Getting my bearings around Old Porvoo and my discovery of Finnish Cider
Here are some fast facts about Porvoo:
- It is the second oldest town in Finland after Turku.
- Located on the southcoast 50 kilometres from Helsinki. Half an hour by car, an hour by public bus.
- The national poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg was born here and there is a museum dedicated to him.
- It is a bilingual town. Inhabitants both speak Finnish and Swedish. Well, English as well.
- Porvoo is divided into Old Town Porvoo and New Town Porvoo
Stroll around Old Porvoo
So this blog entry is really about the pictures I took during my stroll around Old Porvoo the day I arrived town. As you might have known already, I am a trigger happy photographer. This blog is 60% visual because I am a visual person. It is all about the pictures but I refuse to convert my point & click camera into a SLR =)
It was past 16:00 when I left the boutique hotel to explore Old Porvoo, and in Finland many establishments including offices close at 16:00 sharp. During winter though, they close earlier, but they also open early. A different lifestyle here I reckon!
Porvoo for a first impression is a pretty charming town with colourful wooden houses, but I get the idea that its like an open-air museum where people come to work and visit during the day and go back home after 16:00. It reminds me of Venice (on a smaller scale of course). When twilight comes the city becomes quiet and still because all the day tourists have gone back to their cruise ships and hotels located outside the city.
Anyway, come, I will show you around Old Porvoo.
Finnish Cider at the Cellar Café & Bar
After getting my bearings around Old Porvoo, it is of course time for some booze and café terracing. I was so glad to have found the Cellar Café & Bar because most shops and cafes were already closed! Moreover, the bar café has a great location, right on the river, especially when you are outside sitting on the terrace on a somewhat sunny day. Inside, the café resembles like a cellar indeed, like a cave.
And I discovered that the Finns are into cider! Ciders are sold everywhere in Finland, it seems like a staple at every café, bar and restaurant, while in the Netherlands people tend to stick to beer or wine. So for a lovely quiet afternoon in Porvoo, a glass of cider is always welcome. I’ve got to order like a local =)
Travel Period: May 2013
Destination: Porvoo (Uusimaa), Finland
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
- Located on the southcoast 50 kilometres from Helsinki. Half an hour by car, an hour by public bus.
- The national poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg was born here and there is a museum dedicated to him.
- It is a bilingual town. Inhabitants both speak Finnish and Swedish. Well, English as well.
- Porvoo is divided into Old Town Porvoo and New Town Porvoo
Stroll around Old Porvoo
So this blog entry is really about the pictures I took during my stroll around Old Porvoo the day I arrived town. As you might have known already, I am a trigger happy photographer. This blog is 60% visual because I am a visual person. It is all about the pictures but I refuse to convert my point & click camera into a SLR =)
It was past 16:00 when I left the boutique hotel to explore Old Porvoo, and in Finland many establishments including offices close at 16:00 sharp. During winter though, they close earlier, but they also open early. A different lifestyle here I reckon!
Porvoo for a first impression is a pretty charming town with colourful wooden houses, but I get the idea that its like an open-air museum where people come to work and visit during the day and go back home after 16:00. It reminds me of Venice (on a smaller scale of course). When twilight comes the city becomes quiet and still because all the day tourists have gone back to their cruise ships and hotels located outside the city.
Anyway, come, I will show you around Old Porvoo.
This a perfect example of a shop/restaurant opening times in Porvoo, 11-16 only (11:00 to 16:00).
The Porvoo Cathedral (right across my boutique hotel).
You need sturdy shoes here in Porvoo. No high-heels please, not even wedges. Trust me!
Almost deserted... at 17:30... at this point I was searching for a place to eat for my dinner.
The famous red warehouses of Porvoo. I will be posting more of this later.
Finnish Cider at the Cellar Café & Bar
After getting my bearings around Old Porvoo, it is of course time for some booze and café terracing. I was so glad to have found the Cellar Café & Bar because most shops and cafes were already closed! Moreover, the bar café has a great location, right on the river, especially when you are outside sitting on the terrace on a somewhat sunny day. Inside, the café resembles like a cellar indeed, like a cave.
And I discovered that the Finns are into cider! Ciders are sold everywhere in Finland, it seems like a staple at every café, bar and restaurant, while in the Netherlands people tend to stick to beer or wine. So for a lovely quiet afternoon in Porvoo, a glass of cider is always welcome. I’ve got to order like a local =)
This is soooooo good. Cider with strawberry and blueberry flavours. 4.7% alcohol.
Travel Period: May 2013
Destination: Porvoo (Uusimaa), Finland
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
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