The city and bishop’s seat is located just 50 kilometers northeast of Helsinki on the Gulf of Finland in the south of the country. If you take a short trip to Finland, you usually come to Helsinki and move there between the main sights, the Cathedral on Senate Square, the rock Church and the Sibelius Monument. You stroll along the north and South planades and through the Design District, which opened in 2005, with its approximately 170 boutiques, galleries, studios, bars and hotels dedicated to Finnish culture. A contrast program to the lively capital can be found only 50 kilometers away: in Porvoo, the second oldest city in Finland after Turku.


Although Porvoo, located on the old royal road, was already considered an important commercial center in the 13th century, life here is still tranquil to this day. A part of the long history of Porvoo can still be read in the historical core, which is characterized by medieval-looking, colorful wooden houses and narrow streets. The old town has not lost its charm even after the great fire of 1760, which destroyed large parts of the city at that time. For example, the former town hall from the 16th century survived the fire. Today, it forms the heart of the second oldest city in Finland and now houses a museum.
In addition to the historical core, the rust-red salt reservoirs on the banks of the Porvoonjoki River are also attractive. Since Porvoo is located in the south of Finland, the city is bilingual: here you can hear both Finnish and Swedish.
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