Turku Christmas Market 2026: 4 Weekends Only

Sellers travel from across Finland to fill the Turku Christmas Market, and the stalls lean toward handmade pieces: woollen socks, decorations and crafts made from natural materials. Between them there’s music, theatre and circus, and children can go looking for Santa and his family. If you’re still in town on Christmas Eve, come back at noon. That’s when thousands pack the same square to hear the Christmas Peace read from a balcony above it.

Turku Christmas Market 2026

Dates

Status: Confirmed
Turku dates: Weekends only
28th to 29th November
5th to 6th December
12th to 13th December
19th to 20th December
Last checked: October 2026

Update: Dates were announced in March. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of changes.

Source: Verified by Ultimate Christmas Markets via Christmas City Turku.

Plan Your Visit

Location and Times

Location: Old Great Square (Vanha Suurtori) and the courtyard of Brinkkala Mansion
Opening times: 11am to 5pm
Christmas Day: Closed

Travel and Accommodation

Recommended Tour: two-hour intro walk
Public transport: The Tuomiokirkkotori bus stop is right beside the square, and both Turku Central and Kupittaa train stations are within walking distance.
Parking: Please take public transport to help limit congestion. The event area is closed to cars and bikes.
Travel tip: Payment methods vary from stall to stall, so carry some cash as well as a card.
Where to stay: Scandic Hamburger Börs is directly on Market Square.

Amenities and Attractions

Admission: Free
Lights switch-on: 28th November 2026
Santa: Yes, with his family and elves.
Ice skating: Kupittaa outdoor rink and skating track, a short bus ride from the centre (paid entry).
Reason to visit: Finland’s oldest city, and the square where the Christmas Peace is declared every Christmas Eve.

Dietary Options

Vegetarian: Yes, plenty of options.
Vegan: Yes, plenty of options.
Gluten free: Yes, but limited.
Food specialities: Finnish pastries, smoked fish, glögi, piparkakut (gingerbread).

Accessibility

Accessible: Yes, though the Brinkkala courtyard is cobbled and can be icy. There’s an accessible toilet in the Old Town Hall.
Pet-friendly: Yes, on a lead, but not recommended during busy periods.

Convenient Hotels

Staying close to Market Square makes it easy to reach shops, cafes and attractions. In this area, I suggest booking a room at Scandic Hamburger Börs, which gets excellent reviews and is centrally located right on the main square.

If you will also be spending time in the capital, find details for the Helsinki Christmas Market.

Recommended Tours

Two hours with a local covering Turku Cathedral, the castle at the end of town and the Aura Riverfront. It’s Finland’s oldest city, and most of what’s worth seeing runs along the river. The intro walk is a new listing, so there isn’t a lot to go on yet.

Location

What to Expect

The season starts when the lights go on in the giant spruce in front of Turku Cathedral. A parade led by the Snow Queen then follows the Aura River to Market Square and finishes on Yliopistonkatu, the city’s official Christmas Street, where she lights it up with a wave of her wand.

The market itself fills the Old Great Square, Turku’s medieval marketplace, between the Old Town Hall and the yellow Brinkkala Mansion. Stalls spill through the archway into Brinkkala’s cobbled courtyard, and dozens of sellers come from across Finland and beyond with handicrafts, art and seasonal treats. It’s geared toward families, with performers on the stage all day. Children can whisper their wishes to the elves at Santa’s workshop, and a cup of hot juice goes down well when the frost bites.

The stalls are packed away before Christmas, but the square has one more day. At noon on 24 December, the cathedral bells strike twelve, and the Declaration of Christmas Peace is read from Brinkkala’s balcony, first in Finnish, then in Swedish. Somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 people stand in the square to hear it, while much of Finland watches at home. Anyone can join the crowd, so arrive well before midday if you’d like to see the balcony.

Local Specialties

• Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakka): Thin rye crusts filled with rice porridge, best with egg butter on top.
• Christmas stars (joulutorttu): Star-shaped puff pastries with a dollop of prune jam in the middle.
• Gingerbread (piparkakut): Thin, crisp spiced biscuits, sold loose or in decorative tins.
• Glögi: Finnish mulled wine spiced with cloves, cinnamon and cardamom, served in a cup with almonds and raisins.
• Hot juice: Warm berry juice, the non-alcoholic choice for children and drivers.
• Rice porridge (riisipuuro): The Finnish Christmas porridge, topped with cinnamon and sugar.
• Squeaky cheese (leipäjuusto): Fresh cheese baked and served warm with cloudberry jam.
• Cinnamon buns (korvapuusti): Folded buns flavoured with cardamom and cinnamon.
• Salty liquorice (salmiakki): An acquired taste, sold in more shapes and flavours than you’d expect.

Gifts and Stocking Fillers

• Knitwear: Hand-knitted woollen socks, mittens and beanies made for a Finnish winter.
• Birch bark (tuohi): Baskets, boxes and ornaments woven from birch bark, an old Finnish craft.
• Straw ornaments (himmeli): Geometric straw mobiles, traditionally hung above the Christmas table for good luck.
• Wood and natural materials: Carved and turned pieces from makers who use local timber and other natural materials.

Sustainable Travel Tips

• Tap your card on the bus: Föli city buses accept contactless bank cards, and a day ticket covers unlimited rides, including trips to the castle or Kupittaa.
• Cross the river by Föri: The little orange city ferry over the Aura River is free and now runs on electric motors.