Cycling in Historical Eastern Uusimaa

East Uusimaa is full of historical sites well worth stopping off at on your cycling tour. Besides the historic town of Porvoo, the area is also home to some of the most beautiful manor houses and ironworks in Finland.

Pushing your bike through Old Porvoo

The delightful old town centre of Porvoo is well worth taking the time to explore. You just have to accept that the narrow streets, some of them cobbled, aren’t exactly made for bikes. Pop into the tourist information centre in the old town for ideas about sights to see in town and the surrounding area. There are plenty of things to buy in town that will fit in your panniers, including chocolates from the Brunberg factory shop. Why not combine a cycling trip with a cruise to or from Helsinki on the m/s J. L. Runeberg? The boat takes its name from Finland’s national poet. Now a museum, Runeberg’s home is also in Porvoo.

History awaits around the next corner

If you’re following national cycle route no. 4 from Porvoo to Loviisa, your journey will take you past Tervik manor in Pernaja. Privately owned, the drive leading up to the manor house is the longest oak walk in Finland. The next historic site on your route is the Forsby ironworks in Koskenkylä, founded in 1682. Another important ironworks in East Uusimaa is Strömfors in Ruotsinpyhtää, which also provides accommodation.

The utter peace of a small town

Loviisa is a genuine historic small town whose inhabitants take good care of their old wooden buildings. A popular event in early autumn is the historic buildings open day Loviisan Wanhat Talot, in which Loviisa’s residents let the general public into their homes in return for a small fee. In the summer a boat trip to Svartholm sea fort, a sister fortress to Helsinki’s Suomenlinna, is another popular day out.

Sea and countryside by turn

The countryside of East Uusimaa is a combination of barren rocky shoreline and the green rolling landscape of southern Finland. As delightful as the shore road is, it’s worth considering cycling back to Porvoo inland via Lapinjärvi, Myrskylä and Askola. The village of Lapinjärvi is a prime example of historic rural Finland. However, you do need to be careful not to get lost on the small country roads and rather than veering too far off the beaten track, it’s probably safest to stay on the national cycle route 4.