Porvoo
The Finnish city of charming moments
Parnashree Devi, 20-11-2021
Porvoo, more of a summer town of Finland was founded nearly 800 years ago. This second oldest city of Finland has played a significant role in shaping the Finnish history. Situated on the bank of Porvoo River, the red shore houses are the prominent landmarks of this captivating town.
Historically, Porvoo has been an important centre of trade for centuries. If you turn the pages of history, you will find that the houses were painted red in honour of the arrival of Gustav III, the King of Sweden. Though these red houses were earlier used to store goods, they have now become the residences of local Finnish people.
In the 13th century, Porvoo had its first inhabitants with the arrival of Swedish settlers. In 1380, Porvoo was officially declared as a city along with five others in Finland. During the 25-years of Russo-Swedish war in the 16th century, Russia burnt this city not just once, but twice. The citizens of this picturesque city had to go through a lot of fires and damages due to wars for several decades.
The picturesque town is home to many Finnish artists and has many boutique shops, designer outlets, souvenirs store as well as a wide range of cafes and restaurants. The same lively and vibrant city looks mystic and magical with a blanket of snow and a frozen Porvoo river in winter. The doll-house-like pastel-coloured wooden houses on the cobbled streets, the popping red-shore houses on the bank of river Porvoo and the white stone church on top of the hill look like colourful pages of a fairy-tale book. Otherwise buzzing in summer, Porvoo reflects a laid-back feel in winter.
The residential area of the old Porvoo side built in the 18th century is an idyllic district found on a hill. The picturesque location is a perfect example of how the old architecture of this historical town is blending seamlessly with the modernity of the present day. The best way to immerse in the ethereal beauty of this charming town is to take a slow walk around.
A day trip to the historical town of Finland is not enough. Whether you are staying in the red shore houses, indulging in adventurous winter activities, taking Nordic walks on the ice surface, or stepping into the green forest, these are some of the must-do activities during the winter. To do a decent justice, you have to allot at least a couple of days for Porvoo in the itinerary to experience all these charming moments.
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