The Finnish city of Tampere has so much to offer the visitor, and it is so worth the little extra effort it takes getting there.
It is to be found between the Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes, two huge areas of inland water.
The Tammerkoski rapids that links the two, flowing through the heart of this vibrant city.
It is easy to understand why Tampere is regularly named Finland's most attractive city, a plaudit that shares pride of place with its status as the undisputed sauna capital of the world.
Tampere also offers a thriving art and culture scene, along with a wide range of excellent dining opportunities.
Last, but by no means least, Tampere is located among the stunning natural beauty that is Finland's Lakeland region.
This all makes Tampere one of the most rewarding city break destinations during the long warm days of summer.
Or when the snow falls, the lakes freeze over and it becomes a 'winter wonderland'
(Selected images throughout by Laura Vanzo / Visit Tampere)
Falling in love with Finland - thank you Tampere
It can be a bit of a gamble going anywhere for the first time, particularly when one knows almost nothing about the destination, and it does take a bit of getting there.
By Ashley Gibbins
This was the case with our short break in Tampere. So let me say from the very outset.
We are so please with did.
Of course, as a country Finland oozes allure and regularly tops the list of countries Forbes World Happiness Report.
https://worldhappiness.report/
Beyond that, except knowing Helsinki is its capital, Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest with Hard Rock Hallelujah in 2006 and Father Christmas comes from Finnish Lapland.
I knew very little about the country.
And nothing about Tampere. But I do now!
Getting to Tampere
We flew into Helsinki International Airport, took a quick commuter train to Tikkuria and them the inter-city service to Tampere.
When arranging the trip the thought of catching trains in a country for the first time was just a little daunting.
But no worries. Particularly as almost everyone speaks English.
The Finnish rail network also works like proverbial clockwork.
And the trip to Tampere and back to Helsinki airport was smooth, comfortable and genuinely interesting.
And so, some two hours after landing in Finland, we were in Tampere, checked and off for the first sauna on the trip.
But more of Tampere's sauna's later in this feature.
Finland
Finland borders Sweden, Norway and Russia, and was part of Sweden from the late 13th Century until 1809, when it became an autonomous state ruled by Russia.
Finland declared independence from Russia in 1917, but then had to endure a civil war and series of external conflicts that saw the country lose a hefty chunk of territory but retain its independence.
A one time, and long-standing neutral country, Finland is now a member of the EU and has recently joined NATO.
Industrial powerhouse
Tampere itself was a place of little consequence until becoming the first city, in an agriculture dominated country, to industrialise.
This was possible as Tampere sat between the Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi lakes with the rushing Tammerkoski rapids flowing downwards from the one to the other.
Harnessing the rapids provided a continuous source of hydropower, in pre-electric days with theFrenckell paper factory the first to take advantage of this, in 1783, and others built in the 1790s.
Tampere's own industrial revolution was under way and, in 1820, Scotsman James Finlayson built and opened the paper factory that would dominate Tampere's industrial landscape.
By the 1870s, half of Finland's industrial workers were to be found in the factories at Tampere.
Tampere slowly declined from the heady decades of industrial boom during the 19th Century, but it was the global recession of the 1990s that tolled the death knell for many of the factories operating here.
The city's renaissance
While many any of the city's factories closed down the grand red brick buildings that housed them were deemed too be part of Tampere's industrial heritage and too important for demolition.
A gradual and ongoing renovation and restoration began and many of these buildings, on either side of the rapids now house museums, theatres, art galleries, bars and restaurants and entrepreneurial start-up's.
These are interspersed with parks, gardens and green open space and is what makes Tampere the delightful and 'most attractive' city it is today.
We were in Tampere during the warm almost endless days of summer in Finland (see below).
But we now also want to return during the crisp, cold and dark days of winter, when the snow falls the lakes freeze over.
A different Tampere then presents itself with ice skating and hiking on the lakes, cross country skiing and the invigorating combination of hot sauna and ice bathing.
Tampere exceeds expectations and comes with a warm hearted, Finnish welcome.
Tampere is an easy walking city
When visiting a new destination, Ann and I will always look to get shown around at the earliest opportunity.
Tampere is a compact and genuinely attractive city with everything you are likely to want to see here easily done on foot, although there is an excellent bus and tram service.
Taking a walking tour from someone who knows and loves the place is our preferred option, though a guided bus tour is also an option.
It's a great way to 'get below the skin' of a place and appreciate how it is laid out and also a way of deciding what to revisit and when.
