Tampere Region

Tampere Region:
Tampere - Kangasala - Lempäälä - Nokia - Pirkkala - Vesilahti - Ylöjärvi
Orivesi - Mänttä-Vilppula - Ruovesi - Ikaalinen - Virrat - Pälkäne
Tourist information and sales office, Railway Station, Tampere
gotampere@gotampere.fi • www.gotampere.fi

Tampere is easy to reach
Tampere is a city of large lakes and parks, which is proud of its great industrial heritage. It is a city of international congresses and at the same time a popular tourist city for people of all ages and types, families with children, young people, lovers of culture. Tampere with its population of well over 200 000 - a large city by Finnish standards has managed to maintain its small-town atmosphere. In the city centre everything is within walking distance and the atmosphere is relaxed and easy-going.

How to combine the useful with the agreeable – experience Oriveden Suvi
Why don’t you take part in the summer courses, concerts and events offered by Oriveden Opisto. Visit the famous Purnu summer art exhibition in lake scenery. Dancing on the open-air pavilion is provided by Rönni amusement centre on the shore of Lake Längelmävesi on summer Saturdays, in the high summer even on Wednesdays. The performances of Rönni summer theatre are very popular and people travel a long way to see the performances. www.orivesi.fi

Ikaalinen
Pohjoismaiden suurimman kylpylän vesitropiikki ja monipuoliset palvelut sekä Ti-Ti Nallen Elämystentalo – kaikki Ikaalisten kylpylän alueella. Ikaalinen tarjoaa kävijöilleen myös luontoa, nähtävyyksiä ja tapahtumia.
Ikaalisten Wanhaa Kauppalaa pidetään Suomen vanhimpana ja kauneimpana kauppalana. Opastetuilla kierroksilla voi tutustua kauppalan historiaan ja entisajan elämään. www.kylpylakaupunki.fi

Lempäälä – the town of Ideapark

Ideapark Business Park is a shoppers’ paradise and a popular family destination. Guaranteed fun is provided by the Pii Poo centre of culture for children and youngsters, the idyllic old town, the fashion street Catwalk and all the 200 shops of Ideapark. In the Kuokkalankoski rapids area there is a lot to see and do for all: the manor restaurant Villa Hakkari, the Hakkari Arboretum, Museoraitti, and old-time village lane, a summer theatre and, as a new addition, floating in the Kuokkalankoski rapids. www.lempaala.fi

Kangasala – the “Summer Day” municipality

The municipality of Kangasala is well known for its great scenic beauty, its ridges and lakes. Its historic attractions include Stone Age sites and a manor house which once belonged to the Swedish crown. The magnificent scenery can be admired from three observation towers. The Mobilia car and road museum with its traffic park offers things to see and do for young and old. A visit to Kangasalan Lepokoti with its thousands of objects offers an unforgettable cultural experience. This former boarding house can present a long and impressive guest list including many great names of Finnish cultural life. Villa Kosmos, the home and atelier of painter Virpi Kinnunen is well worth visiting. Marjamäki Willow Farm provides plenty of interesting things to see. Spending the night at Hotel Urku, a former renovated organ mill, is a truly memorable experience. There is a catering service as well. www.kangasala.fi

The name “Nokia” arouses interest all over the world

The town of Nokia offers a lot to see and do: events, churches, museums, shopping places and scenic attractions well worth visiting. There are plenty of opportunies for sports and outdoor pursuits The Spa Hotel Eden, a popular summer theatre and Tapsan Tahdit, a festival of light music, attract visitors from all around Finland.
The good road and rail connections and the vicinity of Tampere-Pirkkala Airport make Nokia easily accessible. In summer the Silver Line boats operating between Tampere and Hämeenlinna stop at Nokia and the m/s Purimo sails north to Hämeenkyrö. www.nokiankaupunki.fi

Enjoy your summer in Ruovesi
Ruovesi is well known for its scenic beauty and its rich cultural heritage. The poet J.L. Runeberg, the painters Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Ellen Thesleff and many other masters of art and literature have left their mark on Ruovesi. Peace and tranquility of nature is provided by many superb scenic attractions such as Helvetinjärvi National Park, Lake Helvetinkolu, the Siikaneva wetland area, Runeberg Spring and the Murole and Visuvesi Canal areas. www.ruovesi.fi

Pirkkala
Pirkkala is an urban municipality in the immediate vicinity of Tampere. The Tampere-Pirkkala Airport which is located in Pirkkala, serves an ever-increasing international air traffic and functions at the same time as a military airport. In the vicinity of the airport there is a brand-new versatile golf course serving golf enthusiasts. Pirkkala, once a parish steeped in history and traditions, is today a service-minded and entrepreneur-friendly municipality which has attracted several important retail centres. Pirkkala is well known for its Stone Age sites and archaelogical finds.
Today’s art is represented among other things by the sculpture park, which consists of sculptures of contemporary art round Lake Vähäjärvi. www.pirkkala.fi

Vesilahti

The active municipality of Vesilahti, half an hour’s ride from Tampere, Nokia and Vammala, is a well known for its historic sites. Vesilahti is best known for the manor of Laukko and its ancient owners, the Kurki family, as well as the historical events connected to the manor. The history-imbued tourist route Klaus Kurki Road enchants the traveller with its beautiful views and the tales attached to it. Events related to motor music, the Narva Fair, The Rämsöö summer theatre and dances at open-air dance pavillions offer visitors memorable experiences.

