I have to say that when I went to Porvoo back in September 2014, I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with the place. But it happened, and the day trip to the Porvoo Archipelago can be blamed.
Porvoo is a city surrounded by water and forest. I explored the woods as long as possible but was interested in the waterside. Even though it was September, one of the goals I had in mind once I went to Finland was swimming in the Gulf of Finland. I know it is silly, but that is how I roll.
A visit to the Porvoo Archipelago is the best tour off the beaten path around this small Finnish city.
Back to the Porvoo Archipelago. On one of our last days at Travel House Porvoo, I knew we would do a day trip to the archipelago, and I was pretty excited about that. Back then, I didn’t know much about Finland, but I knew I had to see the islands there.
A little before lunchtime, everybody went to where the boat would take us to the islands, and my fun day started there.
I don’t think I ever had a boat trip like that. It wasn’t my first time in a boat like that, but i was in Finland! Everything felt so special that nothing could ruin my day and my experience there.
After taking pictures of everything, the boat arrived at a group of small islands after a few minutes. Äggskär is the name of where I was, and it was beautiful. I seriously believed I could live there on this small, rocky island surrounded by a blue sea.
I walked around for a while, taking pictures of everything. I tried my Sony Action Camera underwater features, and everything was great. Some cooked Salmon was ready for our group at one of the tiny houses on the island. After less than an hour, we ate, and I had to say goodbye to this beautiful place and go to the next island.
The next stop was at Sandholmsvägen, where the boat stopped. There, I managed to grab a beer at Benita’s Café, a place that seemed like a community center for everyone living around the Porvoo Archipelago. I even saw a tiny snake there, which improved the day.
Our final stop of the fantastic day through the Porvoo Archipelago was at Martin Tillman’s restaurant. He was driving the boat for us, and since he is famous for his salmon, Travel House Porvoo managed to find a way for our group to visit his restaurant. I would enjoy the Finnish sauna, swim, and eat fish like crazy.
It was here that I managed to get too excited and lost my Sony Action Camera in the sea. I still have no idea how that happened, but it even made me appear when divers rescued the camera in the local newspaper. Yes, my action camera was recovered by divers, and it was still working after more than two weeks underwater.
After more food than I should have, our group had to say goodbye to the Pellinki Archipelago. The day ended, and we crossed by ferry to Tirmo on our way back. That was an experience since it is one of the only ferries in Finland.
That day was one of the reasons I loved Porvoo so much. The nature, the food, and the people there are exceptional, and you can agree from the pictures above that everything looks fantastic.
For the rest, you have to visit Finland to see how it is, and I’m pretty sure you will love the country as much as I did.
Tove Jansson and Moomin at the Porvoo Archipelago
Too bad the weather didn’t help us to see Klovharun, where Tove Jansson spent her summer days. You might know her for creating Moomin, one of the most famous Finnish exports to the world. I didn’t manage to go there, but you should try to do that! From what I saw, the tiny island is beautiful.
If you find yourself in Porvoo, you must head to the archipelago for an experience you shouldn’t miss. You will enjoy the unique atmosphere and all the nature Finland can offer there.
There are a few ways of getting to the Porvoo Archipelago; below, you can see a few companies doing this.
- Martin Tillman was the one who took me there, and you should get in touch with him.
- Bo and Tua Uddström do this boat trip as well.
- Stefan Svaetichin has some beautiful boats on his website; you should see them live.
- If you want to charter a cruise, contact Alexandra Yacht.
- Mirelle is another company that can be hired for a cruise, and their boat looks cool.
If you need more information about the Porvoo Archipelago, you should check out Visit Porvoo’s website because they have everything you need to know about the place.
Porvoo Archipelago: A Piece of Paradise in Finland
I visited Porvoo as a part of Travel House Porvoo in 2014. It was magical, and I loved the time I spent there. You can believe in this.