We also 'hit the jackpot' when it came to a guide by meeting up with Katja Villemonteix.
Katja is one of some 40 guides who offer in-depth tours of Tampere in any number of languages.
A perfect English speaker, Katja is passionate about her city and so knowledgeable about its life and times.
She is also an artist of real renown, which is a genuine asset in a city with such a vibrant arts scene.
We met Katja at Hämeensilta bridge, had an overview of the city from her before walking besides and then over the rapids.
This gets you to Tampere Central Square and the wooden Tampere Old Church, opened in 1824, and the contrasting Neo-Renaissance Tampere City Hall.
Nearby is the Finlayson Palace, another Neo-Renaissance building standing in the delightful Wilhelm von Nottbeck Park.
This is a great place for drinks on the terrace during fine days.
It's then on to the Tallipiha Stable Yards which, in the 1900s, were for horses of the factory owners but are now a real attraction in their own right.
The Russian Karelian style cottages, built in the 1880´s and sitting in gardens have been restored and now house gift shops, artisans' workshops, a fine chocolate shop and café.
From here we moved on to the Finlayson factory itself.
Art and culture at the Finlayson
The Finlayson area of Tampere, which has enjoyed a rich and defining industrial history has, in recent times, been the hub of the city's post-industrial renaissance.
The name Finlayson has been retained as homage to the cotton factory, established in 1820 by Scottish industrialist James Finlayson and which played a crucial role in Tampere's industrial revolution.
In recent years the buildings have been restored to provide a vibrant focus art, culture, dining and entrepreneurial start-ups.
Art abounds here and, between June and August, a cluster of galleries on each of the old factory floors are free to view.
The Vapriikki Museum Centre
The Vapriikki Museum Centre, on the other side of the rapids is a key cultural attraction.
It brings together a fascinating museum focussing the Finlayson factory itself, along with smaller but equally interesting museums including the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame and the Media Museum Rupriikki, which charts the history of Finland's newspapers, radio, television and digital media.
When visiting the museum, check out the café for lunch writes Ann Mealor.
As well as offering sandwiches and pastries, they have a delicious and very reasonably priced lunch buffet between 12-3pm,with a selection of hot and cold dishes.
The fried pike-perch in horseradish butter was particularly good as were the variety of fresh salads.
I also enjoyed my favourite dessert in Tampere here- a warm apple cheese bake, a traditional old school type of pudding that your granny would have made.
You can help yourself to as much as you want and eat inside oral fresco.
There is outdoor decking area where we sat and enjoyed our meal and soaked up the last a bit of sun before we headed home.
https://visittampere.fi/en/see-do/sights-and-tours/
https://www.tampereenoppaat.fi/in-english/
Katja Villemonteix at
https://visittampere.fi/en/attraction/finlayson-area/
Ending the Tampere tour at the Market Hall
We ended our walking tour of Tampere by strolling through the busting city centre to the Tampereen, the Market Hall.
Dating back to 1901, the blend of Art Nouveau and traditional Finnish architecture gives it real historic character.
It is, I was told, the largest indoor market hall in the Nordic countries and it stock full of vendors selling fresh produce, meats, fish, cheeses, baked goods and everyday items.
There are also cafes and restaurants offering traditional Finnish dishes along with wines and beers.
Tampereen Eurolohi
When in the market, a must for any visitor, there are so many tempting places to stop off for a quick bite, you will wish you could sample them all writes Ann Mealor.
However, we went to Tampereen Eurolohi, well known and loved for its salmon.
We chose salmon tacos and a salmon salad, but everything we saw coming out of the kitchen looked good!
There are also Tampereen Eurolohi food trucks and huts found throughout Tampere, so keep an eye open for their distinctive logo.
Valkoinen Puu Café
When out and about around town the Valkoinen Puu Café, just down from the Market Hall, makes the ideal pit stop writes Ann Mealor.
Modern, bright and airy, it has a show-stopping array of cakes, pastries and salads and a great selection of coffee
Popular with the locals you can sit inside or out and watch the world wander by, while sipping iced latte or decadent cream topped cappuccino.
https://valkoinenpuu.fi/en/treat-yourself/
Sauna is an integral part of Tampere life
If we heard that Tampere is the Sauna Capital of the World once, during our stay in the city, we must have heard it a dozen times.
The Rajaportti Sauna
The people here are very proud of their city's status, in a country where sauna is an absolute way of life.
