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Naantali
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
city · FI

Naantali

Recommended stay: 1 day
Getting around: Naantali's old town and harbor are walkable from end to end; it's a short bus ride or 20-minute drive from Turku, making it an easy day trip without needing a car of your own if you're based there. Moomin World, on its own small island, is reached by a footbridge from the old town.
Hours: Moomin World operates seasonally, roughly early June through August, and is the single item on a visit worth checking dates for in advance; the old town's wooden streets and church are viewable year-round, though the town is far livelier and better resourced in summer.

Naantali is a small, well-preserved wooden old town on the southwest coast, historically a convent town (its medieval church was built for a Bridgettine convent) that later became a fashionable summer resort — the Finnish president's official summer residence, Kultaranta, is just outside town. Its narrow streets of 18th- and 19th-century wooden houses, many now cafés, galleries and craft shops, make it one of the more attractive small old towns in the country.

Its main modern claim to fame, though, is Moomin World, a theme park built around Tove Jansson's Moomin characters on an island connected to the old town, which makes Naantali a major family destination in summer and draws crowds well beyond what the old town alone would attract.

Naantali FAQs

When is Moomin World open?

Seasonally, roughly early June through August — check exact dates before planning a visit around it.

Is Naantali worth visiting outside Moomin World's season?

Yes, the old wooden town and church are viewable year-round, though the town is much quieter and some businesses reduce hours off-season.

How do I get to Naantali from Turku?

It's a short bus ride or about a 20-minute drive from Turku.

What else is near Naantali?

Kultaranta, the Finnish president's official summer residence, is just outside town.

Is Naantali good for a family visit?

Yes, it's one of Finland's most popular family destinations in summer specifically because of Moomin World.

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