Porvoo: attractions and places of interest. Porvoo is the most romantic city in Finland. Walk through the old center The best months to visit

Finland is an inexhaustible source for weekend tours, and not only from cities adjacent to the border. If we discard the time spent in line at the border, then some 3 hours, and you are already in Lappeenranta and Imatra - the paradise of St. Petersburg shoppers. A couple more hours, and you are in the capital of Finland -. But if you are already bored with the noise of the big city and at home, and you are looking for a small quiet Europe nearby, then I advise you to turn off the highway a little earlier and turn into Porvoo - one of the most romantic cities in Finland.

In Porvoo, you must definitely stay for two days, and ideally, arrive on Friday evening and leave on Sunday evening. Because the city can be conditionally divided into two parts: in fact, the center of old Porvoo, with its cozy shops, cafes and narrow streets, and Porvoo sea and forest, with yachts, embankments and country walks.

So, we wake up on Saturday morning in a cozy Finnish hostel, have breakfast at home, and go for a walk around the city.

Porvoo has an excellent tourist office www.porvoo.fi/matkailu, on whose website you can download the city guide, which is published annually (including in Russian), or you can get it free of charge in the hotels of the city, in the form of a colorful magazine.

Here, using this map from the guide, step by step, house by house, you can go around the entire center, sitting out in moments of fatigue in a cafe, or simply on benches, of which there are a lot in the city.

The city, by Russian standards, is quite small, only 48 thousand inhabitants, while not even half live in the old center. Well, the main attractions, if you follow the route map - no more than 15. But the city is not accidentally named Porvoo. This name comes from the Swedish Borga, which means “a fortress on a hill with a river flowing under the fortress” (what short and meaningful words the Swedes have =)). And the fortress is no more here, and the hill has turned into a forest park, but it remains, and not alone. And that's why, despite the small area of ​​the city, you have to go down and up all the time, and all along the pavement, it's easy to get tired. And we've come to rest! So two days is the right decision.

Valikatu and Jokikatu streets are the most crowded tourist streets. It is here that Porvoo's designer shops and shops are located, as well as most of the city's cafes and restaurants.

It should be noted that it is better to combine shopping with a Saturday walk - they close early, and on Sunday they simply do not work. And they have something to see, and if you don’t buy, then at least get infected with the idea to come home and urgently change something in your life. The Finns seem to be simple and a little rustic in appearance, but very sincere, and their houses are always decorated with taste and love. Happiness is in the little things.

Love for the home is laid down in childhood, and is cultivated with such children's toys, as in a shop on Valikatu street. Do not pass by, at the entrance there is a throne with a crown, offering everyone, at least for a minute, to become a fairy-tale prince or princess. It sells some unimaginable amount of items for doll houses. From furniture to miniature food. Ships with lighthouses and sailors. You can build your own fairy tale, some toys are the size of a fingernail! In addition, the store has a lot of wooden developmental toys for the little ones, and wooden sabers, horses and pistols for older boys.

Before Stockmann came to Helsinki, the Simolin family opened a department store in Porvoo, which is still open today and is the oldest in the country (also closed on Sundays).

The center of the old city has always been the Town Hall Square. Now the town hall building houses the city museum. The Town Hall, like the Cathedral, is the dominant of the city and recognizable postcard silhouettes.

To this small town (historical details about it in the story "Lady Northern Lights - Finland") the Finns themselves go - “for the Christmas mood. Or rather, pre-Christmas. Since it is precisely the pre-Christmas time that is densely filled with various most pleasant festive events: the coronation of St. Lucia of Porto (on the 13th), the Christmas market (Saturday and Sunday before Christmas), the Ceremony of the proclamation of the Nativity Peace in front of the Cathedral.
Christmas Historical Porvoo- charming, charming, gentle, cheerful, incendiary. He warms hot glöggi, treats him with fragrant pastries, lures with windows of tiny shops, pleases the eyes with lit garlands on Christmas trees, streets, smiles with Yolupuks arranged)) and pushes with crowds of tourists. In general, it covers you with a fairy tale.

