Porvoo

Porvoo (Swedish: Borgå) is a scenic small town 50 km east of Helsinki, Finland. One of the most popular day trips from Helsinki, its picturesque city centre of wooden houses is a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand


Porvoo is one of the six medieval towns in Finland (with Naantali, Rauma, Turku, Ulvila and Vyborg). As Finland's second oldest city after Turku, Porvoo has been around since the 13th century, although most of the present buildings date to the 19th century. In 1809, the Finnish members of the Swedish parliament assembled at the Diet of Porvoo to affirm the country's conquest by Russia.

Today, tourists flock to pad about the cobbled narrow lanes of Old Porvoo (Vanha Porvoo), which has survived the sprawl of the modern city around it remarkably intact. The place is particularly popular in summer.

By bus
There are buses from Helsinki's Central Bus Station to Porvoo every 15–30 minutes. Standard/express services between 55 and 70 minutes – the expresses just stop in Porvoo on their way to points further east. Tickets can be bought on Matkahuolto from €9, however the price for a ticket bought on the bus can go up to €18.

Services from Saint Petersburg are operated by Lux Express and Transgold. Minibuses from Vyborg run by Skandynaviia TK will drop you at the around 1 km west of the town centre.

By train


There is no regular passenger train service to Porvoo, but the Porvoo Museum Railways run a vintage 1955 Lättähattu ("Flat Hat") Dm7 from Helsinki via Kerava to Porvoo and back occasionally. The trip takes 1½ hours and costs €40/80 one-way/return for adults, half price for children, no reservations, cash only. As of 2021, the train leaves Helsinki at 09:50 and sets off back from Porvoo at 14:10.

By boat
M/S J.L. Runeberg cruises from Helsinki to Porvoo between May and September 3–5 times a week, departing at 10:00 and returning from Porvoo at 16:00. The trip takes 3½ hours one way and costs €25/36 one-way/return, half price for children. On Saturdays in the summer, you can also opt to take the boat one way and the train back (check hours). The boat leaves from Linnalaituri on Helsinki's Market Square, in front of the President's palace.

By car
Porvoo is easily accessed via the E18 motorway east from Helsinki towards Kotka and the Russian border. The other option is the old Porvoo road, Highway 170, but it's considerably slower and not particularly scenic.

By bicycle
Bike fans may want to consider pedalling the 78 km along the scenic King's Road from Helsinki to Porvoo, or 50 km along the more direct Highway 170 (part of EuroVelo route 10).

Get around


Porvoo is best explored on foot: the pedestrianized Old Town is compact and all main attractions can be easily reached from the bus, ferry or train stations. Parents will, however, probably want to leave the baby carriage at their lodging: the Old Town's streets are cobblestone and often hilly.

By bus
Information about local buses can be found here. There is a route planner for local transport trips. You can also use route planner to find some routes which are part of Greater Helsinki transportation system but are useful also for travelling local trips.

There is a dial-a-ride service for especially northern and eastern countryside villages of Porvoo, named Kyläkyyti. It can be ordered using Matkahuolto Trip Planner and Tickets mobile app. The village ride is open on weekday evenings from 17:15 to 21:00 and on Saturdays from 09:00 to 15:00. The passenger can pick up the ride for immediate need or for up to five days. The passenger can check availability at any time, and secure the ride as well as the seat only by ordering transportation. The price of the ride is €2.50-8.60, depending on the length of the trip, and the app always shows the final binding price before confirming the order.

By bike
Since 2019, there is a bike sharing system with 20 stations. Bikes can be rented with the Donkey Republic app. Fare €1.50/30 min, €5/4 hr, €12/one day, €20/2 days. For longer stays becoming a member is cheaper: €9 or €18/month covers all trips of less than 1 hr respectively 12 hr, also in other towns using Donkey Republic – but you need to register as member in the country of your card (available: most countries in western Europe and USA). Customer service info@kaakau.fi@undefined, daily 09:00–21:00. Several towns in south-east Finland use the same system, which is in use also elsewhere in Finland and abroad. Year round function is being considered.

By ferry
About 30 km south-east of the centre of Porvoo is the archipelago around, which is a popular tourist destination. There is a between the village of Tirmo, which belongs to the mainland, and Sundö, which belongs to the archipelago. See timetable at Finnferries.

By taxi
See also Uusimaa.


 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi
 * Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi

See


The town is famed for its many wooden buildings, picturesquely perched by the Porvoo River (Finnish Porvoonjoki, Swedish Borgå å). These are concentrated in the old city (Finnish: Vanha Porvoo, Swedish Gamla Borgå), a few hundred metres north-west of the modern city centre, and on a fine summer day a stroll around them is very delightful indeed. For the best view of the iconic red warehouses, cross the river and walk along the park on the other side. Perhaps surprisingly (for buildings decorating almost all tourist brochures of a city), you can only view them from the riverside; they are private property, in use as homes or otherwise.

Overall, just walking the streets of the old city with its wooden houses and popping into the shops and cafés is really Porvoo's top attraction.



Do


Kayaking and canoeing on the Porvoo River and in the nearby archipelago is a popular summer pastime. It's even possible to make your way down all the way from Lahti, 90 km away. The stream is gentle and it's quite suitable for beginners. In the archipelago, don't venture away from sheltered waters unless you know what you're doing.

Tove Jansson had her summer cottage in the Porvoo archipelago, first on Pellinge, later in the outer archipelago.

Buy
In the old part of Porvoo there are lots of lovely little shops where you can buy anything from dollhouses to hand made jewelry. Many are, however, open only in the summer.



Eat




Internet
Many places of business may have Wi-Fi for customers (although it's usually called "WLAN"); ask the staff for details.

For free Wi-Fi and internet terminals, check.

Stay safe


In emergencies,. This includes social services, although for non-urgent matters you could contact the social services directly.

Go next

 * West to Sipoo, Vantaa and Helsinki
 * East to Loviisa and on to Kotka and Hamina in Kymenlaakso or
 * North to Askola and Lahti