Erasmus Experience in Tampere, Finland by Lucie

Why did you choose to go to Tampere, Finland?

I choose Tampere because I wanted to go to Finland but not to Helsinki in order to avoid the "clichés" of the capital and meet the true and the authentic Finland. I also wanted to join Tampereen Pyrintö, one of Finland's best club for orienteering.

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I stayed in Tampere from August to December. I received around 850€ for the semester.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Tampere?

Tampere is the biggest student city in Finland. There are 3 majors universities which are TAMK, UTA and TUT and more than 30 thousands of students follow a scholarship there. There are a lot of parties organized, not only for local people but also for exchange students and there are a lot of bars and clubs in the city: everybody can find the ones which will fits own expectations the best! Foreigner students are really welcomed there. Most of Finnish speaks fluently english which is really helpful in a daily life. Exchange students have a lot of free time to discover the city, enjoy their own activities, meet with friends, party etc. The only negative aspect are the prices which are very high for food & alcohol.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Tampere to other students?

Of course. Tampere is not too big so you can easily get lost in the wonderful nature, but there is still a lot of stuffs to do. TAMK is a really good university with numerous activities organized for exchanges students and a lot of facilities for everyone.

What is the food like?

Well.. Finnish food is really basic. In normal restaurants or cafeterias, you can find potatoes and rice all with famous "Finnish meatballs" (nobody knows what's in it). Everybody agrees that coffee and beer are definitely hard too drink. There are some Finnish specialities that are nice (I can't actually name them), but as a French food lover it's hard to stay objective.

Nevertheless, you can find normal ingredients in any grocery shop so you can cook like you'll do it at home.

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Tampere?

I found an accommodation really quickly thanks to TOAS. I send my application as soon as it was possible and I got a really nice room + bathroom in Lapiniemi in an exchange student building for about 270€/month. Common kitchen/TV room/gym/laundry/sauna.

How much does it cost to live in Tampere?

Everything is rather expensive, but mostly food and beverages. Including the rent, I spent about 270€/month

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

It's absolutely impossible to learn Finnish in a semester, or even to be fluent in a year. It's a language witch is very different from any other in the world, because of the structure, the grammar, the vocabulary, the history, the influences... And so on. Nevertheless, every universities offer Basics of Finnish classes thanks to which you're supposed to reach a A1 level (greetings, time, some vocabulary, basic grammar/conjugation... ).

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Tampere from your city?

The best way to travel to Tampere from Paris is by plane to Helsinki. From Helsinki, there are three choices : taking another plane for 30 minutes to Tampere (high sensations guaranteed), taking the train for 1h30 or using Onnibus services for 2h to Tampere. The easiest is by plane, the cheapest is by bus and the more relaxing is by train.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Tampere?

Depends on what you want to experience! I usually went to Pub Simon to enjoy a smooth & relaxing atmosphere on evenings, Miami for the RedCup and beer pong nights (don't miss Dj Cliff) and Union if you feel that you would like to go in a huge club with different rooms.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Tampere?

Firstly, anybody who visit Tampere needs to eat at least once in Napoli : they offer more than a hundred of super tasty pizza in deep Italian atmosphere for cheap prices (regarding the average in Finland! ). I also went to Tillika which offer typical Finnish meals in a beautiful old building linked with Tampere's theatre. This restaurant offers a great view on Tammerkoski and is directly in the city center. The prices are really low too. For those two restaurant, starters are offered. If you're looking for a unique experience and have a really big budget, you can go and eat in the 360° restaurant on Sarkaniemmi tower's top (125m high). The Chef is offering his customers luxurious, modern kitchen.

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What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Nobody can miss the public saunas: Rauhaniemi and Talviuimarit. Pyynikki tower, Sarkanniemi tower and Moro Skybar will offer your great 360° views on the city. Kauppi is the wonderful forest in the city, perfect in the winter for skiing and the rest of the time for walking, running or orienteering. The two markets Tallipiha and Kaupahalli will offer you different kind of Finnish food and homemade souvenirs in addition to be really convivial place. For the people with adventurous spirits, you can go to Sarkanniemi amusement park or go kayaking on the lakes. There are a lot of places to go hiking around Tampere. There are also a lot of museums (Amuri Museum is the best, I won't tell why you have to go there! ). You can't get bored in Tampere, there is always something to do.

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Tampere in the future?

I recommend to you not to live alone but to find a shared flat or to live in students buildings, the experience is better when is shared. If you are looking for sun and light, only go during the long days of summer, because you won't see any of those two between the end of October until March. And finally don't miss the opportunities to visit Helsinki, Lapland, Stockholm, Tallin and St Petersburg. Norway and Riga are a plus.