Tampere is a city in western Finland, wedged between two lakes, Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi. This attractive city holds several distinctions: it’s the largest inland city in the Nordic countries; features 180+ lakes; is the ‘sauna capital of the world’; and is also a major industrial center. There’s fantastic running in Tampere, with lots of variety. There are numerous trails along and around lakes, many parks, and a large network of forest trails just outside the city.
For some of the best places to run in Tampere, we recommend mixing & matching our several central waterfront routes: paths along Tammerkoski rapids, which connect to trails along Lake Näsi in the north, Pyhäjärvi Lake in the south, and a lovely run along Viinikanlahti Bay. In eastern Tampere, we’ve put together a nice route combining several adjacent parks (puisto). Just outside the city, there are more paths along Lake Näsi in the northwestern district of Lentävänniemi, paths around parks and a section of Lake Lides in the Viinikka & Nekela Districts, and a large network of forest trails in Kauppi Sports Park.
Notes: There are two light rail lines in Tampere, and a good bus system. Many of the paths in central Tampere are cleared of snow in winter, and many are lit at night. Note that Tampere has cold winters with 150 cm of snow.
