Visiting Pori: A Unique City on Finland’s West Coast

Pori is probably not the first city you thought of visiting when in Finland. And if I’m being truthful with you, I can’t say that I was expecting too much when I first visited. Nonetheless, I guess I have extended family in this region as it’s the closest big city to where my girlfriend is originally from—and as such, I found myself here.

I hadn’t heard many positive things about Pori before visiting. Someone in a Reddit thread I found referred to the city as the “a-hole of Finland”, and another said it was a “total waste of perfectly good space and breathable air”. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lively little town. Turns out that when you make your own decisions and have an open mind, you’re sometimes surprised in a good way?

Though industrial at first glance, Pori is worth visiting for a day or two. Since my first trip in the summer of 2024, I’ve also been back in the winter. Admittedly, it’s nicer in the summer—but regardless of when you visit, you’ll find enough interesting things to do. 

Keep reading to discover my top tips for things to do in Pori. I’ll also tell you how to get here from Finland’s main cities. 

Exploring Pori’s Waterfront

Pori is built along the Kokemäenjoki river, and its waterfront is worth exploring year-round. In the summer, you’ll find various outdoor seating for restaurants and bars. And in the winter, the river looks particularly scenic when it’s been cold for a while. For example, I saw lots of floating blocks of ice when I was here in December 2024. 

While you’re here, you can also cross the Porinsilta bridge for a pleasant view of the main church and city hall. You’ll find a nice walking and running trail after going to the other side. 

The Leineperi Ironworks Are Worth Driving To

The area around Pori has historically been an important part of Finnish industry and trade, and learning more about this is a good idea when you visit. On one summer trip to the region, we drove to the Leineperi Ironworks. It dates back to the 18th century and is on the outskirts of Ulvila, one of the many towns near Pori. 

Leineperi is well-preserved and gives you an idea of Finland from years gone by. You’ll find a number of shops here with items sold by local artists, making it the perfect place to pick up a souvenir. 

When walking around, you can see inside many of the houses and buildings here. There’s also an exhibition detailing the area’s history, and there are useful maps and guidebooks available in both Finnish and English. 

Leineperi has a nice café, too, which we stopped at for lunch. Before leaving, make sure you also check out a small museum dedicated to the former Finnish Olympic weightlifter Kaarlo Kangasniemi. 

To get to Leineperi, you will need to rent a car. It’s around a 20-minute drive from Pori.

Pori Has *Some* Nice Architecture 

To be truthful, I think that most of Pori’s city center is far from beautiful. However, it does redeem itself with some pretty corners and buildings. 

For example, I think that Pori’s city hall is very nice. It’s also not far from the Central Pori Church, which—in my opinion—is one of the prettiest in Finland. I love its spire and how it looks different from many Nordic churches. 

I also think that the red brick building on the other side of the river, which is now home to various offices and close to the Puuvilla shopping mall, is worth checking out. 

Go to Kirjurinluoto, Too

Kirjurinluoto is a pleasant little island connected to Pori’s city center by a bridge. In the summer, it’s a very pleasant park, and numerous events take place there. 

From the island, you can get a nice view of Pori’s church and main bridge. There are various play areas here if you’re visiting Finland with children. 

Grabbing Some Pizza at the Best Place in Town

Finland + pizza = probably not the first combination you thought of. But if you’re on the lookout for some good food while you’re in town, be sure to visit Nuåvo. This pizza spot has a number of great options; I had a spicy veggie pizza, for example. You can also get some beer while you’re here. 

In addition to sitting there, you can also take your pizzas with you if you want to eat them elsewhere. I’m afraid that I didn’t take a picture of my pizza as I was too busy eating it. 🙂

Reposaari: A Unique Community Close to Pori

Pori has a number of small islands and skerries nearby, some of which you can drive to. Reposaari is one of those, and it’s worth a detour—especially if you’re going to Yyteri anyway. 

Reposaari feels very much like rural Finland, and it has a pleasant church along with nice scenery. You’ll find a large amount of Finnish-style wooden houses here, too.

You can stop for some food while in Reposaari as well. We went to Café Syli; the open-faced sandwiches were good, as were the cakes. During the summer, you can sit outside with a view of the water. 

While on the island of Reposaari, you can also visit the remains of bunkers used in World War II at Linnakepuisto. Doing so is completely free. 

