Tampere is the Home of Happiness. Could the year 2024 be the perfect time to explore the favorite city of the Finns? Tampere offers a wide range of activities, from lake cruises to roof walks. The region also boasts numerous opportunities for lake and nature travel, and, of course, Tampere holds the title of the Sauna Capital of the World. For a nature getaway, it's easy to combine both city and nature experiences in Tampere, thanks to its proximity and easy accessibility to nature. Don't forget the area's rich service offerings, sustainable hiking services, and a wide variety of routes.

 “Happiness is at home in Tampere, where sauna culture, city experiences and nature combine to offer relaxation, outdoor adventures and a soothing escape from everyday concerns. Nature is easily accessible even without a car – by foot, bicycle, bus and tram. For longer journeys, you can hire, for example, an electric car, which will enable you to make a longer outdoor adventure flexibly, following your own paths. Every hike and excursion culminates in delicious food and sauna bathing in the Sauna Capital of the World,” says Matti Pollari, Project Manager at Visit Tampere.

Outdoor Express and Bike & Boat 

Operating on summer weekends, Outdoor Express offers both local residents and tourists arriving in Tampere an easy, sustainable way to explore the magnificent national parks of Tampere region. The summer destinations are the Seitseminen, Helvetinjärvi and Isojärvi national parks, which can be explored sustainably by shared rides, with no need for private cars. The service, launched last summer, has attracted much praise.

 “Thanks to the service, it is easy to make day trips from the city centre to the national parks. And best of all, the Outdoor Express timetables are designed to enable visitors to enjoy nature in the national parks at a relaxed pace, with no need to rush,” says Pyry Rinkinen, Project Manager at sustainable development services company Ekokumppanit Oy.

Landscape cycling and boat tourism are combined in the Bike & Boat service, launched in Tampere last summer, which offers a completely new kind of hiking route, particularly for cyclists. The boat link from Mustalahti to Aitolahti creates a low-threshold alternative to cycling trekking and boat tourism also on Lake Näsijärvi, similar to the existing Pyhäjärvi Landscape Route. Perfect for a leisurely day trip. The service also offers a new way to go hiking, for example to the Kintulammi hiking area and nature reserve, or an experiential first stage on a longer Lake Trails tour.

 “The link from Mustalahti to Teisko is a convenient way to travel by ferry from the centre of Tampere directly to the idyllic countryside, from where you can continue your adventures deeper into the Lake Trails or to the wonderful services the region has to offer. At the same time, it also provides a very interesting and experiential way to get to know the world of cycling tourism, for example as a ring route with children, leaving a modest 20 kilometre section to cycle,” says Olli Vakkala, Project Manager for Lakes Trails at Ekokumppanit Oy.

In addition to these, remember also the Serlachius Museums' Art & Sauna Express, a bus service running from Tampere to the museums and its unique Art Sauna.