Yesterday we visited the Art Bank art museum, which turned out to have some real surprises. The day before yesterday we tried some of the most typical winter activities in the Turku archipelago: ice fishing and sauna bathing. Yesterday it was time to continue exploring the archipelago outside Turku. We started in Korpo, where a barefoot trail in the forest offered unexpected surprises. Then we went to an art museum with an impressive collection in Pargas.
Artistic barefoot path in Korpo
We started the morning with breakfast at the hotel Nestor in Korpo. The hotel is cosy and aims to offer guests traditional archipelago life mixed with modern comfort, art and culture.
Many artists live in the Turku archipelago and a collaborative project between them has resulted in the "barefoot path" - a path through the forest that (in the summer!) should be experienced with the soles of your feet on the ground. The January cold did not allow for a barefoot walk, but we could still experience the artworks placed everywhere in the forest!
Art Bank art museum in Pargas
After the art walk in the forest, it was time for more art. Then it was off to the art museum Art Bank in Pargas. Coming here is an interesting experience, even for those who are not insanely interested in art. The museum primarily houses a private and impressive collection of art and furniture signed by Salvador Dalí.
As you may know, Dalí is one of the greats of surrealist art. During his lifetime he was known to be both grandiose and eccentric, and his art is special to say the least. A little information from the knowledgeable and passionate owner of the museum makes the visit even more interesting. Don't miss out if you're in the neighbourhood! The museum is open Tuesday - Saturday and admission is €8.
More to see in the neighbourhood
There is much to see in and around Turkuand we can recommend, among other things Turku Castle, if Turku archipelago in winter splendour and if beer tasting at school in Turku. There is also much to what to see and do in Helsinki. Even more tips for Finland can be found below.
Winter cruise to Finland - Christmas atmosphere on board the Finnsirius
We have made a winter cruise to Finland, with Finnline's new fine cruise ship Finnsirius. In December is...
What to do in Kokkola, Finland - 17 tips
What to do in Kokkola, Finland? Situated on the coast, this cosy city offers...
What to do in Närpes - 12 tips for the tomato town in Finland
What to do in Närpes, Finland? This interesting Ostrobothnian town offers everything from...
What to do in Turku - 30 sights and experiences
What to do in Turku? This Finnish city, once the capital of Finland, is...
Visiting Bomarsund Fortress - interesting history in Åland
Visiting the Bomarsund Fortress is really interesting. Here, Russia once built a mighty...
Beer tasting at the 'School' in Turku
When we were in Turku, we visited Koulu, or "Skolan" as it is called in Swedish. It...
Caravan - Motorhome exhibition in Helsinki
This weekend we visited Caravan, a motorhome exhibition in Helsinki. The fair was organised in connection with the big...
Things to do in Kristinestad - 15 tips for a Finnish wooden house idyll
What to do in Kristinestad, Finland? This small Ostrobothnian wooden house idyll offers charming alleyways,...
Turku archipelago in winter splendour - ice fishing and sauna bathing
At lunchtime yesterday we landed at Helsinki airport. It was not quite as cold as we...
Gold nuggets in Åland - tips for your visit
Guest writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré Åland is cosy, beautiful and relaxing. There is a lot to see...
Winter weekend in Turku - Christmas atmosphere and markets
We have had a wonderful winter weekend in Turku, filled with Christmas spirit and Christmas markets, combined with museum visits....
Things to do in Oravais, Ostrobothnia - 10 tips
What to do in Oravais, Ostrobothnia, Finland? Oravais is no more than a...
Weekend in Turku - spa, culture and good food
A few weeks ago we spent a weekend in Turku, filled with spa, culture and good food...
What to do in Helsinki - 30 sights and experiences
What to do in Helsinki? This Nordic capital offers a lot of design and...
Haltia Nature Centre in Espoo, Finland
Outside Espoo, not far from Helsinki, you will find the Haltia Nature Centre. To come here is to...
What to do in Oulu, Finland - 20 tips
What to do in Oulu, Finland? This city, located at the mouth of the Oulu River, is...
Ten hours in Turku for a bon vivant
Guest writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré There's a lot to do in a day. Maybe not a city...
Some reflections from Finland
Although we travel a lot, we may not travel enough in our neighbouring countries. We...
BestPark car parks in Finland - we have tested them
Have you discovered BestPark sites in Finland? We have been travelling by motorhome in Finland for almost...
Turku market hall - delicacies and pastries
Do you like food and are thinking of travelling to Turku? If so, you should definitely plan a...
Suomenlinna in Helsinki - sea fortress with Swedish history
Things to do in Ostrobothnia, Finland - 12 tips
What to do in Ostrobothnia, Finland? This is an interesting area for travelling,...
Things to do in Föglö, Åland - our top 10 tips
What to do in Föglö in Åland? This little gem, in the Åland archipelago, has...
