Tampere: charming Finnish industrial city
Situated between two lakes, the “Manchester of the North” not only attracts visitors with its beautiful natural scenery, but also with its friendly and relaxed small-town atmosphere – despite having over 200,000 inhabitants! Here you can follow in the footsteps of Finnish industrialisation, but there is also plenty to discover culturally. Or how about a game between Finland’s most successful ice hockey teams? Find out exactly what else you can experience here, when and how best to travel and what kind of accommodation is available here!
Why travel to Tampere?
The largest inland city in the Nordic region, Tampere, has a charm all of its own: the cityscape of the “cradle of Finnish industrialisation” is characterised by old industrial buildings and former factories. It was here that Finland’s first electric light illuminated a cotton mill. But the city not only played a major role in historical industrialisation; Nokia, one of Finland’s best-known companies, originated in Tampere.
Despite its large population and industrial importance for Finland, Tampere has not lost its cosiness. The city centre is compact, so that a kind of small-town flair is not lost. With over 50 public saunas – and the oldest public sauna still in operation in the country – Tampere is also known as the“sauna capital of the world“, so wellness fans will also feel right at home here.
The city is characterised by its numerous museums and parks, but the Särkäänniemi amusement park also attracts many visitors. And with Tappara and Tampereen Ilves, two of Finland’s most successful ice hockey teams have their home in this friendly industrial city.
Where is Tampere?
Tampere is the administrative centre of the Finnish region of Pirkanmaa and is located in the south-west of the country. Although the region has no connection to the Baltic Sea, it does have a number of lakes and rivers – as is usual in Finland. Tampere is located between two lakes, Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, which are connected by the Tammerkoski rapids. The distances to the well-known Finnish cities are still relatively short by Nordic standards due to the more southerly location, with Helsinki around 177 kilometres away and Turku around 160 kilometres.
Weather in Tampere
The weather in Tampere is typically cool and wet for Finland, which is why you should always bring a rain jacket. The best time to visit in the warmer months is between May and September, as the temperatures here are pleasantly mild at between 15 and 20 degrees. The average temperature in July is 22° Celsius. If you want to experience the industrial city in the Finnish winter, you should visit between December and February. Although there is no polar night, in December you can watch sunsets on the frozen lakes at 3 pm. Snow and ice are guaranteed here. The Northern Lights can also be seen from time to time in winter, albeit less frequently than in the more northerly regions of Scandinavia.
Things to do and places of interest in Tampere
Särkänniemi
The Särkänniemi amusement park on the peninsula of the same name on Lake Näsijärvi is just a stone’s throw from Tampere city centre.
The park offers some fast-paced rides, including five roller coasters and a white water ride. There are also attractions suitable for younger children, such as a small zoo and a miniature town. There are also various family events in the low season.
There is also an aquarium and a planetarium, which are open all year round, as well as the highest observation tower in Northern Europe, Näsinneula.
Vapriikki Tampere Museum Centre
Several former textile industry and factory buildings are now home to the Vaprikki Tampere Museum Centre. It consists of numerous museums, including the Tampere Natural History Museum, the Rupriikki Media Museum, the Finnish Games Museum, a mineral museum and the Finnish Ice Hockey Hall of Fame. Independent exhibitions can also be visited here, and the thematic areas are varied and colourful.
By the way: in 2017, the Vapriikki Tampere Museum Centre was voted “Museum of the Century” as part of the celebrations to mark one hundred years of Finnish independence.
Moomin Museum
Another museum highlight in Tampere is the Moomin Museum. Works of art by the Finnish-Swedish artist and author Tove Jansson have been exhibited here since 1987, with a particular focus on the magical fairytale world of the popular Moomins. The entire history of the fantasy creatures is presented in a permanent exhibition, while smaller, changing exhibitions on Scandinavian artists and their works or specific Moomin themes are on display in the observatory. The Moomin books in almost 30 languages can be found in the museum’s reading room, and there are also other works by and about Tove Jansson.
Ice hockey: Tappara and Tampereen Ilves
Anyone with a passion for (Finnish) ice hockey should be familiar with Tampere. After all, the city is home to two of Finland’s best-known and most successful ice hockey teams: Tappara and Tampereen Ilves. Both teams are serial winners of the Finnish Ice Hockey Championship, with Tappara winning the title 17 times and Ilves 16 times.
The teams’ home games are played at Tampereen jäähalli, the oldest ice rink in Finland, which has also hosted several World Ice Hockey Championships. If you want to experience Finland’s most popular sport up close and enjoy the special atmosphere, you should definitely plan a trip to one of the games!
Parks
Tampere has several idyllic and beautiful parks that invite you to discover and relax. The city’s largest park is Pyynikki Park, which stretches along the banks of the Pyhäjärvi river not far from the city centre. In the park, you can enjoy the view over the city and the Finnish lake landscape from the 30-metre-high Pyynikki observation tower or enjoy delicious doughnuts and coffee in the adjacent café.
There are also several popular parks on the banks of the Tammerkoski rapids, which are particularly worth a visit in the summer months when they are decorated with red flowers. From the riverside parks you have a fantastic view of the historic buildings of the former Frenckell paper mill, including the tall chimney and the factory buildings now used as waterworks.
In the Hatanpäa district there is an arboretum covering around eleven hectares where you can discover numerous plants and shrubs. It consists of the park of a former estate, a park with around 500 plant species, a rock garden and a rose garden. Relaxing and varied walks are guaranteed here!
Accommodation in Tampere
Hotels in Tampere
Whether you’re looking for a comfortable star or wellness hotel, a design hotel or a simple B&B, there’s a hotel for everyone in Tampere. You don’t have to do without any comfort in a hotel and are usually right in the centre of the city and its life. Special highlights in Tampere include the highest hotel in Finland, the Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere, or the Lapland Hotels Tampere, whose interior design and culinary offerings are inspired by the history, culture and nature of Lapland.
Camping in Tampere
If you prefer a simpler holiday, a campsite is the place for you. Camping is a popular type of accommodation in Scandinavia, and campsites now often offer a wide range of comfort and services, such as restaurants and Wi-Fi. The proximity to nature is also much appreciated, nowhere else are you closer. In Finland in particular, many campsites are located by lakes. If you can do without the comfort of a campsite and prefer to be free and completely independent, you can make use of the right of public access that applies in Finland and go wild camping.
Travelling to Tampere
Flights to Tampere
Tampere can be reached quite easily and comfortably by plane. The city’s airport is located around 17 kilometres from the city centre and is served by SAS, Finnair and airBaltic. From the UK, you can reach the “Manchester of the North” from various airports with stopovers in Stockholm, Helsinki or Riga. Buses and taxis are available at the airport, or alternatively you can rent a car.
