Winter holiday fun in Tampere region!

Outdoor activities

If you want to go downhill skiing, you don’t have to go far! Did you know that Tampere has it’s own skiing center, Mustavuori. Check out also Sappee in Pälkäne and Ellivuori in Sastamala. They have several slopes of different levels and plenty of other fun things to do, as well as accommodation.

The closest locations from the city centre to do cross-country skiing are Kauppi sports park and the Pyynikki area. Altogether there are about 80 kilometres of lit skiing tracks inside the Tampere city limits.

For ice skating you can head out to Sorsapuisto. The artificial ice rink is open for everyone and you can for example speed skate or play ice hockey. Another good option is the ice skating rink in Koulukatu, Pyynikki. Tohloppi skating track offers a lot of fun on ice. They rent out skates and they also have a café! You can also tour skate on Näsijärvi, and if you need to rent equipment you can head to the Bikini Bar! Always remember to be careful while skating on natural ice.

Ever had coffee on literal ice? There is a pop-up Rauhaniemi ice café on the Näsijärvi Lake, which is open when the weather permits. They serve salty and sweet wallnuts, sausage and sweet pastries. There is also organized fun winter experiences for the whole family.

On Saturdays you can enjoy wonderful winter days on beaten paths and test Swiss wooden sleds at Viinitupa Vuorenmaja in Mänttä-Vilppula. After outdoor activities, you can enjoy savory and sweet snacks as well as hot and cold drinks at the Vuorenmaja’s Ski-Café.

Want to meet Huskies? Gegwen Getaways organizes husky picnics on demand until the end of sledding season. Read more from their webpage.

Lauhanvuori – Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark has plenty of outdoor and hiking opportunities. There you can also enjoy delicacies, shop in the on-site shops, relax in the sauna and experience natural spa treatments. Read more from their webpage.

Abseiling down the Pyynikki Observation Tower is an amazing experience. This is where you really feel like you are on top of the world! You’ll find Kelo ja kallio adventures at the tower on Saturday 25.2. No reservation is needed, just come to the tower and start to shiver. After testing your nerves, you can reward yourself in the tower café with a warm doughnut or ‘munkki’ in Finnish, which are known all over Finland and many say are the best in the country.

Culture at museums and theatre

Museum Centre Vapriikki has lots to see and experience especially during the winter holiday, when there are organized activities for every day between 27.2.-3.3! You might also want to explore Vapriikki’s other great museums, such as the nostalgic Game Museum, the Postal Museum and the Ice Hockey Museum!

While in Tampere don’t forget to visit the worlds only Moomin Museum! From Tove’s bookshelf – exhibition visits the bookshelves of the artist-writer Tove Jansson and wonders what a private library says about its owner.

For art lovers Tampere Art Museum has two exhibitions: Wäinö Aaltonen – The Joy of Creating and Del LaGrace Volcano – Bodies of Resistance. Sara Hildén Art Museum has a retrospective exhibition of Jukka Mäkelä’s works.

The Finnish Labour Museum Werstas in the Finlayson area exhibits topics related to the working life and social history in Finland, and entry to the museum is always free of charge. The joys of winter can be experienced in February-March in the Superheroes wall animation, which can be seen in the evening after dusk at Väinö Linna square. At Werstas children’s can also participate in Täti Taikakynä’s drawing play workshop on 28.2.

James Bond and other spies in fiction are inspired by real life role models. The worlds first Spy Museum is the place where you get to know the fascinating stories of these top spies and their equipment.

Feeling nostalgic for old cars? Mobilia Automobile and Road Museum has lots to see and experience for the whole family. Lada Club organizes the already legendary Lada day on Sunday 26.2. On Saturday 4.3. Mobilia’s Family Day will include various activity points for children, and there are also market vendors and a glitter tattoo station. Don’t forget children’s favorites from the Mobilia exhibitions, such as the Sega Rally game, the coin-operated hydraulic excavator and children’s detective missions at the Rally Museum. By the way, Mobilia is nominated for Museum of the Year 2023!

