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Porvoo Old Town across the river: red riverside storehouses and wooden houses, the old bridge and the cathedral gable on the right, with trees in the foreground.

Photo: Drefer / Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab) (cropped).

Porvoo by boat – up the Porvoo River to the Old Town

The Porvoo guest harbour is on the east bank of the Porvoo River close to the town centre, and from there you can walk to the lanes of the Old Town, the cathedral and the cafés. The journey from Tervasaari in Helsinki is long, so set aside a full day for the trip.

Details checked against sources in October 2026.

See rental boats on Friilo (opens in a new tab)See the route to Porvoo

Services on site

  • Guest jetty
  • Electricity
  • Drinking water
  • Toilet
  • Shower
  • Restaurant
  • Café
  • Shop
  • Laundry
  • Waste disposal

Many services are only open in the summer season, so check opening hours on the destination's website.

Why go to Porvoo?

Old Porvoo is a district of narrow lanes and wooden houses that grew up along the river. In 1760 a fire destroyed two thirds of the town's buildings, and stone houses were also built during the reconstruction; they are still part of the Old Town's townscape. Together, the Porvoo River Valley and Old Porvoo are one of Finland's national landscapes, and Porvoo is known for the riverside storehouses lining the bank, once used by merchants to store their goods.

Porvoo Cathedral stands on the hill above the Old Town. The first church on the site was built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, and the present church was completed in the 1450s. Over the centuries the church has been destroyed and plundered several times, and it was consecrated as a cathedral in 1723. In 2006 an arson attack destroyed the church roof, and the restored church reopened to the public in 2008.

From March to July 1809, Porvoo hosted the Diet of Porvoo, which Emperor Alexander I opened in the cathedral while the Finnish War was still going on. The political union between Finland and Sweden ended with the Treaty of Hamina, which brought the war to an end in 1809, and Finland became an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire.

From the guest harbour it is a short walk to both the Old Town and the market square. Porvoo suits a day that combines a long sea journey, a walk around town and good food.

Up-to-date information

Porvoo Cathedral on the hill above the colourful wooden houses of the Old Town in the light of a summer evening, with calm water and reeds in the foreground. Photo: Visit Porvoo / Jukka Pinonummi.
Photo: Visit Porvoo / Jukka Pinonummi.

Who is this trip for?

The trip suits groups who want to combine a long boat journey with a day in town, and anyone interested in history and old wooden towns. It is a long way from Helsinki to Porvoo, so set aside a full day for the trip.

Route to Porvoo

Departure point
Tervasaari departure harbour: information and travel times

Tervasaari → Porvoo

Distance / one way
31 nm
Travel time / one way
approx. 1 h 50 min
Fuel / one way
approx. 28 l
Fuel / round trip
approx. 56 l

Travel times are calculated at a cruising speed of 25 knots and include the slower sections of the route. The fuel estimate is based on a consumption of 0.9 l/nm. Actual consumption depends on the boat, the weather, load and driving style.

Speeds are lower at the start of the route off Helsinki, on a short stretch in the strait off Porvoo and finally all the way up the Porvoo River to the guest harbour, and the slower sections are included in the estimated travel time. Take it slowly on the river and keep an eye on other boat traffic. Check the weather and wind forecast for the whole day, as the sea journey is long.

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Travel times are estimates without stops and depend on the conditions. The round-trip fuel estimate assumes you return the same way. Also allow time for the destination itself.

Wind forecast: Porvoo

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Back to the Porvoo route on the home page

Suggested plan for a day in town

This is a flexible idea for a self-guided day trip to Porvoo.

  1. 01

    Look at the route and the estimated travel time, and check the weather and wind forecast for the whole day.

  2. 02

    Guest berths are limited, so secure a berth by booking it in advance.

  3. 03

    Go calmly up the Porvoo River, moor the boat in the guest harbour, and register and pay the harbour fee at Cafe Jokiranta or Cafe Hamnen.

  4. 04

    Walk to the Old Town and climb the hill to the cathedral.

  5. 05

    Have lunch or a coffee break at the Old Town's cafés or restaurants, and walk down to the riverbank to see the riverside storehouses.

  6. 06

    Start the return trip in good time, taking into account the weather and the boat's return time.

Map: Porvoo – paths and roads, the guest harbour and the restaurant.
The map shows paths and roads, the guest harbour and the restaurant. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), dashed lines and harbour location based on our routes.
Porvoo's red riverside storehouses, with the wooden houses of the Old Town and the cathedral behind them, reflected in the calm Porvoo river. Photo: Visit Porvoo / Julia Kivelä.
The cobbled Kirkkokatu street in Porvoo Old Town: colourful wooden houses, a leafy tree and a building with a tower in the background. Photo: Visit Porvoo / Julia Kivelä.
Photos: Visit Porvoo / Julia Kivelä.

Guest harbour on the east bank of the Porvoo River

The Porvoo guest harbour is on the east bank of the Porvoo River at the junction of Jokikatu and Laivurinkatu, next to the passenger harbour, and it is about half a kilometre's walk from the harbour to the market square. The harbour has 23 guest berths with mooring booms, and for larger boats there are 66 metres of jetty for mooring alongside. The minimum depth at the jetties and in the fairway is 1.9 metres.

The guest harbour season runs from 15 May to 30 September. The harbour is run by River Team Oy, and you register and pay the harbour fee at Cafe Jokiranta or Cafe Hamnen. You can book a berth in advance on satamapaikka.com.

On the east bank of the river, between the restaurant ship Glückauf and the Mannerheiminkatu bridge, there are also free short-stay berths where you can leave your boat for up to two hours.

Harbour fees, services and refuelling

The harbour fee depends on the type of berth and the length of your visit, and the city's price list also has a separate price for a four-hour day visit. The fee includes use of the water point on the jetty and the facilities (shower, toilet, laundry and kitchen), and electricity is charged separately unless it is included in the price of an advance booking. Check the current prices in the City of Porvoo's price list.

Under the harbour rules, open fires, including barbecuing, are prohibited in the harbour area and on boats.

The Old Town and the town centre have cafés, restaurants and shops within walking distance of the harbour. Check the opening hours before you set off.

Agree on refuelling with the boat's owner before you set off.

Guest berths – City of Porvoo (opens in a new tab)

Up-to-date information

Remember before you set off

  • Secure a guest berth by booking it in advance, and check the harbour fees.
  • Check the weather and wind forecast for the whole day, as the sea journey is long.
  • Walking shoes for exploring the town.
  • Agree on refuelling with the boat's owner before you set off.

Shall we head to Porvoo by boat?

Rental boats in the Helsinki region are listed on Friilo. Agree on the boat's pick-up and refuelling with the boat's owner.

See rental boats on Friilo (opens in a new tab)

See also

Similar destinations by theme: Restaurant harbours