Tampere (Swedish: Tammerfors) is situated on the shore of Lake Näsijärvi, some 170 km north of Helsinki, Finland.
Understand
The city of Tampere lies on an isthmus situated between Lake Näsijärvi, which reaches far to the north, and Lake Pyhäjärvi in the south. The Tammerkoski rapids that run through Tampere connect the two lakes with an elevation drop of 18 metres. In the 7th century people started to gather at this connecting point of two waterways, and in the 18th century the importance of the rapids as a source of hydropower was realized. So it came to be that Tampere was officially founded on the 1st of October in 1779 by King Gustav III of Sweden.
During the 19th century Tampere grew rapidly to be an industrial center, and in the latter part of the century the town had almost half of Finland's industrial labour force, earning it the nickname Manchester of the North — which still lives on in the city's nickname Manse. Most of the industry was centered around the rapids, with the textile and paper industries particularly important.
During the 1918 Finnish Civil War Tampere was one of the Red (Communist) strongholds, and it was supposed to be the country's next capital. However, in April 1918 the victorious White forces captured the town after a large battle and seized 10,000 prisoners, summarily executing actual and suspected rebels.
In 1927 the first of the factories stopped industrial operations, and city offices later moved into the empty buildings. After 1960 most factories started to grind to a halt, but the buildings were kept. Nowadays central Tampere is characterized by these old red-brick industrial buildings, most of them housing offices, restaurants, and cultural activities.
Orientation
The city centre of Tampere has a couple of prominent features:
The main street, Hämeenkatu, runs from east to west. At the east end of the street is the railway station and at the west end the Church of Alexander. Many shops, restaurants and offices are located on the main street. The main street continues to the east as Itsenäisyydenkatu and to the west as Pirkankatu.
The Tammerkoski rapids run from Lake Näsijärvi in north to Lake Pyhäjärvi in south, via the Finlayson historical factory area, by the riverside park, the TAKO factory and Kehräsaari. It's just over 1 kilometer long. The height difference between the two lakes is 18 meters, but the rapids don't flow freely as there are dams and hydroelectric power stations built on the rapids.
The central square, Keskustori, is located right next to the bridge where Hämeenkatu crosses Tammerkoski rapids.
The city center continues to the shore of Lake Näsijärvi in north and Lake Pyhäjärvi in south.
Most of the hotels, shops and attractions are located within walking distance from each other.
Pyynikki Ridge and Pispala are located a couple of kilometers west of the city centre.
The city tourist information office is located at the railway station, which is not far from the Keskustori(central square).
Getting there
By plane
Tampere is serviced by Tampere-Pirkkala airport (TMP) , which lies 17 km from the city. Flying from Helsinki on Finnair doesn't make much sense in terms of time or money unless you're connecting. Blue1 has direct flights to Stockholm, Wingo flies from Tampere to Oulu and Turku, while airBaltic connects Tampere to Riga and Kuopio.
More importantly for the budget traveller, Tampere is Ryanair's Finland hub, with service to Riga, London (Stansted), Frankfurt - Hahn, Milan, Dublin and Bremen. Note that Ryanair uses Terminal 2, while all other airlines use Terminal 1.
Paunu route 61 connects Terminal 1 to Pyynikintori in central Tampere (€4), while Ryanair has its own bus service (€6) to Terminal 2. Both take around 40 minutes. In addition to regular taxi service (€25-40, 20 min), there is also a shared airport taxi service (€12 one-way between Tampere and airport) . The direct bus service betweeen the airport and Helsinki has stopped running.
By train
The Tampere train station, recently renovated to its former subtle Art Deco glory is located right at the city center, at the east end of the main street Hämeenkatu. Most hotels are within walking distance of the station.
Tampere has extensive train links, with lines to Helsinki, Turku, up north to Lapland, east towards Jyväskylä and west to Pori. The trip to/from Helsinki by Pendolino express takes 1:30 and costs €32, while a local train will take just over 2 hours for the same trip and charge €21. On weekdays, trains to Helsinki run at least about once every hour between early morning and late evening. On weekends, there may be a gap of up to 2 hours between trains. For Finnish students (ISIC not accepted) and children (6-17 years) all train tickets are half price.
From Helsinki's airport, the fastest way to Tampere is to take a bus or taxi to Tikkurila station and board long-distance trains there. The station ticket office is closed at night, but tickets can be purchased from machines (cash only) or on board.
By coach
There is an almost hourly Expressbus coach connection from Helsinki-Vantaa airport to Tampere bus station operated by Paunu, departing from platform 13 in front of the international flights terminal. The service operates round the clock, although there may be a gap of 1 to 2 hours between services in the small hours of the night. The trip takes between 2 h and 2 h 30 min depending on whether the service calls in towns on the way. In some cases, there is a change of coach at Keimolanportti but it is well co-ordinated and easy. Tickets cost €22.50 (round trip €40.50) for adults, €11.30 for Finnish students (ISIC not accepted) and children of age 4-16. Children under the age of four travel free.
By car
Tampere can be easily reached by car. The drive from Helsinki takes about 2 hours and there is a four-lane motorway throughout the journey (speed limit 120 km/h with small portions 100 km/h in the summer, or 100 km/h throughout in the winter). The motorway is new and in excellent condition but is mainly not lit so some care must be exercised when driving in the dark, particularly in the winter when driving conditions can be harsh due to snow and slippery road surface.
There are also road connections from Tampere to Turku, Pori, Rauma, Seinäjoki/Vaasa, Jyväskylä and Lahti but these are mostly two-lane regular roads with speed limits between 80 km/h and 100 km/h.
Traveling around
By bus
The city centre of Tampere is small enough to be covered on foot, but an extensive bus network connects the suburbs and the downtown. In the city centre, most of the bus lines pass through Hämeenkatu. All buses stop at or near the central square, and the City of Tampere operates a handy trip planner service .
Single tickets for adults (12 years and above) cost €2.50 and children cost €1, and allowed unlimited transfers within 60 minutes. Every paying adult can be accompanied for free by one child under the age of 7. Adults with a baby in a pushchair can travel for free. Between midnight and 4/5 AM, night buses labeled "Y" charge €2.50 extra. Tickets can be purchased on board.
You can purchase a Tampere Tourist Card for unlimited travel by bus within the Tampere city borders (€6 for the first day, additional days cost €4 for adults; youth and children are €4/€3 and €3/€2 respectively). Purchase the smartcard at the railway or bus station, central square kiosk or city transportation office at Frenckellinaukio 2 B, on the northeastern side of the central square.
The tickets are also valid on most regional bus lines (lines 45-95) within city limits. You'll recognize a city tariff zone bus from the "hailing driver" logo near the right corner of the front of the bus.
If you're traveling outside the city limits, for instance to Kangasala, you have to pay according to the distance of your trip, so just tell the driver where you're going and how many tickets you want.
By taxi
As elsewhere in Finland, taxis in Tampere are clean, safe, reliable and expensive. The cost of the trip depends on the number of passengers and time of day (day/night). As an example, 1-2 persons traveling in daytime a 5-kilometre trip costs about €10; and a 10 km trip about €16. You can try to hail a passing cab if its roof light is on, but the usual way is to find nearest taxi stand and get a cab from there; or call for a taxi (the number is 10041 from landline, or 01004131 from a mobile phone). Taxis accept major credit cards. Taxis can be slightly difficult to obtain on weekend nights and during Sundays.
By car
Most major car rental companies have offices in Tampere. Driving in Tampere is rather straightforward but keep in mind that many streets in the city centre are one-way and streetside parking spaces may be difficult to find at certain times of day (there is no shortage of parking spaces in indoor car parks though). Heed moose warning signs, especially at dawn and dusk.
See
Museums and galleries
Most of Tampere's museums concentrate on its working-class history. Kids will get a kick out of the Moomin Valley and the Spy Museum, while the top draw for adults is probably the Lenin Museum.
Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing (Amurin työläismuseokortteli) , +358 3 5656 6690, Tue-Sun 10-18. Open in summer only., Satakunnankatu 49, Amuri is a block of 19th century houses turned into a museum that shows how workers used to live. The houses form an almost closed inner court, and share only one kitchen.
Finnish Boxing Museum (Suomen nyrkkeilymuseo), +358 400 830 128, +358 400 830 128, Open by prior agreement only, Aleksanterinkatu 26 B, Finnish and international boxing equipment, photographs and other items.
Finnish Labour Museum Werstas (Työväenmuseo Werstas) , Tue-Sun 11-18, Väinö Linnan aukio 8, Changing exhibitions. Tickets also valid for the Textile Industry Museum and the Steam Engine Museum.
Hiekka Art Museum (Hiekan taidemuseo) , +358 3 212 3973, Tue 15-18, Wed 15-19, Thu 15-18, Sun 12-15, Pirkankatu 6, Home museum of art collector Kustaa Hiekka.
Lenin Museum (Lenin-museo) , Mon-Fri 09-18, Sat Sun 11-16, Hämeenpuisto 28, Tampere's most offbeat attraction and well worth a visit if you have any interest, serious or humorous, in the Soviet revolutionary figure who spent some time in exile in Tampere. Lenin and Stalin met for the first time in this very apartment. Exhibits include a sofa that Lenin slept on and more busts that you can shake a stick at. There is also a wacky but fairly expensive gift shop.
Mineral Museum (Tampereen kivimuseo) , +358 3 5656 6046, Tue-Fri 09-17, Sat-Sun 10-18, Hämeenpuisto 20, Basement of Metso Library, Not quite as boring as you'd think, the museum has plenty of gemstones cut and raw including a 600-kg chunk of Brazilian amethyst, meteorites and even a couple of dinosaur eggs.
The Moominvalley of the Tampere Art Museum (Muumilaakso) , +358 3 5656 6578, +358 3 5656 6578, Tue-Fri 9-17, Sat-Sun 10-18, Hämeenpuisto 20, In the same building with main library Metso, Museum devoted to the Tove Jansson characters, with original sketches and drawings. The permanent exhibition is rather staid, but there are occasional performances aimed children.
Rupriikki, +358 3 5656 6411, +358 3 5656 6411, Tue-Sun 10-18, Väinö Linnan aukio 13 (Finlayson), Media museum focusing on the history and development of mass communications.
Sara Hildén Art Museum (Sara Hildénin taidemuseo) , , Tue-Sun 11-18, Särkänniemi, Modern art, both Finnish and foreign.
Spy Museum (Vakoilumuseo) , Jun-Aug: Mon-Sat 10-18, Sun 11-17. Sep-May: Mon-Sat 12-18, Sun 11-17, Satakunnankatu 18, Claims to be the first spy museum in the world, exhibiting everything from spy cameras to secret weapons. Admission €7 (adults) / €5.50 (children and students).
