Things to do in Porvoo
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Porvoo Old Town
Porvoo Old Town district north of Mannerheiminkatu was largely built after the Great Fire of 1760. It's an alluring warren of narrow, winding cobblestone alleys and brightly coloured wooden houses. Craft boutiques and antique shops line the main roads, Välikatu and Kirkkokatu. For a glimpse of less touristed bits, head for the streets east of the cathedral; Itäinen Pitkäkatu is one of the nicest.
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Tuomiokirkko
One of CL Engel’s finest creations, the chalk-white neoclassical Tuomiokirkko, presides over Senate Square, though as it was not completed until 1852, the architect, who died in 1840, never saw it. Given Finland’s Lutheran sensibilities, it was created to serve as a reminder of God’s supremacy over the square. Its high flight of stairs, however, has become a meeting place for canoodling couples, and a setting for New Year’s revelry. The interior features statues of the Reformation heroes Luther, Melanchthon and Mikael Agricola; true to their ideals, there is little other ornamentation under the lofty dome. There’s a cafe in the brick-vaulted crypt in summer.
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Porvoo Historical Museum
Porvoo Historical Museum is in two adjacent buildings on the beautiful cobbled Old Town Hall Square. The more interesting of the two is the Art Museum, with paintings by Albert Edelfelt and sculptures by Ville Vallgren, two of Porvoo’s celebrated artists. Porvoo Historical Museum, in the town hall building across the square, reproduces a 19th-century merchant’s home.
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Shore Houses
The distinctive row of Shore Houses along the Porvoonjoki were first painted with red ochre to impress the visiting King of Sweden, Gustavus III, in the late 18th century. They were originally used to store goods traded with German ships from the Hanseatic League, but many are now Porvoo's prime residential real estate.
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Wanha Laamanni
Top of the town in both geographic and culinary terms, this old Judges’ Chambers serves up Finnish faves like reindeer and the unique tar-flavoured salmon. The building itself is a rambling late-18th-century conversion with a roaring fireplace and sprawling terrace that’s ideal for people-watching.
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Timbaali
Slow food doesn’t get any slower than snails and they’re best slurped up on a sunny day in the courtyard of this Porvoo legend. Try the escargots with duck-liver butter for a real treat, though they do nongastropod dishes including a reindeer pizza or wild boar fillet.
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Porvoon Paahtimo
The air is rich with caffeine in this coffeehouse, right by the river. The Tiramisu blend is a heady mix, but the cake selection is tempting too. There’s a terrace and a boat, which come with blankets on cooler evenings, and you can enjoy a few beers here.
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Café Helmi
A kindly Russian grandmother would happily take tea from the distinctive lilac-and-white cups in the courtyard of this Tsarist teahouse. They do one of the best Runeberg tarts, but regular cakes and chocolates will also have you loosening your belt.
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M/S Fredrika
If you have more time, archipelago cruises aboard M/S Sandra and M/S Fredrika depart on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at noon from late June to early August and offer the chance to stop off at islands en route.
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M/S Sandra
If you have more time, archipelago cruises aboard M/S Sandra and M/S Fredrika depart on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at noon from late June to early August and offer the chance to stop off at islands en route.
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Hanna Maria
Right in the old town, this cheap and cheerful lunchtime restaurant serves up no-nonsense Finnish food at cheap prices. It's by no means gourmet, but it more than does the job, particularly if you can nab a spot on the terrace.
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Wilhelm Å
This is one of the slick riverside spots doing a great European menu that runs to innovative pastas and salads. The terrace extends over the water, making for a pleasant afternoon-into-evening drinking spot.
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Brunberg
It’s worth the trip from Helsinki just for Finland’s most acclaimed sweet shop, makers of the pusu (kisses) or riisi (chocolate-coated rice). It’s always crowded but mornings are best.
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Runeberg House
National poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg’s former home has become a museum, with a period interior including stuffed foxes and muskets portraying the poet’s love of hunting.
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Café Cabriole
With white-lofted ceilings and chandeliers, this stylish old building on the market square remains an enduring place to sip tea or savour cakes and biscuits from a huge pastry cabinet.
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Rantakahvila
In summer, a number of terraces line the riverfront south of Mannerheimintie. One of the best is Rantakahvila, with cheap drink, a range of fast food and a strangely diverse crowd.
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Walter Runeberg Sculpture Collection
Walter Runeberg Sculpture Collection has 150 sculptures by Walter Runeberg, JL Runeberg’s eldest son, who produced the town’s sculpture of his father.
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Glückauf
A 19th-century sailing ship moored on the eastern riverfront is the home of this boat restaurant. It specializes in seafood, and there's a cheaper 'terrace' menu.
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Doll & Toy Museum
Doll & Toy Museum houses over 800 dolls, tin toys and other childhood curiosities, making it Finland’s largest toy museum.
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Glory Days
Glory Days, in the Seurahovi Hotel on the east side of the market square, is another bar popular with young locals.
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M/S Borgå
The M/S Borgå departs from the passenger harbour and includes some historical commentary.
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Café Fanny
Try this café, on the beautiful cobbled Old Town square, for watching Porvoo drift by.
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