It is a pity that the temperature is not winter - +2

Such sheaves are bird feeders

Streets of winter Porvoo, Christmas goat

Cheerful colors dilute the cloudiness of the day, Eyes rejoice

Miracle windows

Be sure to visit to the historic small tea and coffee shop “Helmi”(www.cafehelmi.net). They say that Emperor Alexander I himself (the same Finnish benefactor who granted Finland the status of a state at the Diet convened in Porvoo) came here to drink tea and coffee with delicious cakes. All the walls of this cafe are hung with dynastic photographs of Russian tsars and emperors. And one more very interesting detail: on an old piano in the corner is a picture of the fire in the Cathedral. It happened a few years ago. So, the photo is inserted into a frame burned in one corner.

The famous cafe Helmi, where Alexander I drank coffee

On the walls of the cafe there is a photo history of the entire Russian dynasty

The photo is a fire. Burning Porvoo Cathedral. And the top right burnt corner of the photo frame enhances the impression

In a cafe-bar near the road bridge “Porvoon Paahtimo” sells the best coffee beans in all of Finland (!). The house in which it is located has a very interesting facade - an old dark brick with shutters on the windows. This is a former warehouse. Of course, the coffee itself can be tested, however, only inside in winter (and in summer, on a barge moored nearby). As a coffee fanatic, I declare that the most delicious and aromatic coffee is not ground, but in beans. I didn't really like coffee with additives. (Coffee bags are on a tall display case by the bar. When receiving the packs of your choice from you, the bartender may ask something in Finnish. She's just asking if you'd like to grind it. Decide for yourself.)

In the building of an old warehouse on the river, there is a cafe that sells the most delicious coffee in all of Finland.

Leaning from the bridge took a picture

We buy chocolate souvenirs in a shop from the famous Brunberg factory (www.brunberg.fi), founded in the early 19th century. in Porvoo. I'll be honest, I'm a fan of him. Minttu Tryffeli(mint truffles) and Mocca Tryffeli(coffee truffles). And generally speaking, Brunberg is a worthy opponent of Fazer. Although you should look for his chocolates in Helsinki stores. I buy them at R-kiosks. Very tasty marmalade. And a must-buy - "Kiss the Negro" silt and more cosmopolitan "Chocolate Kiss"- red boxes with soufflé marshmallows in chocolate (3 flavors: strawberry, coffee, banana).

The famous shop from the Brunberg confectionery factory in Porvoo

Blackmorrhea glege from Porvoo and strawberry marshmallows "Negro Kiss

Souvenirs and something more substantial, of course, you can buy in Porvoo. The only thing that affected me like a tub of cold water was the price tag on a woolen blanket with deer. 69€. A day ago, I saw exactly the same in the household Antilla for 29 €. Porvoo is a business on tourists, do not forget about it.
I repeat that one of the most cute-unusual souvenirs is Iris .

The main and obligatory souvenir of the city is the measuring mug “Porvoon Mitta”. She has a cunning bottom, which divides the volume into two unequal parts: a larger one and a smaller one (the mug turns over on both sides). The tax collector (Mitta) was the first to measure taxes from the people, and gave the second to the royal treasury. I kept the difference (Finnish rollback)) for myself.

In winter, do not forget to slide down the fifth point from the Devil's steps ( see the route around the city, you can / need to take a booklet with a map of walking tours in Tourist Office on Rihkamakatu 4, there is a translation into Russian).

Merry Christmas! The table is set, and the Moomins went to play snowballs

The climate varies greatly from season to season and you need to choose the time of travel. The weather in Porvoo varies from month to month. it is very far from the equator. The cool average annual ambient temperature is +8.8°C during the day and +5.4°C at night. This is a city in Finland. Below is the climate and weather in Porvoo in winter, spring, summer and autumn.

The best months to travel

High season in Porvoo in July, August, June with excellent weather +16.2°C...+21.4°C. During this period, the city has the least rain, about 2 days a month, from 44.1 to 53.3 mm of precipitation falls. The number of clear days is from 16 to 20 days. Monthly climate and temperature in Porvoo are calculated based on recent years.

Monthly air temperature in Porvoo

The warmest weather in Porvoo by months and in general in Finland is in June, August, July up to 21.4°C. At the same time, the lowest ambient temperatures are observed in January, December, February down to -2.8°C. For lovers of night walks, the figures range from -4.5°C to 16.8°C.