Things to do in Eckerö, Åland - 10 tips
What to do in Eckerö, Åland? This western part of Åland is the closest to Sweden,...
Things to do in Raahe, Finland - 10 tips
What to do in Raahe, Finland? This is a small and very charming town...
Visiting Turku Castle - Swedish and Finnish history
Visiting Turku Castle in Finland is very interesting. The castle, which is over 700 years...
Things to do in Rauma - 15 tips for a Finnish UNESCO city
What to do in Rauma, Finland? Founded in 1442, this small town surprises with its...
Bothnian Coastal Route - FREEDOMtravel Themed Roads
The Gulf of Bothnia Coastal Route takes you around the Gulf of Bothnia, which is the northernmost bay of the Baltic Sea,...
Visiting Kastelholm Castle - Åland's only medieval castle
Visiting Kastelholm Castle is very interesting and exciting. This is Åland's only medieval castle, founded...
Choosing a ferry or flight to Helsinki?
Should you choose ferry or flight to Helsinki? As you may know, we are travelling to Helsinki...
Facts about Finland - 30 things you (might) not know
Facts about Finland are on offer today! Our neighbouring country offers everything from exciting history to...
Finnlines' new vessel to Åland and Naantali - the state-of-the-art Finnsirius
Finnline's new ship to Åland and Naantali is called Finnsirius and is a state-of-the-art cruise ship with...
Matka 2019 - the major travel fair in Helsinki
It's time to tell you about Matka 2019! Matka is the largest travel fair in the Nordic region and...
What to do in Jakobstad, Finland - 20 tips
What to do in Pietarsaari, Finland? This lovely little Ostrobothnian town has everything...
Things to do in Vaasa in Finland - 20 sights and experiences
What to do in Vaasa, Finland? This Finnish city is the centre of Ostrobothnia, and...
What to do in Åland - 30 sights and experiences
What to do in Åland? This self-governing and Swedish-speaking little island kingdom is not only beautiful,...
Things to do in Naantali - 15 tips for a Finnish archipelago gem
What to do in Naantali? This small Finnish town is a real archipelago gem that you...
Matka - Northern Europe's largest travel fair
We visited Matka - Northern Europe's largest travel fair. On 21-24 January, the doors opened at the Helsinki Exhibition...
Things to do in Mariehamn, Åland - 12 tips
What to do in Mariehamn, Åland? This cosy little town offers everything from...
Cool mini caravans and motorhomes at Caravan in Helsinki
Last Friday, we took a look at mini caravans and motorhomes at Caravan Helsinki, the motorhome and caravan exhibition that...
Things to do in Kökar on Åland - our 12 best tips
What to do in Kökar in Åland? This is a fantastic little island to visit,...
Day cruise to Åland with Eckerölinjen
Yesterday we went on a day cruise to Åland with Eckerölinjen. Peter's father turned 80 years old...
Matka travel fair in Helsinki 2018
The Matka travel fair in Helsinki is not only Finland's largest travel fair, but the largest travel fair in the entire...
Visiting Moominworld in Naantali - tips and info
Visiting Moominworld in Naantali, Finland, is a wonderfully cosy and nostalgic experience, especially if you...
Finncanopus to Finland - premiere of new vessel
Guest writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré It was time for a premiere in a double sense. Both for...
Things to do in Haparanda and Tornio - 16 tips
What to do in Haparanda and Tornio? Two cities in two different countries, but almost...
Eating well in Finland - 4 restaurants around Turku
Can you eat well in Finland? What do you think of when you hear "Finnish food"? I...
Visiting Kalajoki Camping - lovely sand dunes in Finland
Visiting Kalajoki Camping in Finland can be a wonderful experience. When, on the eve of our trip to Finland, we...
Lennart says:
Nice experiences!
19 January 2016 - 9:27
Mr Steve says:
What an amazing experience you will have. The barefoot path is truly an art experience beyond the ordinary.
19 January 2016 - 8:54
Alexandra says:
That barefoot path sounded interesting, I'll try to memorise it for when it's warmer! It definitely sounds like the Turku archipelago is worth a visit. I've only been to Turku once and then we just stayed in the city centre to spend the day in the Moomin world. 🙂
PS. I've started blogging again, at a new address too. ? Ds.
19 January 2016 - 9:40
Ama de casa says:
Ooh! I have become a bit of a Dalí fan. After visiting the museum in his home town of Figueres, we also checked out Dalí museums in Paris and St Peterburg in Florida.
And I'm not even particularly interested in art....
What fun things you get to do! 🙂
19 January 2016 - 11:20
Ditte says:
So very nice! You get to see and experience so much and I'm sure it's very exotic for many participants. I have been in the neighbourhood of Pargas and at the Art Bank, but in the summertime.
It's really nice to get around the Turku archipelago in the summer by bike or other means.
