Loviisa, Helsinki Region
Updated 2026 · Curated by local scouts
Loviisa is a small but serious browsing town: the Mariankatu flea markets and vintage shops, including the well-known Suurkirppis, the Old Dairy's Krinti, antique and design finds, and the craft studios and galleries down at the Laivasilta warehouses.
Loviisa punches above its weight for browsing, thanks to a cluster of flea markets, vintage dealers and craft studios set in its old wooden buildings. This is shopping for secondhand treasure, local handicraft and design rather than chain stores, and a slow potter between shops is part of the appeal. Here is where to start.
On Mariankatu, Suurkirppis has been voted one of Finland's best flea markets, a deep, rummage-worthy hall of secondhand finds where patient browsers turn up everything from kitchenware to collectables. It anchors Loviisa's reputation as a destination for thrifters.
Location is approximate.
From the scout
Give it time and dig; the best finds reward a slow, thorough browse rather than a quick look.
A vintage shop specialising in retro furniture, design pieces and collector's items, the kind of curated secondhand store that makes Loviisa a draw for interiors lovers. It is a highlight of the town's vintage cluster around Mariankatu.
Location is approximate.
From the scout
Great for mid-century and retro Finnish design; check what is in stock, as pieces turn over.
At Mariankatu 31, this dealer focuses on antique furniture and rugs, a more classic counterpoint to the retro and flea-market shops nearby. It is a satisfying stop for anyone hunting older, characterful pieces.
Location is approximate.
From the scout
Worth a look alongside Suurkirppis and Raikun Kauppa; the three together make Mariankatu the town's browsing street.
Housed in the Vanha Meijeri (Old Dairy), Krinti mixes new and vintage goods in an atmospheric old industrial space. It is a fun, browsable shop that captures Loviisa's knack for putting interesting retail inside characterful historic buildings.
Location is approximate.
From the scout
The Old Dairy building is part of the appeal; combine it with the Mariankatu shops for a full browsing afternoon.
Down at the harbour, the red salt warehouses of Laivasilta hold handicraft shops, artist studios and galleries alongside the cafes, so you can pick up locally made craft and art with a sea view. There are also boutiques clustered around Aleksanterinkatu and Kuningattarentie in the centre for design and gifts.
Location is approximate.
From the scout
Best in summer when the harbour shops are open; pair browsing with a coffee on the Laivasilta terrace.
| # | Name | Cost | Best Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suurkirppis flea market | budget | year-round |
| 2 | Raikun Kauppa | moderate | year-round |
| 3 | Loviisan Antique Vintage | moderate | year-round |
| 4 | Krinti at the Old Dairy | moderate | year-round |
| 5 | Laivasilta craft studios & galleries | moderate | summer |
Vintage and secondhand finds, antiques and local handicraft. The Mariankatu flea markets and vintage shops, including the well-known Suurkirppis, are the main draw, alongside the craft studios and galleries in the Laivasilta harbour warehouses.
Planning a trip to Loviisa?
Read the full Loviisa travel guide: getting there, where to stay, and what to do by season.
Loviisa's stays are small and characterful: the central Hotel Degerby and keyless Hotelli Uninen in the town centre, historic townhouse rooms in the Old Town, characterful lodging out at the Strömfors ironworks, and seaside cottages around the Loviisa archipelago.
Loviisa does cosy cafes beautifully: Tuhannen Tuskan Kahvila in an 18th-century Old Town house, the glass-pavilion Loviisan Kappeli, tea and home baking at Favorit Cafe & Teashop, and the plant-based Helgas Vegan Café. Most are at their fullest in summer.
Loviisa's dining leans local and seasonal: Saltbodan in the old customs warehouse by the harbour, the historic Degerby Gille in the town's oldest building, Italian-style home cooking at Ravintola Locale, and casual plates at Fylla. Summer is when the harbour terraces are at their best.
Loviisa is made for slow wandering: lose an afternoon in the pastel wooden Old Town, take the summer ferry out to Svartholm sea fortress, browse the red salt warehouses at Laivasilta harbour, and walk the Myllyharju trail up to the old lookout tower. Most of it is free.
Porvoo's Old Town is a browser's dream: the cobbled Jokikatu and Välikatu streets are lined with independent craft, design and antique shops, plus the 1871 Brunberg chocolatier, the design-and-vintage Jokikadun Antiikki, and the sweet-meets-vintage Doris & Duke.
Porvoo's nicest stays are small and right in the Old Town. The characterful Old Town B&B Ida-Maria leads the affordable end, with boutique Hotel Onni opposite the cathedral and Pariisin Ville close behind, plus central Hotel Sparre for value, and the design-led RUNO Hotel, Finland's first Michelin Key hotel, as the splurge.