Christmas time
Tampere is definitely worth the visit during Christmas time! The city will be full of all kinds of events, concerts, Christmas markets, food and sauna, of course.
Enjoy Christmas spirit and the lovely atmosphere at Tampere Christmas Market at Keskustori Central Square, right in the heart of the city. Buy Christmas gifts from the local artists and craftspeople, have a cup of mulled wine and taste the typical Finnish rice porridge. The world-famous doughnuts from Pyynikin munkkikahvila café are also available at the Christmas market. Another lovely place to enjoy the Christmas spirit is at Stable Yards. Christmas markets, handicrafts, café serving Christmas delicacies and not to forget the Tallipihan Suklaapuoti chocolate shop!
Many restaurant offer traditional Christmas lunches, typically as buffets but also á la carte is available in some restaurants. Traditional Christmas food includes delicacies from Christmas casseroles to ham and great selection of fish. Not to forget the delicious dessert table!
Christmas concerts are also a crucial part of Christmas in Tampere, and concerts take place in various locations from churches to concert venues.
In the Sauna Capital of the World, Tampere, you can enjoy a genuine Christmas sauna in many of the city’s saunas. What would be a more Finnish and nostalgic way of getting into the holiday spirit as enjoying a sauna bath by the lake?
Sauna and hole in ice
While you’re in the Sauna Capital of the World, you cannot miss sauna and a dip in the frozen lake! There are almost 70 public saunas in the region to choose from. Worth trying is the Sauna-restaurant Kuuma right in the heart of the city. There you can have a drink or enjoy delicious food after the steams. Finland’s oldest public sauna still in use, Rajaportti sauna, is definitely an experience itself!
The ultimate must-do thing in Tampere is ice swimming! The city situated between two large lakes offers excellent possibilities to take a dip in the frozen lake, for example in the Rauhaniemi or Kaupinoja saunas. After bathing in the heat of the sauna, you can plunge into the refreshing water through a hole in the ice, and let the lake cool you down. A bit more extreme and a bit closer to the city centre, in Mältinranta, you can try ice swimming without the sauna!
Explore public saunas in Tampere and in the region.Wondering how to act in a public sauna? Read more here.
Outdoor activities
Tampere turns into a winter wonderland during the ice and snow season. You can enjoy winter sports like ice skating and sledding right in the city center. On a beautiful winter day, pretty much nothing can beat Nordic ice skating or walking on natural ice. When the ice is thick enough there will be a skating track ploughed on the lake, with a possibility to enjoy refreshments and a bite to eat out in the open air. There are a couple of artificial ice rinks as well.
The closest locations to the city centre to do cross-country skiing are Kauppi sports park and the Pyynikki area and altogether there are about 80 kilometers of lit skiing tracks in Tampere. If you want to replace the cross-country with downhill, there are slopes for downhill skiing in Mustavuori, Tampere. Sappee Travel Resort in Pälkäne and Ellivuori Ski Center in Sastamala, less than an hour’s drive from Tampere, offer a great variety of slopes as well as the best location for your dream cottage holiday with family or friends.
What else is happening?
Annually in January, takes place the Chamber Music Festival, which is an international chamber music festival combining science and art. The programme features top-level concerts, science lectures, music masterclasses and a variety of movement workshops. The festival provides ways to draw wellbeing from music and is open for people from all ages.
In February, you might see happy high school students having their “penkkarit” celebrations when they’re finishing their school and start reading for their exams. You might spot them in Tampere city centre, driving around and celebrating on a truck! The day after, the new oldest students have their prom. Them you might see, for example, in Koskikeskus or Ratina shopping centres.
Around February-March, is celebrated Shrovetide. At that time, cafés will serve shrovetide buns, buns filled with whipped cream, jam or almond paste. There are some special ones available as well! Another crucial part of Shrovetide holidays is sledding and enjoying outdoors.
