(Last Updated On: May 5, 2021)The medieval Swedish town of Borgå (Old Town Porvoo) is a fun and easy day trip from Helsinki, Finland.
A blend of Swedish, Russian, and Finnish history
The heart of Old Town Porvoo is the old Swedish town of Borgå. It’s one of six medieval Swedish towns established in Finland, and among the oldest.
While the area along the Porvoonjoki River has been a trade route since prehistoric times, the coastal area seems to have had little permanent settlement when Sweden established a presence here in the 13th century.
Over time, a large fortress was built on a hill above the new town. Although virtually nothing remains of the fort today, it must have helped protect both the Swedish residents of this distant outpost and the valuable trade goods that flowed through it.
With a busy port and a location on the King’s Road (also called the Great Coast Road), Borgå became one of the largest cities in Finland. It must have been a very busy place while Sweden was at the height of its power and influence.
In 1760 most of the city (which was built almost entirely of wood) burned. The fire left only small portions of the city intact. But the city was too important to abandon. It was quickly rebuilt. But this time a few more important buildings were constructed of studier materials to both withstand future fires and proclaim the city’s wealth.
But the 18th century didn’t end well for Sweden. And, with Sweden’s decline, settlements in Finland were increasingly left to defend themselves against – or come to terms with – the Russians. This led to Finland’s first step toward independent nationhood. A step that happened in Borgå.
In 1809 Finnish leaders met with Tsar Alexander I in Borgå’s church.
By that time Russia had invaded deep into Swedish territory and it was only a matter of time (six months) until Sweden officially handed control of Finnish areas over to Russia. In Borgå, Finnish leaders swore allegiance to the Russian emperor. In exchange, Alexander I recognized Finland a separate entity within the Russian empire (a Grand Duchy), authorized the continued use of existing Swedish laws, language, and Lutheran religious practices.
Tsar Alexander I meets with Finnish leaders in Borgå (Porvoo) cathedral, painting by Emanuel Thel via Wikimedia Commons
As part of the Russian empire, the city continued to thrive in the 19th century. That resulted in a plan to demolish the crowded old wooden city and replace it with a spacious modern Empire-style city built on a regular street grid.
Fortunately for today’s tourists, that didn’t happen. Instead, the Empire-style city Tsar Nicholas I favored was built adjacent to the existing town. That gives modern visitors two historic cities in one.
Today Porvoo includes a much larger area, and visitors will find plenty of pleasant streets beyond the Old Town and even beyond the city itself.
Things to do in Old Town Porvoo (Borgå)
The Old Town area of Porvoo is not very big, but it oozes charm. While only the oldest area retains the medieval streets of Old Borgå, the adjoining 19th century Russian Empire area is also inviting. In reality, much of Porvoo is well-worth exploring. And, of course, there are lots of lovely natural areas within easy driving or biking distance.
Porvoo is a nice day-trip from Helsinki. However, spending at least a night or two allows time to really enjoy the old town and explore a bit of the rest of the city.
Wandering aimlessly is not a bad way to spend the day
Porvoo is perfect for wandering.
Many Old Town buildings date back to the 17th and 18th centuries when Borgå was still under Swedish rule. They include the medieval cathedral, a few wooden buildings that survived a the devastating 1760 fire, and the stone, brick, and wood buildings that quickly replaced those lost in the fire. However, since most new buildings were constructed on the existing medieval street layout, Old Town Porvoo (Borgå) feels like much older city.
(That medieval street layout also means there are lots of interesting alleys to explore.)
You can’t visit most of those red “houses” along the river, but you can get a good look at them from the bridge!
Although they look like the ideal vacation cottage, these were built as warehouses. They stored salt, fur, and other goods traded by and through Sweden!
And, if the Old Town area of Porvoo is too small for you, it’s easy to wander farther afield along the river or into the old Russian area.
Eat and drink
Porvoo Old Town overflows with delightful restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and coffee shops. Most of these are located along the winding streets of Old Town, with tables set up on the street itself or in small courtyards. But there are other options too.
Is there anything better than sitting outside on a beautiful summer day with a glass of your favorite beverage and something delicious to eat?
(Just be prepared to wait for that perfect table on summer weekends.)
Admire (and buy) art and locally-designed goods
If you’re looking for unique gifts to give to others (or keep for yourself), Old Porvoo is a great place to shop! The Old Town area is filled with small stores that sell unique furniture, clothing, household goods, toys, and antiques, as well as art created by the city’s large community of artists and makers.
