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Credits: Laura Vanzo / Kuuma Tampere

“Northern Europe’s best kept secret”

Welcome to tampere.

Thousands of meeting delegates and over a million travellers visit the city known as “Northern Europe’s best kept secret” each year.

Tampere’s secret to success is its originality – and its reputation as a hub of technology and innovation. Culture and conference centre Tampere Hall is one of the leading conference facilities in Finland and a major one in all of Scandinavia. With a main auditorium that seats 2,000, this hall is highly capable of hosting large conferences.

Where in Finland?

Population : 245 000

Flight connections : Tampere-Pirkkala Airport is situated a 15-minute drive away from the city centre

Distance from Helsinki :

– Airplane 30 minutes – Train 1.5-2 hours – Car 1.5 hours

Tampere Convention Bureau (association meetings & congresses) [email protected]

Visit Tampere (corporate events & incentives) [email protected]

Between two lakes

Tampere is a beautiful green city situated between two lakes. It offers an array of leisure activities, including saunas, hiking trails, lake cruises and fresh water swims.

All major hotels, restaurants and shops are within easy walking distance of the town’s centre.

A vibrant student city

Tampere is a lively town with a large student community. In January 2019, the University of Tampere merged with Tampere University of Technology to form Tampere University, which maintains close ties with Tampere University of Applied Sciences. Fields of study ranges from game culture to tumour genetics.

Easy facility visits

Tampere offers an innovative academic environment and numerous interesting research centres and laboratories for international meeting or conference delegates to visit. An extensive and experienced network of conference professionals is available to help with local arrangements.

Research and development

Tampere is known for education, research and technology. The region’s top fields of expertise include:

• Cleantech and Energy
• Creative Industries
• Education and Learning
• Healthcare and Life science
• Intelligent Machines
• Manufacturing Industries
• Nanotechnology
• Safety and security  

10 best places to visit in Tampere

Heading deep into the heart of Finland, nestled between the glassy surfaces of Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes, lies Tampere , a city that effortlessly fuses industrial heritage with the raw beauty of nature. Known as the “Manchester of Finland” due to its historical role in the country’s industrialization, Tampere is not merely a center of industry, but a beacon of culture, gastronomy, and breathtaking landscapes.

From the hum of marketplaces brimming with fresh Finnish delicacies to the hushed tranquility of ancient forests on the city’s doorstep, Tampere is a city of contrasts. It is where you can delve into Finland’s rich history one moment and be spellbound by contemporary art the next.

In Tampere, we find a large number of museums, restaurants and different historical places to visit. It is a Finnish city very different from Helsinki, so you can visit very different places and have new experiences.

Whether you are an intrepid explorer seeking outdoor adventure or a culture enthusiast hungry for theatre and museums, Tampere promises a bouquet of experiences. We are going to show you the 10 essential places that you cannot miss if you visit this endearing Finnish city.

Tampere Cathedral

The Lutheran Cathedral of Tampere dates from 1907 and is in the Gothic National Romantic style. It is built with Finnish grey granite and its roof is red.

The most striking aspect of the cathedral is the Gothic frescoes found inside, painted by the artist Hugo Simberg between 1905 and 1906.

The frescoes in the church were the subject of controversy at the time of their opening due to the representation of certain figures in the paintings, such as a snake on the ceiling representing sin and corruption.

However, over the years the frescoes have received numerous awards and recognitions, and are one of the main tourist attractions in the city.

The Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame

Hockey is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the entire country. For this reason, Tampere is home to one of only six museums in the world dedicated to this sport.

The museum’s permanent display shows the history of Finnish hockey , the most important achievements of the national team and the most famous players.

It is possible to see a large number of trophies and medals obtained in different competitions, the different shirts that the national team has used throughout history and other elements of great relevance in the history of this sport.

In addition to having different audiovisual exhibits that present the history of Finnish hockey, we find some interactive exhibits in which you can play hockey or even act as a commentator in a game.

Särkänniemi

Särkänniemi is much more than an amusement park. The complex houses an aquarium , planetarium, a huge amusement park and the world’s first Angry Birds theme park.

With such a large catalogue of activities at your disposal, you can spend a whole day enjoying Särkänniemi.

In addition, on designated dates, very popular events, such as Halloween, are held inside and the entire venue changes its decoration to suit the celebration.

Särkänniemi stands out without a doubt for being the first amusement park in the world to have a thematic enclosure dedicated to the Angry Birds , the famous characters that have their origin in Finland. Its aquarium, with more than 200 species, is also one of the most important in the entire country.

Näsinneula Tower

The Näsinneula tower is located in the interior of Särkänniemi, so you can take advantage of your visit to the park to climb it.

It is the tallest observation tower in all of Scandinavia at a height of 168 meters.

The Näsinneula Tower was built in 1971 and its design is based on the Space Needle in Seattle.

In addition, the observation tower has a revolving restaurant , so you can take the opportunity to stop for lunch and rest while enjoying the impressive views of the entire city.

From the tower, you can see the entire urban landscape of Tampere, the huge forests that surround the city and the many lakes found in the region.

