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Pori

Things to do in Pori

  1. Juselius Mausoleum

    Very much a family affair, Juselius Mausoleum was built by FA Juselius, a wealthy businessman, as a memorial to his daughter who died of tuberculosis at the age of 11. The original frescoes were painted in 1898 by Finnish artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela (who had just lost his own daughter). The present ones were painted by Akseli’s son, Jorma Gallen-Kallela, after his father’s death.

    reviewed

  2. Steak & Whisky House Galle

    This is a lot classier than it sounds. The interior is stylish and elegant, with intimate tables and a decent Finnish-continental menu of steaks, fish and salads. The lunch specials are the most worthwhile. Attached is a sophisticated bar with frequent live jazz; it's open fairly late most nights.

    reviewed

  3. Raatihuoneen Kellari

    One of the top plates in town, this swanky cellar spot is in the town hall, designed by CL Engel. The weekday buffet luncheon impresses but Finnish cuisine is the speciality in the evenings, when meals include salmon tournedos with morel mushroom sauce, or roast reindeer with sea buckthorn.

    reviewed

  4. Pori Taidemuseo

    Pori Taidemuseo combines a modern art museum with a regional gallery. The stronger collection is the modern art gathered by Maire Gullichsen, who was something of a Nordic Peggy Guggenheim, gathering interesting works, particularly abstract pieces, up till the 1980s.

    reviewed

  5. La Braza

    This hip little spot is on the other side of the river, and has a decor that recovers a raw brick cellar to marvellous effect. The menu is wide ranging, from a hearty borscht to escargot in a Roquefort sauce, before bringing it home with grilled Arctic char with goat’s cheese.

    reviewed

  6. Long Gong

    In an arcade across the road from the tourist office, this is a reliable Chinese restaurant with welcoming management. As well as the traditional choices, which are tasty enough, there are also a few fried reindeer dishes, which work well with a bottle of Tsingtao beer.

    reviewed

  7. Keski-Pori Church

    Keski-Pori Church is a uniquely Finnish example of neo-Gothic with a cast-iron steeple and stained-glass windows. Over 400 Finns who died during WWII are buried in the grounds, with other memorials to WWI, and Finns who were ‘lost’ to Karelia.

    reviewed

  8. Down Under Bar

    A little piece of Australiana up near the Arctic. Along with the shockin' pseudo-Aboriginal murals and the crocodile-and-Kombi-van décor, there are some 'Aussie' cocktails with more bite than a Great White shark, and plenty of music and dancing.

    reviewed

  9. Trattoria Bucco

    You won’t find any overalls in this dashing Italian place, once an old brewery workers’ canteen. While it’s decidedly Mediterranean there’s good use of local specialities like grilled whitefish served on risotto with a snap of pear.

    reviewed

  10. Kino

    Formerly a cinema, this spacious venue is now a popular club for the young, cheerful and mortgage-less. The music is far from groundbreaking, treading a line between disco, Eurodance and bubblehead pop, but it's a happy place to be.

    reviewed

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  12. Satakunta Museum

    Satakunta Museum is a stimulating museum of regional history and archaeology – the theme is water and how the river and sea have affected life in the town over the centuries.

    reviewed

  13. Kauppahalli

    This is a good source of pastries and picnic victuals. Look out for the local speciality, smoked river lamprey, an eel-like fish that killed England’s Henry I when he gorged too many.

    reviewed

  14. Luontotalo Arkki

    Luontotalo Arkki makes for an absorbing look at the wetlands surrounding Pori, particularly with regard to the osprey and other wildlife, which are captured on film.

    reviewed

  15. Café Jazz

    One of Jazz Street’s more lively year-round venues, this riverside spot features regular jazz slots and jam sessions. The food here is unimaginative but affordable.

    reviewed

  16. Café Anton

    On the corner of the market square, this place is more pub than café but it has a lunch special and bar snacks such as nachos, wedges or pizza.

    reviewed

  17. Beer Hunter’s

    An ale-lovers’ paradise, this microbrewery specialises in its own beers, though it also does a pretty good cider, and meals are available.

    reviewed