HÄMEENLINNA > TAMPERE (75 km) On the way to Tampere we recommend that you stop at the Iittala Glassworks and Design Centre. Iittala Glass Centre, tel: +358 (0)20 439 3512. Directly after Iittala, take route 130 and you will find a sign for Visavuori, which previously was home to two interesting artists: Emil Wickström and his grandson Kari Suomalainen. Drive four kilometres from E12 to route 130. Visavuori, Visavuorentie 80, Tarttila (Valkeakoski), tel. +358 (0)3 543 6528. www.visavuori.com. From Visavuori we recommend that you take a small detour to Valkeakoski in order to enjoy the wonderful lake landscape along route 130. In order to get back to the highway you turn on to route 304. If you want to see and buy more Finnish glass, we recommend that you stop at the Nuutajärvi Glass Village Shop in Sirkkavuori along highway E6/9. AS Glass Nuutajärvi shop in Sirkkavuori, tel. +358 (0)20 439 3527. Lempäälä is a municipality about 20 kilometres from Tampere. Visiting tip: Kuokkala museum road. Tel. +358 (0)3 375 2643 in summer, at other times +358 (0)50 326 7557.
	Tampere is a city with a long industrial history, modern technology and varying cultural events. The city is beautifully located between two lakes. Take a walk along the banks and the rapids of the Tammerkoski River. It provided the growing industry with power in the 18th and 19th centuries and is now classified as part of Finland’s national landscape. Today those ancient factory buildings of red brick house new activities, such as museums, galleries, restaurants, cinemas, theatre, art and craft stalls, boutiques, a sports hall, etc. The architecture in Tampere is mixed. The best example of national romanticism is the Cathedral, built at the beginning of the 20th century. It contains works by that time’s most successful Finnish artists, sculptors and artisans. The Orthodox Church is a prime example of the Neo-Byzantine style. Modern architecture is well represented among the public buildings; some of them designed by Raili and Reima Pietilä, such as the main Metso Library in the city centre. The Tampere Hall, the largest concert and congress centre in the Nordic countries, is famous for its airy and light architecture.
	The Vapriikki Museum Centre, the old Tampella factory area – Several exhibits featuring, among other things, the buildings in the Tampere region and southern Finland. Here you will also find the Finnish Ice Hockey Museum, where you can test your ability to score goals in a goal simulator. Address: Veturiaukio 4, tel. +358 (0)3 5656 6966. Amuri Museum of Workers’ Housing – The museum describes the living conditions of the workers from the 1880s until the 1970s. Satakunnankatu 49, tel. +358 (0)3 5656 6690. Sara Hildén Art Museum – Modern art from Finland and abroad. The Sara Hildén Foundation’s own collection constitutes a significant group of modern art. Särkänniemi Theme Park, tel. +358 (0)3 5654 3500. Tampere Art Museum – The exhibits include works by the Young Finnish Artist of the Year, commemorative exhibitions with works by Finnish artists and exhibits with works by well-known, contemporary artists. Puutarhakatu 34, tel. +358 (0)3 5656 6577. Hiekka Art Museum – A private home with collections of Finnish art, furniture and gold and silver objects. Pirkankatu 6, tel. +358 (0)3 212 3973. The Moominvalley Museum – Original illustrations by Tove Jansson, the creator of the Moomins. The Moominvalley shop sells Moomin books in many different languages and Moomin-themed gift items. Hämeenpuisto 20, tel. +358 (0)3 5656 6578. The Lenin Museum – The world’s only permanent museum dedicated to V.I. Lenin. The permanent exhibit tells of Lenin’s life during the first period of the Russian revolution. Hämeenpuisto 28, tel. +358 (0)3 276 8100. The Central Museum of Labour, Werstas – The exhibits illustrate the workmen’s lives, their traditions and social history. Väinö Linnan aukio 8, Finlayson factory area, tel. +358 (0)3 253 8800. The Spy Museum – The first spy museum of the world, including agent test and role playing. Satakunnankatu 18 B, Finlayson factory area, tel. +358 (0)3 212 3007. Pyynikki and Pispala are ridges dating back to the Ice Age. Pyynikki ridge with its pine forest is a popular outdoor and recreational area outside the city. An open-air theatre with a rotating stand is situated on the shore of Lake Pyhäjärvi at the foot of Pyynikki ridge. Pispala ridge is a unique part of town with a calm and personal atmosphere. The Botanical Park Arboretum occupies eleven hectares of land near Tampere city centre by Lake Pyhäjärvi. Next to the park you will find Hatanpää manor, a botanical park and a rose garden. Lake cruises – You can take a 20 minute boat trip to a neighbouring island, eat a good meal there, dance at the pavilion if you arrive during the weekend or stroll along the beautiful nature trail around the island - and of course you can take a sauna (to be booked in advance). You can also do a longer cruise to Hämeenlinna in the south or Virrat in the north. There are also lunch cruises that last between 1.5 and 2 hours as well as 3 hour evening cruises. Särkänniemi Adventure Park – Rides, attractions, dolphinarium, aquarium, planetarium, children’s zoo, Näsinneula Observation Tower and the Sara Hildén Art Museum, tel. +358 (0)20 713 0200.
	Tallipiha Stable Yards is an excellent place to shop for gifts and souvenirs in a pleasant environment at the old Finlayson factory area. Kehräsaari is a shopping centre built in a former factory. From Joulupuu you can find Christmas items year round, as well as Finland, Lapland, Tampere and sauna products. The Taito Shop at Hatanpäänvaltatie 4 sells local crafts of high quality: woodwork, jewellery and ceramics. Indoor market place Kauppahalli along the main street, Hämeenkatu 19, with its many stalls entices with lots of fine products.
TAMPERE > VAMMALA (about 55 km) From Tampere you can choose route 12 and drive through the little villages in the beautiful landscape in Vammala - the area has beautiful lakes and hills. Every year at the end of June, Vammala hosts a popular event for bibliophiles “Vanhan Kirjallisuuden Päivät”. Hotel Ellivuori in Vammala is a Finncheque Hotel, address: FI-38139 Ellivuori, tel. +358 (0)3 51 921, www.ellivuori.fi. Here you will also find an excellent golf course, Lakeside Golf. Vammala is also famous for its medieval stone churches. For families we recommend: Herra Hakkaraisen talo "The House of Mr. Clutterbuck", which is based on the children’s books of the beloved Finnish author and illustrator Mauri Kunnas. Exhibition, gallery and shop. Marttilankatu 10, tel. +358 (0)3 5213 5121. www.herrahakkaraisentalo.net.