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

Should you visit Porvoo or Katowice?

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 Katowice. 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 Katowice?

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.

Katowice

Katowice is a city east of Krakow, in the Silesian province of southern Poland. A large dome crowns the Cathedral of Christ the King, built between 1927 and 1955. The adjacent Archdiocesan Museum exhibits Silesian sacred art. The ultramodern Silesian Museum features several glass structures on the site of a former coal mine. It exhibits Polish art and chronicles the history of Upper Silesia. Historically, Katowice is a product of the 19th-century industrial boom, but it only became a city in the interwar period. After WWII, at the height of the Stalinist cult craze, the city was renamed Stalinogrod, but reverted to its old name soon after Comrade Joe died in 1953. Katowice has few significant historical monuments, but it's a major commercial and cultural center and holds sufficient attractions to make it worth a stop.

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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Krakow, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Warsaw.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Porvoo and Katowice, we can see that Porvoo is more expensive. And not only is Katowice much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Katowice would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Katowice 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 Katowice.

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

Which is Bigger, Porvoo or Katowice?

Katowice has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Porvoo. When comparing the sizes of Porvoo and Katowice, 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 Katowice?

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 Katowice in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Porvoo as well as Katowice.

In the summer, Porvoo is around the same temperature as Katowice. Typically, the summer temperatures in Porvoo in July average around 17°C (62°F), and Katowice averages at about 18°C (64°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Katowice. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Porvoo this time of the year. In the summer, Porvoo often gets more sunshine than Katowice. Porvoo gets 275 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Katowice receives 219 hours of full sun.

Porvoo usually gets less rain in July than Katowice. Porvoo gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Katowice receives 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Porvoo or Katowice in the Autumn?

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

In October, Porvoo is generally much colder than Katowice. Daily temperatures in Porvoo average around 6°C (42°F), and Katowice fluctuates around 10°C (50°F).

Porvoo usually receives less sunshine than Katowice during autumn. Porvoo gets 90 hours of sunny skies, while Katowice receives 128 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Porvoo usually receives more rain than Katowice. Porvoo gets 71 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Katowice receives 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Porvoo or Katowice in the Winter?

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

Katowice can be very cold during winter. Porvoo can get quite cold in the winter. Porvoo is much colder than Katowice in the winter. The daily temperature in Porvoo averages around -6°C (21°F) in January, and Katowice fluctuates around -2°C (28°F).

In the winter, Porvoo often gets less sunshine than Katowice. Porvoo gets 39 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Katowice receives 51 hours of full sun.

Porvoo usually gets less rain in January than Katowice. Porvoo gets 40 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Katowice receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Porvoo or Katowice in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Porvoo and Katowice.

Porvoo can be very cold during spring. In the spring, Porvoo is much colder than Katowice. Typically, the spring temperatures in Porvoo in April average around 3°C (37°F), and Katowice averages at about 8°C (46°F).

Porvoo usually receives more sunshine than Katowice during spring. Porvoo gets 183 hours of sunny skies, while Katowice receives 152 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Porvoo usually receives less rain than Katowice. Porvoo gets 41 mm (1.6 in) of rain, while Katowice receives 50 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Katowice and Porvoo