A Week in Finland, or AWIF for short, will happen on the week before Solmukohta 2020, from Sunday 29th of March to Thursday the 2nd of April.
Do you want to get to know the city of Tampere, hang out with fellow Solmukohta-goers, or follow our recommendations to get the most out of a spring week in Finland?
Guided tour of the city? Local Tampere delicacies at the market square? A trip for traditional munkkikahvit (coffee and a donut) at Pyynikki observation tower? A guided tour of the Finnish Museum of Games? A trip to the Moomin Museum? Or just chill and play board games at our base camp in the middle of the city? We got you covered.
Practicalities
The walking tours of Tampere during A Week in Finland are meant to be dropped in on: the daily schedule is on this website, and you are free to tag along all day or just show up for the parts that interest you. There’s no need to sign up or buy tickets in advance. All tours start at Telakka, the Week in Finland headquarters. You can also leave the tour when you wish. The schedule is meant to tell when the guide moves from one location to another.
Unless otherwise specified, there are no guided tours for specific museum exhibitions. Some of the museums offer audio guides and all of them have information in English. There’s time in the schedule for you to buy lunch.
The guide will take you by foot for distances of under two kilometres – which is most of them – but you are always free to take the bus or a taxi. Please ask for assistance in picking the right bus! Single tickets can be bought on the bus with cash only for 3,50€, or by the mobile app Nysse Mobiili for 2,70€.
The museum prices are for adults. Some of the museums offer discounts, e.g. for students. Check these at the museum. If you intend to hit a lot of museums during your stay in Finland, we recommend picking up a Museum Card (69€). It is valid for one year and admits you to over 300 museums around the country.
Monday
“But the museums aren’t open!” tour.
On Monday, we will familiarize ourselves with local Tampere classics – black sausage and public saunas. We start at Telakka, from where we will walk to the marketplace at Tammelantori for the traditional local delicacy, black sausage. This is eaten outdoors, so dress warmly. The marketplace also offers other food and drink options.
From Tammelantori, we will continue to the Rauhaniemi Public Baths for a sauna. There is a swimming option in the lake. Bring your own towel, swimwear and a smaller towel for sitting in the sauna, and what hygiene kit you feel necessary. The saunas are unisex and require swimwear. The experienced user also recommends slippers and a cap if you intend to swim.
Destinations & adult ticket prices:
Tammelantori Market Square (Food & beverages at the market square)
Rauhaniemi public sauna 7€
Schedule:
14:00 Departure from Telakka to Tammelantori Market Square (walk, 500 m)
14:45 Departure from Tammelantori to Rauhaniemi (bus, 400 m walk)
15:30 Sauna!
17:00 Return from Rauhaniemi to Telakka
Tuesday
Art & Moomins!
On Tuesday, we will be touring the Tampere art museums and the only Moomin museum in the world.
We will start before noon at Telakka, walking a few blocks to Tampere Hall and the Moomin Museum. From the museum we will return to Telakka for lunch, and then proceed to the Tampere Art Museum. You may walk the two kilometres with the guide or go by bus.
From the Art Museum, we will continue to Särkänniemi, which is an amusement park in the summer, and visit the Näsinneula Observation Tower and get a bird’s eye view of the city. Next to Näsinneula, there is the Sara Hildén Art Museum. At the end of the day, the guide will help you find back to Telakka.
Destinations & adult ticket prices:
The Moomin Museum 13€
Tampere Art Museum 11€
Näsinneula Observation Tower 5,90€
Sara Hildén Art Museum 12€
Schedule:
10:50 Departure from Telakka to Tampere Hall / the Moomin Museum (walk, 350 m)
11:00 The Moomin Museum
12:15 Departure from the Moomin Museum to Telakka (walk, 350 m)
12:30 Time for lunch
13:30 Departure from Telakka to Tampere Art Museum (walk, 2 km or bus)
14:00 Tampere Art Museum
15:30 Departure from the Tampere Art Museum to Näsinneula Observation Tower (walk, 1 km)
16:00 Näsinneula Observation Tower
16:30 Still Still Life at the Sara Hildén Art Museum (next to Näsinneula Observation Tower)
17:45 Leaving from the Sara Hildén Art Museum to Telakka (bus, ca. 600 m walk)
Wednesday
Industrial history & The Finnish Museum of Games
On Wednesday, we will get acquainted with the industrial and labour history of Tampere as well as visit the Finnish Museum of Games before the Nordic Larp Talks.
We begin with a local specialty, the only Lenin Museum located outside Russia. From there, we continue to the Finlayson factory area and the Finnish Labour Museum Werstas, after which there’s the possibility of having lunch in the old weaving hall, Plevna.
After lunch, we head back across the rapids to the Vapriikki Museum Centre, located in the old Tampella factory, which is also the venue for Nordic Larp Talks. Before the Talks, we have time to check out The Finnish Museum of Games, which is also hosting an exhibition of the larp photographs of Tuomas Puikkonen.
Destinations & adult ticket prices:
The Finnish Lenin Museum 8€
The Finnish Labour Museum Werstas (free)
The Plevna brewery pub & restaurant (lunch at your own expense)
Museum Centre Vapriikki exhibitions 13€ (The Finnish Museum of Games; Ostia, Gateway to Rome; The Theatre City; Tampere 1918 on the Finnish Civil War battle; Media Museum Rupriikki; Mineral Museum; Postal Museum; The Natural History Museum; The New Hockey Hall of Fame Finland)
Schedule:
10:30 Departure from Telakka to The Finnish Lenin Museum (walk, 2 km or bus)
11:00 The Finnish Lenin Museum
11:45 Departure from The Finnish Lenin Museum to The Finnish Labour Museum Werstas (walk, 1 km)
12:00 The Finnish Labour Museum Werstas
13:30 LUNCH at Plevna brewery pub & restaurant
14:30 Departure from Plevna brewery pub & restaurant to Museum Centre Vapriikki (walk, 650 m)
15:00 Museum Centre Vapriikki The Finnish Museum of Games
19:00 Nordic Larp Talks at Museum Centre Vapriikki
Thursday
One last look at Tampere before Solmukohta – A workout, a view, and a doughnut
On Thursday, we head from Telakka to Rosendahl, the Solmukohta venue itself. Before check-in, we have time to drop in at the Pyynikki Observation Tower, built in 1929. In addition to a beautiful view of the city, their doughnuts are famed far and wide.
We will first take our baggage to Rosendahl and then hike up some stairs to the top of the ridge where the Tower stands. You may also head to Rosendahl by yourself and meet us there.
Schedule:
13:00 Departure from Telakka to Rosendahl (bus, 500 m walk)
14:00 Walking together to Pyynikki observation tower (450 m walk, up some stairs and hiking paths)
15:00 Walking together back to Rosendahl from the observation tower (450 m walk, downhill)