First stop — Swimming pools
What kind of summer is without swimming? Of course, there are plenty of lakes where you can have a nice refreshing dip, but for some people, the cold water is rather unwelcoming. In this case, Tampere offers a variety of swimming centres around the city. The most famous one is located in Kaleva, and it’s the most modern one too. However, to avoid crowds during this busy summer season, you can always visit the swimming halls in Tesoma, Hervanta, and Pyynikki. There, you can try different water exercises and join group training or just swim at your own pace and chill after the street heat. Plus, you don’t have to buy a season wristband to go to the swimming centre and pay only a single entrance fee (which is quite affordable for students!). When the weather is nice, you can also enjoy going to an outdoor pool.
Tammelantori Market square & Viikinsaari
Eating on the terrace and sipping a cold lemonade while chatting with friends is one of the best experiences when the sun is out and everything just screams to stay outside as long as possible. For that, Tammelantori is a perfect place. Here, you can indulge yourself with authentic mustamakkara (black blood sausage — Tampere’s speciality), grilled fish with fries, the famous lohikeitto (salmon soup), or have a light salad with refreshments. There are ice cream kiosks as well, but they’re so popular you have to wait in the queue for a while. But it’s absolutely worth it!
Also, you can catch the ferry from this square to the Viikinsaari, another famous destination just ~30 minutes away from the Tammelantori. If you want to change the scenery for a day, consider organising a short trip there. You can rent sports equipment from the local kiosk and have fun at 14 activity points, meditate at 7 meditational points, or walk the nature trail. Apart from breathtaking nature, public and private saunas and beaches, Viikinsaari offers a variety of events to join. For instance, you can participate in dance classes on Tuesdays and learn some great moves! However, if you want to get some party spirit, consider going to the SummerVibes wellness festival in June or the SaariHelvetti Festival and SaariBlues Festival in August.
Never tried yoga? It’s about time!
Are you a fan of the outdoor sport? Even if you say no, yoga is something that suits everyone. So, why not try something new, like outdoor yoga? It doesn’t matter if you are alone or have a small group of friends, you can always find a suitable class that works for you. One of the places you can try is Ravintola Periscope which organises morning yoga classes right on their terrace free of charge! The only thing you need (besides a positive attitude) is a yoga mat, but if you don’t have it, try checking out Tori for affordable options or go to the nearest sports store.
In case you’re not that lucky with the weather, choose free Hatha yoga classes on Mondays at Karunya Yoga. It’s an amazing way to start your day, so don’t hesitate to join so as not to miss the spot! And of course, don’t forget about the summer group courses offered by SportUni which also provides indoor yoga classes.
Participate in the Soul Of Sauna Week
I’m sure you’ve heard that Tampere is the sauna capital of the world. If you haven’t, now you know! Therefore, it would be a crime not to participate in the Soul Of Sauna Week — an annual event where you can explore sauna experiences all around Tampere. Starting on the 3rd of June, people gather at saunas (almost) from dusk till dawn, each of them dedicated to a specific theme. For example, there’s a Sunset Sauna, a Midnight Temple Ambient sauna and even a sauna where people sing all together. Yes, this is the experience that would be nice to see, so prepare your swimsuit, towel and slippers and step into the warmth of an authentic Finnish sauna.
Fest, fest, fest!
For the most active seekers of new experiences, Tampere offers quite a lot of music fests this summer: Blockfest 2024, Tammerfest 2024 and Tampere’s Park Concerts. It’s a real find for those who want to dance and see great Finnish performers like KUUMAA, whose song was chosen for the UMK (the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest). Also, where if not at festivals one can meet new friends from different parts of Finland! Besides, music festivals are the places to express your creative self — preparing sparkly costumes, coming up with mesmerising makeup and doing funky hairstyles give that nice thrill to your everyday life and highlight your individuality. Thus, going to summer music festivals is a must.
Please notice that some of them are restricted to individuals under 18!
Hopefully, these recommendations will help you to plan your holidays accordingly. Don’t feel anxious if you can make it to some of them: summer is all about relaxation, slowing your pace of life and cherishing warm sunny days and evenings. Combine active events with quiet walks in the forest and eating ice cream and seasonal fruits n’ berries to fully recharge after a year full of studies.
About the author
Anastasia Maydanova is a graduate master’s student in Sustainable Digital Life at Tampere City Center Campus. She was a Board member & Social Media Manager at a newly established association Access ry, and she loves learning about the Finnish startup ecosystem and opportunities for internationals. Anastasia loves attending local and Helsinki events, volunteering, as well as spending time with her friends, playing games, and hiking.
