Porvoo, Finland2-3 hoursMorning
Porvoo Old Town
Finland's second-oldest town with famous red riverside storehouses.
Ideal: Ideal for romantic town routes, photography, and quiet city discovery.
Porvoo gained city status in 1346 and is Finland's second-oldest town. Those famous red wooden storehouses on the river were not accidentally this colour: they were painted with red ochre to welcome the Swedish king who came to town in 1809, and the colour stuck. In the same year the Porvoo Diet assembled here and Finland became an autonomous grand duchy under Russia. National poet J. L. Runeberg's house is a museum; the Runeberg tart his wife invented is sold nationwide in February.
Why go?
- To see Finland's historic wooden house fabric
- For a calm, photogenic walk along the river
- To add an easy day trip outside Helsinki
Travel tip
Allow time for café breaks; Porvoo's pleasure is in staying in the atmosphere rather than rushing through.
