Experience another side of Finland. The medieval town of Porvoo has a completely different spirit as compared to Helsinki. Settled and visited by artists, poets, and kings, this beautiful wooden town played a crucial role in the country’s history.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible—book your spot and pay nothing today. Learn more
Duration 5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English
Small group: Limited to 5 participants

Highlights

Enjoy a half-day trip from Helsinki to the medieval town of Porvoo
Take a pleasant walk in the idyllic old town, set in a beautiful landscape on a river bank
Learn more about Finnish life and history from your friendly guide

Full description

Dating from the 14th century, Porvoo is one of Finland’s oldest towns. With its wooden houses and cobbled streets, it has preserved the spirit of medieval times. Porvoo’s natural setting makes the town particularly attractive, and includes a winding river, hills with centuries-old pines, and primeval rocks. Admire the mosaic of colorful houses along the river bank and hill slopes. Just 50 kilometers from Helsinki and connected by regular bus service, Porvoo can be reached in less than an hour. The guide will meet you in Helsinki center to travel with you by bus on this 5-hour excursion. When you arrive in Porvoo you’ll take the most interesting and picturesque route to see the major sights and to get the best overview of the town. During the tour you’ll have an opportunity to stop for coffee, tea, or lunch in one of the town's charming cafés or restaurants, and to visit the shops of local manufacturers if you like. Some of the most famous national poets and artists chose to settle and create here. Russian Tsar Alexander I, probably charmed by the town during his visit, granted Finland autonomy!

Includes

Guide

Bus transfer from/to Helsinki (around EUR 12.00 per person each way)

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned

Meeting point

Please meet your guide at Narinkka Square, Helsinki, near the Entrepreneur Monument.

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Important information

Know before you go

Children under age 16, accompanied by an adult, can join free of charge.

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 46 reviews

Review summary

Guide
5/5
Transportation
4.9/5
Value for money
4.6/5
Safety
4.8/5

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Insightful and well organized tour that gave the opportunity to enjoy the old town vibe and get a lot of information about Finnish history and traditions. Porvoo is a picturesque town with a lot of beautiful sceneries and a vast selection of local made souvenir shops. The guide was knowledgeable and flexible regarding our needs and all the activities were adjusted accordingly to our interests. We would definitely recommend this tour!

August 23, 2021

The tour unexpectedly became a private tour since no one else joined the tour. Our guide, Mikhail, kindly picked us up from our hotel and guided us to Porvoo. He was so informative to tell the histories around the area, including Porvoo Cathedral and the ancient foretress, Iso Linnamäki. He also brought us to a Brunberg chocolate store (recommended as it has cheaper price than in regular store) and a local restaurant nearby (Hanna-Maria) for lunch together. We enjoyed our trip and the local food there.

April 22, 2020

We had a wonderful, personable guide who showed us everything you can see. Even if he only spoke English and we can't speak English. Thanks to Google Translate, it still worked perfectly. Thanks again for that. The contact with us where he wanted to pick us up from the hotel and we were just in Tallinn was more than great. We can and must recommend this excursion with this great guide.

October 4, 2019

Porvoo: 5-Hour Town Tour from Helsinki

Porvoo: 5-Hour Town Tour from Helsinki

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