WORDS & PICTURES: Abi Prowse
In a quaint, lemon-yellow building by the banks of the Aura river, sits Café Art. One of Turku’s most popular coffee houses, its picturesque waterside location tucks it neatly away from the bustle of the nearby city centre. During the summer months, delicate wicker chairs spill out onto the promenade, where customers can enjoy a delicious coffee right at the water’s edge. It is this stretch of tree-lined, cobbled pathway which has rightfully earned Turku its reputation as the ‘Paris of Finland’.
Café Art’s interior is a surprising blend of old-fashioned elegance and modern Scandi design. Turku’s rich history – interestingly, it once served as the Finnish capital – is celebrated through a series of black and white photographs, proudly displayed on the café’s crisp, white walls. The quiet friendliness of Café Art seems to reflect the way of life in Turku; the girl behind the counter explains to me that locals enjoy living here, the relaxed pace of living more enjoyable than the big-city rush of Helsinki.
On rainy days, the low lighting and tall windows make Café Art a cosy place to shelter from the harsh Finnish weather. This, teamed with its homemade cakes, award-winning coffee and skilled baristas – Café Art has won Barista of the Year an impressive seven times – make this coffee house one of the most well-visited in Turku.
Also in Turku | Fontana Café: Turku’s Most Elegant Bakery
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