bellaggio Posted January 18, 2014 #1 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Our cruise ship will stop in Helsinki for a day and we have been to that port. Should we to do a side trip to Porvoo? Do we need to take a tour or can we do it on our own? Any other suggestions would be appreciated also. Thank you for your help.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andee Posted January 18, 2014 #2 Share Posted January 18, 2014 We found Helsinki easy to tour on our own and certainly worth a full day all by itself. Haven't been to Porvoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted January 18, 2014 #3 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Since you have been to Helsinki before the side trip to Provoo is very worthwhile diff your a history buff. Do some homework in advance and you will enjoy this medieval gem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted January 18, 2014 #4 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Go to the winter war museum. It is very cool--was my Marine son's idea, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It documents the winter war when the poorly equipped Finnish army defeated a soviet invasion. My favorite exhibit was the horse in camo--white sheets sewn into a suit for the horse to wear in the snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Happy Cruisers Posted January 18, 2014 #5 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Porvoo is a worthwhile place to visit, located only about 30 miles east of Helsinki. You do not need to take a tour, but can do it on your own. Porvoo is one of six Medieval towns in Finland, founded in the mid-1300s. There's a beautiful old cathedral, which unfortunately an arsonist set fire to in 2006, damaging some of the exterior, but the interior is mostly still intact. There's an area of red wooden buildings by the river, proposed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Within walking distance there's a restaurant called "Wanha Laamanni", serving tasty traditional lunches. You also should not miss Brunberg's chocolate shop, with the best ever truffles. ~Benita (born in Finland, residing in California) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Happy Cruisers Posted January 18, 2014 #6 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Go to the winter war museum. It is very cool--was my Marine son's idea, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It documents the winter war when the poorly equipped Finnish army defeated a soviet invasion. My favorite exhibit was the horse in camo--white sheets sewn into a suit for the horse to wear in the snow. Although I was born and raised in Finland, I had never visited the War Museum in Helsinki until last August, when my DH and I toured the museum for several hours. It really is a great exhibit and explains the sequence of the events of the war very clearly. My dad fought against the Russians for six years, both in the Winter War and Continuation War, and I now understand everything so much better than ever before. It's definitely worth a visit plus it's located near the harbor where many of the cruise ships dock. ~Benita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellaggio Posted January 18, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted January 18, 2014 What would be the best way to get from Helsinki to Porvoo? Thanks again for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted January 18, 2014 #8 Share Posted January 18, 2014 What would be the best way to get from Helsinki to Porvoo? Thanks again for your help. We hired a driver on line who picked us up at the ship and spent the day with us. We used "car- service.Blacklane. Com "and have also used them for drivers in other ports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buggins0402 Posted January 18, 2014 #9 Share Posted January 18, 2014 We'll be there on Midsummer's Eve on Marina. It appears all museums will be closed. And, it appears that the city itself (shops, restaurants) will begin shutting down after noon. Members of our roll call have been picking the brains of the group on the port board, but if any Oceania cruisers have any thoughts of what to do with a port stop in Helsinki on Midsummer's Eve, we'd love to hear your ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Happy Cruisers Posted January 18, 2014 #10 Share Posted January 18, 2014 What would be the best way to get from Helsinki to Porvoo? Thanks again for your help. You could take a bus from Helsinki - either the main station downtown, the harbor, or one of the other stops - to Porvoo. I did a quick search and the ride will take 1 hour 20 minutes each way, at a cost of around 30 euros roundtrip (roughly $40). Taxis are very expensive in Finland and I don't think trains run that route, so a bus would probably be your best choice. ~Benita :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr.dawg Posted January 19, 2014 #11 Share Posted January 19, 2014 i'll try again. if you love great classical music, a ride through the glorious country side, and a fine musical performance, and if they still offer it. try the sibelius home and visit to the national conservatory. really, very, very nice. sibelius is, of course finlands national composer -- 'finlandia' -- and the young students give superb performances of his work at the conservatory. the countryside is lush, beautiful, and prosperous. and, yes, for 'grave lovers', jean and his wife are buried behind the modest home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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