When reading of this in advance of our trip I was tempted to add a pinch of journalistic cynicism.
I had been to the sauna when a member of a gym and fitness club and it was OK, but nothing to get too worked up about.
How it is different in Tampere, where the sauna feeds the lifeblood of the city.
Within an hour of our arriving in Tampere, Ann and I were taking first a wood-heated and then a modern smoke sauna in the Sauna Restaurant Kuuma Laukontori (see Ann's review below).
Tuomas Paloniemi, from Visit Tampere, had not suggested meeting in his office but in a sauna, and was telling us about the 66 (soon to be 67) public saunas in the city.
We were joined by Alexander Lembke, who was providing us with an essential introduction to the ritual.
There is unlikely to be anyone, anywhere, as passionate or knowledgeable about the sauna and the health and wellbeing qualities it offers.
Alex speaks with both authority and passion about sauna culture, which has been inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage to help safeguard the vitality and importance of the sauna tradition.
Good for body and soul
Taking a sauna regularly improves circulation, helps with muscle relaxation and detoxifies the body through sweating.
It can also relieve stress by helping us relax, improve our mood and enhance mental clarity.
Taking a sauna regularly has also been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The four of us sitting (sweating) together and becoming friends was the best possible way to understand sauna culture in Finland.
The earliest known sauna
The earliest known use of a sauna, some 5,000 years ago, was in Finland.
And, over the centuries the sauna has become an integral part of Finish society.
It is a place for the coming together of families, groups of friends and colleagues for team meetings.
And, of course, for any and every special occasion.
Finland's sauna culture also embraces the very young to the very old and with no class discrimination.
People propose to their loved ones in saunas, the wedding breakfast is often held in and around a sauna and expectant mothers have been known to give birth in a sauna.
And in a country that reveres the sauna, Tampere is the undisputed sauna capital of the world?
This status has been bestowed upon it by the Finish Sauna Society and the International Sauna Association.
This is in no small measure due to the almost overwhelming choice of public saunas in Tampere.
There are the sauna restaurants, like Kuuma Laukontori, and dozens of small floating saunas moored along banks of the lakes and even bobbing about on them.
Even our hotel room, at the Lapland Hotels Arena (see below), had its own sauna.
Talking to Tuomas and Alexander there were two, in particular, we wanted to get to.
The Rajaportti Sauna, which Alexander manages and the Sauna Temple & Rauhaniemi Folk Spa.
The Rajaportti Sauna
The Rajaportti Sauna, which is found Pispala on the outskirts of Tampere, is an historic time-capsule and the oldest public sauna in Finland in continuous use.
It was first built in 1906 and has remained almost completely unchanged ever since, but for a wall that was put up in 1930s to separate men's and women' washrooms.
Now run as a not-or-profit association, it enjoys passionate local patronage as is a veritable shrine for sauna aficionados worldwide.
As for the sauna itself, it is still heated by wood in the traditional way.
The day we visited Alexander had arrived at 6am to pre-heat the stove with metre long logs to ensure long-lasting 'löyly'.
Rauhaniemi Folk Spa
This is the Finnish word for the steam that is created when water is added, carefully, to the hot sauna rocks. It is also known as the 'spirit of life'.
Meter-long logs are fired to heat the stones until they glow.
They then remain hot several hours.
Visiting Rajaportti one cannot but appreciate the many traumatic and dramatic events that would have unfolded through the decades, and which would have been the topics of heated conversations.
Finland securing its independence from Russia, as bloody revolution was tearing that country apart and the Great War was ravaging much of Europe.
Finland's own five-month civil war in 1918, and less than twenty years later Second World War, which ended with Finland finding itself abutting the Soviet Union.
Regulars at Rajaportti would invariably have had views on The Beatles, man landing on the Moon, the subsequent breakup of the Soviet Union and Finland joining the European Union and now NATO.
In addition to the sauna itself, there is a small community cafe selling a very large selection of craft beers and the best cinnamon rolls imaginable.
Rajaportti remains an essential, invigorating part of life here, as it has for coming up to 13 decades.
The Rauhaniemi Folk Spa
For our other sauna visit we were keen to visit the Rauhaniemi, a traditional public sauna on the banks of the Näsijärvi lake.
The original saunas from 1959 are open every day of the year.
There is also a new yurt-style Sauna Temple, within with silence is requested, which is open Wednesday to Sunday.