Reposaari is just under 20 minutes from Yyteri. If you drive directly from Pori, it’ll take you around half-an-hour. 

Don’t Forget to Get Some Ice Cream, Either

Once you’ve had some pizza, I recommend stopping at Jätskibaari Waffle. The waffle cones are delicious, and the ice cream is also pretty good. 

Note that there will sometimes be a line here. This place is closed Sunday through Tuesday, so keep that in mind when you visit. 

Address: Yrjönkatu 15 Kauppakeskus Teljäntori, 28100 Pori

Visiting Yyteri: Probably the Most Beautiful Nordic Beach

If you visit the Pori region for nothing else, make sure you spend some time at Yyteri. In my opinion, this is the most beautiful beach in the Nordic region. It’s huge, and besides the chilly water, you’ll forget that you’re in Finland. 

In addition to the beach, Yyteri has numerous hiking trails. You can also go windsurfing here. If you fancy staying overnight, there’s a decent-sized hotel here. Yyteri also has a dog beach.

To get here, drive for around 20 minutes from Pori. You can get here by public transport, but it’s over double the time and I don’t recommend it. 

Useful Tip: Visit During the Pori Jazz Festival

Every year, Pori hosts an international jazz festival. It’s the city’s most eagerly awaited annual event, and despite its name, you won’t only find jazz music being played here. 

Many famous artists from Finland and further afield perform at this festival. For example, Sting was one of the headline acts at the 2025 version.

This is a very popular event, and you should book your tickets in advance. You can get more information about Pori Jazz, including ticket details, on the website. 

Be Sure to Stop at the Kallo Lighthouse, Too

Another part of Pori that looks oh so stereotypically Finnish is the Kallo Lighthouse. It’s quite close to Reposaari, and we combined both on the same day. 

The lighthouse itself is similar to what you’ll see in other coastal areas of Finland, and it’s a good place for birdwatching. We were blessed to see a number of arctic terns in the summer, and by blessed, I mean they didn’t decide to do their famous divebombing on us. 

The area around the lighthouse is nice to walk around, and it’s an ideal place to relax on a sunny day. You will also find a café here. 

The Kallo Lighthouse is roughly 20 minutes by car from Reposaari. While close geographically, you need to drive out and around, resulting in a longer journey time.

How to Get to Pori

Pori’s airport hardly serves any flights, and to be honest, I think you’re better off traveling by road or rail. Below, I’ll explain how to reach Pori from Finland’s three main cities. 

From Helsinki

In my opinion, the easiest way to reach Pori from Helsinki is by bus. You can get a direct service between the two cities; the journey takes around three-and-a-half hours. Buy your tickets on the Onnibus website (they’re normally very affordable). 

Alternatively, you can take the train. However, you’ll need to change in Tampere. The journey can take 3-4 hours depending on waiting times. You can compare train and bus tickets on Omio; it’s also possible to purchase train tickets from the VR website or app. 

One word of warning, though, is that you might need to wait in Tampere for longer if your train from Helsinki is delayed. In December 2024, we missed ours and had to spend two hours in Tampere’s train station. 

If you wish to drive from Helsinki, take Route 2. The journey is just over three hours. Besides the fact you’ll most likely fly to Helsinki from abroad, I recommend checking out the Finnish capital; it’s well worth visiting for a few days. 

From Turku

Pori is two hours from Turku, and the easiest way to travel between the two cities is by car. I recommend spending some time in Turku while you’re there; you can get a ferry from Stockholm. 

Alternatively, you can take the bus. Like Helsinki, Onnibus operates between Turku and Pori. The journey is just under two-and-a-half hours. 

From Tampere 

Tampere has plenty of fun things to do for a few days, and if you want a detour, you can easily reach Pori from here. The train journey takes just over an hour and a half, and there are several daily departures. 

You can also drive from Tampere to Pori; it takes roughly the same amount of time. 

So… Is Pori Worth Visiting? 

Despite not being as popular as some of Finland’s other cities, I do think that Pori has its own charm. In the summer, it’s a pleasant place to spend a day or two. Yyteri is well worth checking out, and there are a couple of interesting spots in the city center. 

I wouldn’t make Pori the main part of your Finland trip, but it’s still pleasant enough. Dig deeper than the surface, though, as there’s more that meets the eye than might initially seem to be the case.

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