Welcome to Tampere! Tampere is the most loved city of Finland. It’s the city with numerous events, fascinating cultural experiences, and soothing nature. This is a place, where urban city life walks hand in hand with vivid nature. The nature is close everywhere you turn your head in Tampere. The location between two big lakes brings the water element to the city and you can find parks and urban nature even right in the middle of the city – all year round. Tampere region is the home of happiness with welcoming, laid-back people. 

Tampere – The Sauna Capital of the World – welcomes everybody to its cosy warmth! Did you know there are almost 60 public saunas in Tampere and the surrounding region for anyone to relax in, throughout the year? The status as the Sauna Capital is based on saunas being of high level and Tampere being home to most public saunas in Finland. The history of the sauna culture in the city goes back to the Finland’s oldest public sauna still functioning: Rajaportti Sauna in the district of Pispala, Tampere. 

Visit Tampere is a member of the We Speak Gay community. The members of the community are committed to  LGBTQIA inclusion and communication and want to embrace diversity in Finland. Sustainability is at the core of our actions - many of our regions’ companies are, for example, a part of the Visit Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland program. 

Visit Tampere
Instagram @visittampereofficial
TikTok @visittampere
Tags and hashtags @visittampereofficial #visittampere

Visit Finland
Instagram @ourfinland
TikTok @visitfinland.com
Tags and hashtags @ourfinland #ourfinland #visitfinland

Arrival to the Helsinki airport

You will meet your host Ms Merja Lake (tel. +358 50 548 9240) from Visit Finland at the Arrivals Hall.

16:04–17:58 Train from the airport to Tampere

Bus transport from the train station to the hotel

Check-in to the hotel Marriott Courtyard Tampere City 
@marriott_tampere

The Courtyard by Marriott Tampere City hotel is a modern hotel located in the Tulli business district of the city center and minutes away from the main shopping street, the Nokia Arena, entertainment areas and the central train station. 

Marriott believes in providing inclusive guest experiences as part of their commitment to welcome all and connect people through the power of travel. The hotels around the world are dedicated to nurture our world, sustain responsible operations, empower through opportunity, and welcome all.

19:45 Lobby call and walk to the restaurant

You will meet your host from Visit Tampere at the lobby.

20:00 Social dining at the Restaurant Muusa 
@olympiakortteli

Olympia-kortteli is an independent restaurant and cultural block in the center of Tampere. Olympia-kortteli is formed by Restaurant Muusa, known for its vegetarian and vegan dishes, Olympia, the interesting gig venue in Tampere, the award-winning cocktail bar Tiima and the unique courtyard terrace Puutarha Garden. 

Indulge in a dining experience at Muusa, where a relaxed ambiance meets culinary excellence. Muusa is known for its delicious food, high-quality drink selection, and a cozy atmosphere. It's a place where everyone is welcome to enjoy in their own way. Today's dinner is served in a social dining setting where we will share appetizers and main courses, accompanied by high-quality drinks.

Night at the hotel

9:15 Lobby call and a tram ride to the Central Square

9:30–11:30 Guided tour of Tampere
@finlaysonin.alue @tallipiha @werstas @pispalaclothing @tampereenkauppahalli

Welcome to Tampere! On this walking tour, you’ll learn about the past & the present of the city. First stop is the Tampere Market Hall, which is a historic and vibrant indoor market located in the heart of Tampere. The hall dates back to 1901 and is a cherished landmark in the city. Inside, visitors can explore a wide range of stalls and vendors offering fresh produce, local delicacies, and artisanal products. It's a fantastic place to sample traditional Finnish foods, chocolate, and to experience the local culinary culture.

Tallipiha Stable Yards is one of the most beautiful parts of the old Tampere, set in the Finlayson area since the 19th century. Nowadays the buildings are housed by idyllic little crafts shops and a café. Tallipiha is located in the historical Finlayson factory area. The area is well-known for the Finlayson cotton factory, which was established in 1820. The city of Tampere was built around the factory. 