Hatanpää Arboretum

The Hatanpää Arboretum is an arboretum and botanical garden that is located about 3 kilometres from the centre of the city of Tampere, very close to the hospital.

The arboretum has about four hectares through which we recommend you to walk if the weather allows it, enjoying the plants and the wonderful views of Lake Pyhäjärvi .

In the arboretum, we also find the Hatanpää Manor , a neoclassical manor house that belonged to Hans Henrik Boije, the host of the Swedish King Gustav III during his visit to Tampere in 1775. Today, the mansion houses a collection of dolls belonging to the pukumuseum.

The Hatanpää Arboretum has mainly typical plants from the Tampere bioclimatic zone, but it is also possible to find some rare and exotic plants . In total, it is possible to find about 500 different species of plants.

Pyynikki Observation Tower

Pyynikki is one of the districts of the city of Tampere. In it, we find one of the most important natural reserves in the region. It is located in the Pyynikinharju mountain range, the highest esker in the world that rises up to 85 meters above the lake level.

The reserve has numerous paths to walk along and enjoy the views it offers of the lake and the city.

The Pyynikki observation tower , built in 1929, stands at the highest point of the mountain range. Its construction was carried out because the previous wooden tower suffered serious damage during the First World War.

It is possible to enter the interior of the tower and climb to its highest point to enjoy the impressive views of the forest , Lake Pyhäjärvi and the entire city. In addition, in the lower part of the tower, there is a famous cafe where it is possible to taste some typical sweets of the country.

Alexander Church

The Alexander Church is possibly the most impressive in Tampere, second only to the cathedral. It was built between 1880 and 1881 and is named in honour of Tsar Alexander II of Russia.

The church is in the Gothic style and is built with the red brick that characterizes the entire city of Tampere. Its roof is tinted green due to the passage of time.

Outside there is a cemetery and huge gardens that it is also possible to visit and appreciate the history they collect.

Tampere Market Hall

The Tampere market hall is another one of the places that you cannot miss. It has been open since 1901 and is the largest covered market in the Nordic countries.

Inside, it is possible to find all kinds of products and coffees, both local and international. We recommend stopping to eat there to try some typical Tampere dishes and to be able to talk with the owners of the different stalls that you will find.

Vapriikki Museum

The Vapriikki Museum is located in the old grounds of Tampella, an important 20th century heavy industry factory.

The complex, of about 14,000 square meters, houses different museums , among which the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Dolls, the Museum and Minerals and the Media Museum stand out. In addition to all of them, Vapriikki has several temporary exhibitions that alternate throughout the year.

Kaleva Church

The Kaleva Church was built between 1964 and 1966, and its design was commissioned to the architects Raili and Reima Pietilä.

This Lutheran church has a somewhat peculiar design and tries to imitate the shape of a fish, one of the Christian symbols. The architects were also commissioned to design the interior of the building, including the altar, the pews and the church organ.

The massive concrete walls feature numerous windows extending from floor to ceiling, which bring a great deal of light to the interior of the building.

The 30-meter-high church can hold a total of 1,200 people, including 115 seats for the choir.

It is considered one of the key works of post-war Finnish modernism and, since 2006, it is a building protected by Church Law.

These are ten of the places that you cannot miss if you visit Tampere . Tell us in the comments which are your favourite and, if you liked the article, we invite you to share it on social networks using the buttons you will find below.

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I visited Finland’s underrated second city – here’s why you should too

The world’s sauna capital and Finland’s second-biggest urban centre, Tampere is one of Europe’s most overlooked city breaks

Think of Finland and chances are happiness, saunas and Lapland come to mind. Or you might immediately think of its capital Helsinki , well-known for its alternative arts and music scene – take boutique festival Flow , which sets up shop in a decommissioned power plant in the centre of the city each summer, or Vallisaari i sland, a former military base turned art trail that showcases contemporary artworks among a scattering of unexploded landmines. 

It’s unlikely Tampere, Finland’s second city, comes to mind at all. Unlike other European nations, where the likes of Barcelona , Milan , Marseille or Geneva are popular tourist destinations in their own right, Tampere is still very much a hidden gem.

Located 111 miles north of Helsinki, between Näsijärvi and Pyhä­järvi lakes, Tampere is home to around 227,000 people  and has officially been the sauna capital of the world since 2018. Thanks to the buzzy student population and recently opened tram line, it has the energy of a city that knows it’s about to become the next big thing.

On a recent visit, I sampled the best this underrated city has to offer: relaxing in saunas, trying locally-foraged food and exploring its eclectic culture scene. Here’s why you should go before the saunas get too cosy.

Jess Phillips  is Time Out’s Senior Social Media Editor. For more about how we curate, see our  editorial guidelines .

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Why to visit Tampere, Finland’s second city

If you’re not getting hot and sweaty in a room full of strangers in speedos, you’re not doing Tampere right. The city has 55 public saunas – and they’re nothing like the ones at your local gym.

