Conference Tours

 Conference Tours

The location of Tampere facilitates combining interesting travel destinations to your conference trip. The EAA 2009 congress organizers are co-operating with travel agencies to provide conference participants a possibility to take part in pre- and post conference tours to St. Petersburg and Tallinn. Tours are also available for the accompanying persons during the conference. Furthermore, it is also easy to make a day trip to Helsinki, to the downtown of which a journey takes less than two hours by train. Please note that the information provided here is still preliminary, and all rates and programmes are subject to change without prior notice.

Bookings for the day tours, including Guided City Tour, Lake Cruise Onboard Intti and Finnish Arts and Design Tour, should be made by using the Hotel and Tour Reservation Form available at the conference website.

The pre and post tours to Tallinn and St Petersburg can be booked directly at the tour operator,:

Travel Agency Futurist Oy Ltd
Iso Roobertinkatu 7 A 5
FI-00120 Helsinki, Finland

Email: gateway@futurist.fi
Tel: +358 9 207 689 930

EAA 2009 TOUR CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellation of any kind has to be made in writing to Congreszon Ltd. All refunds will be made at the exchange rate of the refund date. The organizers or the congress office cannot be held responsible for a loss caused by alterations in exchange rates.

If a cancellation concerning participation to the tours organized during the EAA congress is received by April 9th 2009, the participation fee less a cancellation fee of EUR 50 for administrative expenses will be refunded. This applies for the Guided City Tour, the Lake Cruise Onboard Intti and the Finnish Arts and Design Tour. There will be no refunds for cancellations received after April 9th 2009. There will be no refunds for no-shows.

The cancellation policy concerning the pre and post tours to Tallinn and St Petersburg are available directly from Travel Agency Futurist Oy Ltd (Email: gateway@futurist.fi).

PRE AND POST TOURS

Take an all-inclusive day tour to Medieval Tallinn in Estonia or by train to Imperial St Petersburg in Russia to see palaces, churches, beautiful parks... These tours can be booked directly at the tour operator, Travel Agency Futurist Oy Ltd.

ONE DAY IN MEDIEVAL TALLINN FROM HELSINKI

The city tour to Tallinn, Estonia's capital, will take you around the most important sights with an English-speaking guide, also outside Medieval Tallinn, such as the Song Festival grounds and the 18th century Kadriorg park and palace. Walking tour of the Old Town area, a compact maze of cobblestone streets, historical buildings and breathtaking vistas. Since 1997 the Old Town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Departure from Helsinki for in the morning at 11:30. Sightseeing tour after arriving to Tallinn Lunch is included in this tour and is served in one of the charming restaurants in the Old Town. The tour ends to the hotel and there will be some free time to explore the shops and sights on your own. Accommodation at Radisson SAS Tallinn in double rooms. Departure at 8:00 to boat arrives to Helsinki 10:30.

Highlights: Old Town, Toompea Castle Hill, Song Festival Grounds, lunch in Old Town.
Duration: Departure in the morning at 8:00 am, return next day at 10:30, duration approx. 23 hours.
Departure: 16 May at 11:30 a.m. from Helsinki, Katajanokka Terminal.
Return: 17 May at 8:00 a.m. from Tallinn boat arrives to Helsinki 10:30 a.m.
Price: € 240 per person in double room, € 312 per person in single room
The price includes:
- Return tickets Helsinki-Tallinn (Viking XPRS, B-class cabins)
- Transfers in Tallinn
- Private guided city tour in English
- Three-course lunch
- Accommodation at Radisson SAS Tallinn in double rooms. 

WEEKEND TOUR TO IMPERIAL ST. PETERSBURG

Imperial St. Petersburg – a city of infinite charm with its majestic palaces, churches and cathedrals, river embankments, beautiful parks and innumerable bridges – a city of imperial proportions and romantic vistas – which has been a source of inspiration to generations of artists. One huge palace after another, imposing architectural ensembles and austere granite embankments bear testimony to the magnificent royal past of the city.