One of the museums in the area is the Finnish Labour Museum Werstas that tells the story of the local working class in the cotton factory times, along with some changing exhibitions. The Finnish Labour Museum Werstas is responsible for the nationwide documentation of the history of Finnish gender and sexual minorities. Werstas is the only museum in Finland that houses an LGBTIQ+ collection.

After Finlayson, your tour will continue to Pispala Clothing. Nestled in the realm between art and fashion, Pispala Clothing’s collections showcase patterns from various contemporary artists. The Pispala Clothing flagship store is located on Aleksis Kiven katu. Beyond the clothing, visitors can indulge in rotating art exhibitions, sip on a cup of coffee, or groove to great music. They even host live concerts from time to time! You’re going to meet Head of Design Lauri Järvinen from Pispala Clothing. 

11:50 Lunch at the Sauna Restaurant Kuuma
@saunaravintolakuuma

Kuuma is a public sauna but also an idyllic restaurant, right in the middle of the city. Kuuma offers a social, cozy “living room for everybody” in a New-Nordic style. The Kuuma food philosophy is based on pure Nordic tastes, spiced up with some small, surprising twists and the menu changes according to the season.

13:00–14:30 Guided tour at the Moomin Museum
@moominmuseum

In the world’s only Moomin Museum you can sense the wisdom, humour, adventure, and kindness found in all the Moomin books and illustrations.

During the guided tour, you will learn more about the Moomins, and the life of the author Tove Jansson who is, without a doubt, one of the most well-known Finnish artists of all time and the most widely read Finnish author abroad.

Tampere Hall, where the Moomin Museum is located in, is part of the We Speak Gay travel network.

14:30 Short break at the hotel 

14:50 Lobby call and bus transport for the rest of the activities of the day

Please note: As the afternoon's program includes both walking in the forest and a sauna experience, we recommend weather-appropriate and forest-friendly clothing, good walking shoes, bathing suits, and swimming/water shoes. Please also note that there is no bathroom in the forest. 

15:00–17:00 Guided walk in the Pyynikki ridge & coffee with the famous doughnuts
@adventureapes; @pyynikin_munkkikahvila

Tampere boasts plenty of urban nature and lake nature in and around the city centre, and there are plenty of easy-to-access nature trails in the city. Today’s locations for our trip are Pyynikinharju, the world’s largest gravel ridge, and the Pyynikki Observation Tower, one of the most popular local sights in Tampere.

First, we’ll explore the Pyynikki nature trail, and then we’ll indulge in treats from the café after your walk in nature. Pyynikin Munkkikahvila is a traditional and legendary family-owned cafeteria on the ground level of Pyynikki Observation Tower. They are best known for their doughnuts (or ‘munkki’ in Finnish) and a lot of people say they are the best in town, some even think the best in Finland. Remember to admire the beautiful views from the top of the Observation Tower.

Adventure Apes organizes customized and ready-made guided tours. They have grown out of a passion for helping adventurers make genuine connections not only with nature but also with the local community. Adventure Apes believe that culturally authentic adventures allow visitors from around the world to experience a new perspective on life and help the local community thrive in a sustainable way.  

17:30 Traditional sauna experience at the Rajaportin Sauna
@rajaportinsauna

Our historic gem is the Rajaportti sauna – the oldest still operating public sauna in Finland. The sauna is located in the area of Pispala, and its roots date back to 1906. Rajaportti Sauna has remained more or less unchanged through decades.

Today, you will meet the sauna guide & sauna heater Alexander Lembke. Working as a sauna guide and a heater at the oldest public bath in Finland, Alex takes a steam every single day, and knows the sauna habits, history of sauna in Finland & health effects. Finnish sauna is a place where everyone is equal. You will hear more about the public sauna culture & the Sauna Capital of the World. 

Traditional sauna bathing is an intangible sauna culture rooted in the Finnish folk traditions. One of the central elements of traditional sauna bathing is the use of therapeutic birch whisks, “vihta”, which is primarily a preventive, relaxing, and cleansing experience, combining elements of massage, herbal medicine, and aromatherapy. Sauna spells and songs are also integral components of traditional sauna bathing. 