Number of rainy days and precipitation

The most rainy periods are October, September, August, when the weather is bad for 5 days, up to 53.3 mm of precipitation falls. For those who do not like humidity, we recommend May, November, December during this period it rains on average only 2 days a month and the monthly rainfall is 28.3mm.

Comfort Rating

The climate and weather rating in Porvoo is calculated by months, taking into account the average air temperature, the amount of rainfall and other indicators. For a year in Porvoo, the score ranges from 1.7 in February to 5.0 in July, out of a possible five.

Climate Summary

Number of sunny days

The greatest number of sunny days is noted in June, August, July, when there are 20 clear days. During these months, the weather in Porvoo is excellent for walks and excursions. The sun is least in January, February, November, when the minimum number of clear days is 3.

Porvoo is a small town in Finland, 100 km from Helsinki. I stayed in Porvoo for a total of three days, during which time autumn had ended and winter had come. One day is enough to fully see the city. Summer is the best time of the year to visit. Porvoo is interesting because it has accumulated images of many eras, as the second of the oldest cities in Finland.

When there was a Swedish fortress Borga on the territory of the city. The peculiar dislike of the Finns for voiced consonants led to the transformation into Porvoo - which means a fortress on the river.

The Finns still dislike the Swedes because the latter live better than the former. Street addresses in two languages.

Porvoo became the site of the first meeting of the Finnish government at the beginning of the 19th century. There is a church here that burned down more than once, it is constantly being restored. For Russian tourists, it is more interesting that there is a monument to Emperor Alexander I in it, the only case in our history. Here, in March 1809, the famous meeting of the Sejm took place, where the Russian Emperor Alexander I announced the accession of Finland to Russia in the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy.

From the church to the riverbank lies the old town, with narrow cobbled winding streets and colorful houses. On the shore there are red houses - a symbol of one-story Finland. The popular red-brick color of wood in Finland came from saving local clay for paint.

The salt warehouses along the Porvoo River are a place for the creative class. All buildings are given to artists, sculptors.

The modern part of the embankment.

Most of the museums in Porvoo are closed in winter, so we watched from the outside. For example, the house of the merchant Holm. It doesn't work in winter.

There is a museum of dolls and toys, visiting by appointment. It doesn't work in winter.

The eastern part of the old city is decorated in the Empire style, low wooden houses form squares. The home of the Finnish-Swedish poet Johan Ludwig Runeberg is located in this area. Runeberg cakes are talked about on any tour of Helsinki.

Some of the photos about Porvoo were taken from the opposite side of the river. On the other side there is a mountain with a viewing platform, a cafe and a cemetery behind it. This is where the city ends.

Porvoo (Finnish Porvoo [ˈporʋoː]), Borgo (Swedish Borgå [`bɔrˌgoː]) is a commune in Finland and a small town located 50 km east of Helsinki. It is the oldest city in Finland after Turku. First mentioned in chronicles of the XIV century. Until 1809 it was part of the Kingdom of Sweden. After the victory of Russia in the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-1809, the city became part of the Grand Duchy of Finland, connected with the Russian Imperial House by a personal union.
After 1917 - as part of independent Finland.

The city gained fame in Russia and the world after 10 (22) March - 7 (19) July 1809, the Russian Emperor Alexander I convened the Borgo Diet in it, which approved the broad autonomy of the Finnish people. This Diet actually recognized the Grand Duchy as a Finnish nation-state, previously dependent on the Swedish crown. The Swedish elite continued to retain their rights and influence in Finland, including in Porvoo.

The population is 48,794 inhabitants (as of March 31, 2011). Finnish Swedes still make up about a third of the city's population, 16,102 people (33%), Finns - 31,228 people (64%) (2011 estimate). The city is officially bilingual.

Interesting Facts

Leonid Gaidai's film "For Matches" was filmed in Porvoo, in the film the city is called Yoki.
The city is home to the grave of Eigen Shauman, a Finnish nationalist who assassinated the Russian Governor-General of Finland, Bobrikov.

In a brick building of a former warehouse on the banks of the river, there is a bar-cafe "Coffee Guzzler Porvoo".
From the terrace or moored barge, you can enjoy a view of the Porvonijok River.

old town hall

The Town Hall was built back in 1764, in 1809 it hosted the Diet, a fateful event for the entire people of Finland, at which the autonomy of Finland was approved by Emperor Alexander I. Now the building of the town hall houses an art gallery and a historical museum. There is a market square in front of the old town hall building.

