Beautiful Porvoo

Porvoo counts as Finland’s second oldest town and is a lovely city that is rich in history. It attracts tourists from all around the world and over the years has developed into an eastern node of metropolitan Helsinki. The city is situated in the eastern Uusimaa region right on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.

Take a walk in Old Porvoo a most colorful sight and popular tourist attraction. It’s famous for its narrow lanes and brick-colored riverside warehouses. Along the old streets, you can easily step back into history. Walking in the Empire-style part of town you’ll discover low wooden houses which belong to the classical town plan where all the streets form squares.

Walter Runeberg Sculpture Collection

Displayed in the gallery are 150 sculptures by Walter Runeberg who was the eldest son of national poet JL, Runeberg. Walter Runeberg created the town's sculpture of his father.

The gallery is across the street from Runebergin Koti, the former home of JL, Runeberg which is now a museum. The museum has a period interior with stuffed foxes and muskets which show the poet's love of hunting.

In this part, you’ll find the house of Finland’s greatest poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg. In the house of the national poet, you’ll be able to view works of art, hunting weapons in the “fox skin room” and porcelain in the cupboards from days gone by. In the garden, you’ll see lovely roses, mock oranges, and fruit trees filling the air with wonderful perfume in the summertime.

The heart of the city is the Market Square, surrounded by City Hall, the bus station, specialty boutiques, and services among them Lundi Shopping Center. A popular gathering place is the market café.

At Jokiranta you’ll find the guest marina and ferry dock. This is a busy place during the summer.

The newly restored area and the Aleksanterinkatu Bridge encourage people to go out for evening walks. Here you can see beautiful flower beds and fountains. You can relax at the cafes and sit on sundecks.

The Porvoo Museo is the town's museum that is housed in two buildings on the lovely cobblestone square in the heart of the Old Town, In the Vanha Rasthuoneentori or Town-Hall Building you can see artifacts that refer to the history of the town among them artwork by painter Albert Edelfelt and sculptor Ville Vallgren, who are two of Porvoo's celebrated artists. The nearby annex re-creates an 18th-century merchant's home.

Visit Tuomiokirrko the historic stone-and-timber cathedral that overlooks the Old Town from the top of a hill. This is the place where Tsar Alexander I convened the first Diet of Finland in 1809 which gave Finland religious freedom. The church was completely restored after a fire in 2006 and you can enjoy seeing the ornate pulpit and tiered galleries.

Take a relaxing walk among the castle hills found north of Old Porvoo where you can delight in ancient monuments. Iso Linnamaki or Great Castle Hill is the site of one of the biggest ancient fortresses in Finland.

A fascinating place to visit is the Provoo Doll and Toy Museum which is the best toy museum in the country. Here you’ll find thousands of different dolls and toys on display. All of these toys have been played with at one time and from the coat of a teddy bear to the tires on a toy car, you can see how much these toys were once loved. Everyone can have fun here. Children can delight in the toys and parents and grandparents can reminisce about their childhood.

The outdoor museum Postimaki is one of Finland’s best-preserved areas of cottagers’ dwellings. All of the buildings here are from the 19th century and most of them are still on their original sites. Take a look at how women and craftsmen lived during those times. Visitors can take part in a handicraft day or in community singing, arrange for a dramatized guided tour, or watch a play in the summer theater.

You can take a hike along the Ekkuden Nature Trail that stretches for 1.5 kilometers in a nature reserve just about 2 km south of the center of Porvoo. The nature trail starts at the Tarkkinen playfield and leads around the field past oak and lime trees. The trail then goes on through mixed wood and covered groves between rocky tracks and the shore. Along the trail, you can also find notice boards that inform you about the wildlife and vegetation. The boards are available in English, Finnish, and Swedish. From a bird-watching tower, you can enjoy seeing reed and meadow birds. Along the path the terrain is straightforward and in the damper areas, there are wooden plank walkways.