Go on an adventure into the world of art or tinker in an old-time pharmacy at the Serlachius Museums! At the art museum, you can get to know classic works in the mansion, contemporary art in the pavilion, and admire winter nature in the sculpture park and island walk. On family Sunday 26.2. there is a puppet theater, art experiences and other fun things to do together. The wonderful Serlachius Art Sauna can be visited on the public sauna day every Tuesday. You can get to Serlachius Museums easily by bus from Tampere’s bus or train station. The bus takes you directly to the museums, from one museum to another during the day and back to Tampere in the evening.

What can you do indoors?

Escape rooms are a great way to spend time with family or small group of friends. Room Escape Finlayson has four different escape room themes and they all are suitable for the whole family.

Getaway Tampere has several different Tampere-themed escape rooms and games such as Näsinneula and Manserock. You can experience time travel and different dream worlds in WayOut’s escape rooms. Interesting and exciting escape room adventures are also offered by Mysteeri.

At the entertainment center Crazy you can try playing mini golf and indoor curling, as well as release stress in the anger room.

Irti Maasta is a fun place for wall climbing for both chlidren and adults. It’s located conveniently in the heart of Tullintori shopping centre. If climbing walls feels too high, Trampolin Park Wild has several different trampolines for jumping, tricks and games. With Olympia trampolines you can jump either on walls or in a foam pool.

ZBase is a cyberpunk themed entertainment center inside business center Siperia in Finlayson. The entertainment center combines lazer war and Retro Game Bar under the same roof. All the activities are also suitable for children.

Take a peek under water! In Särkänniemi Aquarium you can get to know reptiles, frogs and circa 200 different fish species.

Winter holiday is also great time for shopping. Shopping centres Ratina, Koskikeskus and Ideapark are open every day, and have countless stores under their roofs. You might also be interested in exploring the city’s vintage and design finds. Wonderful souvenirs can also be found from the boutiques at the Tallipiha Stable Yards! The children will love Tampereen Pieni Lelukauppa, the small toy store that actually is not small at all!

Other tips for the young ones

Children also can find fun activities at the shopping centers. In Ideapark there’s a fun activity park for children called Skidipark, and Ratina shopping center has Mini-Ratina where children get to play in miniature town with playhouses and giant plush building blocks. On winter holiday 1.-5.3 at Ratina central square there’s also fun activities for children, such as bouncy castle and interactive basketball game. In addition, on Saturday 4.3 Ratina organizes a Good Feeling event, which will include competitions, wheel of fortune, frisbee golf, raffles, surprises and lots of good prizes. Pinball machines can be found at the Koskikeskus central square throughout the winter holiday week, and from 27-28.2 children can play football between 1-5 p.m. In addition, the lovely pets of the Suomen Karva-Kaverit ry will be available for petting on Saturday 4.3 between 2-4 p.m.

Ponies at the Tallipiha Stable Yards is an experience for the whole family! On Saturdays and Sundays there are organized activities for children with the ponies from 12 to 2 p.m. These include various stable activities, caring for the ponies, harness riding and other happy moments with the ponies! The ponies are also participating in the Tallipiha’s Shrovetide festivities on 19.2.

Children’s Cultural Centre Rulla is a colourful children’s cultural centre where children are allowed to create their own artwork and participate in fun and exciting events. Different exhibitions are also always on display for children.

The house of Mr. Clutterbuck  in Sastamala lets visitors immerse themselves in play, regardless of age: playing, dressing up in role-play costumes, colourful sights and sounds. During the winter holidays, you can also meet Mr. Clutterback himself! Mr. Clutterbuck sleepwalks from 20.2.-4.3. Mon-Sat at 11 am and 2 pm. Sleepwalking lasts approx. 15 minutes.

Varala Sports Institute has plenty of activities for children and families during winter holiday. In addition to full board packages, there are daily program packages and individual exercise classes, as well as a day sports camp for 7-12 year olds. You can also spend the night in a glass igloo!

HopLop and Leo’s Leikkimaa also have plenty of space for children to play and be active.

 

Visit Tampere is not responsible for any changes . Please check the information from the companies or event organizers.