Why go?

It’s a little city, but one that is easy to fall by love with. Less than an hour from Helsinki, nestled among forests in Finland’s Pellinki archipelago, it feels a world away, with its laid-back pace, lovely shops and pretty wooden clapboard houses that come in every shade. Historically one of Finland’s most important centres, today Porvoo excels in the things that make for a perfect weekend break – atmosphere, culture and great food.

What to do

Whether you’re coming by road from Helsinki or via the river by boat, your first glimpse of Porvoo will be its iconic brick-red wooden warehouses, lining the water. These striking buildlings are only some of the colourful painted wooden homes that make up the city’s enchanting Old Town. You could easily chew up a few hours wandering the narrow streets peering at the rainbows of buildings, particularly as a great deal of them now house boutiques, cafés and restaurants. After trawling the market in the Town Hall square, stroll up to Porvoo’s impressive 14th-century, wooden-roofed cathedral, which has risen from the ashes of six different fires over the years. The home of national poet JL Runeberg may be most interesting to visitors for its insight into Finnish life in the mid-19th century, while the Porvoo Museum provides a more general look at local history (porvoonmuseo.fi). Porvoo has a thriving arts scene and this is most notable at the Art Factory, in the new part of Porvoo; there are artists’ studios with regular open days to pop in to, temporary galleries, and you can even rent pieces from a painting ‘library’ (taidetehdas.fi). Hire a car for a few hours and make for the lakes at Pellinki, Finnish cottage country; the lush forest setting is home to a weekend market peddling local produce, and you can canoe or kayak here too. But if you really have some spare time, get a boat and book an island cottage of your own.

Where to stay

You know you’re in Finland when your bedroom comes with a sauna. Homely B&B Ida Maria (00 358 45 851 2345, idamaria.fi), right in the centre of Porvoo’s Old Town in a restored 18th-century building, is charming, homely and quintessentially Nordic. There’s a shared bathroom between the four rooms, which may not be for everyone, but the hotel does come with friendly hosts and, of course, that sauna. Haikko Manor (00 358 19 576 01, haikko.fi), a beautiful manor in the grounds of a park, is the city’s plush option, with a spa, sauna and a popular restaurant.

Where to eat and drink

The new Nordic cooking movement has definitely hit little Porvoo. The Old Town is awash with charming food shops bursting with culinary goodies. Historic Brunberg sweet factory (brunberg.fi) is a favourite among Finns, and at shoebox-sized Pieni Suklaatehdas (suklaatehdas.com) line up to snag the freshly made chocolates. Cafés all over town offer Porvoo speciality Runeberg torte (almond cake topped with apple jam and icing), but if it’s a coffee you’re after – or a slice of killer carrot cake – head to Café Rongo (caferongo.fi). Finns drink more coffee per capita than anyone else, and you can see coffee roasting in action at Porvoon Paahtimo (porvoonpaahtimo.fi); stock up on local products from reindeer to Malmgård beers and in the attached café, a red brick storehouse, sip a few more either at candlelit tables inside or on the riverboat-cum-terrace parked out front on the water. The wooden home atmosphere is unforgettable at Wanha Laamanni (00 358 20 752 8355, wanhalaamanni.com) where you can opt for a six-course ‘surprise’ seasonal menu including the likes of braised pork shank or smoked duck breast. Inside the Art Factory, there’s the excellent, industrial-chic Sinne (00 358 10 3228 140, bistrosinne.fi); dine on chef Kai Kallio’s artfully plated dishes of air-dried beef from local Bosgård with red cabbage; pan-fried perch with curry lentils and caulfilower purée; or fluffy almond pancake with blueberries and yoghurt mousse.

Time running out?

Join a river cruise and you’ll get a great take on Porvoo from the water, particularly the iconic red shore houses.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the euro, time is two hours ahead of GMT. Travel time is four hours. Cost to carbon offset is £3.08 (climatecare.org).

Getting There

Finnair (www.finnair.com) has daily flights from London Heathrow to Helsinki, from which Porvoo is a 40-minute bus ride. Norwegian (norwegian.com) flies to Helsinki daily from London Gatwick.

Resources

Visit Finland (visitfinland.com) provides information when it comes to planning your trip, as does Visit Porvoo (visitporvoo.fi)