The Aura River Valley is one of Finland’s national landscapes

What comes to mind when you think of the Finnish landscape? Finland has a total of 27 official national landscapes, and the cultural landscape of the Aura River Valley is one of them. The criteria for national landscapes have not been precisely defined, and they do not consist solely of natural sites. The places designated as national landscapes each represent Finland in their own way and are an important part of our country’s truly unique nature, history, and culture.

The Aura River Valley has several sites where you can enjoy both nature and history at the same time. The long-standing interaction between nature and humans has shaped the cultural landscape of the Aura River Valley into a diverse one. The cultural landscape includes the unique river valley with its pastures, meadows, and riparian forests, as well as architectural heritage and historically significant sites such as Turku Castle, the Cathedral, Vanhalinna in Lieto and Nautelankoski.