In summer, cafes, food stalls, and stalls with various souvenirs are located on the market square of the city. Fairs are held there twice a year. There is also an old restaurant here. The square is known for being featured in the famous movie "For the Matches", which was filmed in Porvoo.

The world of layouts and models "Noark"

World of Models and Models Noark is a large exhibition area located eight kilometers from the city of Porvoo, Finland. The unique exhibitions of "Noarka" will satisfy the interests of both children and adults.

The most interesting object is the railroad model leading to other layouts. The railway passes through a picturesque area, admiring which you will get a special charge and mood. There is a model of the Vyborg Fortress, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Titanic and many others.

In the world of layouts and models, there is convenient parking; there is a cozy cafe, a conference room with a video projector. A terrace for outdoor recreation was built on a small area in the courtyard. In the souvenir shop you can buy a variety of gifts and souvenirs, sculptures, paintings, wooden items¸ jewelry and other memorabilia.

Bishop's Residence

Seat of the Swedish-speaking episcopate of the Lutheran Church of Finland. The building was built in 1927, a religious object.

The places most visited by tourists in Porvoo are the Cathedral, which ranks third in terms of the number of visitors, and the Old Town. The layout of the Old Town has remained virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages. Basically, these are low wooden houses painted with bright colors, cozy courtyards and cobbled streets with a huge number of bends.

The very first church was built on a hill at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries. At the beginning of the 15th century, a stone church was erected on the same site, the remains of which are preserved in the walls of the current building of the cathedral, dating from the 1450s. The church was repeatedly burned and plundered by the invaders of the city in 1508, 1590 and 1708.

Cathedral

Cathedral in Porvoo

The temple received the status of a cathedral in 1723 after Vyborg was ceded to Russia following the results of the Northern War. For Finland, this temple is of particular importance, since it was here in March 1809 that the famous meeting of the Sejm took place, where the Russian Emperor Alexander I announced the accession of Finland to Russia in the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy. This date is considered the beginning of Finnish statehood.

In the spring of 2006, the cathedral was damaged by arson and, after restoration, was re-consecrated in November 2008, services were restored in it.

Soul Organ of the Temple

The buildings were designed by the architect Karl Ludwig Engel, he rebuilt the quarters destroyed by the fire of 1760. The old city is famous for its low red-brown houses located on the waterfront. Even just walking here, you will enjoy your leisure time. In December-January, the beauty of the Old Town is emphasized by Christmas lights.

A gun that took part in the battles of 1941-1944.

Finland participated in World War II on the side of fascist Germany and, although now it is a monument, it is a real weapon that also fired against our Motherland.

The plate on the gun that participated in the battles of 1941-1944

Monument to the composer Gabriel Linsen, who worked as a music teacher in Porvoo

Albert Edelfelt (1854-1905) was a Finnish painter and graphic artist, a native of Porvoo.
Here they honor the memory of their fellow countryman, who glorified his native city and
immortalized it in his paintings.

House of Edelfelt

This street is immortalized in one of the famous paintings by Edelfelt. Absolutely from this angle, she went down in history, thanks to her fellow countryman. In memory of this, it was left completely intact, retaining the same as in the picture, even the fence was left, which has not been in the city for a long time. A copy of the painting is installed next to the street, not far from the monument to the artist.

I don’t know what kind of monument, but beautiful ... Who knows, share ...

poet Johan Ludwig Runeberg, who composed the national anthem of Finland.
His work can tell a lot about Porvoo in the 19th century.

A stone in honor of the storyteller Paraskeva Nikitina and the writer of her runes

A stone in honor of the storyteller Paraskeva Nikitina and the writer of her runes.
Fate played a cruel joke with Larin Paraske. Being a famous storyteller who knew more than 32 thousand poems, folk and her own, to listen to which the great cultural figures of Finland of the 19th century came, she spent her whole life working and fighting poverty.

Boutique street

Devil's stairs in Koulukuja alley

According to ancient belief, the devil himself built rock ledges here, resembling steps of a ladder. From the upper platform, on the side of which there is a small square that opens up a magnificent view.
There are several versions of why this place was named so:

There is a version that in winter this place is always very slippery. Children going to school always fell there. It was impossible to be late for school, and this street lay on the way to school. So while going down the stairs, they fell many times. Therefore, the children named her Pirunportaat.
- And some say that the name came from an old woman who lived in one of the houses. A woman chased screaming children rolling down a hill. But the children knew that the man was old and would not be able to catch up, so they teased her and ran away.

