This town is one of those charmers. Ya know, the kinda town that leaves you wanting to pinch its cheeks if you could. First and foremost, Porvoo is known for it's adorable tiny historic red houses located along the water's edge. Porvoo is one of the oldest towns in all of Finland - conveniently located only a 30 minute drive from Helsinki (East of Helsinki). Once you've knocked the red houses off the visitor list, you'll find cobblestone streets filled with shops, quaint restaurants, ice cream stands and window boxes pouring over with vibrant flowers. In summary, have your camera ready. This is an easy half day adventure from Helsinki. I imagine the streets are much more bustling during the summer months - we visited during early September. read more

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Situated on the southeast coast of Finland, Porvoo is 30 miles from Helsinki. Most tourist travel to Porvoo as a day trip. The Kamppi bus station in Helsinki run buses to Porvoo. The trip takes about an hour one way. It is one of six medieval towns in Finland although most of the architecture of old town dates to the 18th-19th century due to an extensive fire in the 18th century. Houses of the 18th-19th century are brightly colored and made from wood. Streets are narrow and dense with cobble stone paving. One notable exception is Porvoo Cathedral, an Evangelical Lutheran house of worship which dates to the 15th century and is built of stone and wood. In the 13th and 14th century, Swedes colonized the town of Porvoo. Porvoo still has strong Swedish roots and today 30 % of the population speaks Swedish while 65 % speak Finnish. There are some restaurants serving authentic Finnish food. Quaint shops selling unique merchandise but for the most part tourist come for the experience of seeing life in days gone by. Porvoo can be a half-day experience or a full day adventure. read more

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I love this little old-time country city... You have your little shops and the people here are so good to talk to and are very kind. read more

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