Porvoo Things to Do

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The Cathedral dates back to years 1200-1300 and the Old King's Road from Stockholm to St Petersburg goes by it. It is located on a hill and can be seen from far. Very impressive and a kind of a landmark of Porvoo.

Ex-Formula 1 driver Mika HÄKKINEN was married to Ms Erja HONKANEN (now divorsed) in this church, as well as ex-NHL hockey player Jari KURRI. This is a very popular church to get married in. Few years back there were a couple which came all the way from Japan, just to get married in the very same church that Mika HÄKKINEN was married in.

The shingle roof of the Cathedral of Porvoo burned at night on 28th of May 2006. The fire was lid by someone, so it was no accident. Yet it is not sure if the Cathedral will be open during the summer. They will begin rebuilding the Cathedral as soon as possible but the rebuilding work will last at least the coming two years, they say.

The Cathedral has been rebuild and it is now open to public again.

I read that Porvoo is considered the second oldest town in Finland, being chartered in 1346.

And as you walk through the narrow streets beside the red houses/wooden storages by the riverbank, you can't resist taking prictures! The place is very picturesque and its amazing that this place has retained it's medieval feel despite the cars that pass by on the street beside it.

The red-coloured wooden storage buildings on the riverside are a proposed UNESCO world heritage site.

Albert EDELFELT (1854-1905) was (or still is?) one of the leading Finnish painters. He was born in Porvoo, in fact in Kiiala Manor. He studied in Antwerpen and in Paris, where he also lived for some time.
He has painted a portrait of Louis Pasteur which I am sure we all have heard of.

This modest studio was build in 1883. Here he returned every summer and painted several of his best-known works...

Very modest, red wooden house. Worth a visit if you are around and familiar with his work.
Why not?

Be aware that the studio is only open at summer time, from May until August? Check out for closer information the official Porvoo tourist pages.

The Shore Houses are located in Old Porvoo along the river. The buildings are all painted red ochre in order to protect the wooden walls from weather conditions and also for making the arrival of King Gustav III from Sweden. They all absolutely gorgeous and well worth an effort to explore. They were originally used to store products such as coffee, spices and tobacco but today they are all privately owned or used as restaurants.

You can get some fabulous photo's of them from the other side of the river.

This cruise takes in the sights of the archipelago's and also offers lunch at Mantysaari Island only during the summer months. There is also a Wednesday evening cruise available. Cruises operate from Porvoo waterfront.

Crusies operate during the summer months departing from Porvoo harbour and the duration is approx 50minutes taking in the beautiful Shore Houses. This cruise is delightful and you see the Old Porvoo from another perspective.

Costs : 6 €-adult, 3 €-child

Just near where our tour buses were parked, and near a little riverside park, was this World War II era howitzer, carefully preserved and exhibited as a memorial. The enscription on the plaque, probably in both Finnish and Swedish, unfortunately gave us no information on the gun except the dates of 1941-1944. It must have been used in the defense of Porvoo I would assume but I could not find any other information about it. It obviously means alot to the town based on how nicely the memorial is built and the landscape and flowers around it are kept.

One of the most distinctive sights in Porvoo are the red, wooden "salt houses" on the Porvoo River's edge. These "salt houses" are very much older than you might imagine and were originally depositories or storehouses for salt, and other items being produced and imported from elsewhere and then traded or moved on to other locations. Other items stored here were butter, timber, salted fish, linens, and tarr. It was from the basis of this trade that Porvoo prospered.

These buildings are still in use today, although the purpose may not be strictly the same.