Salo is known as a technology city and a diversified area. Its position between Turku and Helsinki makes it a convenient stop when travelling in Southwest Finland. Salo is known especially for its twentieth-century achievements in the manufacture of electronic devices. On your trip to Salo, you can see, for example, nostalgic Salora CRT television screens or experience the old-world charm of the collections at Wiurila Manor. Salo sits on the shores of Halikonlahti, a bay that extends far inland and is rich in natural beauty, which you can explore, for example, in Teijo National Park.
Railway travellers speeding between Turku and Helsinki would not guess what a nice city break they are missing out on each time they pass Salo. A large fire in 1887 destroyed the wooden houses of Salo almost completely, so the architecture of the city centre is very modern compared to many other old cities. However, Salo is not lacking in history. Among other things, the town has a number of old ironworks. If you wander around the ironwork landscapes of Kirjakkala, Mathildedal and Teijo, you can discover the products offered by contemporary craftsmen.
The Salo museums are a treasure trove for anyone who wants to know more about the everyday lives of Finnish peasant farmers, especially during the summer. Explore the Kisko and Kiikala local museums to see historic everyday objects, and peer into the home of an early twentieth-century teacher's family in the Meritalo Museum. Find out about upper-class life at Wiurila Manor, with its spectacular collections of objects used by a real noble family from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. The manor house also features an unusually large collection of horse-drawn wagons and carts.
Touring the museums is a great way to enjoy an inexpensive trip to Salo, as most of their exhibitions are either free or cost very little. So continue your historical exploration with the history of modern technology at the Electronics Museum of Salo, where the city's technological achievements are prominently displayed. The museum's extensive collections include radios, televisions and telephones from the 1880s to the present day. The modern visitor will be surprised to note the short period in which the technological achievements of our time were created – and how quickly they have changed into ancient relics.
Your holiday in Salo will also give you an opportunity to enjoy some art, both around the city and in its art museum. If you keep your eyes open, you will notice, for example, a colourful beach ball, a writhing sea snake and a bright line of light rising up the wall of a building. The centrally located Salo Art Museum Roundhouse has changing exhibitions of high quality, which you may wish to explore with the help of a guide.
Salo has good train and bus services, and it is also easily reached by car, as Highway 1 runs through the city. In addition to its historical sites, it is worth including Teijo National Park in your visit to Salo so that you can enjoy its beautiful scenery, just 15 minutes’ walk from the city centre.