This is also where one finds one of Tampere's most popular swimming beaches, with its cold waters providing a chilling dip to the contrast heat of the sauna.
While the Rajaportti folk Sauna is a go to for locals, it also lures travellers looking for an authentic sauna experience.
https://visittampere.fi/en/see-do/sauna-capital/
Taking to the water in Finland's lake district
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With Tampere surrounded by lakes large and small, it would be amiss to visit and not take to the water.
Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, the two largest lakes, can be enjoyed canoe, kayak, paddleboard or lake cruise.
Hearty souls, and those taking a lakeside sauna, can also plunge in for an embracing swim. Or, of course, go to a public sauna.
For the less active there are any number of secluded spots to just relax and take in the views, enjoy a picnic and leisurely strolls.
We opted for two hours paddling a canoe on Lake Näsijärvi with Tuire Tyllilä, who runs Hiking Travel, Hit with father Pekka Tyllilä.
Hiking Travel, Hit offer every type of activity for those wanting to make the most of Finland's lake district, summer and winter.
The 'HIT' in the title stands for Health and wellbeing, In happiness, To prosper.
We can certainly vouch for the health, wellbeing and happiness element.
It was a wonderfully serene experience and a wonderful way to truly appreciate to great natural beauty of this part of Finland.
It also gave the chance to talk to Tuire about the lake and life lived around it.
https://hikingtravelhit.fi/en/hiking-travel-english
… and on two wheels
Having so enjoyed Tuire Tyllilä taking us on the lake, we decided to let her father Pekka take us on the two-wheeled option.
We cycled past hilltop villages with the colourful Finish houses and along the Pyynikki Ridge nature trail. It is a little strenuous but rewards with stunning views.
And there is the chance to stop at Pyynikin Munkkikahvila, a long-standing and very popular family-owned cafeteria at the Pyynikki Observation Tower.
The Hatanpää Arboretum and botanical garden, another delightful stop on route, has been established in the grounds the former Hatanpää Manor.
https://hikingtravelhit.fi/en/hiking-travel-english
https://www.munkkikahvila.net/en-gb
The Moomin Museum
The Moomin Museum in Tampere is dedicated to the world of the Moomins, first created in the 1940s by Tove Jansson.
I knew almost nothing about the Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson and her Moomin's until we visited the world's only museum dedicated to her work and legacy.
It was a genuinely heartwarming visit that showcases over 2,000 original works including drawings, sketches and paintings.
There are also displays of intricate tableaux built by Jansson and her long-term partner Tuulikki Pietilä along with a programme of temporary exhibitions.
For those, who like me knew little about the Moomin's, they are family and community of characters created by Jansson that first appeared in a series of books and comic strips.
The impact the Moomin's made in Finland and then internationally was immediate and has been enduring.
They are now iconic characters in literature, art and popular culture.
The guide who showed us around had been brought up with the Moomin's and loved everything about them.
She introduced us, with affection to them all including curious and kind-hearted Moomintroll; his mother Moominmamma who is the embodiment of calm, and the ghost-like Hattifatteners attracted to thunderstorms.
The museum also has a permanent exhibition highlighting Jansson's career and the relationships that shaped her life and work.
We left the museum understanding why the Moomin books offer gloriously simple and life-affirming tales, for children and adults alike, while also having an underlying and thought-provoking thread.
So moved were we from what we learnt at the Moomin Museum, we purchased the set of Tove's books on arriving back in the UK.
https://www.muumimuseo.fi/en/etusivu/
Art, culture and history in the middle of nowhere!
Our one trip out of Tampere was a day at the Serlachius Museums, located in the self-professed 'the middle of nowhere', would grace any of the world's major capital cities.
Yet again, knowing nothing about Serlachius, what we found was one of the largest private art collections in the Nordic countries.
The two museums, which sit in parkland and gardens on a stunning lake in the small town of Mänttä, about an hour's drive from Tampere, attract art connoisseurs from across the globe.
From Tampere it is possible to catch return shuttle to Mänttä
It all began back in 1868, when pharmacist Gustaf Adolf Serlachius arrived in the area and built a mill beside the rapids to make paper from the wood that was readily available here.
The Serlachius factory was a huge financial success and the town of Mänttä grey up to provide homes and stores for the workers attracted to the mill and their families.
For some 120 years, four generations of Serlachius used a good deal of the money they made on an extensive art collection.
The Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation was established in 1933 to maintain and develop the art collection
The last Serlachius member sold his share in the mill, which still operates today, with the Foundation operating independently.
The newly refurbished original Serlachius Headquarters in Mänttä houses a permanent musueum charting the Serlachius family.
It embraces their lives as industrialists and supporters of the arts alongside a series of art galleries with rotating exhibitions.
The second Serlachius Museum, some 2.5 kilometres away, is found in the Gösta Serlachius' former manor house residence, and in a magnificent timber-framed extension.
This museum showcases contemporary art from Finnish and foreign artists along with works from the Golden Age of Finnish Art and old European masters.
It will come as no surprise to know there is also a sauna, although the new Serlachius Art Sauna is, needless-to-say, a masterpiece of design in a lakeside setting.
As is the restaurant, the Art Museum's Restaurant Gosta, which Ann reviews (below)
Visitors looking for an overnight stay can consicer the hotel Mänttä Club, built in 1920 and originally run as a club for company executives, or ArtHotel Honkahovi, a one-time residence of R. Erik Serlachius.
Restaurant Gosta
The Art Museum's Restaurant Gosta is a delightful place for a fine dining lunch writes Ann Mealor.
It's modern, light and airy with picturesque views over the gardens.
Local, high quality seasonal ingredients appear throughout the menu.
It was here I enjoyed my favourite soup, a light, frothy pike-perch broth with horseradish cream, and the grilled fillet of trout with a rhubarb beurre blanc, Bok choy and asparagus was also excellent.
All the food was beautifully presented with great attention to detail.
Unfortunately, we hadn't left enough time in our busy schedule to sample the desserts.
I therefore recommend leaving space in your itinerary for a long, leisurely lunch so you can make the most of what the chef has to offer.
https://serlachius.fi/en/ and www.visittaidekaupunki.fi
A place to stay in Tampere : Lapland Hotels Arena
A sauna in the bedroom! What a treat!
By Ann Mealor
Of course, I was in Tampere, the sauna capital of the world, so it should have come as no surprise to find this welcome addition to our room at the Lapland Hotels Arena
Part of a modern sporting complex in the heart of the city, I wasn't sure what to expect as we wandered through the arena and take the lift to reception.
However, as we made our ascent, the haunting Lapland music and wintery visuals of a bare tree in a snow scape started to prepare me for a taste of Finnish wonderland.
The reception was decorated in greys and natural hues and lit by twinkling fairy lights and candles.
Fur throws and cushions were scattered over comfortable sofas and chairs.
Our room
Our room was minimalist in style with everything needed for a short city break.
Including a sauna (a Finnish essential), slippers, dressing gowns, complimentary tea and coffee, good quality toiletries and a powerful walk-in shower.
The atmosphere was cosy and the rhythmic, chant of Nordic music soothing.
Cute wooden reindeers peered up from the floor and the occasional set of antlers decorated the otherwise bare walls.
It all had a very natural, earthy feel reflecting the often harsh but beautiful Lapland landscape.
Breakfast
Breakfast was a high point – a sumptuous buffet full of delicious local fare.
There was so much to choose, and all beautifully presented and very fresh.
Cold dishes included smoked salmon, pickled herring, ham, cheese, salami and a selection of fruits and salads.
Hot food included made to order omelettes (always a favourite of mine), creamy scrambled eggs, fried eggs, bacon, black sausage (a speciality of Tampere), roasted potatoes and a huge vat of stomach warming porridge oats.
There was an array of bite sized pastries (the Finn's love their sweet treats), and I sampled quite a few of them.
Gooey cinnamon swirls, blueberry rye pie, parsnip pie (like carrot cake and so tasty) and crumbly chocolate covered oatmeal cookies.
Also, the natural, oozing honeycomb deserves a special mention and paired perfectly with the crusty artisan breads.
All dietary requirements are catered for, and staff were very helpful and friendly, dealing swiftly with any special requests.
The Hotel was the perfect base for exploring Tampere and the breakfast certainly provided for a day of busy sightseeing.
And during the long balmy days of summer there is a rooftop bar and, believe it or not, a sauna up there!
https://www.laplandhotels.com/EN/urban-hotels/tampere/lapland-hotels-arena.html
Dining in Tampere
So much to enjoy when dining in Tampere
By Ann Mealor
There is so much to enjoy when eating out in the city, with quaint cafes, coffee shops and fine dining restaurants in abundance.
