castle
Turku Castle
Finland's largest surviving medieval castle dating from the 1280s, a massive stone fortress at the mouth of the Aura River.
50 km · about 60 min drive
EuropeFinlandSouthwest Finland
Salo
Southwest Finland, Finland · Europe
About Salo
Salo sits on the route: 15 minutes from Muurla, 50km from Turku Castle.
Salo is in Southwest Finland, Finland, with about 51,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Muurla, about 9 km away.
Salo (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈsɑlo]) is a city in Finland, located in the southwestern interior of the country. The population of Salo is approximately 50,000, while the sub-region has a population of approximately 59,000. It is the 20th most populous municipality in Finland, and the 24th most populous urban area inRead more
the country.
Salo is located in the Southwest Finland. Salo covers an area of 2,168.30 square kilometres (837.19 sq mi) of which 181.78 km2 (70.19 sq mi) is water. The population density is 25.33/km2 (65.6/sq mi).
The municipality is unilingually Finnish.
The name Salo means woodland, backwoods, but also a wooded island in Finnish. It is believed that Salo originally referred to an island located south of the current town over a thousand years ago, which is now a hill due to post-glacial rebound, and not even close to the sea today.
Salo is a small city located between the capital Helsinki (114 kilometres (71 mi) away) and the provincial capital Turku (52 kilometres (32 mi) away). The city's proximity to these larger cities has contributed to the growth of Salo's business sector. Additionally, farming plays a significant role in the area. Salo shares borders with Koski Tl, Lohja, Kimitoön, Marttila, Paimio, Raseborg, Sauvo and Somero. Salo is also twinned with Saint Anthony Village in Minnesota.
Salo was previously recognised for its significant consumer electronics and mobile phone industry. Nokia, and briefly Microsoft Mobile, operated a manufacturing plant in the town. However, the plant was closed in 2015, resulting in high unemployment rates.
Salo is the birthplace of the former president of Finland Sauli Niinistö.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Salo?
Within an hour or so of Salo: Turku Castle (50 km).
Are there any good drives near Salo?
The nearest famous roads are Hanko and Archipelago Ring Road.
Where is Salo?
Salo is in Southwest Finland, Finland, about 9 km from Muurla.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 50,794
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Finland
- Region
- Southwest Finland
- Timezone
- Europe/Helsinki
- Coordinates
- 60.3833, 23.1333
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Finland
Winter tyres mandatory December–February.
Full driving guide for FinlandTags
Worth the detour from Salo
1 notable place within an hour's drive.
Driving roads near Salo
2 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 62 kmHankoFinland's southernmost town at the end of a peninsula, reached by road past wooden villas, long sand beaches and a working harbour.
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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