Kaarina: Tie 1 - Makarla - Turkuun

Kaarina lies along the shores of Finland’s Archipelago Sea, where wooded mainland neighbourhoods meet cultivated fields, inlets and a scatter of islands east of Turku. Although part of the Turku urban area, it retains a distinctly coastal setting shaped by the southwestern Finnish archipelago. On Kuusisto Island stand the ruins of Kuusisto Castle, a medieval residence of the bishops of Turku; its surviving stone walls recall the period when ecclesiastical power was centred on the nearby city. Kaarina also includes the former municipality of Piikkiö, merged into the city in 2009, adding rural districts to its urban edge. Trace Kaarina’s place in the Turku region and the Archipelago Sea by browsing webcams nearby.

Southwest Finland is best known within Finland for the Archipelago Sea, a vast network of islands and skerries between the mainland and Åland. Turku, on the Aura River, is the region’s principal city and Finland’s oldest city; its medieval cathedral and Turku Castle recall its long importance in the country’s history. Coastal roads, ferries and boating routes connect communities across the archipelago, while inland areas combine farmland, woodland and river valleys. Swedish is widely spoken in parts of the coast, reinforcing the region’s bilingual character. See how Southwest Finland fits within the wider Archipelago Sea by browsing nearby webcams.

The terrain of Finland ranges from low coastal plains along the Gulf of Bothnia to fells in Lapland, creating a country of forests, lakes and long northern distances. More than 180,000 lakes shape everyday life, while the Lakeland region is threaded with waterways and islands. Helsinki, on the Gulf of Finland, combines neoclassical landmarks around Senate Square with contemporary Finnish design. Farther north, the Sámi are Finland’s only recognised Indigenous people, and their culture remains closely connected to the Arctic region. In winter, snow and ice transform the north; in summer, long daylight extends outdoor life well into the evening. Continue through nearby webcams to explore different parts of Finland.