Pyynikki

Pyynikki is a very special place in Tampere, Finland. You can gain access to it by taking one of the buses going that way from the city center, by taxi or simply on foot. If you decide the last option, the trip from the city center should last around 20 minutes to half an hour at the most. You should be careful in the wintertime when walking because it can be windy and roads are icy.

Once you arrive at Pyynikki, you have to leave the main road and take a little path into the forest and up the hill. Nature is quite beautiful, with green, lush pines and animals, like squirrels and birds. It is common to come across Finns walking with their dogs or jogging around. You need to climb some stairs, which is a difficult task, to reach the top of the hill. Finns joke about this ascent and they say that "the Finnish ice hockey team's typical training is to go up these stairs every day".

Once you reach the top, you will see the famous Pyynikki Tower. It is an observation tower, a simple building made of stone. The tower itself has a long history: it is the successor of a wooden tower from the 19th century, which was also used as an observation tower. In the early 20th century, the tower was rebuilt and it became as it is nowadays.

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At the entrance, there is a café open 24/7. The cafeteria is actually quite small and sometimes there are very long lines, so it would be smart to go at a decent hour to avoid waiting for so long. From there you can take an elevator to go up to the top of the tower. Students are offered a discount for elevator tickets.

Pyynikki Tower has been run by the same family for 20 years or more so far. It is very famous for its special donuts called munkkis, also known as 'the Best Donuts in Finland'. People usually take munkkis with coffee or tea. They make customized munkkis for clients who are on special diets, like lactose or gluten-free. So feel free to ask for them.

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You can also buy ground coffee since owners use a special blend that is really uncommon. In summer you can eat delicious ice creams outside the café. In the city center, near the central bus stop, there is a shop where you can also buy munkkis at a reasonable price. However, the experience of eating them at the Pyynikki Tower is much more magic.

When you reach the top of the tower, you will see a very small area from which you can admire the surroundings and if the sky is clear, a big part of Tampere. Views are splendid. I would suggest going both in the summer and in the winter to experience the Finnish dualism perfectly. In the summer, lakes are crystal blue, which matches harmoniously with the greenish forests around them. In the winter, when it snows, lakes are frozen and the huge pines are crowned by elegant snowflakes.

After visiting the tower, you can go for a walk around this place, take some of the paths and wander through the forest. Or even go down the hill to the lakeside and chill. You can visit some of the beautiful beaches near the lake and even swim in the summer. You can also cook a barbeque or go on a picnic. There is an open-air theater, where performances are played from time to time.

Sometimes it's possible to hire a boat at the Tampere City Hall and go on a trip across the lake. However, ask the authorities to make sure if this is legal or not.