Tampere Art Museum (Tampereen taidemuseo) , Tue-Sun 10-18, Puutarhakatu 34, Changing exhibitions of Finnish and foreign art.
Vapriikki, Jun-Aug: Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 10-18, Wed 11-20. Sep-May: Tue, Thu-Sun 10-18, Wed 11-20, Veturiaukio 4, Changing exhibitions. Basic exhibitions include the history of Pirkanmaa, a shoe museum and a hockey museum.
Art and Craftcenter Verkaranta (Käsi- ja taideteollisuuskeskus Verkaranta) , +358 3 225 1409, +358 3 225 1409, Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat-Sun 11-16 (12-17 in summer), Verkatehtaankatu 2, Monthly exhibitions on arts and crafts.
Churches
Kaleva Church (Kalevan kirkko) , Liisanpuisto 1, Solid concrete modernist church designed by famous architect Reima Pietilä in 1966. Locals call it
Messukylä Old Church (Messukylän vanha kirkko) , Kivikirkontie 2, The oldest building in Tampere, built in medieval times with parts dating back to the 1400s. Unheated and thus open only from May to August.
Tampere Cathedral (Tampereen tuomiokirkko) , Tuomiokirkonkatu, Imposing church in the National Romantic style, designed by architect Lars Sonck and completed in 1907. The interior has a series of famously macabre frescos by Hugo Simberg, including **The Wounded Angel** (once voted Finland's
Tampere Orthodox Church (Tampereen ortodoksikirkko) , Suvantokatu 10, Russian-style onion-domed church dating to 1896, serving Tampere's tiny Orthodox minority.
Parks and islands
Duck Park (Sorsapuisto) , Yliopistonkatu, Large park around a pond by Tampere Hall, near the city centre. Good choice for a summer picnic. In the summer there are also different species of birds in cages by the pond.
Hatanpää Arboretum, Hatanpään puistokuja, About 2km south via Hatanpään valtatie from the city centre, turn to right on Hatanpään puistokuja, An arboretum (a collection of trees and plants), a rose garden and a park by Lake Pyhäjärvi.
Koskipuisto Park, Newly renovated park by the Tammerkoski rapids in the center of the city. Popular place to have a picnic or a beer on a sunny summer day.
Näsi Park (Näsinpuisto) , Nice park by Lake Näsijärvi, created in the early 20th century. Starts from the north end of Hämeenpuisto. On the highest point of the park lies a memorial for the victims of the shipwreck of S/S Kuru, which sunk off Tampere in 1929, killing 138 people. By the memorial you'll have a great view over the lake Näsijärvi and Särkänniemi Adventure Park.
Southern Park (Eteläpuisto), Eteläpuisto, At the southern end of Hämeenpuisto, A park with a fountain. From the park you can walk through the woods to Pyynikin uimaranta, the most popular beach in Tampere.
Viikinsaari Island, On a sunny summer day take a 20-minute boat trip from Laukontori to Viikinsaari Island. There are swimming shores, playgrounds, a fireplace for roasting sausages and such (buy them beforehand) and a restaurant with a dance pavilion on the island. Most of the island is a nature reserve.
Others
Pispala, Between Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi, this formerly working-class neighborhood has gentrified radically and is currently one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Tampere. However, you can still get a glimpse of the history at the area as there are lots of original houses left. Along with neighouring *Pyynikki* it forms an important historical area of Tampere. You can enjoy nature at Pyynikki Park and climb up to Pyynikki Tower for nice views over the ridge, lakes and the city, and enjoy coffee and doughnuts afterwards. In the summer you can also stop by at *Pyynikin kesäteatteri* by Lake Pyhäjärvi for open-air theatre at a revolving auditorium.
Särkänniemi Adventure Park, Theme park between May and Sept, art museum and restaurant throughout the year. Includes a dolphinarium and the landmark *Näsinneula* tower, topped by the inevitable revolving restaurant. On a summer day the views of the surrounding forests and lakes are quite nice though.
Tampere City Library (Metso) , Mon-Fri 9:30 AM-8 PM, Sat 9:30 AM-3 PM, Pirkankatu 2, In 1978 a competition was arranged for the design of a new main library. The jury unanimously chose the design by Raili and Reima Pietilä. The architects said they had been influenced by various elements, such as Celtic ornaments, sheep horns and glacial spin formations. The basic idea was a space coiling spirally like the shell of a snail. The form of a bird appeared in the design process. Increasingly, the building began to resemble a large game bird, the capercaillie, known in Finnish as **metso** — now the building's nickname. Seen from above, the building looks like a bird carrying a shield. Houses the Moominvalley exhibition and the Mineral Museum.
Haihara Mansion (Haiharan kartano) , A peaceful place to visit on a warm summer day. There is a cafe, art exhibitions and a garden. The mansion's history dates back to 16th century. The last stop of bus line 15 is near Haihara.
Hervanta, The suburb of Hervanta is located about 10 km south of the city center and can be reached either by taxi or bus lines 13, 20, 23, 30 or 39. It is the location of Tampere University of Technology, Hermia Technology Center and a large amount of student housing. Many high-tech companies including Nokia have offices in Hervanta. What makes Hervanta infamous is the large amount of 1970's concrete residential tower blocks and the social problems it suffered, especially during 1980's. If you happen to be around Hervanta when the university is in session, you might run into a student party somewhere. Thursdays are the most popular days for these.
Things to do
Cruises, To Hämeenlinna (a leisurely 8 hours), to Nokia (a town, not the company) or just on the lake are popular in the summer. There are many regular boat routes on both lakes (Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi).
Downhill skiing, , There are two small skiing hills in Tampere. One is in Hervanta (buses 13, 23 and 30) the other one in Mustavuori (buses 70 and 71), near Kalkku. The longest slope in Hervanta is 350 meters with altitude change of 59 meters. In Mustavuori the numbers are 350 meters and 69 meters accordingly. Both hills offer courses and equipment rental.
Fishing, You can fish at the Tammerkoski rapids that run right through the city center. You need to purchase a fishing permit from a nearby R-kioski (Hatanpään valtatie 2), tourist office (Verkatehtaankatu 2) or a vending machine at the wall of restaurant Rosso. You may catch at most three salmonoids a day, whitefish not included.
Football, *Tampere United* football club has won the Finnish championship in 2001, 2006 and 2007.
Farm holiday, A farm holiday is a way to experience Finnish countryside. Farms and cottages are mostly available during summer but there may be exceptions.
Hiking around forests, In Finland, everyone has a right of public access to the wilderness provided that you don't cause damage. In Tampere, good hiking grounds with marked paths can be found in the Pyynikki and Kauppi forests.
Holiday Club Tampere Spa (Tampereen kylpylä) , 7:30-21:00, A spa hotel, about 1 km from the city centre, built into an old cotton mill situated next to a marina. The large spa department offers swimming pools, jacuzzis, a children's pool, saunas, a steam room, and spa treatments also for day visitors.
Ice hockey, Keltinkatu 2, Tampere has two ice hockey teams, *Tappara* and *Ilves* , which are among the most successful in Finland.
Ice swimming, During winter, you can combine sauna with ice swimming: drill a hole into the ice cover of a lake and hop in! The water under the ice stays at constant temperature of +4°C, and is **very** refreshing. You can try ice swimming at *Kaupinojan sauna* , or *Rauhaniemen kansankylpylä* on Rauhaniementie near hotel Holiday Club Tampere.
Ice walk, A popular pastime during sunny midwinter day is to go for an ice walk. In March people walk about a 1km trip to a small island of Siilinkari on lake Näsijärvi and have a picnic. Be aware that it's only safe to walk on well-frozen lake. Only go if you see other people (and not just ice-fishers) doing so.
Midnight sun, Even though the Midnight sun doesn't quite reach Tampere (you need to be north of the Arctic Circle for the proper midnight sun), the summer nights are bright. In midsummer, the sun sets for just couple of hours and there is no darkness, only twilight. This is nice for spending mild summer evenings outdoors. The downside of this is that during winter months, the day is very short and the night already falls in the afternoon.
Rajaportin sauna, 358 45 136 5557, Mon, Wed 18-22, Fri 15-21, Sat 14-22, Pispalan valtatie 9, The oldest still-functioning public sauna in Finland. Located in historical Pispala, easily reached with buses 1, 13, 18, 19, 25 and 26. In old days, people who didn't have a sauna of their own went to a public sauna to clean up. In addition to seeing a piece of history, you can experience one of the best quality saunas in the world: the stove is three cubic meters in size and contains over a ton of stones that are heated literally glowing red with burning logs. After simmering for couple of hours, the sauna is ready for the customers, and it doesn't get any bigger or better than this!
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Terraces, During warm summer days, people enjoy sitting on outdoor terraces of restaurants and have a beer or two. You can see outdoor tables and chairs being set up outside restaurants as soon as the first sunny and warm(ish) spring days arrive.
Eat
Tampere is (in)famous for its black sausage (mustamakkara), a sausage made of blood. The cheapest and most authentic way to try this is to buy from one of the stalls at the Tammelantori or Laukontori markets, with a dab of lingonberry jam (puolukkahillo) and a pint of milk (maito) on the side, but old Tampere hands will insist that the one true condiment is a mix of lingonberry jam and mustard. Order by price, not weight: "two euros" (kaksi euroa) will get you a nice hefty chunk. You can also try a doughnut (donitsi) with a cup of coffee. Note that both markets close by 2PM and are closed Sundays too.
Budget
For inexpensive fast food, you can always visit McDonald's and Subway, or their domestic equivalents Hesburger and Rolls. Finnish pizza franchise Kotipizza has restaurants throughout the city. Ethnic pizza and kebab restaurants can be found throughout the city and are usually even cheaper than international fast food restaurants. Many of the mid-range restaurants also have lunch offers under €10.
Gopal, +358 3 253 1002, Mon-Fri 11-16, Sat 12-16, Ilmarinkatu, Vegetarian lunch restaurant. Food seasoned in an Indian manner, not an Indian restaurant though.
Katupoika, +358 3 2720 201, Mon-Sat 11-21 (or later), Aleksanterinkatu 20, Proudly serving hearty portions of real Tampere food for over thirty years, including black sausage. The mural in the restaurant depicts a view of Pispala, one of Tampere's **harju** hills.
Kim Long, Itsenäisyydenkatu 2, A rather decent Chinese restaurant just outside the railway station's passage.
Pizzeria Napoli, +358 3 223 8887, Mon-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 13-23, Aleksanterinkatu 31, The oldest pizzeria in Tampere. Pizzas vary from the ordinary to exotic (for example ostrich meat, or Finlandia vodka with fried game, or habanero)
Gastropub Praha, +358 3 2612 500, Mon-Thu 17:00-23:30, Fri 16-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 15-21, Itsenäisyydenkatu 11
Veijon Kokkitykki, Located by Tammmelantori square. Traditional style fish food, loved by many.