Even if you don’t plan to buy the window shopping is delightful.
Step into the past in the medieval cathedral
While just wandering the streets is a step back in time, the place to really absorb the passage of time is the city’s medieval cathedral.
Porvoo’s cathedral dates back to the 14th century, although little from that time remains today. Like other buildings in Borgå, the original was built of wood. It is dedicated to Mary and took its current Gothic form early in the 15th century.
Fires have damaged the church multiple times through its history, but it’s a survivor. Not only does the exterior retain much of its 14th century appearance, but the interior retains a few late 15th century paintings.
(Apparently unicorns were once thought to be pure and good, so were used as a symbol for Christ.)
The free-standing belfry also dates to the medieval period, although much of what we see today dates only to the 18th century.
Borgå’s church became a cathedral in 1723. Today it is the seat of Finland’s Swedish-speaking Lutheran diocese.
Learn about the past at the Porvoo Museum
Housed in two late 18th century buildings, the Porvoo Museum mixes information on the history of Borgå from its earliest periods through the present. Exhibits range from history lessons to contemporary artwork, so there is definitely something for everyone.
Old Town Hall
Borgå’s Old Town Hall is said to be the oldest in Finland. However, the current Swedish baroque building only dates back to the late 18th century. It was constructed after the fires of 1760 to replace the site’s earlier, wooden building.
It houses permanent exhibitions on the region’s history and on Finnish art.
Holm House
The Holm House was built in 1763 to replace the house Johan Holm lost in the 1760 fire. Much of the building consists of period rooms that show how the family of a wealthy merchant lived at the end of the 18th century. Apparently, much of the furniture is actually original to the house or Holm family.
The founder of the Holm family likely came to Finland from either Sweden or Germany about a century earlier. However, the house is decorated in traditional Swedish style. That was typical of upper-class households at that time, as Swedish language and culture were hallmarks of higher social status.
An ever-changing array of exhibits is housed on the ground floor.
Plan your trip to Porvoo
Porvoo is an easy daytrip from Helsinki. With a location along a river near the sea, it’s a VERY popular summer day trip. To really enjoy the old city and all it has to offer, plan to spend a night or two in the old town. That will give you time to really explore the city and experience it in the mornings and evenings when it’s less crowded.
When to visit
Porvoo’s Old Town (Vanha Porvoo or Gamala Borgå) area is primarily a warm-weather destination.
The museums and some shops and restaurants close or operate on a more limited schedule during the winter. However, the trade-off is being able to enjoy the area without crowds or a long wait to get into a popular café or restaurant!
How to get to and around Porvoo
Porvoo is less than 30 miles from Helsinki. That makes it easy to reach even if you don’t have a car.
Take the bus
It takes little over an hour to reach Porvoo by bus and there are several options to choose from. In Porvoo, the bus station is right at the edge of the Old Town.
This is how I got to and from Porvoo. It was pretty easy and very comfortable.
Drive there yourself
If you have a car, it’s an easy drive to Porvoo. There’s usually plenty of parking near the bus station. Just don’t expect to park right in the Old Town area.
Get on your bicycle
A slightly longer route offers a pleasant bike ride through the countryside. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours getting to Porvoo. However, biking options seem to abound around Porvoo, so you can spend a few days exploring the area. And you can take a bus or the boat back to Helsinki at the end of your tour.
Hop on a boat
If you are visiting during summer, you can hop aboard the quaint-looking J.L. Runeberg for a cruise through the archipelago as you travel between Helsinki and Porvoo. The ship departs Helsinki in the morning and returns in the afternoon. The trip takes about 3 hours each way.
This is not a theme park
Despite its incredible cuteness, Old Porvoo is a real town where about 800 people live and work. There are lots of shops, galleries, restaurants, cafes, and museums – but most of the buildings here are private homes. Please treat the area and the people who live here as you would want others to treat you and your home. Be respectful of both private property and the privacy of those who live here. This is their home.
Stay overnight
While there is lodging right in Old Town, prices tend to be a little high even by Nordic standards. But there are options that won’t totally break your budget. Look for something that’s close to the historic area to make it easy to get around.
Check TripAdvisor for reviews, rates, and booking options. (Affiliate link)
Why two names?
