I first came to Tampere on Christmas, when the city sat under snow and early dark. This summer I went back for a day trip, curious to explore the same streets wearing a completely different mood. And as with every trip I take, one part of the itinerary was never up for debate: moving from bookstore to bookstore, library to library, all the way through town.

So let me walk you through the bookshops I visited this summer in Tampere, Finland.

Laukontorin Antikvariaatti

Tucked near the water and the marketplace, this shop is a happy clutter of vinyl, CDs, comics, and of course books. Most of the shelves are Finnish, with a scattering of English titles among them. If you are luck, you might turn up a beloved book in an older cover design, and at a price you rarely find in an ordinary bookstore today.

I’d recommend a visit here in summer especially, when you can pair it with a wander through Laukontori market square open from May to September, located right across the shop. You’ll find traditional cafés sitting beside trendy street-food stalls, flea market and stalls fill with berries, vegetables, and flowers.

Tampere Main Library (Metso)

As a regular “customer” of Helsinki’s libraries, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see how another Finnish city runs its own, checking the collection, the atmosphere, all of it. It was a unique architecture from outside and based on some reading, the building is shaped like a giant capercaillie from above, which is where its nickname, Metso, comes from. Inside, it’s wide and generous, with shelves worth losing an hour to. I didn’t borrow anything from the library, of course, but there’s something telling about a city you only really come to know once you’ve stood inside its library.

Antikvariaatti Lukulaari

This was my second visit, after I first came in last winter. That first time I found out that their collection completely won me over, so coming back was an easy decision in my Tampere itinerary this time. And the shelves were consistently every bit as deep and charming as I remembered. Totally worth the second visit!

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Alongside those three secondhand shops, I also stopped by Akateeminen Kirjakauppa. Helsinki has one as well, though Tampere being the smaller city, its branch carries a smaller selection to match.

I hope I get to return to Tampere again, so I can dig up a few more bookshops and bring you fresh recommendations. Or, maybe you already have a favorite there I ought to know about?

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Btw, if you’re interested in stationery and journaling, read my recommendation for a stationery shop in Tampere here.