Mänttä-Vilppula

Mänttä-Vilppula is a municipality in central Finland's Pirkanmaa region, formed in 2009 through the merger of the towns of Mänttä and Vilppula. Set amid the lakes and forests typical of inland Finland, the town grew around the pulp and paper industry, shaped for over a century by the Serlachius family's mill, which remains central to the local economy. Mänttä is now known as one of Finland's designated art towns, largely thanks to the Serlachius Museums: Gösta, which houses Nordic and Scandinavian art, and Gustaf, which focuses on the region's industrial heritage and the Serlachius family's history. The surrounding countryside, dotted with lakes such as Melasjärvi, offers opportunities for hiking, fishing and cross-country skiing depending on the season. The area remains largely undiscovered by mass tourism, retaining an authentic character that blends Finland's industrial past with contemporary art, all within easy reach of Tampere, less than an hour's drive away.