Porvoo Old Town

Porvoo is the picture-book old town of southern Finland, a tangle of cobbled lanes and wooden houses climbing from a river lined with red-ochre shore warehouses. The second-oldest town in the country, and it keeps that history in a hilltop cathedral and streets of painted timber.

What you actually see

• The red shore houses - the row of ochre-red riverside storehouses, the iconic view.
• The cobbled old town - lanes of painted wooden houses climbing the hill.
• Porvoo Cathedral - the medieval stone-and-timber church at the top.
• Riverside cafes and shops - chocolate makers, boutiques and cafes in the old streets.

When to go

Summer for riverside terraces and long light; December for a cosy Christmas atmosphere in the lanes. Weekdays avoid the Helsinki day-trip crowds.

Honest expectations

It is small and can be busy, since it is the classic day trip from Helsinki, so weekends fill the narrow lanes. The famous red houses are private homes, admired from the opposite bank rather than entered. A charming half day rather than a full one.

Nearby

The southern coast and its islands spread around; Helsinki is an easy hour back.