While you wouldn’t know it walking the streets of most cities, Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. You’ll see signs in both languages in many places, although these days Swedish is usually only treated as an official language in areas that retain a significant Swedish-speaking population. So you won’t see both everywhere.
Finland was part of Sweden for almost 700 years
Sweden began colonizing parts of Finland in the 12th century, establishing forts and bringing Swedish settlers to the western and southern coast. Of course, they conducted business and governed these areas in Swedish and, over time, Swedish was spoken by all educated people in Finland and became the official language.
But Finnish was the language spoken by most people. As such, it was recognized as an official language in the 19th century. However, it took time for it to become of the dominant, but not exclusive, language for official use.
Today Finnish is definitely the country’s dominant language. But language remains a highly-charged issue in the country. While only a small percentage of the overall population identifies Swedish as their first language, in some areas it is the primary language of a significant portion of the population.
But more than 600 years of Swedish rule left Finland with a lot of Swedish place names. And, in the name of Finnish pride, all of those places were given new Finnish names. One of those places was the old Swedish city of Borgå. In Swedish, Borgå means “Fort River.” Despite what Wikipedia tells you, Porvoo is a Finnish translation of the Swedish name (not the opposite), as there was no prior village at this location or any known Finnish name for the area.
Finnish versions of Swedish names dominate
Today the law requires that bilingual municipalities like Porvoo have both Finnish and Swedish names. However, the name actually used is based on the area’s majority language. That means the names used almost everywhere are Finnish. That’s true even in many areas where the original place name was Swedish and where Swedish is still regularly spoken.
Thus, the old city of Borgå is now Porvoo because it is in a larger municipal area with a Finnish-speaking majority. But native Swedish speakers still make up 30% of the population of that municipality and more in the Old Town area. That means Swedish is used regularly here, including in shops and restaurants of Old Town.
Of course, as is true throughout Finland, many people understand and speak at least some English too! That makes it an easy place for American visitors.
Visit more of Finland’s old wooden towns
Borgå is not the only old Swedish town that remains. There are several. And, like Old Town Porvoo, most are a charming mix of traditional old wooden buildings with a few sturdier Swedish baroque stone and brick structures.
There’s a nice list of Finland’s wooden towns on the Visit Finland website.
All of these towns are along Finland’s south and western coast and most began as Swedish settlements.
Besides Borgå, I’ve also visited the old wooden neighborhoods of Karleby (Kokkola) and Jakobstad (Pietarsaari). Both of these are old seaports along the coast of central Finland, far north of Borgå.
Neristan in Karleby
Karleby (Kokkola) once had both an upper town and lower town area. Today only the wooden buildings of working class lower town neighborhood remain intact. (Most of the stone buildings in the wealthier part of town were demolished in the early 1900s.)
Called Neristan, the fine wooden buildings were once the homes and workshops of the city’s sailors and craftsmen.
Although the town was established by the Swedish king in 1620, the street plan that exists today was developed after 1664 fire. Most of the buildings that remain today were constructed in the 19th century, although a few are older.
Norrmalm, Jakobstad
Not far from Neristan, the Norrmalm or Skata neighborhood of Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) features another large collection of wooden houses.
Although founded in 1652, the town grew slowly. Most of the historic buildings that remain today date to the 18th and 19th century.
Like Neristan, this is a pleasant spot to wander. So pleasant I was only half-joking when I sent my husband a picture of a house in the neighborhood with a “for sale” sign and suggested we buy it as a vacation home!
What a fascinating tour and such wonderful history, I would love to visit this place some day. Seems so far away atm.
Yes, right now it does seem far away. Everywhere in Europe does. But someday we’ll all be traveling to Europe again and it’s easy to get to Helsinki and, from there, to Porvoo!
Porvoo looks lovely! I didn’t get to see very much of Finland at all when I went to Helsinki – another place that deserves a return visit some time…
Finland doesn’t have the flash or high profile that some other European countries do, but what I’ve seen of the coast is as fabulous as any other northern country! Highly recommended the next time your travels take to you Helsinki.
We had never heard of Porvoo before reading this article. It looks like a quaint destination that just begs to be explored. Thanks you for sharing your perspective and we hope to visit some day.
Yes, a perfect spot to just wander and explore. And an easy side trip if you are in Helsinki some day!
Absolutely loved this tour! Oh so many places out there that call out for a visit. Thanks for introducing us to this quaint spot!
It seems the more you get out and explore, the more interesting places there are to see! My problem is finding time for them all.