1-day programs. Helsinki and Porvoo visit full day

Included: Panoramic excursion around Helsinki and Porvoo.

1 Day

DAY 1. HELSINKI - PORVOO

Meeting with the local guide at the hall of the maritime port terminal of Helsinki. The capital and the largest city of Finland. Helsinki was founded in 1550, as a "rival" to the Hanseatic city of Reval (today known as Tallinn, the capital of Estonia) by King Gustav I of Sweden.

In the streets of Helsinki, we can see a variety of neoclassical buildings - dating, for the most part, from the early 19th century, that are nothing more than a living part of the heritage left by Tsar Alexander I.

The visit includes the main places of interest:

Temppeliaukio is a Lutheran church of great dimensions excavated in the rock. Its plant is circular and has an outstanding interior, it also stands out for having an amazing acoustics. Senate Square: an esplanade that houses at its northern end Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral, which belongs to neoclassical style, and the nearby Orthodox Uspensky Cathedral - considered one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in Western Europe. In this square is also located, but on the east side, the Palace of the State Council (1822), it was the place where the Senate of Finland was until 1907. Helsinki University building can be found on the opposite side. The monument to the composer J. Sibelius created by the sculptor Eila Hiltunen, made up of hundreds of steel tubes that give it a very particular appearance. 

Finally, the Market Square, located in the coastal area, facing the sea, it is the preferred meeting place to eat salmon, reindeer meat or traditional local dishes. We continue with the visit to Porvoo, the second oldest city in Finland after Turku, located 50 km from Helsinki. The old part of the city belongs to the Middle Ages and most of its buildings are made of wood. The first written mention of Porvoo dates back to the early 14th century. The town was recognized as a city in 1380, although, according to some sources, the official foundation dates back to 1346. After the conquest of Finland by the Russian forces in 1808 (ending the Swedish rule of Finland), the city along with the rest of the country, became part of the Grand Duchy of Finland (under the control Russian empire) in 1809, according to the treaty of Fredrikshamn. The most popular places to visit in Porvoo are Old Porvoo and the beautiful cathedral, decorated with fascinating symbolism both inside and out. The most photogenic picture is undoubtedly the row of wooden warehouses on the riverbank. Today they are red, but the first time they wore this shade was in the late 18th century in honor of the King of Sweden, visiting Porvoo. Today, these lumberyards are of private use, such as homes or warehouses.

NB The order of the visits is subject to change according to the museum work hours.

Prices in US DOLLARS, per person, including commission for tour operators:

*** Note: Prices go up 20% if the tour takes place on Sundays or holidays, as well as any day after 20:00.

Price includes:

• meeting at the port terminal

• English-speaking guide

• transport with a/c

The final program and cost might suffer changes due to sanitary requirements and protocols that will apply at the time of your guests' arrival in Finland (such as: group size restrictions on museum visits and transportation, restrictions on restaurants’ operations etc.).

Program dates depend on your cruise dates.

Prices in US DOLLARS, per person, including commission for tour operators:

*** Note: Prices go up 20% if the tour takes place on Sundays or holidays, as well as any day after 20:00.

Price includes:

• meeting at the port terminal

• English-speaking guide

• transport with a/c