We visited Huvilan Sauna , one of the city’s many traditional wood-heated saunas, found on the grounds of a nineteenth-century villa. A refuge and orphanage in its past life, Huvilan now offers affordable single-sex and mixed sauna visits for €8 (£6.85). On-site sauna healer Siiri Koski talked us through the traditions and mythology of the Finnish sauna: apparently, they're protected by elves and even used by brides-to-be for luck ahead of the big day ( women run around the sauna for each past-boyfriend, shouting his name to expel bad energy).

Koski also demonstrated how to build whisks – birch twigs and leaves tied together with twine – to be used to whip yourself (or others) into relaxation.  For the full authentic experience, we were encouraged to sprint starkers straight from the heat to the nearby lake for a swim.

Then there are the bougier takes. We visited Sauna Restaurant Kuum , a smart-casual restaurant found on the banks of Lake Pyhäjärvi, which has both a wood-heated and smoke sauna. It specialises in traditional Nordic cuisine such as loheikkito, a creamy salmon soup with onions, potatoes and dill. But that’s not its USP. That would be the heated glasshouse you slurp it down in. 

Periscope , our next sauna stop, takes things up a level again. As Europe’s largest roof terrace it’s got the views downpat with panoramic saunas overlooking Tammerkoski rapids and Ratina Stadium . Just to show off, the bar also offers three jacuzzis, regular DJs sets and acrobatic performances.

Traditional Finnish cooking pays homage to nature, incorporating fresh seasonal ingredients often caught and foraged by locals. Finland has a law of ‘everyman’s right’, allowing Finns to pick almost anything, from cranberries, mushrooms and sorrel, found in the wild (discounting family gardens and nature reserves). It’s basically the foraging Hunger Games out there.

Kajo , a neighbourhood-restaurant-meets-wine-bar takes the nation’s cook-what-you -pick ethos seriously. Its 10-course Ode to Nature tasting menu is a zero-waste seasonal offering made from local produce. It’s experimental and classic, serving up dishes like sourdough brioche (a highlight) and oyster mushrooms cooked in charcoal oil, followed by cloudberries and lemon eucalyptus meringue. The wine list is also biodynamic, which means no nasty chemicals, and less chance of a hangover. 

If you do wake up with a sore head, it’s worth hiking the nature trail to Pyynikki Observation Tower which has unmatched views of the city, surrounding lakes and forests. The cafe on the ground floor serves doughnut s made from a secret 80-year-old recipe – when we tucked in it was clear why they’re widely regarded to be among the best in Finland.

The culture

It turns out Tampere has a lot to thank Scotland for. Scottish engineer James Finlayson brought a six-storey cotton factory to town in 1820, which led to the city developing around it and Tampere being nicknamed ‘ Manchester of the North’. The Finlayson factory had its own hospital, daycare, fire brigade, pharmacy, church and  nursing home, and even issued its own currency.

Today, the redbrick building is the centerpoint of the wider Finlayson Area , which is home to museums, restaurants, modern art galleries, cinemas, nightclubs – and trendy flats for the 1 percent. Each summer free art exhibitions pop up across the Finlayson campus – during the 2023 season we saw autobiographical photographs from Elina Brotherus and graffiti by EGS, the country’s answer to Banksy.

The Finnish Labour Museum is a constant at the site. Inside we saw the factory’s original steam engine, and got to see twentieth century romance incarnated in Helene and Marie, cylinders named after the wives of the cotton mill owners. There’s also an exhibition dedicated entirely to the decade of affordable housing: the 90s. I silently cried over the fact I don’t own my Pixel, let alone a city-centre two-bed – but singing along to Britpop bangers at the on-site karaoke room cheered me up a bit.

For modern history buffs, The Lenin Museum is nearby. Found inside Tampere Workers' Hall where the Bolshevik leader first met Stalin, it’s worth visiting purely for the chaos of the gift shop. Lenin-themed paraphernalia like wooden earrings in the shape of his face are on sale as well as Yuri Gagarin branded chocolate bars. 

The Moomin Museum offers something a little lighter. More than 2,000 exhibits, including 400 original illustrations and a five-storey Moomin House are on display, telling the story of the most popular children’s book character you’ve never heard of.

Where we stayed

The city’s hotels often nod to the area’s rich working-class history. At first glance, Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere ,  Finland’s highest hotel, looks like any other modern skyscraper serving overpriced Negronis in its sky bar. But it’s maintained its original locomotive garages which now host some of the city’s best club nights.

Then there’s Lillan ,  a 11-room boutique hotel that was built as a nursing home for maids in 1927. Today, it’s a 4-star, pet-friendly space that has managed to blend Nordic minimalism with modern comforts. All rooms come with a coffee machine and flat-screen TV, with pricier options offering freestanding baths, balconies and private saunas – this is Tampere, after all. 

Time Out visited Tampere as guests of Visit Finland, Helsinki Partners, Visit Tampere and The PC Agency. Our reviews and recommendations have been editorially independent since 1968. For more, see our editorial guidelines .

Return fares with Finnair from London to Helsinki start at £166 in Economy Class and £546 in Business Class, including all taxes and charges.  

Finnair flies from London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh to Helsinki year-round.

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