Nguyen Cao Su, Aleksanterinkatu 30, Called
Mid-range
2h+k, +358 3 2131 131, Mon 12-22, Tue-Thu 12-24, Fri-Sat 12-01, Sun 13-23, Aleksanterinkatu 33, Delibar, serves e.g. warm breads
Aino ja Ilmari, +358 3 253 2630, Mon-Fri 11-22, Sat 12-22, Sun 13-18, Tammelan puistokatu 27
Amarillo, +358 3 5698 6114, Hatanpään valtatie 1, Tex mex restaurant, part of the Amarillo chain.
Antika, +358 3 2141 282, Tue-Fri 11-14 and 16-23, Sat 12-23, Sun 13-20, Väinölänkatu 1, Excellent Greek restaurant located in Tammela. Very cosy atmosphere and friendly staff.
Athur, Mon-Fri 11-23, Sat 12-23, Sun 12-21, Lapinniemenranta 12, Restaurant at Holiday Club Tampere Spa.
Bella Roma Siperia, +358 3 222 1303, +358 3 222 1303, Mon-Tue 11-22, Wed-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 13-21, Itäinenkatu 5-7 (Siperia), Italian restaurant located in Finlayson's Siperia.
Bodega Salud, +358 3 2334 400, +358 3 2334 400, Mon-Fri 11-, Sat 12-, Sun 13-, Tuomiokirkonkatu 19, Spanish eatery catering to carnivores and vegetarians. Serves also more exotic courses such as Rocky Mountain oysters, gnu, and kangaroo.
Classic American Diner, +358 3 2604 500, +358 3 2604 500, Mon-Wed 11-21, Thu-Fri 11-23, Sat 12-24, Sun 12-22, Itäinen katu 9-13 (Siperia), American style burger restaurant.
Coussicca, +358 3 2552 100, +358 3 2552 100, Mon-Fri 11-22, Sat-Sun 12-21, Nyyrikintie 2, The oldest restaurant in Tampere. Known for its large breaded pork escalope, or **Coussican vinkkari**.
Coyote Bar & Grill, +358 3 2143 911, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 12-24, Hämeenkatu 3
Golden Unicorn, +358 3 222 0321, Mon-Thu 11-22, Fri 11-23, Sat 12-23, Sun 12-22, Hallituskatu 3, Chinese restaurant very near Keskustori. Also take-away.
El Toro, +358 3 2131 755, +358 3 2131 755, Mon-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 14-22, Hämeenkatu 26, Steak restaurant.
Esperanza Kitchen & Tequileria, +358 3 4474 810, +358 3 4474 810, Mon-Thu 11-14 and 17-23, Fri 11-14 and 17-24, Sat 14-24, Hämeenkatu 10, Spanish-mexican restaurant located under Hämeenkatu.
Frankly, +358 3 2120 235, +358 3 2120 235, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 14-23, Hallituskatu 22
Gastropub Tuulensuu, +358 3 2141 553, Sun-Fri 17-24, Sat 12-24, Hämeenpuisto 23, Small, moody gastropub serving tasty food. Good selection of foreign beers, ciders, wines and cigars. Friendly and competent staff.
The Grill, +358 3 260 3355, +358 3 260 3355, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 13-20, Frenckellin aukio, Spanish-international cuisine with an emphasis on grilled food. Good price/quality ratio.
Lotus Garden, Rongankatu 5, Chinese restaurant near the railway station. Also take-away.
Maruseki, +358 3 2120 728, +358 3 2120 728, Tue-Thu 11-21, Fri 11-22, Sat 11-21, Hallituskatu 7, Japanese restaurant and tea house founded and owned by Marjo Seki, who lived 20 years in Japan as a teacher and interpreter. Maruseki had the first tea house in Finland, and you can experience real Japanese dinner kneeling in front of a **kotatsu**-table wearing a **kimono**.
Old Oliver's, +358 3 213 4204, +358 3 213 4204, Mon-Tue 11-22, Wed-Thu 11-23, Fri-Sat 11-00, Sun 12-22, Kuninkaankatu 24
Pancho Villa, +358 3 213 1232, +358 3 213 1232, Mon-Fri 11-, Sat-Sun 12-, Hämeenkatu 23, branches also at Satakunnankatu 22, Tammelan puistokatu 34, Mexican/tex-mex style restaurant. Good price/quality ratio.
Piazza Foodfactory & Bar, +358 3 2446 2207, +358 3 2446 2207, Mon-Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 12-22, Hämeenkatu 1, Mixed kitchen.
Plevna, , Mon 11-23, Tue-Thu 11-01, Fri-Sat 11-02, Sun 12-23, Itäinenkatu 8, Czech-German microbrewery-pub with more sausages and sauerkraut than you can shake a mug at. Not only do they brew their own beer, but they distill their own spirits as well. Located in an old factory building.
Ravintolalaiva Tampere, Restaurant ship Tampere makes lunch and dinner cruises on lake Pyhäjärvi. Departs from Laukontori.
Rosso, +358 3 223 1751, +358 3 223 1751, Sun-Thu 11-24, Fri-Sat 11-01, Koskipuisto, A popular family restaurant, that belongs to the Rosso chain. Food is cheap and restaurants offer good playgrounds and dishes for children. An excellent view to Tammerkoski.
Saha, +358 3 2134 585, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Koskikeskus)
SpeakEasy, +358 3 2604 777, +358 3 2604 777, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 12-24, Päämääränkuja 10 (Siperia), Wings restaurant in two floors. The more
Star & Moonlight, +358 3 2140 284, Mon - Fri 11 - 22, Sat - Sun 12 - 22 , Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Koskikeskus), Small Indian restaurant, behind Koskikeskus. Good lunch specials.
Veganissimo, +358 3 213 0323, Mon-Tue 11-20, Wed-Thu 11-22, Fri 11-24, Sat 13-24, Otavalankatu 10, Vegetarian restaurant, all dishes suitable for vegans also.
Wistub Alsace, +358 3 2120 260, +358 3 2120 260, Tue-Fri 16-22, Sat 15-22, Laukontori 6B, Hearty Alsatian restaurant in the heart of Tampere. All the traditional Alsatian meals are represented on the menu.
Splurge
Astor, +358 3 260 5700, +358 3 260 5700, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri-Sat 11-02, Sun 14-22, Aleksis Kiven katu 26, European kitchen.
Finlaysonin Palatsi, +358 400 219 530, +358 400 219 530, Tue-Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Kuninkaankatu 1, Beautifully located at the Finlayson family's old palace.
Hella ja huone, +358 3 253 2440, +358 3 253 2440, Tue-Sat 18-, Salhojankatu 48, French cuisine.
Hämeensilta, +358 3 212 7207, Tue-Thu 21-02, Fri-Sat 21-04, Hämeenkatu 13, A dance & music restaurant in the heart of Tampere. Popular among the 50+ generation.
Masuuni, +358 3 5698 6121, +358 3 5698 6121, Mon-Thu 18-23, Fri 18-24, Sat 17-24, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Hotel Ilves)
Näsinneula, +358 20 7130 234, 11-23.30, Särkänniemi, Revolving restaurant atop the sightseeing tower. Needless to say, it's expensive, but they specialize in Finnish ingredients and the results are above average.
Tiiliholvi, +358 3 2720 231, +358 3 2720 231, Mon-Fri 11-15 and 17-24, Sat 13-24, Kauppakatu 10
Drink
Cafes
Amurin helmi, +358 3 5656 6634, Every day from 10 to 17 (during summer from 10 to 18), Satakunnankatu 49, Cosy athmosphere in an old wooden building which is part of Amuri museum of workers' housing. Tampere specialities and homemade bread.
Arnolds, +358 3 2234 850, Mon-Fri 09-20, Sat 10-17, Tullikatu 6 (Tullintori), Tasty doughnuts baked on location. There's another outlet at Koskikeskus.
Mokkamestarit, +358 3 2530 145, Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-16, Kuukuja 8 E, Great variety of different coffees sold for home use, roasted and grinded by themselves. Couple of different brands served for drinking on spot, brands changing daily.
Pyynikki Observation Tower Cafe, +358 3 212 3247, Every day from 09 to 20, Näkötornintie, Serves donuts appreciated by many. The observation tower is only 26 meters high, but since it is on a ridge, it offers a great view of Tampere and the surrounding lakes. It costs about one euro to climb up the observation tower.
Vohvelikahvila, +358 3 2144 225, Mon-Sat 09-20, Sun 10-20, Ojakatu 2, Small atmospheric cafe. The name means
Pubs and nightclubs
Nightlife in Tampere is brutally competitive and cheap beer promotions abound.
Pubs
See also Plevna in the Eat section for Tampere's oldest and largest microbrewery.
O'Connell's, +358 3 222 7032, Open every day 16-02, Rautatienkatu 24, Irish pub near the railway station. Many staff members and owners are Irish.
Salhojankadun Pub, +358 3 2553 376, Salhojankatu 29, English-style pub a little off the beaten track, but within walking distance of the railway station.
Gastropub Tuulensuu, +358 3 2141 553, Hämeenpuisto 23, A traditional style pub with an extensive selection (biggest in Tampere) of over one hundred imported Central European and other beers, especially self-imported Belgian brews. Also serves beer snacks and main courses.
Nightclubs
Doris, Fri-Sat 22-04, Tue-Thu, Sun 23-04, Aleksanterinkatu 20, Small but popular night club. Lovingly nicknamed **Dorka** (
Ilves, +358 20 1234 631, Wed-Sat 21-04, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Hotel Ilves), Quite popular night club. Music mostly from top hits to club.
Klubi, Mon-Tue 11-22, Wed-Fri 11-04, Sat 15-04, Tullikamarinaukio 2, A bar/night club in the old customs house built in 1901. Live music presented often.
Love Hotel, +358 10 423 3222, Tue & Sun 23-04, Wed-Sat 22-04, Hämeenkatu 10, Fairly large night club in the center of the city. Private lounges (€89-150) and karaoke lounges (€150-300) available. Lounge prices include free entrance for 6 or 8 persons and a bottle of champagne.
Onnela, +358 20 7759 470, Puutarhakatu 21, A popular night club for twentysomethings. Has multiple departments with different music and visual style. Music from heavy rock to latest pop charts.
Ruma, Murtokatu, Popular night club selected the best of the town by City Magazine. Cheap drinks and entrance. Music played is something between rock and pop, often British bands. The tongue-in-cheek name means **Ugly**, since neither the interior nor most guests are.
Yo-talo, , Kauppakatu 10, Disco, clubs, and live music in a building from the early 20th century. Type and age of the crowd depends heavily on the program.
