Tampere Travel guide

Connections:

Tampere is located 180 kilometres (110 miles) north of Helsinki, the capital. The city has good railroad and road connections from any part of Finland. Tampere can be reached by train from Helsinki every hour. Executive class services are provided in the Intercity trains. There are plans to start superfast train connections between Helsinki and Tampere within a few years. The time used for travelling will shorten from 1h 40 min to 1h 10 min. In addition to the national connections, Tampere has good international road links.

Because Tampere is located geographically on a narrow isthmus, there is a construction of 4-lane freeway system for bypassing traffic in progress. All the main harbours and airports for exports and passenger traffic are within a 200 km (125 miles) radius of Tampere City. The fastest link with continental Europe means a 2-2.5 hour international flight. Tampere has its own international airport, the Tampere-Pirkkala airport.

Commerce, technology and education:

Tampere was founded in 1779 on the bank of the Tammerkoski rapids and it evolved into the most highly industrialized locality in Finland, during the 19th century. The city has mainly subsisted on the textile, clothing, leather and metal industries. Many of Finland's largest international corporations such as Nokia, Valmet, Tampella and Tamfelt have grown up in Tampere region. Tampere continues having modern and competitive industry, but there is also a rapidly growing number of high technology organizations, such as Tampere
Technology Centre Hermia.

In addition to Hermia, The Technical Research Centre of Finland, The UKK Institute of Health Promotion and Research, Finn-Medi Medical Technology Centre and Tampere Automation Center are another examples to mention about the concentration of knowledge and science in Tampere region.

Tampere's new rise is founded on a sure technological base. The high tech institutes of the region, boast an internationally respected level of research. There are more than 600 internationally oriented industrial companies, a dozen of them world market leaders.

A new business park, Tampereen Eteläinen Portti (Southgate of Tampere), is under construction. The business park will offer high quality environment for companies, which base their success on knowledge, cooperation and good location.

Tampere is also well known from the large variety of educational organizations, such as University of Tampere, Tampere University of Technology, Institute of Commerce, Institute of Technology, Institute of Health Care, the Police Academy and many more. The region has a total of 25 vocational training institutes. There are 35000 students in Tampere every year.
Over 40% of the region's population has been educated at the tertiary level in a professional institute or university and 13% has a university degree or similar.
The co-operation and synergy between educational organizations and research commercial centres turns science and knowhow into new business. Thus, The Tampere Region offers competitive opportunities for investments.

In addition to its dynamic commerce and industry, Tampere is also known for versatile cultural services,sports facilities and attractions to a traveller. Tampere's reputation as a city of culture can be mainly attributed to its several theatres and art museums and the various types of festivals it organizes. Many world-class artists perform at the new Tampere Hall, Scandinavia's largest concert and congress centre. These well functioning services make your visit to Tampere easy, whether it's a congress or holiday trip.

The Tampere International Theatre Festival held in July-August has evolved into the third most popular cultural festival in the country. During the festival, theatre is brought out into the streets and squares of the city. At other times theatrical enjoyment is provided primarily by two large professional theatres, several travelling theatre groups and Pyynikki

Summer Theatre.

Tampere International Short Film Festival, held annually in March is a magnificent event of quality and fun for friends of short film.

More culture:
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Sara Hilden Art Museum
Tampere Art Museum
Museum Centre Vapriikki
Tampere Music Festivals

Shopping in Tampere:

City of Tampere offers large variety of shops selling top quality original Finnish products, from handicrafts to world-class mobile phones. The city has many factory outlets, where real bargains can be found. The best shopping street is the mainstreet Hämeenkatu and it's surroundings. Large shopping centres Koskikeskus, Tullintori and Kehräsaari are in the downtown area.

Sights worth to see:

The Pyynikki ridge, which was designated a natural concervation area in 1993, allows a view of the true Finnish landscape of forests and lakes. The esker, claimed to be the highest in the world, was formed by the melt waters of the ice age about 10000 years ago. Located near the city centre, Pyynikki has always been a favoured area of recreation.

The architecture of the city's main library called 'Metso' (Wood Grouse) is renowned. The new library building has drawn residents in record numbers.

The waters of Tammerkoski Rapids that flow through the city have remained clean despite the many factories on its banks. The city centre is a popular site for leisure fishing where the lucky fisherman can land a rainbow trout, a whitefish or a lake trout.

Särkänniemi amusement park and the Näsinneula tower, cruises on two great lakes, several art museums and professional theatres should not be missed, either.