Porvoo, Finland

Helsinki, 15 degrees



Discover how to visit the past and bring yesterday's stories into our lives today.

My first week back at work has started off wonderfully (despite us having a rainy week) with the great receiving and welcome from my colleagues! Already during my first day back, one of my colleagues said to me that our working place is nicer when I'm around, and that comment really made all the difference to me! Getting support from colleagues is very important, if you ask me. Have you already returned to work? This is my last post about my second summer holiday, and this time I'll take you once again on a journey - this time to the mediaeval town called Borgå in Swedish (Porvoo in Finnish), which is located about one hour away from Helsinki by car. Look closer, and sense the atmosphere of the mediaeval town!

Many visitors in Helsinki ask for our historical center, expecting to find something like an old town. In Helsinki, the remaining historical center consists of the Tori Quarters but these blocks have earlier hosted mainly offices and have only recently become shops, cafés, restaurants and handcraft shops. Besides that, the Tori Quarters are set in stone buildings whereas visitors often look for wooden buildings when they ask for an old town. Helsinki has experienced many fires in the city center during the wars and therefore the city doesn't have an old town in the city center. That is why many visitors are told to visit Borgå / Porvoo in order to see what they imagine to be an old town.

The Old Town of Borgå / Porvoo is unique. The mosaic-like town plan with its maze of streets and irregularly shaped plots date back to the Middle Ages! Also Borgå / Porvoo has suffered many fires, but always the stubborn citizens rebuilt their houses on the same foundations. In Borgå / Porvoo it's easy to take a step back in time and forget the modern world! The small idyllic parks and sleepy cobbled streets are adorable! I usually visit the city at least once during summertime, partly due to its old town and lovely atmosphere, partly because of its interior design shops!


Borgå / Porvoo also hosts a stunning Cathedral that gained its present form at the end of the 15th century!


My outfit in Borgå / Porvoo consisted of a floral blazer from Seppälä, black shorts and sandals from H&M and a light coral top from Mango. My bag is also from Mango.


One of my favorite shops in Borgå / Porvoo was definitely Liina Interiör, which has a wide range of e.g. Lexington interior items. Only in Borgå / Porvoo you'll find a tile stove inside an interior shop! There is a great Pinterest page on Borgå / Porvoo's best shopping possibilities in its old town, you'll find it here.


We also enjoyed the view of the beautiful river bank and had lunch close to it!


Red shore houses on the riverbank are one of the most photographed scenery in Borgå / Porvoo. Red ochre paint was used to paint the shore houses in the late 18th century. All of the houses along his route were painted, in order to make them look more beautiful. The red ochre also helped protect the logs from wind and sun damage. Exotic fruits, wines, and spices were brought to Borgå / Porvoo, and the shore houses also served as intermediate storehouses for coffee and tobacco.

We had a cup of coffee at the charming Porvoo Roastery Bar & Cafe! It is set in an old historic part of Porvoo, in a red brick storehouse that was built in 1902 by Oskar Simolin as a warehouse for his department store. Through the decades different items has been stored in the building, so even coffee. We enjoyed the view of the red shore houses as we sat on a boat outside the roaster factory.


It was such a lovely day! I highly recommend a visit to Borgå / Porvoo if you visit Helsinki for a week or so. How do you feel about historical places like this?

What's your opinion?

  1. Hi Elisabeth, thats such a great comment to hear from a colleague! Love your pretty floral blazer. I really enjoyed viewing these picturesque images of what the old part of your city must have been like. really charming and quaint.

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    1. It sure was! Thank you for your kind words about my blog post.

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  2. reminds me of areas of Charleston, South Carolina a little

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    1. Really? I've never heard that one before.

      xxx
      E

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  3. you look so fresh and cute ;) love your blazer!very nice blog by the way :)

    kisses from Russia,
    Juliet
    RUSSIAN DOLL

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  4. oh I love old towns! luckily we have quite a few of those in Estonia but my favourites are in Viljandi and Haapsalu :) have you visited those or only the ones in Pärnu and Tallinn? anyway, I'm not sure if I have ever visited Porvoo or not but I would definitely love to! oh and I still have half of my vacation waiting for me.. one more week at work and then a couple of weeks off :) btw, I like your floral blazer a lot! perfect for summer. haha though it looks like summer is over :P

    Maiken,
    Maikeni blogi - part of me

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    1. Haha, I'm happy because I do too! I've never been to the Estonian towns you've mentioned, but I sure have to visit them one day!

      xxx
      E

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  5. wow... that's place is amazing... love it and your floral blazer is so cute!

    It’s a GIRL Thing

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  6. Love your floral blazer and your pictures look amazing.

    www.chrissabella.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you Chrissabella for your kind comment!

      xxx
      E

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  7. Your blazer is gorgeous! I love the print on it! I really like your blog! I'm glad that I found it! It would be nice if you could stop by my blog sometime too (I'm from England) as I post my outfits, personal style, likes and much more :) :)

    Raindrops of Sapphire

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  8. Wow, I love your pictures about architecture! I loved the red shore houses, and the city in general! I will definitely write this city's name down on my list! You always look so beautiful and happy - I loved your blazer! You asked me where I saw Jugend style - mostly in Germany and Austria. The shop in Borga is lovely! So nice that your colleagues received you so well!!!! It's always good to have a good atmosphere at work! denisesplanet com

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    1. Thank you Denise for your kind words, they mean a lot!

      xxx
      E

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  9. Ahh. Great post!

    xx
    Sharena
    http://fashionofanovice.blogspot.com

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  10. Thank you Ania for your super kind words, I appreciate it!

    xxx
    E

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@elisabeth.rundlof