Fun to now take part in the winter here. Lovely pictures and fun to keep up with. (I have experienced Åland and the Åland archipelago in winter, but only in Helsinki and Turku).
19 January 2016 - 11:31
Helga says:
How exciting!
19 January 2016 - 11:50
admin says:
Steve, that's an interesting idea even if we couldn't try the barefoot thing right now 😉.
Lennart, really!
Alexandra, Turku is a nice city but the archipelago also has a lot to offer! What fun that you started blogging again! I will of course check it out!
Ama de casa, what fun! We can definitely recommend the Art Bank in Pargas, apparently the best Dali exhibition in Europe! 🙂 And we agree - lots of fun stuff 🙂 .
Ditte, some things are a bit exotic even for us, but of course much more so if you come from China or Japan 😉 Glad you were at Art Bank!
Helga, very exciting, and lots left! 🙂
19 January 2016 - 12:19
Helena says:
The barefoot path sounds cosy to walk on, during the summer then. In winter, I would not want to walk on it barefoot either 🙂 Fun to discover art like this in the forest.
19 January 2016 - 12:38
admin says:
Helena, walking is a bit more fun when you never know what's behind the next tree 😉.
19 January 2016 - 12:54
Annika says:
How wonderful you have it in Finland. The Turku archipelago is so incredibly beautiful!
You can go back with Freedom in the summer, oh my!
Pargas is nice.
The barefoot path seems wonderful.
Such nice pictures from your stay in Finland!
19 January 2016 - 14:34
admin says:
BP, yes haha, Finland can be a bit exotic 🙂 I also liked both the idea of a barefoot path and the artworks that were placed here and there in the forest. We were also very surprised that there was so much Dali art in this small place, apparently the best Dali collection in Europe!
Annika, we can only agree, it's really super nice here! And yes, I think it could be perfect to drive around here with a motorhome in the summer. Glad you like our pictures! 🙂
19 January 2016 - 14:57
BP says:
It just gets more and more exotic here on your blog:-) The artworks on Barfotastigen are absolutely superb. I would love to see them during the summer. What a fun idea! Oh what a trip you make!
I'm not a Dali fan, but I'm still surprised that so many of his artworks are in "little" Pargas.
PS. Understand that real winter clothes were needed... DS.
19 January 2016 - 14:12
nils-åke hansson says:
We liked the Åboland archipelago. Those of you who have a guide and are there in the winter are still more exciting.
19 January 2016 - 17:02
admin says:
Nils-Åke, glad you liked the archipelago here. We do too! 🙂
19 January 2016 - 17:28
Marina says:
Dali's artworks are awesome. And I have to say that I like them more and more and you can always find something new every time you look at something created by him.
19 January 2016 - 17:30
Krisztina says:
I also liked that side table of a lamb.
19 January 2016 - 17:59
Role o Carina says:
Looks exciting and interesting in Finland where you are!
But the cold there nothing appealing,in the north down to -34 🙂 🙂 .
Have fun and enjoy....
19 January 2016 - 18:59
Deciree says:
But so nice for you. You look like you are having a great time 🙂 Hugs!
19 January 2016 - 19:26
admin says:
Marina, I am not particularly interested in art or knowledgeable, but I also like Dalí's art 🙂 .
Krisztina, when I see it, I feel like all the other furniture is way too uncreative, haha 😉.
Rolle and Carina, today we have met a lot of bloggers who have been on "pre-tour" in northern Finland and they have had just as cold as you write! We have had a much better climate in Turku 🙂.
Deciree, really super nice here, and I think it must be nice in the summer too! 🙂
19 January 2016 - 22:17
Ulla widing says:
It looked very nice out in the forest with all the art, the whole stay looks to be pleasant....?
20 January 2016 - 2:22
Steel city anna says:
What a beautiful building the hotel is. Very nice and cosy. I'll leave the artworks uncommented haha!
22 January 2016 - 17:32
admin says:
Ulla Widing, it was a bit cosy and exciting with a forest full of art! 🙂
Steel city Anna, the hotel is very cosy and nice too! And you should have different opinions about art 😉.
22 January 2016 - 22:08
Aaa says:
How revolutionary, and wise, to immerse yourself in neighbouring Finland! But believe me, the archipelago is even more beautiful in summer and thus deserves at least one more visit... We were not in Korpo itself, only in Galtby. We also skipped Pargas, except for Hesburger. We mostly immersed ourselves in Nagu and Kökar.
15 February 2016 - 20:11
Christina says:
That exhibition looks really exciting! Salvador Dali's art has a way of inspiring.
Have fun!
14 August 2016 - 22:06
Daliwall says:
I'm glad you liked ArtBank Finland. Remember that it is a private art gallery. The Dalí Foundation does not allow the term museum to be used.
Welcome back. We are on fb and instagram as Artbank Finland. ArtBank.fi
29 September 2016 - 17:48