Visiting Porvoo:
Whilst staying in Helsinki it’s a perfect opportunity to spend a day or two exploring Porvoo. Located 50 km east of the capital, it’s Finland’s second oldest city and its best preserved. The small city is noted for its old wooden town, charming cobblestone streets and ochre painted riverside warehouses. Porvoo is also famous for its local craftspeople and artists including Finland’s national poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg.
Getting there:
Porvoo is easily accessible from Helsinki by regular bus services from Kamppi bus station which take around one hour (details can be found here). If you are visiting between May and September then it’s very pleasant to take a leisurely cruise from Helsinki market place on the M/S JL Runeberg steamship which was constructed in 1912.
On board, you can relax whilst taking in the scenic views of the Finnish archipelago and sample Finnish delicacies such as creamy salmon soup and cinnamon buns. As the boat trip takes 3.5 hours each way, it’s a good idea to take the boat one way and to return by bus, allowing more time to be spent exploring the lovely town.
Take a guided walking tour:
For first time visitors, I recommend starting the day by taking a guided walking tour. This way, you can learn about the old town, discover hidden gems and get your bearings before setting off to explore on your own. Porvoo Walking Tours.
Things to see and do:
The Old Town
Wander along the cobbled narrow streets of Porvoo’s medieval old town which is lined with quaint, pastel painted wooden buildings. The majority of the buildings still in place today date from the 18th and 19th centuries as an earlier fire destroyed many of the previous wooden structures.
The two main streets of the old town Jokikatu and Välikatu are filled with small independent shops offering locally made handicrafts, chocolates, fashion, boutiques and souvenirs alongside some of prettiest little cafes you’ve ever seen.
Pop into Brunberg, Porvoo’s 150 year old chocolatier for some delicious locally made sweets and chocolates including foam kisses, caramel toffee, truffles and liquorice, all of them popular countrywide. If you really want to stock up on confectionery then you can also visit their factory shop which is a 30 minute walk from the old town.
Old riverside warehouses
Take a walk along the Porvoo river pausing for a coffee in one of the attractive waterside cafes and restaurants before continuing a little further to view the dark red painted old wooden warehouses. These former warehouses used to store commodities such as coffee, tobacco, spices and wine during the river trade era and are now the most famous sight in the town. They were originally painted this colour to please Swedish King Gustav III during a royal visit in the late 18th century. The warehouses have since been transformed into homes, restaurants and tourist accommodation but still retain their traditional colour. Best views of the warehouses are either from the road bridge across the river or from the park on the opposite bank.
Porvoo Cathedral is one of the town’s oldest buildings dating back to the 15th century with some parts even older. This Evangelical Lutheran church is one of the oldest in the country and was the site of the Diet of Porvoo which was a key event in the road to Finnish independence taking place in 1917. Numerous fires over the years have badly damaged the church with the most recent taking place in 2006 when the entire roof was destroyed in an arson attack. It has since been restored and visiting the beautiful old church is free of charge and not to be missed.
Porvoo Museum is located in the old town hall building with its mansard roof and wooden clock tower. Completed in 1764, the building has housed Porvoo’s administrative court, the council and police constabulary, continuing to serve as the Town Hall until the end of the 19th century. Since then, the building was converted into a museum containing exhibitions by masters of Finland’s golden age and local history.
J.L. Runeberg’s home has been open as a museum since 1882. Finland’s National poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg lived in this house in Porvoo for 40 years from 1837 until his death in 1877. He is most known as the author of the lyrics of the Finnish National Anthem and for his poetry about life in rural Finland.
Visitors can explore the home he shared with his wife Fredrika viewing the bedroom, living room, study, kitchen and scullery. Complete with family possessions, original furnishings, works of art, porcelain and hunting weapons it’s a joy to visit as is the surrounding garden and apple orchard where the family used to relax.
Runeberg Cake
This cake was invented by Runeberg’s wife Fredrika and discovered in her recipe book from the 1850’s. The small cylindrical shaped cakes have a moist almond flavoured sponge topped with a circle of white icing and a blob of raspberry jam. They are available year round in Porvoo and every year on and around his birthday of 5th February they are also sold all over Finland and are extremely popular.
Dining:
Cafe Cabriole is an elegant cafe located on the edge of Runeberg Park serving the most delicious cakes and pastries including the town’s famous Runeberg cakes.
Restaurant SALT is located on a hilltop next to the medieval church. Its cosy interior has been created from an old cowshed with an attractive large outdoor terrace for warmer days. Enjoy fine food including home baked bread, salads, locally sourced fish and meat dishes in convivial surroundings.
Stay:
RUNO Hotel
This historic art-deco building on the edge of the old town has been refurbished in Nordic style and offers 56 beautifully appointed rooms and suites. RUNO Kitchen and Bar is a bright, airy open plan area reminiscent of a living room with its comfy sofas, soft furnishings, coffee table books and magazines and is also open to non-residents.
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