Today, you’ll also enjoy the traditional sauna healing with Siiri Koski.

19.30 Quick break at the hotel before dinner

20:20 Dinner at the Restaurant Näsinneula
@nasinneula

Restaurant Näsinneula, located on top of the Näsinneula Observation Tower in Tampere, gives you a bird-eye-view over the Finnish Lakeland. Näsinneula is located in the Särkänniemi amusement park area. In the restaurant, you can taste one of the finest cuisines in all of Finland at the height of 124 meters as you gaze upon the gorgeous scenery that changes according to the season. The cuisine is seasonal and local as well and the menu changes regularly throughout the year. 

Night at the hotel

9:50 Lobby call and transport to the Serlachius in Mänttä (approx. 1.5 h drive)
@serlachiusmuseums

Please note: As the day's program includes lots of walking and a sauna experience, we recommend weather-appropriate clothing, good walking shoes, bathing suits, and swimming/water shoes. 

Serlachius in Mänttä is a cultural attraction amid the most beautiful Finnish lakeside nature. Besides art, history and architecture, guests can enjoy culinary and sauna experiences as well as heartfelt service – year-round.

The two museums showcase works from Serlachius’ substantial art collection together with temporary exhibitions of contemporary art. The story of the Serlachius family as the 'paper barons' and the Finnish paper industry is also ever intriguing! 

Serlachius is a part of the We Speak Gay travel network.

11:30 Working for the Company! drama tour at the Serlachius Headquarters

It is the year 1951. You are one in a group of hopeful new workers applying for a job at the paper mill in Mänttä, the odd little town in the middle of nowhere. During the laughter-filled dramatized tour, you will be acquainted with the Finnish industrial history and the life in the realm of the Serlachius.

12:00 Transfer to the Serlachius Manor

The second Serlachius destination is located about 3 km away.  

12:30 Guided visit at the Serlachius Art Sauna, 30 min (TBC, depending on the availability)

Serlachius Art Sauna is a high-quality sauna experience which was awarded as the Travel Innovation of the Year 2022 in Finland. Unfortunately, during this short visit there is no time for sauna bathing. 

13:00 Lunch at the Restaurant Gösta

Delicious lunch menu is prepared from pure, seasonal local ingredients by our awarded top chef Henry Tikkanen and his talented team.

14:30 Self-portrait Art Workshop

During this fun guided art workshop, you can release your inner artist and get your paintbrush swinging as you create a not-too-serious self-portrait. 

15:30 Guided tour at the Serlachius Manor

During this special guided art tour you will see marvelous artworks from one of the most prominent private art collections in the Nordic countries as well as some contemporary art exhibitions. The tour is tailored according to the theme of our trip. 

16:30 Transport to the Tahlo Ventures (approx. 1 h drive)
@tahloventures

17:30 Evening at the Tahlo Ventures, including dinner and sauna experience 

@tahloventures @samihakamaki

Enjoy delicious and local food just a 40-minute drive from Tampere city center by the shores of Lake Näsijärvi.

Tonight, we're indulging in local delicacies. Private chef Sami Hakamäki, who has gained fame in top restaurants across Finland and around the world, utilizes his talent to craft high-quality cuisine both indoors & outdoors. The dinner experience features dishes to be enjoyed both inside the Hillhouse and outdoors by an open fire at the lean-to (laavu).

Following dinner, you can leave all your possible worries behind at Tahlo’s sauna. While relaxing in the sauna, you can unwind in a hot tub (palju) all while enjoying the gorgeous lake view.

Tahloventures is a part of the We Speak Gay travel network.

Transport back to the hotel (back at around 21:30–22)

Night at the hotel

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out

10:30 Lobby call and bus transfer to the train station

11:00–12:41 Train to the Helsinki airport

Lunch at the Finnair Lounge

After the security check, meet your host Ms Meri Järvinen from Finnair in front of the Finnair Schengen Lounge near the gate 21 for a lunch and tour around the lounge.

Flights home

Thank you for visiting Finland and Tampere and have a safe travel home!