Duration: 3 days / 2 nights.
Timetable: 15-17 May, 2009, from Friday to Sunday. Departure from Tampere on Friday approx. at 14.30. Return to Tampere on Sunday approx. at 23.00.
Group Size: min. 20 max
Transportation from Tampere to Lahti Railway Station by bus and departure for St. Petersburg from Lahti by train. Return to Lahti on Sunday followed by bus transportation to Tampere.
Price: € 590 per person in double room or € 720 per person in single room.
The price includes:
- Bus transportation Tampere – Lahti - Tampere
- Transport with Finnish train Sibelius, seats in 2nd class
- Transfers railway station – hotel vv. in St. Petersburg
- Services of a local English speaking guide in St. Petersburg
- 2 nights at hotel, registration fee and VAT, hotel centrally located
- Half board starting with lunch and ending with lunch
- Excursions as per programme, entrance fees included
 

TOURS DURING THE EAA CONGRESS

Finnish Arts & Design
The unique element in Finnish design is its closeness to nature. Visit Iittala Glass Centre, a showcase of the leading homeware design company representing the best in modern Scandinavian design. A refressing contrast to the world of modern design industry will be a visut to a charming old farm producing wines and liquers from finest Finnish berries.

At Iittala Glass Centre, we will visit the i-shop factory outlet that sells Iittala design glass as well as Arabia, Hackman and Rörstrand kitchenware, the Kultasuklaa chocolate factory shop and Hunaja-aitta honey producer's shop. We will spend approximately 1 - 1.5 hours at the Glass Centre. Our next stop is Rönnvik Winery in Pälkäne where we will taste the products of the farm winery. Rönnvik Winery staff tell us about the history of the farm, wine making at the farm, Finnish farm winery legislation and the produce of the winery. We will tour the production facility and have an opportunity to shop at the wine shop. We will end our tour at café where we will enjoy a buffet meal of local foods. The restaurant is fully licensed, so it is possible to order a glass of Rönnvik wine to accompany the meal.

Group size: 20 - 100 persons
Catering facilities: Wine tasting during presentation, buffet meal.
Duration: 5 hours.
Rate: € 90 /person

Best of Tampere - Guided City Tour
On this two-hour guided bus tour, you will see the highlights of Tampere: the Tammerkoski rapids national heritage landscape, Keskustori Central Square and its new look, wonderful views across Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi, the ridge slopes of Pispala and Pyynikki as well as the Finlayson mill area bustling with cultural life.

With blue waters, green parks and red-brick architecture and over 200,000 inhabitants, Tampere is the third largest city in Finland. The city has developed from a milling town into a lively centre of culture, conferences and congresses, business, science, art and tourism. Tampere is located 170 km north of Helsinki in Finland's western lake district and was established in 1779 on a narrow isthmus between two vast lakes - Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi. Within the compact city centre, the distance between the two lakes is only about one kilometre and everything is within easy walking distance - museums, galleries, concert halls, conference venues, theatres, shops, restaurants and hotels.

On this two-hour guided bus tour, you will see the highlights of Tampere: the Tammerkoski rapids national heritage landscape, Keskustori Central Square and its new look, wonderful views across Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi, the ridge slopes of Pispala and Pyynikki as well as the Finlayson mill area bustling with cultural life. You will also get to see the Lutheran Cathedral, the Orthodox Church, the Kaleva church and the Tampere City Library Metso ("wood grouse") designed by Reima and Raili Pietilä, the renowned "court architects of Tampere", as well as Tampere Hall, the largest concert and congress venue in the Nordic Countries. The programme includes time to visit a few of the sites.

Group size: minimum 25, maximum 49 participants
Transport: The tour leaves from Tampere Hall and returns at the same place.
Duration: 2 hours
Price: € 30 / person

Lake Cruise onboard Intti
Mustalahti harbour where the group boards on the nostalgic m/s Intti, built in 1906. The boat will take you to an unforgettable cruise on the lake Näsijärvi. The coffee is served in the main cabin of the ship.

Group size: minimum 15, maximum 25 participants
Transport: The tour leaves from Tampere Hall and returns at the same place.
Duration: 3 hours
Price: € 95 / person