In Tampere you get to see lots of different animals, for example in Särkänniemi: exotic fish in the Aquarium and at Doghill Fairytail Farm there are sweet sheep, chickens, ponies, pigs and many other animal friends. You can find sheep grazing in Tampere in Tesoma’s Kohmanpuisto and Peltolammi’s Rukkamäenpuisto. But if you want to get to a stroking distance, there are some great places for that as well!
Stable Yards – Tallipiha
You don’t even have to leave the city centre if you want to see some bunnies and hens! Tallipiha has two fenced areas; one for the chicken, the other one for the bunnies.
Domestic Animal Farm Ponimaa
Domestic Animal Farm Ponimaa is situated in Orivesi, about 40 km from Tampere, and in the courtyard you get to see the dwellers – Friesian horses, ponies, miniature ponies, donkeys, goats (e.g. African miniature goats), sheep, miniature pigs, bunnies, chickens, ducks, peacocks, golden pheasants, doves, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and of course dogs and cats. At the bunny fortress you get to pet little bunnies, and every day from 1PM to 3PM pony rides for children. There’s also an imp’s hut, a frog pond and a stable for hobby horses. If you look very carefully, you might even see some fairies and goblins!
Kiviniitty domestic animal farm
In Sastamala, there’s Kiviniitty domestic animal farm with about 200 animals, over 30 species from sheep to calves and horses to rabbits – nearly all the Finnish farm animals are represented. At the farm there’s also a café and spots for having a barbecue, as well as specialities such as alpacas, ostriches, degus, and highland cattle. You don’t have to travel to Lapland to see something a bit more rare in this latitude – reindeer! In addition to the animals, there’s a lot to do for the kids: horse ride on a lead, trampolines, a big bouncy castle, playground and a witch’s cottage.
Sankilan kartano
At Sankila Manor in Pirkkala, you can find some original Finnish farmyard animals in beautiful surroundings. Enjoy buns and a nice cup of coffee in the café. At Sankila you can meet for example horses, sheep, bunnies, and cats. Open at weekends. If you want to come during working days, book in advance!
Syrjynen ostrich farm
Have you ever seen a real life ostrich? If not, you should get your bearings set towards Pälkäne and the Syrjynen ostrich farm! At the farm you get to see some ostriches, of course, but also fallow deer, chickens, bunnies and cats, and in the summertime also sheep. A café serves the visitors.
Niitty-Seppälä farm and petting zoo
Also in Pälkäne, you can find the Niitty-Seppälä farm and petting zoo, where both children and adults will enjoy themselves. Piglets, a pony, bunnies, chickens greet you happily. On the playground there’s a slide, a merry-go-round and swings to make your head spin. The brawest of all can step in the Troll’s cave! At the farm you can also pick your own strawberries or buy them at the market. The farm café is open for visitors in the summer.
Ähtäri Zoo
Tampere is also not far away from the home of the only giant pandas in the Nordic countries – Ähtäri! In addition to pandas Lumi and Pyry, there are dozens of Scandinavian animals to be observed in their natural habitat. Pack up a picnic and enjoy a day in Ähtäri with the whole family!