Sleep
Budget
Härmälä Camping, +358 3 265 1355, Leirintäkatu 8, Camping area about 3km from the city centre. Open only in summer.
Homeland Tampere, +358 3 3126 0200, +358 3 3126 0200, Kullervonkatu 19 A, Apartment hotel located near Tammelan tori, about 5min walk from the railway station.
Hostel Sofia, +358 3 2544 020, +358 3 2544 020, Tuomiokirkonkatu 12 A, Hostel located next to Tampere Cathedral.
Hotel Kauppi, +358 3 2535 353, +358 3 2535 353, Kalevan puistotie 2, A budget hotel/motel about 1 km from the city center, near Kauppi recreation forest.
Hotelli Iltatähti, +358 3 3151 6262, +358 3 3151 6262, Kyläojankatu 16, Has moved from central Tampere to Messukylä which is situated four kilometers away from Tampere downtown. It is specialized in long term accommodation but offers rooms on nightly basis also. Only four rooms.
Hotelli Haapalinna, +358 3 3453 335, +358 3 3453 335, Rahtimiehenkatu 3, A budget hotel located 4 km from the city center in a residential area, near bus routes.
Omena Hotel Tampere, Hämeenkatu 28, The local branch of a budget hotel chain, centrally located on the main street. A self-service hotel (no reception desk).
Summer Hotel Härmälä, +358 3 2651 355, +358 3 2651 355, June-August only, Nuolialantie 48, Located on a lakeside location, 4 km from the city center in a residential area, near bus routes. Located next to the Härmälä camping area.
Mid-range
Cumulus Hämeenpuisto, +358 3 3862 000, +358 3 3862 000, Hämeenpuisto 47, Located on a boulevard at a southern part of the city.
Cumulus Koskikatu, +358 3 2424 111, +358 3 2424 111, Koskikatu 5, Located in the center of the city next to the riverside park.
Cumulus Pinja, +358 3 2415 111, +358 3 2415 111, Satakunnankatu 10, A small hotel, located in the center of the city.
Holiday Inn Tampere, +358 3 2455 111, +358 3 2455 111, Yliopistonkatu 44, A business hotel, located right behind the railway station in the city centre.
Scandic Tampere City, +358 3 2446 111, +358 3 2446 111, Hämeenkatu 1, Located right across the street from the railway station, on the main street.
Sokos Hotel Villa, +358 20 1234 633, +358 20 1234 633, Sumeliuksenkatu 14, Built into an old grain storehouse, located right behind the railway station in the city centre.
Holiday Club Tampere, +358 210 100 000, Lapinniemenranta 12, A hotel/spa next to a marina, about 1 km from the city center. Built into an old cotton mill with high rooms.
Hotelli Victoria, +358 3 2425 111, +358 3 2425 111, Itsenäisyydenkatu 1, Located right behind the railway station in the city centre.
Splurge
Scandic Hotel Rosendahl, +358 3 2441 111, +358 3 2441 111, Pyynikintie 13, Located in a beautiful lakeside location right under Pyynikki ridge.
Sokos Hotel Ilves, +358 20 1234 631, +358 20 1234 631, Hatanpään valtatie 1, Tampere's best known hotel, centrally located next to the riverside park.
Sokos Hotel Tammer, +358 20 1234 632, +358 20 1234 632, Satakunnankatu 13, Historical 1920's style hotel, centrally located next to the riverside park.
Buy
Tampere has lots of shopping opportunities from small specialized shops to malls. Grocery stores in Tampere (and in Finland) are usually quite easy to find. Look for e.g. K-market, S-market, Sale, Siwa, and Valintatalo. Supermarkets (Prisma, Citymarket) are located outside the city centre.
Department stores
Stockmann, Hämeenkatu 4, Upscale department store right next to the railway station.
Sokos, Hämeenkatu 21, Large department store at the west end of the main street.
Anttila, Puutarhakatu 10, Large lower-end department store near Finlayson.
Malls
Koskikeskus, Hatanpään valtatie 1, Midsize mall at the riverbank, at the foot of Hotel Ilves.
Tullintori, Tullikatu 10, Smallish mall behind railway station, next to Hotel Villa.
Ideapark, Ideaparkinkatu 4, Lempäälä, Largest mall in Lempäälä with a special focus on furniture, interior decoration and clothing. Located along the Tampere-Helsinki motorway in Lempäälä, but bus/coach connections exist.
Bookshops
Akateeminen kirjakauppa, Hämeenkatu 6, Tampere's best selection of both Finnish and English language books, especially well stocked with non-fiction and university course books.
Suomalainen kirjakauppa, Several outlets, Two shops in Hämeenkatu and one in Koskikeskus mall. Mostly Finnish language fiction, but offers a small selection of English-language paperbacks.
Markets
Laukontori, South end of Aleksis Kiven katu, Marketplace at the shore of lake Pyhäjärvi. In addition to market booths, many Pyhäjärvi cruises start from the harbour right next to the market. From Laukontori you have also a good view of a local eccentricity: a fully-functioning cardboard factory at the middle of the city . This is a good reminder of the Tampere's industrial past.
Tammelantori, Tammelan puistokatu, Busy marketplace surrounded by rather dull-looking 70's apartment flats. Here you can taste the Tampere specialty, black sausage.
Other
Market Hall (Kauppahalli) , Hämeenkatu 19, Fresh food and other shopping in a historical market hall.
Kehräsaari, Next to Laukontori, Restaurants and touristy shopping at the mouth of the rapids between lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. You can walk from Laukontori to Koskikeskus via Kehräsaari.
Finlayson, At the north from main square, Historical cotton factory area, now renovated into area with shopping (**Siperia**), movie theater multiplex (**Plevna**), restaurants, night clubs, parks, offices and apartment buildings. The factory, founded by Scottish immigrant James Finlayson in 1820, helped Tampere grow into thriving industrial city. Towards the end of 1800's Finlayson factories grew into
Talk
People in Tampere speak Finnish and English like everybody else in Finland, but knowing a few words of Tampere dialect (Tampereen kiäli) is guaranteed to get you a few laughs. It's easy enough: just greet people with moro (with a trilling 'r'), refer to yourself as mää (pronounciation: /mæ:'/), call them sää (pronounciation: /sæ:'/) and end every sentence with nääs (pronounced /næs'/, like 'nash' in Nashville, except with a prolonged a (cf. "Naaaashville") and a normal 's' instead of 'sh'). A great sentence to practise is 'Mää en kylä enää ikänä alam mitää.' ('Minä en enää jaksa yrittää'(/m'inæ en 'enæ: y'aksa ür'ittæ:/ in plain Finnish) is pronounced: /m'æ: 'en k'ülæ 'enæ: ik'ænæ 'ala mitæ:/. That sentence means: 'I'm too tired to ever try again'.
Swedish is also spoken to a considerable degree, particularly by workers at many hotels and other tourist businesses, and also by many students at the academic level.
Safety
In general, Finland is a fairly safe country, and Tampere is no exception. On weekend nights, intoxicated people wandering around city streets may be an annoyance, especially on April 30th, the eve of May Day, when it's a common habit to get drunk; and when nice weather has people on the move. Intoxicated Finns tend to be (sometimes over-)friendly and curious towards foreigners, though black people and Arabs may sometimes experience racism. Just use your common sense, and steer clear of drunk people looking for a fight. Pickpockets occasionally lurk in crowds.
There are no exceptional crime problems or health hazards, although the extreme cold in the winter should be borne in mind by visitors, especially those planning outdoor activities. Whilst in summer the temperature rises occasionally to over 25ºC, in the winter months it can drop to around -30ºC for a day or two. Dressing warmly is a must. If you forget to bring winter clothing, you can always visit local shops for appropiate apparel. Also, watch out for slippery sidewalks in winter.
The Yliopiston Apteekki pharmacy at Hämeenkatu 16, near the main square is open daily from 7AM to 12PM.
Learn
There are two universities in Tampere; the University of Tampere, and Tampere University of Technology. The former has about 15,000 students and the latter about 10,000 students. Tampere has also two universities of applied sciences, the TAMK and PIRAMK, each of which has some 5,000 students.
City of Tampere runs the Adult Education Centre that offers rather cheap courses for everyone.
Contact
Internet cafes are not very common in Finland, and Tampere makes no exception. If you have your own laptop or a smartphone, most cafes offer free wireless internet (or WLAN as it is mostly called in Finland).
Internet Madi, Mon-Fri 10-22, Sat-Sun 11-22, Tuomiokirkonkatu 36
Get out
In the unlikely event that the stress of city life gets to you in Tampere, escape for a day of pampering at the spa in Nokia. A day trip to Nokia is a good idea also if you want to familiarize with the founding place of Nokia corporation and the history behind it, even if the company no longer has any actual offices there.
Tampere is a good base for visiting Finland if you arrive by Ryanair directly to Tampere: it is quite possible to make day trips by train e.g. to the capital Helsinki, to the historic capital Turku or to the town of Hämeenlinna. Both Turku and Hämeenlinna have small mediaeval castles that can be visited.
For the down-hill skiing enthusiast, there are ski stations in Sappee (Pälkäne, 50 km from Tampere) and Himos (Jämsä, 95 km from Tampere).
Contact & location
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Tampere (Swedish: Tammerfors) is situated on the shore of Lake Näsijärvi, some 170 km north of Helsinki, Finland.
Understand
The city of Tampere lies on an isthmus situated between Lake Näsijärvi, which reaches far to the north, and Lake Pyhäjärvi in the south. The Tammerkoski rapids that run through Tampere connect the two lakes with an elevation drop of 18 metres. In the 7th century people started to gather at this connecting point of two waterways, and in the 18th century the importance of the rapids as a source of hydropower was realized. So it came to be that Tampere was officially founded on the 1st of October in 1779 by King Gustav III of Sweden.
During the 19th century Tampere grew rapidly to be an industrial center, and in the latter part of the century the town had almost half of Finland's industrial labour force, earning it the nickname Manchester of the North — which still lives on in the city's nickname Manse. Most of the industry was centered around the rapids, with the textile and paper industries particularly important.
During the 1918 Finnish Civil War Tampere was one of the Red (Communist) strongholds, and it was supposed to be the country's next capital. However, in April 1918 the victorious White forces captured the town after a large battle and seized 10,000 prisoners, summarily executing actual and suspected rebels.
In 1927 the first of the factories stopped industrial operations, and city offices later moved into the empty buildings. After 1960 most factories started to grind to a halt, but the buildings were kept. Nowadays central Tampere is characterized by these old red-brick industrial buildings, most of them housing offices, restaurants, and cultural activities.
