Six reasons to visit Tampere, Finland

Finland has a thriving sauna culture that you should indulge in while you’re there. Tampere is the sauna capital of the world, with over 50 public saunas to choose from. It’s home to Finland’s oldest public sauna, Rajaportti (which is even older than Finland itself!) You could also try Rauhaniemi or Suomensaaren. If you’re looking for a truly unique sauna, go to Saunaravintola Kuuma, which has a restaurant.

When visiting Tampere’s saunas, be sure to book them well in advance. Saunas take a while to heat up, and you’ll want to make sure it’s ready for you to use.

Tampere has its own amusement park, Särkänniemi. It has an aquarium, observation tower, and much more. If you’re visiting Tampere with kids, this attraction should definitely be on your trip itinerary. Even if you’re not bringing children with you on your trip, it’s still worth checking out for the adult-friendly rides.

You can buy passes to the entire amusement park or a ticket for an individual attraction. A Särkänniemi pass gives you admission to the park, aquarium, observation tower, and access to rides. The earlier you buy your pass, the cheaper it’ll be, so buy it as soon as you book your trip to Tampere for the best price.

If you like museums, you’ll love Tampere. Tampere hosts many cool and unusual museums, like the Spy Museum and Finnish Labor Museum. There’s also an exhibition center that has even more cool museums to check out. Some highlights of that attraction include the Hockey Hall of Fame, a mineral museum, a postal museum, and some temporary exhibits.

You’ll also find some more typical exhibit centers in Tampere - don’t miss the Tampere Art Museum. Additionally, the Vapriikki exhibition center is home to a natural history museum dedicated to the Tampere region. No matter what you’re into, you’ll find an intriguing museum in Tampere.

Grab some lunch at the Tampere Market Hall, where you can get a black sausage with lingonberry jam. Alternatively, head to the food stalls at Laukontori Market Square, a haven for street food. Tampere has several great places to find traditional Finnish food, so be sure to visit a couple of them while you’re in town.

At Tampere’s markets, you can buy produce, chocolates, pastries, and more. Some of the markets have cafes in them, so don’t feel rushed to get done shopping quickly - stick around and enjoy a drink.

Back in the day, the Tammerkoski lake helped provide water power to Tampere. These rapids were also used to transport goods. Nowadays, you can explore the lake on a cruise during the summer months. The Finnish Silverline ferry excursion lasts eight hours and features some fun stops, including a wine tasting.

During the winter, you can go ice fishing in Tampere’s lakes. Small lakes freeze over in November and larger lakes freeze in December, providing suitable territory for catching fish. Whether you’re visiting during the summer or winter, you can experience Tampere’s lakes in all of their glory.

If you like exploring churches, visit a few in Tampere. Many were built in the 1800s, with some built in the 1900s. Some gorgeous churches you can visit include the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky and St. Nicholas, Tampere Cathedral, and Messukylä Old Church.

Tampere’s churches still actively host services, so be sure to check their websites to ensure you’re not visiting during them (unless, of course, you wish to sit in for the service).