A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Porvoo vs. Balaton Lake for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Porvoo or Balaton Lake?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Porvoo and Balaton Lake. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Porvoo or Balaton Lake?

Porvoo

Porvoo is a city and a municipality situated on the southern coast of Finland approximately 50 kilometers east of Helsinki. Porvoo is one of the six medieval towns in Finland, first mentioned as a city in texts from 14th century. Even though Porvoo is not exactly a coastal town, it is connected to the Gulf of Finland via the Porvoo River. The river flows through the city, passing Porvoo's most well-known landmarks: the red shore houses. Historically, Porvoo has been an important center of trade. Founded nearly 800 years ago, Porvoo is the second oldest city in Finland and evidence of its long history can still be seen and felt as you walk its charming streets. For centuries, the city has served as both a home and a source of inspiration for many Finnish artists.

Balaton Lake

Balaton is a major freshwater lake in Hungary and the largest lake in Central Europe with a shoreline of 197 kilometers. The region around the lake is a popular holiday destination with a great number of resort towns and high-rise hotels to accommodate visitors seeking out lakeside activities, beaches, volcanic hills, and vineyards. Some of the towns are also very historic, offering examples from eighteenth-century art and architecture to castle ruins.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Finland, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Finland, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Hungary, and The Best Luxury Tours to Hungary.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porvoo and Balaton Lake, we can see that Porvoo is more expensive. And not only is Balaton Lake much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Balaton Lake would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Balaton Lake and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Porvoo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Porvoo than you might in Balaton Lake.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Porvoo Expensive? and Is Balaton Lake Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Porvoo or Balaton Lake?

Porvoo has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Balaton Lake. When comparing the sizes of Porvoo and Balaton Lake, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Porvoo or Balaton Lake?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Porvoo or Balaton Lake in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Porvoo as well as Balaton Lake.

In July, Porvoo is generally cooler than Balaton Lake. Daily temperatures in Porvoo average around 17°C (62°F), and Balaton Lake fluctuates around 22°C (71°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Balaton Lake. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Porvoo this time of the year. In the summer, Porvoo often gets less sunshine than Balaton Lake. Porvoo gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Balaton Lake receives 302 hours of full sun.

Porvoo usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Balaton Lake. Porvoo gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Porvoo or Balaton Lake in the Autumn?

Both Balaton Lake and Porvoo are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities.

Porvoo is much colder than Balaton Lake in the autumn. The daily temperature in Porvoo averages around 6°C (42°F) in October, and Balaton Lake fluctuates around 13°C (56°F).

Porvoo usually receives less sunshine than Balaton Lake during autumn. Porvoo gets 90 hours of sunny skies, while Balaton Lake receives 169 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Porvoo usually receives more rain than Balaton Lake. Porvoo gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 38 mm (1.5 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Porvoo or Balaton Lake in the Winter?

Both Balaton Lake and Porvoo during the winter are popular places to visit.

The weather in Balaton Lake can be very cold. Porvoo can be very cold during winter. In the winter, Porvoo is much colder than Balaton Lake. Typically, the winter temperatures in Porvoo in January average around -6°C (21°F), and Balaton Lake averages at about 0°C (32°F).

In the winter, Porvoo often gets less sunshine than Balaton Lake. Porvoo gets 39 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Balaton Lake receives 72 hours of full sun.

Porvoo usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Balaton Lake. Porvoo gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 39 mm (1.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Porvoo or Balaton Lake in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Porvoo and Balaton Lake.

The weather in Porvoo can be very cold. In April, Porvoo is generally much colder than Balaton Lake. Daily temperatures in Porvoo average around 3°C (37°F), and Balaton Lake fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

Porvoo usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Balaton Lake during spring. Porvoo gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Balaton Lake receives 187 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Porvoo usually receives less rain than Balaton Lake. Porvoo gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Balaton Lake receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Balaton Lake and Porvoo