With a notebook filled with adventures to embrace the autumn season I was travelling in late August to Tampere. Of course everything turned out differently than expected: I got sick, not just a few days, the whole stay. I was so looking forward to enjoying these holidays; at least it was still possible to get some beautiful activities done after lowering my ambitious plans.
Here are some tips what to do in the end of summer and/or in the beginning of autumn in Tampere:
Arboretum
The best place to recharge your batteries is in nature. The arboretum is a wonderful source of happiness to me. You know that you are close to the arboretum when you can spot beautiful old buildings and smell scents from roses to herbs. It was great to look at the transition of the flowers: Some roses were still in bloom, others already transformed to rosehips. There is also a rose variety called “Austriana” – a beautiful (of course) red coloured rose that attracted my attention.
The arboretum is a great place to calm down while watching the squirrels playing around, ducks swimming across the lake or elderly couples walking hand in hand. There’s also a lovely café to rest and to be happy with a drink of your choice.
Finlayson Art Area and Moomin Museum
Every year a large event for the visual arts takes place at the Finlayson area. For an art enthusiast like me it’s the place to be: you can find wonderful street paintings, sculptures, video and photo art as well as plenty of other free activities like workshops etc. This year I was really pleased to see that Rut Bryk was one of the participating artists. I always wanted to see her ceramics and I was really happy that it was finally possible. The exhibitions unfortunately last until the end of August. The Finlayson area is nevertheless a wonderful place to stroll around in autumn – it’s in central Tampere, but it’s probably the most beautiful part of the city that’s not currently under construction.
I also highly recommend the Moomin Museum in the Tampere Hall. I took part in the Moomin Museum Guest of Honour Competition earlier this year and my video got under the top 5 entries. I received lovely Moomin gifts and a free entry to the Moomin Museum. Actually it was already my third visit to the Moomin museum and I am still fascinated by the original Moomin illustrations by Tove Jansson: they are so little and so detailed – amazing! It’s definitely a must-see for all art lovers and Moomin fans of all ages.
Onkiniemi Beach
No holidays without visiting a beach – watching the sun set along a shore or a beach is always breathtaking. Also in autumn it’s a magical feeling. There was no one else – just me, the lake and the wonderful golden hour light. I had to share this beautiful scenery with someone and so I decided to make a video call to show my parents how beautiful Tampere actually is. The Onkiniemi beach is close to the Särkännniemi Amusement Park and is easily to reach from the city centre. I also highly recommend the Pyynikki and Rauhaniemi beach.
Nature in the City
The Pyynikki area stole my heart a long time ago. Whenever I am in Tampere I always try to stay close to this area – so I can easily take a walk there. It’s the place where it feels like home and where I can relax the most. Coming along the Pyynikki tower where you already can smell the best doughnuts in town there is a lovely path to Pispala. Pispala is probably the most romantic area in Tampere with its lovely wooden houses and a gorgeous view over the lakes. From Pispala you can go to Tahmela which is another favourite place of mine where you can also find a great beach. And from there you can return to Pyynikki. All along the way you can find beautiful viewpoints to rest and to simply enjoy nature. And if you take a closer look you might find some berries or see some squirrels or hedgehogs.
Before starting to write this blog entry I already caught myself at looking at flights to Tampere again.
I would have loved to walk on duckboards in the National Park, enjoy the view over Tampere from the Moro Sky Bar, take a look at the beautiful graffiti at Hiedanranta, have fun at Särkänniemi and attend some concerts. But there is always a next time...
My Top 3
Top 3 Souvenirs
- Mine Güngör Earrings from the Design On Tampere Market (otherwise they can be found at Forgemetnot or Seele)
- Marimekko Hieta Socks with the classic Unikko pattern from the Marimekko store in the Koskikeskus Shopping Centre (or in the store in Hämeenkatu 19)
- and of course some Moomin souvenirs from the Moomin Museum (I bought the Moomin Valley Poster which you can exclusively buy at the museum)
Top 3 Soundtrack
- Rea Garvey - Beautiful Life
- James Bay - The Best
- Idiomatic - Ready to Depart
Top 3 Spots that are new in town
- The Ratina Shopping Centre (with a Monki Store!)
- The Saunaravintola Kuuma
- the tracks for the Tram lines in Hämeenkatu