Porvoo Christmas Market 2023 - Worth the Visit?
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We visited the Porvoo Christmas market in early December. As we were expecting, the market was small. However, we were surprised by the variety of services and the warm atmosphere despite the frost. Read the article to find out what you can experience at the Christmas Market in Porvoo.
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Our Visit to Porvoo Christmas Market
This year Independence Day fell conveniently in the middle of the week, so we had the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this extra time off by visiting Porvoo's Christmas Market. We drove from Helsinki to Porvoo in the morning and had brunch before enjoying a moment in the daylight in Porvoo's Old Town. Once the low sun had set on the horizon, it was time to move on to Porvoo's Christmas Market. The plan to visit here in the evening when it was dark was a great choice when the Porvoo Christmas market was beautifully illuminated by warm Christmas lights.
Porvoo's Market Square during the Christmas Season
The Christmas Market in Porvoo is called Porvoon joulutori in Finnish. We had not done our background work carefully and assumed the Christmas Market was located in the Porvoo's Old Town. This seemed natural, as is the case in many cities. Porvoo's Christmas market was located in the new city centre, right next to the bus station. Luckily, this was only a short walk from the Porvoo Old Town.
The location of the Porvoo Christmas Market in the new city centre is a practical choice. The Old Town is a bit cramped, so choosing the Christmas market's location is indeed great offering more room for Christmas market activities at the market. The Christmas market right next to the bus station also makes it easily accessible for all visitors, especially for those coming from outside Porvoo. For visitors who are arriving by car, it's good to know there was plenty of parking space just next to the Porvoo Christmas Market.
Porvoo's Christmas Market is right next to the bus station and spacious parking is just nearby.
Food, Drinks and Shopping
Entrance to Porvoo's Christmas market is free of charge. This may seem obvious, but there is a charge for the Skansen's Christmas Market in Stockholm, for example. A positive surprise for families with children may be that there is a Tivoli Sariola's carousel in the middle of the market, which has free access. Both children and their parents were on it, and we noticed also some adults who went on board. The carousel is perhaps the best attraction at the Porvoo Christmas Market.
The circular design is perfect for a small Christmas market, as it makes the space feel enclosed and gives it a warm atmosphere. The atmosphere was enhanced by a variety of Christmas lights.
The stalls offered both food and hot drinks. Handicrafts, Christmas home decor and winter accessories were also on sale. Visit Porvoo had its stand at the market too, which is a great way to introduce the city to tourists. Unfortunately, some Christmas market stalls were closed on Independence Day. Despite this, there was a lively atmosphere particularly because of the carousel ride with Finnish Christmas songs played in the background.
Like all other Christmas markets, Porvoo has a tall, lovely Christmas tree pretty suitable for the size of the market. The Christmas tree stands just next to the city's Porvoo City Hall in a small park also beautifully decorated with Christmas lights. This perfect combination creates a sensual Porvoo Christmas picture. Children and adults alike were amazed by the wonderful wintery Christmas atmosphere on site.
Porvoo's Christmas Market visitors need not worry about the cold winter weather. The Porvoo Christmas Market has an amazing campfire hut where you can do barbequing or simply sit around the fire to warm yourself. It was easy to warm both hands and face as a semi-enclosed space. When the woods were running out, a very kind staff - perhaps the market's administrator - offered to bring more. What struck us most was the friendly atmosphere of the market and the helpfulness of the locals.
For example, you can prepare food on the bonfire.
During our visit, there was no arranged program in the market.
Opening Hours
Porvoo Christmas Market is open from 6 Dec to 22 Dec from the noon to 6 pm. On Saturdays, the market opens already at 10 am.
Events
Although there was no organised programme at the market during our visit, a lot is going on at Porvoo Christmas Market in December. Santa Claus visits on several days and you can also meet the cute animals of the Wandering Farm. For the exact timetable, visit the official website of the Porvoo Christmas Market.
Our Experiences on Porvoo's Christmas Market
The Christmas market in Porvoo doesn't boast its size, but for a small town, it's a great Christmas market. It is atmospherically built and centrally located. A free carousel and a homemade log fire to warm you up make it well worth a visit. You can also do some Christmas shopping at the market and we recommend at least a cup of mulled wine with or without alcohol.
As the Christmas Market is outside the Old Town, it's worth combining a visit to Old Porvoo. Porvoo's Old Town has cosy cafés and several quality restaurants.
We can warmly recommend visiting Porvoo's Christmas Market.
Common Questions
- Where is the Christmas market in Porvoo?.
- It's in the new centre of Porvoo, right next to the bus station.
- Is Porvoo's Christmas Market and Porvoon joulutori the same thing?
- Yes, they are.
- How to get to Porvoo from Helsinki.
- Porvoo Christmas Market is easily accessible by bus from Kamppi but station in Helsinki.
- What services are available at the Christmas Market in Porvoo?.
- You can buy presents, eat or enjoy hot drinks at the Christmas market in Porvoo. There is also a free carousel with a home-brew warm-up.
- Is there a Christmas tree at Porvoo Christmas Market?
- Yes, there is.
- Is there a Christmas market in Porvoo where you can take good photos?
- Absolutely. It is very easy to take very Christmassy photos at the market.
- Do they sell alcohol at the market?
- Yes. There are also alcoholic versions of Christmas drinks.
Where to Continue?
Finnish towns have countless warm-hearted Christmas events. In Helsinki, there are plenty of Christmas Markets that will keep you entertained many days. After seeing Helsinki, you may easily continue to the neighbouring countries by ferry to enjoy the Tallinn's Christmas athmospehere or to try Stockholm's Christmas Markets. December is a truly winter month in the Nordic countries.
Bottom Line
For several years, we have planned to experience the Christmas atmosphere in Porvoo. This year we finally made it happen and we were not disappointed. The cold snowy frosty weather made it feel like Christmas even though the frost was a bit too hard. The campfire hut was a lifesaver against the bitterly cold weather which also made us spend more time at the Porvoo Christmas market. The presence of the Tivoli Sariola carousel with free entry makes this Christmas market a great attraction, especially for families with young children.
We recommend that those visiting the Christmas market in Porvoo also explore other cities and towns in Finland. For example, there are plenty of Christmas events in Helsinki, so there's enough to keep you busy for several days.
Have you already visited the Christmas market in Porvoo? Did you like the atmosphere? Comment below.
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