river is by the small ferry that shuttles daily from one side of the river to the other.
