I visited Finland’s underrated second city – here’s why you should too

If you’re not getting hot and sweaty in a room full of strangers in speedos, you’re not doing Tampere right. The city has 55 public saunas – and they’re nothing like the ones at your local gym.

We visited Huvilan Sauna, one of the city’s many traditional wood-heated saunas, found on the grounds of a nineteenth-century villa. A refuge and orphanage in its past life, Huvilan now offers affordable single-sex and mixed sauna visits for €8 (£6.85). On-site sauna healer Siiri Koski talked us through the traditions and mythology of the Finnish sauna: apparently, they're protected by elves and even used by brides-to-be for luck ahead of the big day (women run around the sauna for each past-boyfriend, shouting his name to expel bad energy).

Koski also demonstrated how to build whisks – birch twigs and leaves tied together with twine – to be used to whip yourself (or others) into relaxation. For the full authentic experience, we were encouraged to sprint starkers straight from the heat to the nearby lake for a swim.

Then there are the bougier takes. We visited Sauna Restaurant Kuum, a smart-casual restaurant found on the banks of Lake Pyhäjärvi, which has both a wood-heated and smoke sauna. It specialises in traditional Nordic cuisine such as loheikkito, a creamy salmon soup with onions, potatoes and dill. But that’s not its USP. That would be the heated glasshouse you slurp it down in. 

Periscope, our next sauna stop, takes things up a level again. As Europe’s largest roof terrace it’s got the views downpat with panoramic saunas overlooking Tammerkoski rapids and Ratina Stadium. Just to show off, the bar also offers three jacuzzis, regular DJs sets and acrobatic performances.

Traditional Finnish cooking pays homage to nature, incorporating fresh seasonal ingredients often caught and foraged by locals. Finland has a law of ‘everyman’s right’, allowing Finns to pick almost anything, from cranberries, mushrooms and sorrel, found in the wild (discounting family gardens and nature reserves). It’s basically the foraging Hunger Games out there.

Kajo, a neighbourhood-restaurant-meets-wine-bar takes the nation’s cook-what-you -pick ethos seriously. Its 10-course Ode to Nature tasting menu is a zero-waste seasonal offering made from local produce. It’s experimental and classic, serving up dishes like sourdough brioche (a highlight) and oyster mushrooms cooked in charcoal oil, followed by cloudberries and lemon eucalyptus meringue. The wine list is also biodynamic, which means no nasty chemicals, and less chance of a hangover. 

If you do wake up with a sore head, it’s worth hiking the nature trail to Pyynikki Observation Tower which has unmatched views of the city, surrounding lakes and forests. The cafe on the ground floor serves doughnuts made from a secret 80-year-old recipe – when we tucked in it was clear why they’re widely regarded to be among the best in Finland.

It turns out Tampere has a lot to thank Scotland for. Scottish engineer James Finlayson brought a six-storey cotton factory to town in 1820, which led to the city developing around it and Tampere being nicknamed ‘Manchester of the North’. The Finlayson factory had its own hospital, daycare, fire brigade, pharmacy, church and  nursing home, and even issued its own currency.

Today, the redbrick building is the centerpoint of the wider Finlayson Area, which is home to museums, restaurants, modern art galleries, cinemas, nightclubs – and trendy flats for the 1 percent. Each summer free art exhibitions pop up across the Finlayson campus – during the 2023 season we saw autobiographical photographs from Elina Brotherus and graffiti by EGS, the country’s answer to Banksy.

The Finnish Labour Museum is a constant at the site. Inside we saw the factory’s original steam engine, and got to see twentieth century romance incarnated in Helene and Marie, cylinders named after the wives of the cotton mill owners. There’s also an exhibition dedicated entirely to the decade of affordable housing: the 90s. I silently cried over the fact I don’t own my Pixel, let alone a city-centre two-bed – but singing along to Britpop bangers at the on-site karaoke room cheered me up a bit.

For modern history buffs, The Lenin Museum is nearby. Found inside Tampere Workers' Hall where the Bolshevik leader first met Stalin, it’s worth visiting purely for the chaos of the gift shop. Lenin-themed paraphernalia like wooden earrings in the shape of his face are on sale as well as Yuri Gagarin branded chocolate bars. 

The Moomin Museum offers something a little lighter. More than 2,000 exhibits, including 400 original illustrations and a five-storey Moomin House are on display, telling the story of the most popular children’s book character you’ve never heard of.

The city’s hotels often nod to the area’s rich working-class history. At first glance, Solo Sokos Hotel Torni Tampere, Finland’s highest hotel, looks like any other modern skyscraper serving overpriced Negronis in its sky bar. But it’s maintained its original locomotive garages which now host some of the city’s best club nights.

Then there’s Lillan, a 11-room boutique hotel that was built as a nursing home for maids in 1927. Today, it’s a 4-star, pet-friendly space that has managed to blend Nordic minimalism with modern comforts. All rooms come with a coffee machine and flat-screen TV, with pricier options offering freestanding baths, balconies and private saunas – this is Tampere, after all. 

Time Out visited Tampere as guests of Visit Finland, Helsinki Partners, Visit Tampere and The PC Agency. Our reviews and recommendations have been editorially independent since 1968. For more, see our editorial guidelines.

Return fares with Finnair from London to Helsinki start at £166 in Economy Class and £546 in Business Class, including all taxes and charges. 

Finnair flies from London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh to Helsinki year-round.