Orientation
The city centre of Tampere has a couple of prominent features:
The main street, Hämeenkatu, runs from east to west. At the east end of the street is the railway station and at the west end the Church of Alexander. Many shops, restaurants and offices are located on the main street. The main street continues to the east as Itsenäisyydenkatu and to the west as Pirkankatu.
The Tammerkoski rapids run from Lake Näsijärvi in north to Lake Pyhäjärvi in south, via the Finlayson historical factory area, by the riverside park, the TAKO factory and Kehräsaari. It's just over 1 kilometer long. The height difference between the two lakes is 18 meters, but the rapids don't flow freely as there are dams and hydroelectric power stations built on the rapids.
The central square, Keskustori, is located right next to the bridge where Hämeenkatu crosses Tammerkoski rapids.
The city center continues to the shore of Lake Näsijärvi in north and Lake Pyhäjärvi in south.
Most of the hotels, shops and attractions are located within walking distance from each other.
Pyynikki Ridge and Pispala are located a couple of kilometers west of the city centre.
The city tourist information office is located at the railway station, which is not far from the Keskustori(central square).
Getting there
By plane
Tampere is serviced by Tampere-Pirkkala airport (TMP) , which lies 17 km from the city. Flying from Helsinki on Finnair doesn't make much sense in terms of time or money unless you're connecting. Blue1 has direct flights to Stockholm, Wingo flies from Tampere to Oulu and Turku, while airBaltic connects Tampere to Riga and Kuopio.
More importantly for the budget traveller, Tampere is Ryanair's Finland hub, with service to Riga, London (Stansted), Frankfurt - Hahn, Milan, Dublin and Bremen. Note that Ryanair uses Terminal 2, while all other airlines use Terminal 1.
Paunu route 61 connects Terminal 1 to Pyynikintori in central Tampere (€4), while Ryanair has its own bus service (€6) to Terminal 2. Both take around 40 minutes. In addition to regular taxi service (€25-40, 20 min), there is also a shared airport taxi service (€12 one-way between Tampere and airport) . The direct bus service betweeen the airport and Helsinki has stopped running.
By train
The Tampere train station, recently renovated to its former subtle Art Deco glory is located right at the city center, at the east end of the main street Hämeenkatu. Most hotels are within walking distance of the station.
Tampere has extensive train links, with lines to Helsinki, Turku, up north to Lapland, east towards Jyväskylä and west to Pori. The trip to/from Helsinki by Pendolino express takes 1:30 and costs €32, while a local train will take just over 2 hours for the same trip and charge €21. On weekdays, trains to Helsinki run at least about once every hour between early morning and late evening. On weekends, there may be a gap of up to 2 hours between trains. For Finnish students (ISIC not accepted) and children (6-17 years) all train tickets are half price.
From Helsinki's airport, the fastest way to Tampere is to take a bus or taxi to Tikkurila station and board long-distance trains there. The station ticket office is closed at night, but tickets can be purchased from machines (cash only) or on board.
By coach
There is an almost hourly Expressbus coach connection from Helsinki-Vantaa airport to Tampere bus station operated by Paunu, departing from platform 13 in front of the international flights terminal. The service operates round the clock, although there may be a gap of 1 to 2 hours between services in the small hours of the night. The trip takes between 2 h and 2 h 30 min depending on whether the service calls in towns on the way. In some cases, there is a change of coach at Keimolanportti but it is well co-ordinated and easy. Tickets cost €22.50 (round trip €40.50) for adults, €11.30 for Finnish students (ISIC not accepted) and children of age 4-16. Children under the age of four travel free.
By car
Tampere can be easily reached by car. The drive from Helsinki takes about 2 hours and there is a four-lane motorway throughout the journey (speed limit 120 km/h with small portions 100 km/h in the summer, or 100 km/h throughout in the winter). The motorway is new and in excellent condition but is mainly not lit so some care must be exercised when driving in the dark, particularly in the winter when driving conditions can be harsh due to snow and slippery road surface.
There are also road connections from Tampere to Turku, Pori, Rauma, Seinäjoki/Vaasa, Jyväskylä and Lahti but these are mostly two-lane regular roads with speed limits between 80 km/h and 100 km/h.
Traveling around
By bus
The city centre of Tampere is small enough to be covered on foot, but an extensive bus network connects the suburbs and the downtown. In the city centre, most of the bus lines pass through Hämeenkatu. All buses stop at or near the central square, and the City of Tampere operates a handy trip planner service .
Single tickets for adults (12 years and above) cost €2.50 and children cost €1, and allowed unlimited transfers within 60 minutes. Every paying adult can be accompanied for free by one child under the age of 7. Adults with a baby in a pushchair can travel for free. Between midnight and 4/5 AM, night buses labeled "Y" charge €2.50 extra. Tickets can be purchased on board.
You can purchase a Tampere Tourist Card for unlimited travel by bus within the Tampere city borders (€6 for the first day, additional days cost €4 for adults; youth and children are €4/€3 and €3/€2 respectively). Purchase the smartcard at the railway or bus station, central square kiosk or city transportation office at Frenckellinaukio 2 B, on the northeastern side of the central square.
The tickets are also valid on most regional bus lines (lines 45-95) within city limits. You'll recognize a city tariff zone bus from the "hailing driver" logo near the right corner of the front of the bus.
If you're traveling outside the city limits, for instance to Kangasala, you have to pay according to the distance of your trip, so just tell the driver where you're going and how many tickets you want.
By taxi
As elsewhere in Finland, taxis in Tampere are clean, safe, reliable and expensive. The cost of the trip depends on the number of passengers and time of day (day/night). As an example, 1-2 persons traveling in daytime a 5-kilometre trip costs about €10; and a 10 km trip about €16. You can try to hail a passing cab if its roof light is on, but the usual way is to find nearest taxi stand and get a cab from there; or call for a taxi (the number is 10041 from landline, or 01004131 from a mobile phone). Taxis accept major credit cards. Taxis can be slightly difficult to obtain on weekend nights and during Sundays.
By car
Most major car rental companies have offices in Tampere. Driving in Tampere is rather straightforward but keep in mind that many streets in the city centre are one-way and streetside parking spaces may be difficult to find at certain times of day (there is no shortage of parking spaces in indoor car parks though). Heed moose warning signs, especially at dawn and dusk.
See
Museums and galleries
Most of Tampere's museums concentrate on its working-class history. Kids will get a kick out of the Moomin Valley and the Spy Museum, while the top draw for adults is probably the Lenin Museum.
Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing (Amurin työläismuseokortteli) , +358 3 5656 6690, Tue-Sun 10-18. Open in summer only., Satakunnankatu 49, Amuri is a block of 19th century houses turned into a museum that shows how workers used to live. The houses form an almost closed inner court, and share only one kitchen.
Finnish Boxing Museum (Suomen nyrkkeilymuseo), +358 400 830 128, +358 400 830 128, Open by prior agreement only, Aleksanterinkatu 26 B, Finnish and international boxing equipment, photographs and other items.
Finnish Labour Museum Werstas (Työväenmuseo Werstas) , Tue-Sun 11-18, Väinö Linnan aukio 8, Changing exhibitions. Tickets also valid for the Textile Industry Museum and the Steam Engine Museum.
Hiekka Art Museum (Hiekan taidemuseo) , +358 3 212 3973, Tue 15-18, Wed 15-19, Thu 15-18, Sun 12-15, Pirkankatu 6, Home museum of art collector Kustaa Hiekka.
Lenin Museum (Lenin-museo) , Mon-Fri 09-18, Sat Sun 11-16, Hämeenpuisto 28, Tampere's most offbeat attraction and well worth a visit if you have any interest, serious or humorous, in the Soviet revolutionary figure who spent some time in exile in Tampere. Lenin and Stalin met for the first time in this very apartment. Exhibits include a sofa that Lenin slept on and more busts that you can shake a stick at. There is also a wacky but fairly expensive gift shop.
Mineral Museum (Tampereen kivimuseo) , +358 3 5656 6046, Tue-Fri 09-17, Sat-Sun 10-18, Hämeenpuisto 20, Basement of Metso Library, Not quite as boring as you'd think, the museum has plenty of gemstones cut and raw including a 600-kg chunk of Brazilian amethyst, meteorites and even a couple of dinosaur eggs.
The Moominvalley of the Tampere Art Museum (Muumilaakso) , +358 3 5656 6578, +358 3 5656 6578, Tue-Fri 9-17, Sat-Sun 10-18, Hämeenpuisto 20, In the same building with main library Metso, Museum devoted to the Tove Jansson characters, with original sketches and drawings. The permanent exhibition is rather staid, but there are occasional performances aimed children.
Rupriikki , +358 3 5656 6411, +358 3 5656 6411, Tue-Sun 10-18, Väinö Linnan aukio 13 (Finlayson), Media museum focusing on the history and development of mass communications.
Sara Hildén Art Museum (Sara Hildénin taidemuseo) , , Tue-Sun 11-18, Särkänniemi, Modern art, both Finnish and foreign.
Spy Museum (Vakoilumuseo) , Jun-Aug: Mon-Sat 10-18, Sun 11-17. Sep-May: Mon-Sat 12-18, Sun 11-17, Satakunnankatu 18, Claims to be the first spy museum in the world, exhibiting everything from spy cameras to secret weapons. Admission €7 (adults) / €5.50 (children and students).
Tampere Art Museum (Tampereen taidemuseo) , Tue-Sun 10-18, Puutarhakatu 34, Changing exhibitions of Finnish and foreign art.
Vapriikki , Jun-Aug: Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 10-18, Wed 11-20. Sep-May: Tue, Thu-Sun 10-18, Wed 11-20, Veturiaukio 4, Changing exhibitions. Basic exhibitions include the history of Pirkanmaa, a shoe museum and a hockey museum.
Art and Craftcenter Verkaranta (Käsi- ja taideteollisuuskeskus Verkaranta) , +358 3 225 1409, +358 3 225 1409, Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat-Sun 11-16 (12-17 in summer), Verkatehtaankatu 2, Monthly exhibitions on arts and crafts.
Churches
Kaleva Church (Kalevan kirkko) , Liisanpuisto 1, Solid concrete modernist church designed by famous architect Reima Pietilä in 1966. Locals call it
Messukylä Old Church (Messukylän vanha kirkko) , Kivikirkontie 2, The oldest building in Tampere, built in medieval times with parts dating back to the 1400s. Unheated and thus open only from May to August.
Tampere Cathedral (Tampereen tuomiokirkko) , Tuomiokirkonkatu, Imposing church in the National Romantic style, designed by architect Lars Sonck and completed in 1907. The interior has a series of famously macabre frescos by Hugo Simberg, including **The Wounded Angel** (once voted Finland's
Tampere Orthodox Church (Tampereen ortodoksikirkko) , Suvantokatu 10, Russian-style onion-domed church dating to 1896, serving Tampere's tiny Orthodox minority.
