Discovering Finland | Regions & Cities | Southern Finland and Archipelago | Porvoo

Tourism Porvoo & Porvoo Guide

Most visitors to Finland consider the country's second oldest town to be the most beautiful. Just an hours drive, or a few hours by a relaxing cruise through the archipelago, from Helsinki, Porvoo's unique charms number its delightful waterfront of red ochre sheds, the medieval cobblestoned streets and alleys, and the charm of Old Porvoo where you'll find the beautiful Porvoo Cathedral. Another popular site for visitors is the museum of J.L. Runeberg, national poet of Finland, which reopened in 2004 having being heavily remodeled.

Porvoo continues a centuries old tradition of being a market place, and the autumn and Christmas markets attract large numbers of visitors every year, offering an assortment of local handicrafts and delicacies, where vendors still dress in traditional costumes.

Porvoo Tourist Attractions

Music lovers flock to the town just after midsummer to see the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, which has organised the Avanti! Summer Sounds Music Festival every year since 1986, and which has become one of Finland's most significant summer festivals.

Having spent time wandering around Old Porvoo, the visitor can also take advantage of the many trips out to the lovely archipelago in the Baltic Sea nearby. Or perhaps take the museum train trip from Kerava on the 'Lättahattu', which runs every Saturday in July and August.

Porvoo is also blessed with an abundance of parks, both within the town and surrounding it, and there are numerous nature trails to follow. The park area along the river begins from the Mannerheiminkatu bridge and follows the river all the way to the sea. At the river estuary, the green area continues as the Ruskis nature reserve, favoured by birds. All along the grassy banks of the river there are charming cafés, where the weary traveler can take in the scenery and rest their legs awhile.