Experience in Tampere, Finland by Eeva-Kaisa

What is it like to live in Tampere? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Tampere is a vibrant student city with a lot of interesting studies and free time opportunities. I would definitely recommend it.

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What is the student lifestyle like in Tampere?

There is a lot of active student organisations that provide students with free time activities and help with their studies.

How much does it cost to live in Tampere?

Tampere (as the rest of Finland) is quite expensive and for example the costs of living can be quite steep. However it is possible to play down these costs by taking advantage of for example student discounts.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Tampere? Is there any advice you can give?

It might be quite hard, because Tampere is such a popular city among students. However the local student accomodation provider TOAS has reserved two locations for exchange students only, so I suggest contacting them.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

You can find all sorts of cuisines from Tampere. From sushi to burgers and traditional Finnish food to good vegetarian restaurants, Tampere has it all. There are a lot of good restaurants and bars in Tampere, but the prices are obviously also pretty high. I would recommend trying the local delicacy of Tampere, the black sausage or mustamakkara as it is called in Finnish.

What places would you recommend visiting in Tampere?

Besides visiting the amazing museums in Tampere (Vapriikki being a good example), I also recommend visiting the amazing nature spots Tampere offers.

Is it good to eat out in Tampere? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

If you want traditional Finnish food, try visiting the Old Market Hall, Kauppahalli in Fiinish.

Is the nightlife good in Tampere? Where is good to go?

My favourite spots would be Union, where they hold exchange parties and Doris, which is a nice small place to go dancing. If you want to see bands, try Klubi. Small pubs have nice atmosphere too.

What advice would you give future students heading to Tampere?

Prepare for extreme weather conditions and take with you good hiking shoes and definitely a swimsuit so you can visit many saunas and maybe even take a dip at a frozen lake!

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