We dined at a number, and all were excellent with vegan and vegetarians well catered for too.As the weather was so good, we also took advantage of the sun and ate outside when we could.
Sauna, waterfront view and tasty Nordic cuisine makes Sauna Restaurant Kuuma a hotspot for locals and tourists.
This is the place to relax and chill out over a drink and sauna with friends or enjoy a meal overlooking Lake Pyhäjärvi.
There are two types of mixed sauna, wood heated and smoke.
Towels and swimwear can be hired, and there are showers, changing rooms, hair-dryers toiletries.
So you can still look presentable when at the bar or at your table.
We went for the whole Kuuma experience embracing a sauna, a dip in the lake and an evening meal on the expansive terrace.
We started with a delicious salmon soup that came recommended, chunks of flaky salmon in a light, creamy broth scattered with bright green spring onions.
I then tucked in to a juicy, grilled marbled beef tenderloin with spring cabbage salad, chimichurri and roasted potatoes.
Ashley chose a fried pike-perch with spinach, baby potatoes, and asparagus in a herb yoghurt sauce.
The meal ended with me sipping a spicy margarita and soaking up the atmosphere well into the evening.
https://www.saunaravintolakuuma.fi/en/home/
Bistro Henriks
A French style bistro, Henriks is cosy and intimate.Exposed brick walls, wooden tables, a tiled floor and subtle lighting, give the place a rustic charm.
Family owned the menu focuses on simple, seasonal ingredients cooked well.
For starters, I had the white asparagus soup, topped with chopped spring onions and slices of green asparagus which gave the dish a nice crunch.
Ashley had the substantial spring onion risotto in a hollandaise sauce spiked with tomato puree. We also had a basked of particularly good artisan bread and butter.
For mains, I had a perfectly cooked steak with herb butter, asparagus and roasted potatoes in a rich, red wine sauce.
Ashley had the pan-fried perch on roasted carrots and herb potatoes topped with a generous helping of buttermilk sauce.
We paired this with a 2019 bottle of carefully selected Roussette De Savoie, a subtle, yet complex French white.
Most of the desserts came in temptingly small portions, so although I was full, I knew I could squeeze one in.
I had an orange chocolate cream puff similar to a profiterole and it brought my meal to a sweet close.
Ravintola Nonni
Creative, experimental and innovative Nonni offers food lovers something a bit different.
The restaurant has a quirky yet homely feel with colourful, antique books decorates the whole of one wall and heavily patterned wallpaper and prints the other.
The ceiling is green from which hang a selection of vintage light fittings and plates and cutlery are an eclectic miss-match of different designs and styles.
Bought from second-hand shops, not only is it eco-friendly but it contributes towards the whimsical feel of the place.
The menu is made up of a selection of intriguing small plates including Filipino cod ceviche with coconut and cilantro and grilled octopus with smoked almonds in a roasted red pepper sauce.
Dishes are made for sharing so you can get to sample most of the menu.
We particularly enjoyed the grilled mackerel with gochujang (red chilli paste) butter sauce and rosamunda (potato) chips and the refreshing cod ceviche.
Waiter Mikael Intonen was so knowledgeable about the wine and chose an inspired selection to compliment the meal including a sparkling Spanish Rezabel, a light, French chardonnay and a strong French Gros Manseng.
By the time we left, it was no surprise that the restaurant was full.
Dinner aboard the Silver Sky
What an experience it was dining on board the Silver Sky.
The dinner cruise on the ship sails to and around Viikinsaari an island on Lake Pyhäjärvi while we enjoy the view, great food and live music.
The weather was glorious, so we sat and sipped our prosecco on the open deck, admiring the views across the lake as the boat filled with passengers and set sail.
Halfway into our journey we went to our table below deck and tucked in to a fabulous buffet that exceeded my expectations.
We helped ourselves to smoked salmon with capers in a tangy, creamy dressing, prawns in a dill crumble, tender beef in a three pepper sauce, hot buttered new potatoes, roasted broccoli with almonds, moist focaccia bread, marinated olives, chunks of watermelon sprinkled with feta and mint cream and crisp green salads.
There was plenty to eat, no queues and dishes were quickly replenished when empty.Despite eating far too much as it was all so tasty, I still managed a melt in the mouth strawberry mousse for dessert.
And we were entertained throughout by a talented guitarist.
The perfect end to our last day in Tampere.
https://www.hopealinjat.fi/en/palvelut/dinner-on-the-waves-from-laukontori/
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