Museum of Dolls and Toys

The Museum of Dolls and Toys, founded in 1947, presents the best toy expositions in Finland to the attention of tourists. This collection has been brought together thanks to Evi Söderlund, who has dedicated thirty-five years of her life to this cause. Currently, the museum has more than a thousand exhibits dating back to the late 19th - early 20th century. Every doll once had a little owner. The guides will tell you about this, as well as about the history associated with them. After all, the dolls were collected not only in the city of Mikkeli, but also in other cities of Finland, where Evi Söderlund traveled.

Railway Museum in Porvoo

The first railway, which connected the two stations of Porvoo and Kerava, was founded in 1874. However, in 1981 the lines were closed and all passenger and freight traffic ceased.

The cessation of operation of the railway line contributed to the development of the excursion business. Communication lines, diesel trailers of the fifties were restored, and in the summer of 1990 the railway museum began to function.

Visitors have a great opportunity to ride the train from the capital of Finland to Porvoo, admiring the beauties of the surrounding nature and enjoying a comfortable ride in the old style.

The railway museum attracts not only foreigners, but also Finns themselves, because for many of them a trip on such a train reminds them of childhood and the daily journey to school.

View from Viking Hill

Here, next to the fortress, in the Gulf of Maari, there was the first merchant settlement in Porvoo. Nowadays, it is a recreation area, popular among the townspeople and the nightingales singing there.

For the convenience of inspection and walks, a comfortable staircase leads to the hill, and solid bridges are laid across all the ditches.

It is better to walk along the embankment of the Porvoo River twice - on a bright sunny day, when the heavenly body illuminates the coastal buildings in the best way, and then also in the evening, when evening twilight sets off the beauty of the city. Paths are laid along the embankment, and moored yachts, boats and whole steamboats give the landscape an inexpressible charm. In some places on the shore there are cafes and restaurants, so you won’t be bored here ...

Promenade of Porvoo

Porvoo's signature landscape is red warehouses or, simply, barns on the shores for storing boats and boats. I must say that this color of historical buildings is typical for Finland.

Three versions: 1. Severe northern nature, lack of bright colors for most of the year.
2. Since ancient times, buildings have been painted with cinnabar, a natural paint-mineral, of which there are large deposits in Finland.
3. The special composition of the paint, which does not allow destroying the tree, wood-boring bugs do not start, moisture is also less harmful to the tree after such paint.
All versions are very natural and have the right to exist.

Porvoonjoki is a small river in southern Finland. It originates on the southern slope of the Salpausselkä mountain range, flows through several districts of the city of Porvoo and flows into the Gulf of Finland. The river has several sources - these are Lahti, Askola and Karkola. The length of Porvoonjoki is 143 km and the area of ​​the water basin is 1271 km². The height difference between the source and the mouth is 68 meters. The river has several rapids, each of which has a hydroelectric power station. The largest of them is Stomsberginkoski located in Porvoo. The water quality of Porvoonjoki is very poor due to the discharge of sewage.

The river valley is home to splendid agricultural land and beautiful cliffs with snowy peaks, which gives it a special charm and makes the scenery here one of the most beautiful in Finland. On the right bank of Porvoonjoki, there are several small holiday homes, which attract thousands of tourists every year to enjoy the unusually clean air and escape from the bustle of the city.

In terms of tourism, Porvoo is a city suitable for people with a variety of purposes. Here is located the delightful Spa Haikko Kartano hotel, covered with a halo of the Romanov period, and suitable for those who want to plunge into luxury and history. Porvoo has a very compact city center, where architectural monuments are interspersed with souvenir shops, which makes tours in Porvoo very convenient for sightseeing. Well, finally, shopping, all the shops are at hand, not far from the center.

Restaurant "Timbaali"

Gabriel"

Porvoo is a city whose ancient quarters, with their cobblestone pavements, small galleries and a picturesque river panorama with riverside barns, alleys of this city, this atmosphere of time immemorial merges with the spirit of modern design and captivates guests so that they come here again and again.