Parks and islands
Duck Park (Sorsapuisto) , Yliopistonkatu, Large park around a pond by Tampere Hall, near the city centre. Good choice for a summer picnic. In the summer there are also different species of birds in cages by the pond.
Hatanpää Arboretum , Hatanpään puistokuja, About 2km south via Hatanpään valtatie from the city centre, turn to right on Hatanpään puistokuja, An arboretum (a collection of trees and plants), a rose garden and a park by Lake Pyhäjärvi.
Koskipuisto Park , Newly renovated park by the Tammerkoski rapids in the center of the city. Popular place to have a picnic or a beer on a sunny summer day.
Näsi Park (Näsinpuisto) , Nice park by Lake Näsijärvi, created in the early 20th century. Starts from the north end of Hämeenpuisto. On the highest point of the park lies a memorial for the victims of the shipwreck of S/S Kuru, which sunk off Tampere in 1929, killing 138 people. By the memorial you'll have a great view over the lake Näsijärvi and Särkänniemi Adventure Park.
Southern Park (Eteläpuisto), Eteläpuisto, At the southern end of Hämeenpuisto, A park with a fountain. From the park you can walk through the woods to Pyynikin uimaranta, the most popular beach in Tampere.
Viikinsaari Island , On a sunny summer day take a 20-minute boat trip from Laukontori to Viikinsaari Island. There are swimming shores, playgrounds, a fireplace for roasting sausages and such (buy them beforehand) and a restaurant with a dance pavilion on the island. Most of the island is a nature reserve.
Others
Pispala, Between Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi, this formerly working-class neighborhood has gentrified radically and is currently one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Tampere. However, you can still get a glimpse of the history at the area as there are lots of original houses left. Along with neighouring *Pyynikki* it forms an important historical area of Tampere. You can enjoy nature at Pyynikki Park and climb up to Pyynikki Tower for nice views over the ridge, lakes and the city, and enjoy coffee and doughnuts afterwards. In the summer you can also stop by at *Pyynikin kesäteatteri* by Lake Pyhäjärvi for open-air theatre at a revolving auditorium.
Särkänniemi Adventure Park , Theme park between May and Sept, art museum and restaurant throughout the year. Includes a dolphinarium and the landmark *Näsinneula* tower, topped by the inevitable revolving restaurant. On a summer day the views of the surrounding forests and lakes are quite nice though.
Tampere City Library (Metso) , Mon-Fri 9:30 AM-8 PM, Sat 9:30 AM-3 PM, Pirkankatu 2, In 1978 a competition was arranged for the design of a new main library. The jury unanimously chose the design by Raili and Reima Pietilä. The architects said they had been influenced by various elements, such as Celtic ornaments, sheep horns and glacial spin formations. The basic idea was a space coiling spirally like the shell of a snail. The form of a bird appeared in the design process. Increasingly, the building began to resemble a large game bird, the capercaillie, known in Finnish as **metso** — now the building's nickname. Seen from above, the building looks like a bird carrying a shield. Houses the Moominvalley exhibition and the Mineral Museum.
Haihara Mansion (Haiharan kartano) , A peaceful place to visit on a warm summer day. There is a cafe, art exhibitions and a garden. The mansion's history dates back to 16th century. The last stop of bus line 15 is near Haihara.
Hervanta, The suburb of Hervanta is located about 10 km south of the city center and can be reached either by taxi or bus lines 13, 20, 23, 30 or 39. It is the location of Tampere University of Technology, Hermia Technology Center and a large amount of student housing. Many high-tech companies including Nokia have offices in Hervanta. What makes Hervanta infamous is the large amount of 1970's concrete residential tower blocks and the social problems it suffered, especially during 1980's. If you happen to be around Hervanta when the university is in session, you might run into a student party somewhere. Thursdays are the most popular days for these.
Things to do
Cruises , To Hämeenlinna (a leisurely 8 hours), to Nokia (a town, not the company) or just on the lake are popular in the summer. There are many regular boat routes on both lakes (Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi).
Downhill skiing , , There are two small skiing hills in Tampere. One is in Hervanta (buses 13, 23 and 30) the other one in Mustavuori (buses 70 and 71), near Kalkku. The longest slope in Hervanta is 350 meters with altitude change of 59 meters. In Mustavuori the numbers are 350 meters and 69 meters accordingly. Both hills offer courses and equipment rental.
Fishing , You can fish at the Tammerkoski rapids that run right through the city center. You need to purchase a fishing permit from a nearby R-kioski (Hatanpään valtatie 2), tourist office (Verkatehtaankatu 2) or a vending machine at the wall of restaurant Rosso. You may catch at most three salmonoids a day, whitefish not included.
Football , *Tampere United* football club has won the Finnish championship in 2001, 2006 and 2007.
Farm holiday , A farm holiday is a way to experience Finnish countryside. Farms and cottages are mostly available during summer but there may be exceptions.
Hiking around forests, In Finland, everyone has a right of public access to the wilderness provided that you don't cause damage. In Tampere, good hiking grounds with marked paths can be found in the Pyynikki and Kauppi forests.
Holiday Club Tampere Spa (Tampereen kylpylä) , 7:30-21:00, A spa hotel, about 1 km from the city centre, built into an old cotton mill situated next to a marina. The large spa department offers swimming pools, jacuzzis, a children's pool, saunas, a steam room, and spa treatments also for day visitors.
Ice hockey , Keltinkatu 2, Tampere has two ice hockey teams, *Tappara* and *Ilves* , which are among the most successful in Finland.
Ice swimming, During winter, you can combine sauna with ice swimming: drill a hole into the ice cover of a lake and hop in! The water under the ice stays at constant temperature of +4°C, and is **very** refreshing. You can try ice swimming at *Kaupinojan sauna* , or *Rauhaniemen kansankylpylä* on Rauhaniementie near hotel Holiday Club Tampere.
Ice walk, A popular pastime during sunny midwinter day is to go for an ice walk. In March people walk about a 1km trip to a small island of Siilinkari on lake Näsijärvi and have a picnic. Be aware that it's only safe to walk on well-frozen lake. Only go if you see other people (and not just ice-fishers) doing so.
Midnight sun, Even though the Midnight sun doesn't quite reach Tampere (you need to be north of the Arctic Circle for the proper midnight sun), the summer nights are bright. In midsummer, the sun sets for just couple of hours and there is no darkness, only twilight. This is nice for spending mild summer evenings outdoors. The downside of this is that during winter months, the day is very short and the night already falls in the afternoon.
Rajaportin sauna , 358 45 136 5557, Mon, Wed 18-22, Fri 15-21, Sat 14-22, Pispalan valtatie 9, The oldest still-functioning public sauna in Finland. Located in historical Pispala, easily reached with buses 1, 13, 18, 19, 25 and 26. In old days, people who didn't have a sauna of their own went to a public sauna to clean up. In addition to seeing a piece of history, you can experience one of the best quality saunas in the world: the stove is three cubic meters in size and contains over a ton of stones that are heated literally glowing red with burning logs. After simmering for couple of hours, the sauna is ready for the customers, and it doesn't get any bigger or better than this!
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Terraces, During warm summer days, people enjoy sitting on outdoor terraces of restaurants and have a beer or two. You can see outdoor tables and chairs being set up outside restaurants as soon as the first sunny and warm(ish) spring days arrive.
Eat
Tampere is (in)famous for its black sausage (mustamakkara), a sausage made of blood. The cheapest and most authentic way to try this is to buy from one of the stalls at the Tammelantori or Laukontori markets, with a dab of lingonberry jam (puolukkahillo) and a pint of milk (maito) on the side, but old Tampere hands will insist that the one true condiment is a mix of lingonberry jam and mustard. Order by price, not weight: "two euros" (kaksi euroa) will get you a nice hefty chunk. You can also try a doughnut (donitsi) with a cup of coffee. Note that both markets close by 2PM and are closed Sundays too.
Budget
For inexpensive fast food, you can always visit McDonald's and Subway, or their domestic equivalents Hesburger and Rolls. Finnish pizza franchise Kotipizza has restaurants throughout the city. Ethnic pizza and kebab restaurants can be found throughout the city and are usually even cheaper than international fast food restaurants. Many of the mid-range restaurants also have lunch offers under €10.
Gopal , +358 3 253 1002, Mon-Fri 11-16, Sat 12-16, Ilmarinkatu, Vegetarian lunch restaurant. Food seasoned in an Indian manner, not an Indian restaurant though.
Katupoika , +358 3 2720 201, Mon-Sat 11-21 (or later), Aleksanterinkatu 20, Proudly serving hearty portions of real Tampere food for over thirty years, including black sausage. The mural in the restaurant depicts a view of Pispala, one of Tampere's **harju** hills.
Kim Long, Itsenäisyydenkatu 2, A rather decent Chinese restaurant just outside the railway station's passage.
Pizzeria Napoli , +358 3 223 8887, Mon-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 13-23, Aleksanterinkatu 31, The oldest pizzeria in Tampere. Pizzas vary from the ordinary to exotic (for example ostrich meat, or Finlandia vodka with fried game, or habanero)
Gastropub Praha , +358 3 2612 500, Mon-Thu 17:00-23:30, Fri 16-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 15-21, Itsenäisyydenkatu 11
Veijon Kokkitykki, Located by Tammmelantori square. Traditional style fish food, loved by many.
Nguyen Cao Su, Aleksanterinkatu 30, Called
Mid-range
2h+k , +358 3 2131 131, Mon 12-22, Tue-Thu 12-24, Fri-Sat 12-01, Sun 13-23, Aleksanterinkatu 33, Delibar, serves e.g. warm breads
Aino ja Ilmari, +358 3 253 2630, Mon-Fri 11-22, Sat 12-22, Sun 13-18, Tammelan puistokatu 27
Amarillo , +358 3 5698 6114, Hatanpään valtatie 1, Tex mex restaurant, part of the Amarillo chain.
Antika , +358 3 2141 282, Tue-Fri 11-14 and 16-23, Sat 12-23, Sun 13-20, Väinölänkatu 1, Excellent Greek restaurant located in Tammela. Very cosy atmosphere and friendly staff.
Athur , Mon-Fri 11-23, Sat 12-23, Sun 12-21, Lapinniemenranta 12, Restaurant at Holiday Club Tampere Spa.
Bella Roma Siperia , +358 3 222 1303, +358 3 222 1303, Mon-Tue 11-22, Wed-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 13-21, Itäinenkatu 5-7 (Siperia), Italian restaurant located in Finlayson's Siperia.
