Porvoo is situated on the southern coast of Finland about 50 kms (30 mi) east of Helsinki. It is one of the six medieval towns in Finland, first mentioned as a city in texts from 14th century. Porvoo has been around since the 13th century, although most of the present buildings date to the 19th century. The place is particularly popular in summer where tourists flock to the cobbled narrow lanes of Old Porvoo.

The red-colored wooden storage buildings on the riverside are a proposed UNESCO world heritage site.