Pirkanmaa - region of Finland

Pirkanmaa is a province in the Finnish Lakeland.

Regions

• Greater Tampere – The Tampere metropolitan area is the second largest in Finland. Here we count it to cover Tampere, a few neighbouring towns and the most of its regional lakes.
• Higher Pirkanmaa – The northern part of the region, which is mostly known for the Helvetinjärvi National Park.
• North Western Pirkanmaa – The mostly rural region with the towns of Ikaalinen and Parkano.
• South Western Pirkanmaa – The mostly rural region with the town of Sastamala.
• Lower Pirkanmaa – The southern part of the region, which mainly focuses on the surroundings of Lake Vanajavesi.

Cities

• Akaa
• Ikaalinen
• Kangasala
• Mänttä-Vilppula
• Nokia – where the well-known telecommunications company opened their doors
• Orivesi
• Parkano
• Sastamala
• Tampere
• Valkeakoski
• Virrat
• Ylöjärvi

Municipalities

• Hämeenkyrö
• Juupajoki
• Kihniö
• Kuhmoinen (joined the province in 2021)
• Lempäälä
• Pirkkala
• Punkalaidun
• Pälkäne
• Ruovesi
• Urjala
• Vesilahti

Other destinations

• Helvetinjärvi National Park, Ruovesi
• Isojärvi National Park, Kuhmoinen
• Seitseminen National Park, Ylöjärvi and Ikaalinen

Understand

Pirkanmaa is the center of industrial Finland. There is a metal industry and a forest industry in the area. Tampere region is transforming from industrial hub to a knowledge-based economy.

Get in

Tampere Airport 📍 is Ryanair's destination in Finland and AirBaltic hub so there are a couple of direct flights to odd airports in Europe, in addition to some flights to Scandinavian destinations.

If you fly in from abroad, you can fly to Helsinki (IATA: HEL) and continue by bus or train. Turku has some international flights, most of them operated by Wizz Air.

Tampere is well connected to the southern, western and northern parts of the country and roughly hourly buses and trains to Helsinki and Turku. To get in from eastern Finland you will in most cases need to transfer in Jyväskylä (train, bus) or Lahti (bus).

The following OnniBus.com routes serve the region:

• M3 (Helsinki–Hämeenlinna–Tampere–Seinäjoki–Vaasa)
• M9 (Turku–Tampere–Jyväskylä–Kuopio–Kajaani)
• M12 (Tampere–Lahti–Kouvola–Kotka)
• F22 (Tampere–Huittinen–Rauma)
• F25 (Tampere–Huittinen–Turku)

Get around

Trains of national operator VR are possible to use for travelling inside province.

Matkahuolto has a dense bus network covering most of the province.

Onnibus offers discount bus service by few routes.

Google Maps includes timetables of trains, long distance buses and local transport of many cities and towns. Other useful route planners are Matka.fi for trains and local buses and Matkahuolto Reittiopas for regional buses.

By taxi

• Taksi Tampere, +358 100-4131, info@taksitampere.fi. Also bookable by app. Calling centre used by most taxis in Tampere region. Fees about the same as before deregulation. €2.84/call+pvm/mpm (app free); flag-fall M–F 07:00–18:00 €0, other times €8.50; €0.99-1.65/km+€0.99/min for 1–2 to 6+ passengers + waiting time etc. 2021-12-16
• Smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä, Uber

See

• Enjoy the view from the ridges near Kangasala.
• The 19th century industrial buildings of Tampere, "Finland's Manchester".
• The Spy museum, Lenin museum and other special museums in Tampere.

Do

• Go on a spa holiday in Ikaalinen or Nokia.
• Watch a local ice hockey derby in Tampere.
• Hike in the "Lake of Hell" - Helvetinjärvi National Park in Ruovesi.
• Taste the infamous blood sausage "mustamakkara" in Tampere.
• Go on a shopping spree in IdeaPark in Lempäälä.

Festivals

• Kirjazz & Blues, Valkeakoski. A jazz & blues festival in Kirjaslampi, Valkeakoski, in early September.
• Aitoon Kirkastusjuhlat, Pälkäne. Music festival in for the whole family in Aitoo, Pälkäne, in July.
• Työväen musiikkitapahtuma, Valkeakoski. The Workers' Music Festival in Valkeakoski is yearly gathering of the left-leaning folk in late July.
• Vanhan kirjallisuuden päivät, Sastamala. The Old Literature Days in Sastamala is a cultural event in the summer.

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Pirkanmaa is a safe place.

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