Bodega Salud , +358 3 2334 400, +358 3 2334 400, Mon-Fri 11-, Sat 12-, Sun 13-, Tuomiokirkonkatu 19, Spanish eatery catering to carnivores and vegetarians. Serves also more exotic courses such as Rocky Mountain oysters, gnu, and kangaroo.
Classic American Diner , +358 3 2604 500, +358 3 2604 500, Mon-Wed 11-21, Thu-Fri 11-23, Sat 12-24, Sun 12-22, Itäinen katu 9-13 (Siperia), American style burger restaurant.
Coussicca , +358 3 2552 100, +358 3 2552 100, Mon-Fri 11-22, Sat-Sun 12-21, Nyyrikintie 2, The oldest restaurant in Tampere. Known for its large breaded pork escalope, or **Coussican vinkkari**.
Coyote Bar & Grill , +358 3 2143 911, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 12-24, Hämeenkatu 3
Golden Unicorn , +358 3 222 0321, Mon-Thu 11-22, Fri 11-23, Sat 12-23, Sun 12-22, Hallituskatu 3, Chinese restaurant very near Keskustori. Also take-away.
El Toro , +358 3 2131 755, +358 3 2131 755, Mon-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 14-22, Hämeenkatu 26, Steak restaurant.
Esperanza Kitchen & Tequileria , +358 3 4474 810, +358 3 4474 810, Mon-Thu 11-14 and 17-23, Fri 11-14 and 17-24, Sat 14-24, Hämeenkatu 10, Spanish-mexican restaurant located under Hämeenkatu.
Frankly , +358 3 2120 235, +358 3 2120 235, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 14-23, Hallituskatu 22
Gastropub Tuulensuu , +358 3 2141 553, Sun-Fri 17-24, Sat 12-24, Hämeenpuisto 23, Small, moody gastropub serving tasty food. Good selection of foreign beers, ciders, wines and cigars. Friendly and competent staff.
The Grill , +358 3 260 3355, +358 3 260 3355, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 13-20, Frenckellin aukio, Spanish-international cuisine with an emphasis on grilled food. Good price/quality ratio.
Gringos Locos , +358 3 2133 700, +358 3 2133 700, Mon-Tue 17-22, Wed-Thu 17-23, Fri 17-01, Sat 13-01, Sun 13-22, Kehräsaari, Tex mex restaurant
Harald , +358 3 2138 380, +358 3 2138 380, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 13-21, Hämeenkatu 23, Viking restaurant.
Havana Bar & Grill , +358 3 2239 333, +358 3 2239 333, Sun-Thu 15-24, Fri 15-03, Sat 12-03, Hämeenkatu 15, Located by the bank of Tammerkoski.
Hook , +358 3 2233 284, Mon-Thu 16-24, Fri 16-01, Sat 14-01, Sun 14-22, Kehräsaari 101, Wings restaurant.
Knossos , +358 3 2238 898, +358 3 2238 898, Mon 11-15, Tue-Thu 11-21, Fri 11-22, Sat 12-22, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Koskikeskus), Greek restaurant.
Laterna , +358 3 272 0241, +358 3 272 0241, Tue-Thu 17-23, Fri-Sat 17-04, Puutarhakatu 11, Russian cuisine
Lotus Garden, Rongankatu 5, Chinese restaurant near the railway station. Also take-away.
Maruseki , +358 3 2120 728, +358 3 2120 728, Tue-Thu 11-21, Fri 11-22, Sat 11-21, Hallituskatu 7, Japanese restaurant and tea house founded and owned by Marjo Seki, who lived 20 years in Japan as a teacher and interpreter. Maruseki had the first tea house in Finland, and you can experience real Japanese dinner kneeling in front of a **kotatsu**-table wearing a **kimono**.
Montree , +358 3 2130 490, +358 3 2130 490, Mon-Thu 11-15, Fri 11-18 (reservation required after 17), Sat 18-24 (reservation required), Hammareninkatu 7, Thai food.
Myllärit , +358 3 2722 660, +358 3 2722 660, Mon 11-14, Tue-Thu 11-23, Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Åkerlundinkatu 4
Nanda Devi , +358 3 2130 935, Mon-Thu 11-22, Fri-Sat 11-23, Sun 12-22, Näsilinnankatu 17, Indian restaurant.
Natalie , +358 3 223 2040, +358 3 223 2040, Tue-Sat 17-24, Hallituskatu 19, Slavic restaurant.
Old Oliver's , +358 3 213 4204, +358 3 213 4204, Mon-Tue 11-22, Wed-Thu 11-23, Fri-Sat 11-00, Sun 12-22, Kuninkaankatu 24
Pancho Villa , +358 3 213 1232, +358 3 213 1232, Mon-Fri 11-, Sat-Sun 12-, Hämeenkatu 23, branches also at Satakunnankatu 22, Tammelan puistokatu 34, Mexican/tex-mex style restaurant. Good price/quality ratio.
Piazza Foodfactory & Bar , +358 3 2446 2207, +358 3 2446 2207, Mon-Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Sun 12-22, Hämeenkatu 1, Mixed kitchen.
Plevna , , Mon 11-23, Tue-Thu 11-01, Fri-Sat 11-02, Sun 12-23, Itäinenkatu 8, Czech-German microbrewery-pub with more sausages and sauerkraut than you can shake a mug at. Not only do they brew their own beer, but they distill their own spirits as well. Located in an old factory building.
Ragu's Wok & Grill , +358 3 213 1599, Mon-Sat 11:00-22:30, Sun 12:00-22:30, Ilmarinkatu 8 (Tammelantori), Malaysian restaurant.
Ravintolalaiva Tampere, Restaurant ship Tampere makes lunch and dinner cruises on lake Pyhäjärvi. Departs from Laukontori.
Rosso , +358 3 223 1751, +358 3 223 1751, Sun-Thu 11-24, Fri-Sat 11-01, Koskipuisto, A popular family restaurant, that belongs to the Rosso chain. Food is cheap and restaurants offer good playgrounds and dishes for children. An excellent view to Tammerkoski.
Saha , +358 3 2134 585, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Koskikeskus)
SpeakEasy, +358 3 2604 777, +358 3 2604 777, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri 11-01, Sat 12-01, Sun 12-24, Päämääränkuja 10 (Siperia), Wings restaurant in two floors. The more
Star & Moonlight, +358 3 2140 284, Mon - Fri 11 - 22, Sat - Sun 12 - 22 , Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Koskikeskus), Small Indian restaurant, behind Koskikeskus. Good lunch specials.
Ströget , +358 3 2226 490, +358 3 2226 490, Mon-Fri 10:30-18:00, Sat 11-17, Laukontori 10, Danish style sandwiches (smørrebrød).
Veganissimo , +358 3 213 0323, Mon-Tue 11-20, Wed-Thu 11-22, Fri 11-24, Sat 13-24, Otavalankatu 10, Vegetarian restaurant, all dishes suitable for vegans also.
Wistub Alsace , +358 3 2120 260, +358 3 2120 260, Tue-Fri 16-22, Sat 15-22, Laukontori 6B, Hearty Alsatian restaurant in the heart of Tampere. All the traditional Alsatian meals are represented on the menu.
Splurge
Astor , +358 3 260 5700, +358 3 260 5700, Mon-Thu 11-24, Fri-Sat 11-02, Sun 14-22, Aleksis Kiven katu 26, European kitchen.
Finlaysonin Palatsi , +358 400 219 530, +358 400 219 530, Tue-Fri 11-24, Sat 12-24, Kuninkaankatu 1, Beautifully located at the Finlayson family's old palace.
Hella ja huone , +358 3 253 2440, +358 3 253 2440, Tue-Sat 18-, Salhojankatu 48, French cuisine.
Henriks , +358 3 272 0221, +358 3 272 0221, Lunchtime: Mon-Fri 11:00-14:30. Evenings: Mon-Tue 17-22, Wed-Fri 17-24, Sat 13-24, Satamakatu 7
Hämeensilta , +358 3 212 7207, Tue-Thu 21-02, Fri-Sat 21-04, Hämeenkatu 13, A dance & music restaurant in the heart of Tampere. Popular among the 50+ generation.
Masuuni , +358 3 5698 6121, +358 3 5698 6121, Mon-Thu 18-23, Fri 18-24, Sat 17-24, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Hotel Ilves)
Näsinneula , +358 20 7130 234, 11-23.30, Särkänniemi, Revolving restaurant atop the sightseeing tower. Needless to say, it's expensive, but they specialize in Finnish ingredients and the results are above average.
Tammer , +358 20 1234 630, Mon-Sat 11:30-23:30, Satakunnankatu 13
Tiiliholvi , +358 3 2720 231, +358 3 2720 231, Mon-Fri 11-15 and 17-24, Sat 13-24, Kauppakatu 10
Drink
Cafes
Amurin helmi , +358 3 5656 6634, Every day from 10 to 17 (during summer from 10 to 18), Satakunnankatu 49, Cosy athmosphere in an old wooden building which is part of Amuri museum of workers' housing. Tampere specialities and homemade bread.
Arnolds , +358 3 2234 850, Mon-Fri 09-20, Sat 10-17, Tullikatu 6 (Tullintori), Tasty doughnuts baked on location. There's another outlet at Koskikeskus.
Mokkamestarit , +358 3 2530 145, Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-16, Kuukuja 8 E, Great variety of different coffees sold for home use, roasted and grinded by themselves. Couple of different brands served for drinking on spot, brands changing daily.
Pyynikki Observation Tower Cafe , +358 3 212 3247, Every day from 09 to 20, Näkötornintie, Serves donuts appreciated by many. The observation tower is only 26 meters high, but since it is on a ridge, it offers a great view of Tampere and the surrounding lakes. It costs about one euro to climb up the observation tower.
Vohvelikahvila , +358 3 2144 225, Mon-Sat 09-20, Sun 10-20, Ojakatu 2, Small atmospheric cafe. The name means
Pubs and nightclubs
Nightlife in Tampere is brutally competitive and cheap beer promotions abound.
Pubs
See also Plevna in the Eat section for Tampere's oldest and largest microbrewery.
O'Connell's , +358 3 222 7032, Open every day 16-02, Rautatienkatu 24, Irish pub near the railway station. Many staff members and owners are Irish.
Salhojankadun Pub , +358 3 2553 376, Salhojankatu 29, English-style pub a little off the beaten track, but within walking distance of the railway station.
Gastropub Tuulensuu , +358 3 2141 553, Hämeenpuisto 23, A traditional style pub with an extensive selection (biggest in Tampere) of over one hundred imported Central European and other beers, especially self-imported Belgian brews. Also serves beer snacks and main courses.