Attractions and places to stay:
Vesilahti church from 1802 and the 15th century Stone Sacristy. Hovi Manor, history and experiences for groups. Savipaja Samotti, a ceramics shop and yard, the café Sininen Seikkailu (“blue adventure”). Klaus Kurki Road, 20 km, opened 1982, signposted. Kinnari holiday cabins. 16 high quality holiday cabins on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi. Local Heritage Museum with buildings and artifacts from the crofting period.
Vesilahti Handicraft Centre, local Vesilahti designs: the municipality was already referred to as the rya rug parish in the 17th century. Tuulan Taidelasitorni, copper folio and lead glass works, art glass courses. Booking Restaurant Hukianhovi, groups, firms, parties and banquets, meetings, a smoke sauna. Ala-Orvola Farm Holiday, B&B, family accomodation, meetings, groups. Päivärinne Catering, groups, courses, meetings, parties and banquets. Laukko Historicum, programme packages for tourist and corporate groups.
More information about tourist and guide services and events: www.vesilahti.fi/in_english/

Virrat
Virrat is located north of Tampere - only an hour’s drive by car and in summer you can sail from Tampere to Virrat on board S/S Tarjanne. The route is marked by long and winding waterways, numerous canals and rapids in the upper waters. The water route provides excellent opportunities for boating and canoeing. The countryside in and around Virrat offers a rich variety of scenery as well as old buildings which are of great historical and cultural value.
Attractions: Heritage village, Herraskoski canal, Marttinen youth centre, The wooden church, Toriseva Lakes in a deep ravine, Rantapuisto park, Palmroth Center.
Events: The Midsummer Celebration event for the whole family at Virtain Perinnekylä museum area on Midsummer Eve 10-14. The Quilt Festival of Virrat during the last week of July. The exhibitions at the old factory of Killinkoski and the I.K. Inha Festival of Photography in July. www.virrat.fi

Kuhmalahti & Pälkäne
The southeastern part of Pirkanmaa province is dominated by large lakes, wide fields and extensive deep forests. The many superb scenic attractions of the area can be explored for example on the signposted trails of the Laipanmaa area equipped with campfire places and leantos. Year-round freetime activities can be pursued at Sappee Tourism Centre, where the Huippu centre of events is filled with people on programme evenings while in wintertime the slalom slopes provide fun and excitement for skiers. The standing works of art in the Väkevä Maa art area provide enjoyment for culture lovers. More information from www.kuhmalahti.fi • www.palkane.fi • www.sappee.fi

Mänttä-Vilppula - Pearls of culture in the peace of countryside

Enjoy the rich art and cultural offerings of the Serlachius museums. The Serlachius museum Gösta at Joenniemi Manor presents classics of Finnish art while the Serlachius museum Gustaf at “the White House” tells stories of history. First-time visitors are surprised by what they see and they are tempted to come again.
The toy Museum contains a large collection of toys, dear childhood memories.
The Art Centre Honkahovi stages a year-round art sales exhibition. Art, events and sale of art and craft products is also provided by Art Café Pelimannin Penkillä and the exhibition “Finland without arms” arranged by the Väinölä community.
Myllyranta Interior Decoration Centre is a unique destination for buying home interior articles. Vilpun Vintin Lahjatalo provides treasures of handicraft products, local foods and a charming café.
Direct sale farm shop Niittymäki sells fresh and smoked meat products. The handicraft centre provides beutiful brand products from cloths with waterlily table cloths to ornaments.
The beautiful natural surroundings of Mänttä-Vilppula provide a fine setting for outdoor activities. The diverse terrain of Mäntänvuori hill offers a challenge for Nordic walking enthusiasts. You can hire a guide for your hiking trip and from the lookout tower on the hill top of a magnificent view over the landscape opens in front of you. Guide services are also available for canoeing or salmon fishing in Vilppulankoski rapids. There is a caravan site and a good standard guest harbor for boats and a traffic park and playing ground for children.
More detailed information from www.manttavilppulamatkailu.fi/en.php

Ylöjärvi - The verdant lakeland town

Lake Näsijärvi and a number of smaller waterways invite visitors to come and enjoy boating, fishing and canoeing. The water route extends as far as Virrat in the north and along the route there are a number of stopping places with a variety of services. One of the largest guest harbours along the route is Pimeesalmi dock which contains a fuel point, special services for boaters, a summer shop and a restaurant with dancing on Saturdays. Ylöjärvi is an active town which offers cultural facilities. There are activities and events all round the year for people of every age group – in summer even more
Cultural activities include summer theatre, art exhibitions, and concerts of classical music.
Accomodation is provided at Haveri Gold Mine where you can spend the night in an imposing log villa all year round, you can eat and drink, play minigolf or tennis, bask and swim on a superb child-friendly beach. In the village of Inkula, the old stone bridge, which is over 100 years old, and the new concrete bridge cross the river side by side. Viljakkala Church, designed by J.L. Engel, was completed in 1844. The church has been renovated in 1989 and repainted in 1993.
Pölkkylä Art Nouveau Villa, Länsi-Teisko, 03-473 7313, The Seitseminen National Park, 0205 645 270 , Enseign Stål’s Cabin and open-air Museum, 050 -322 9697
www.ylojarvi.fi/english/