Tampere Hotels

A little over 300,000 people call the city in southwest Finland home, which makes Tampere the de facto second city of the country. A lively and considerable student population defines a conspicuous part of the civic vibe. This seems to mesh seamlessly with a flurry of urban revitalisation developments along the waterfront and in the greater Tampere region, where old redbrick mills, factories and foundries get ingeniously flipped into pliant mixed-use spaces. The result is a pervasive sense of youthful optimisim.

Geography, too, influences Tampere’s appeal. Nestled betwixt Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes, the surrounding scenery is duly dramatic and quickly reachable from both Helsinki and Turku. Indeed, flocks of domestic tourists ply the E12 and E63 to visit Tampere for its natural attractions and, moreover, a rich annual programme of cultural events. The most notable includes the summer rock spectacle Tammerfest, diverse Tampere Music Festivals and Tampere Film Festival. Särkänniemi, however, is the linchpin attraction in the city. A leviathan amusement and adventure park, Särkänniemi, above and beyond endorphin-rush thrill rides, has an aquarium, art museum, planetarium and zoo. The park’s observation tower is without peer in Nordic Europe and affords spectacular panoramas of the city and Pirkanmaa countryside.

TAMPERE'S TOP 10

TAMPERE EVENTS

Tampere Film Festival takes place every March, with in excess of 30,000 spectators in attendance.

Tammerfest is Tampere’s premier summer event, with five days and nights of revelery in July.

Tampere Music Festivals includes a jazz festival in Novemner, a vocal music festival in June and a biennale of contemporary classical music by Finnish composers.

Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra plays to capacity crowds at magnificent Tampere Hall.

Tampere Theatre Festival, held in August, is the foremost annual theatre festival in Nordic Europe.

WHEN TO GO

Tampere enjoys four distinct seasons, from short sumemrs to long winters that endure from November to April. Snowfall is moderate to heavy, with remnants, in some years, up until early May.

Temperaures from November to April waver between 12°F (-11°C) to 28°F (-2°C). Summers are mild, with weather in the 52°F (11°C) to 72°F (22°C). Spring and fall conditions generally mirror each other temperature-wise; 37°F (3°C) to 55°F (13°C) is typical.

Tampere receives 22.5 in (575.5 mm) of precipitation a year, on average.

GETTING AROUND

Tampere is easily accessible via several methods. The second city of Finland is a mere 2 hour drive from Helsinki and Turku. Tampere-Pirkkala Airport is close to the city centre and serves the likes of Riga, Tallinn, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Frankfurt-Hahn, London-Stanstead and Rome-Ciampino.

VR offers rail service to Tampere via many points of departure within the country. Coach bus service is equally convenient and reliable.

Within Tampere proper, visitors can navigate a superb public bus network, take taxis or rent a car. The core of the city is suitable and small enough for pedestrian exploration.

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