Nightclubs
Doris , Fri-Sat 22-04, Tue-Thu, Sun 23-04, Aleksanterinkatu 20, Small but popular night club. Lovingly nicknamed **Dorka** (
Ilves , +358 20 1234 631, Wed-Sat 21-04, Hatanpään valtatie 1 (Hotel Ilves), Quite popular night club. Music mostly from top hits to club.
Klubi , Mon-Tue 11-22, Wed-Fri 11-04, Sat 15-04, Tullikamarinaukio 2, A bar/night club in the old customs house built in 1901. Live music presented often.
Love Hotel , +358 10 423 3222, Tue & Sun 23-04, Wed-Sat 22-04, Hämeenkatu 10, Fairly large night club in the center of the city. Private lounges (€89-150) and karaoke lounges (€150-300) available. Lounge prices include free entrance for 6 or 8 persons and a bottle of champagne.
Onnela , +358 20 7759 470, Puutarhakatu 21, A popular night club for twentysomethings. Has multiple departments with different music and visual style. Music from heavy rock to latest pop charts.
Ruma , Murtokatu, Popular night club selected the best of the town by City Magazine. Cheap drinks and entrance. Music played is something between rock and pop, often British bands. The tongue-in-cheek name means **Ugly**, since neither the interior nor most guests are.
Yo-talo , , Kauppakatu 10, Disco, clubs, and live music in a building from the early 20th century. Type and age of the crowd depends heavily on the program.
Sleep
Budget
Härmälä Camping , +358 3 265 1355, Leirintäkatu 8, Camping area about 3km from the city centre. Open only in summer.
Homeland Tampere , +358 3 3126 0200, +358 3 3126 0200, Kullervonkatu 19 A, Apartment hotel located near Tammelan tori, about 5min walk from the railway station.
Hostel Sofia , +358 3 2544 020, +358 3 2544 020, Tuomiokirkonkatu 12 A, Hostel located next to Tampere Cathedral.
Hotel Kauppi , +358 3 2535 353, +358 3 2535 353, Kalevan puistotie 2, A budget hotel/motel about 1 km from the city center, near Kauppi recreation forest.
Hotelli Iltatähti , +358 3 3151 6262, +358 3 3151 6262, Kyläojankatu 16, Has moved from central Tampere to Messukylä which is situated four kilometers away from Tampere downtown. It is specialized in long term accommodation but offers rooms on nightly basis also. Only four rooms.
Hotelli Haapalinna , +358 3 3453 335, +358 3 3453 335, Rahtimiehenkatu 3, A budget hotel located 4 km from the city center in a residential area, near bus routes.
Omena Hotel Tampere , Hämeenkatu 28, The local branch of a budget hotel chain, centrally located on the main street. A self-service hotel (no reception desk).
Summer Hotel Härmälä , +358 3 2651 355, +358 3 2651 355, June-August only, Nuolialantie 48, Located on a lakeside location, 4 km from the city center in a residential area, near bus routes. Located next to the Härmälä camping area.
Mid-range
Cumulus Hämeenpuisto , +358 3 3862 000, +358 3 3862 000, Hämeenpuisto 47, Located on a boulevard at a southern part of the city.
Cumulus Koskikatu , +358 3 2424 111, +358 3 2424 111, Koskikatu 5, Located in the center of the city next to the riverside park.
Cumulus Pinja , +358 3 2415 111, +358 3 2415 111, Satakunnankatu 10, A small hotel, located in the center of the city.
Holiday Inn Tampere , +358 3 2455 111, +358 3 2455 111, Yliopistonkatu 44, A business hotel, located right behind the railway station in the city centre.
Scandic Tampere City , +358 3 2446 111, +358 3 2446 111, Hämeenkatu 1, Located right across the street from the railway station, on the main street.
Sokos Hotel Villa , +358 20 1234 633, +358 20 1234 633, Sumeliuksenkatu 14, Built into an old grain storehouse, located right behind the railway station in the city centre.
Holiday Club Tampere , +358 210 100 000, Lapinniemenranta 12, A hotel/spa next to a marina, about 1 km from the city center. Built into an old cotton mill with high rooms.
Hotelli Victoria , +358 3 2425 111, +358 3 2425 111, Itsenäisyydenkatu 1, Located right behind the railway station in the city centre.
Splurge
Scandic Hotel Rosendahl , +358 3 2441 111, +358 3 2441 111, Pyynikintie 13, Located in a beautiful lakeside location right under Pyynikki ridge.
Sokos Hotel Ilves , +358 20 1234 631, +358 20 1234 631, Hatanpään valtatie 1, Tampere's best known hotel, centrally located next to the riverside park.
Sokos Hotel Tammer , +358 20 1234 632, +358 20 1234 632, Satakunnankatu 13, Historical 1920's style hotel, centrally located next to the riverside park.
Buy
Tampere has lots of shopping opportunities from small specialized shops to malls. Grocery stores in Tampere (and in Finland) are usually quite easy to find. Look for e.g. K-market, S-market, Sale, Siwa, and Valintatalo. Supermarkets (Prisma, Citymarket) are located outside the city centre.
Department stores
Stockmann , Hämeenkatu 4, Upscale department store right next to the railway station.
Sokos , Hämeenkatu 21, Large department store at the west end of the main street.
Anttila , Puutarhakatu 10, Large lower-end department store near Finlayson.
Malls
Koskikeskus , Hatanpään valtatie 1, Midsize mall at the riverbank, at the foot of Hotel Ilves.
Tullintori , Tullikatu 10, Smallish mall behind railway station, next to Hotel Villa.
Ideapark , Ideaparkinkatu 4, Lempäälä, Largest mall in Lempäälä with a special focus on furniture, interior decoration and clothing. Located along the Tampere-Helsinki motorway in Lempäälä, but bus/coach connections exist.
Bookshops
Akateeminen kirjakauppa , Hämeenkatu 6, Tampere's best selection of both Finnish and English language books, especially well stocked with non-fiction and university course books.
Suomalainen kirjakauppa , Several outlets, Two shops in Hämeenkatu and one in Koskikeskus mall. Mostly Finnish language fiction, but offers a small selection of English-language paperbacks.
Markets
Laukontori , South end of Aleksis Kiven katu, Marketplace at the shore of lake Pyhäjärvi. In addition to market booths, many Pyhäjärvi cruises start from the harbour right next to the market. From Laukontori you have also a good view of a local eccentricity: a fully-functioning cardboard factory at the middle of the city . This is a good reminder of the Tampere's industrial past.
Tammelantori, Tammelan puistokatu, Busy marketplace surrounded by rather dull-looking 70's apartment flats. Here you can taste the Tampere specialty, black sausage.
Other
Market Hall (Kauppahalli) , Hämeenkatu 19, Fresh food and other shopping in a historical market hall.
Kehräsaari, Next to Laukontori, Restaurants and touristy shopping at the mouth of the rapids between lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. You can walk from Laukontori to Koskikeskus via Kehräsaari.
Finlayson , At the north from main square, Historical cotton factory area, now renovated into area with shopping (**Siperia**), movie theater multiplex (**Plevna**), restaurants, night clubs, parks, offices and apartment buildings. The factory, founded by Scottish immigrant James Finlayson in 1820, helped Tampere grow into thriving industrial city. Towards the end of 1800's Finlayson factories grew into
Talk
People in Tampere speak Finnish and English like everybody else in Finland, but knowing a few words of Tampere dialect (Tampereen kiäli) is guaranteed to get you a few laughs. It's easy enough: just greet people with moro (with a trilling 'r'), refer to yourself as mää (pronounciation: /mæ:'/), call them sää (pronounciation: /sæ:'/) and end every sentence with nääs (pronounced /næs'/, like 'nash' in Nashville, except with a prolonged a (cf. "Naaaashville") and a normal 's' instead of 'sh'). A great sentence to practise is 'Mää en kylä enää ikänä alam mitää.' ('Minä en enää jaksa yrittää'(/m'inæ en 'enæ: y'aksa ür'ittæ:/ in plain Finnish) is pronounced: /m'æ: 'en k'ülæ 'enæ: ik'ænæ 'ala mitæ:/. That sentence means: 'I'm too tired to ever try again'.
Swedish is also spoken to a considerable degree, particularly by workers at many hotels and other tourist businesses, and also by many students at the academic level.
Safety
In general, Finland is a fairly safe country, and Tampere is no exception. On weekend nights, intoxicated people wandering around city streets may be an annoyance, especially on April 30th, the eve of May Day, when it's a common habit to get drunk; and when nice weather has people on the move. Intoxicated Finns tend to be (sometimes over-)friendly and curious towards foreigners, though black people and Arabs may sometimes experience racism. Just use your common sense, and steer clear of drunk people looking for a fight. Pickpockets occasionally lurk in crowds.
There are no exceptional crime problems or health hazards, although the extreme cold in the winter should be borne in mind by visitors, especially those planning outdoor activities. Whilst in summer the temperature rises occasionally to over 25ºC, in the winter months it can drop to around -30ºC for a day or two. Dressing warmly is a must. If you forget to bring winter clothing, you can always visit local shops for appropiate apparel. Also, watch out for slippery sidewalks in winter.
The Yliopiston Apteekki pharmacy at Hämeenkatu 16, near the main square is open daily from 7AM to 12PM.
Learn
There are two universities in Tampere; the University of Tampere , and Tampere University of Technology . The former has about 15,000 students and the latter about 10,000 students. Tampere has also two universities of applied sciences, the TAMK and PIRAMK , each of which has some 5,000 students.
City of Tampere runs the Adult Education Centre that offers rather cheap courses for everyone.
Contact
Internet cafes are not very common in Finland, and Tampere makes no exception. If you have your own laptop or a smartphone, most cafes offer free wireless internet (or WLAN as it is mostly called in Finland).
Get out
In the unlikely event that the stress of city life gets to you in Tampere, escape for a day of pampering at the spa in Nokia. A day trip to Nokia is a good idea also if you want to familiarize with the founding place of Nokia corporation and the history behind it, even if the company no longer has any actual offices there.
Tampere is a good base for visiting Finland if you arrive by Ryanair directly to Tampere: it is quite possible to make day trips by train e.g. to the capital Helsinki, to the historic capital Turku or to the town of Hämeenlinna. Both Turku and Hämeenlinna have small mediaeval castles that can be visited.
For the down-hill skiing enthusiast, there are ski stations in Sappee (Pälkäne, 50 km from Tampere) and Himos (Jämsä, 95 km from Tampere).
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Diogo Bruno, Olli Salonen, David, Bill Johnson, Otto Kakko, Joonas Linkola and Evan Prodromou, Inas, Tatatabot, Lx27798, Vesse, Morph, !!!!!adeen!!!!!, Cacahuate, Episteme, Rasbelin, Ypsilon, H virta, Jelse, Jschneider, InterLangBot, Nickpest and Sjc196
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