Tallinn? What's that?

Having lived abroad majority of my life and currently being ever further than ever before I have gained some perpective when it comes to my home country Estonia. While people living far from the Baltics often ask "Estonia? What's that?" there's also equally large amount of those who know the country very well and can easily point it out on a map. Quite often these incredibly knowledgeable folks can be found in surprising locations such as Bosnia, Hawaii and Taiwan - not exactly neighbouring countries!

I could write a praising post on the tech development and innovations or the rich history, years under the soviet occupation and current era of innovation but I won't. You can read about it elsewhere. Instead, I'll share everyday tips on why Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, should be your next destination for a weekend away.

Medieval Tallinn

Tallinn is small yet has something for everyone. A must see location is, of course, the medieval old town (UNESCO heritage site) that has been an important trading hub since the 13th century. Walk along the city walls, step inside one of the museums or cafes built literally into the walls or one of the towers and inhale all of the history! Join a walking tour and get to know the stories and the tales of those who used to walk the cobbled streets of this enchanting city.

Tasty Tallinn

My most favorite activity in Tallinn is enjoying all of the cafe's, restaurants and bars. The quality is incredible and you can choose a place to get a drink at pretty much any theme you can come up with. New places arise constantly so there's always something new to try. Compared with many other cities in the region, Tallinn is a very energetic and bustling city - a little like Berlin.




Indulging Tallinn

Visiting a spa is quite a popular activity among both, the locals and the tourists. The city of Pärnu as well as the islands have some of the best spa's but also Tallinn has it's share. Not into getting in your swimsuit? Well, get a haircut or a facial instead. Tallinn has definitely one of the best, if not the best beauty professionals in Europe when it comes to hair, skin treatments, make-up, nails, you name it. Especially local ladies love to look beautiful on a daily basis and are frequent users of the beauty services making the quality of beauty treatments high and the prices low.

Green Tallinn

With nice weather, summer or winter, you should visit the Kadriorg Park, have a picnic surrounded by the beautiful nature, visit the art museum KUMU (you really should!), view the presidential palace or have a run around the park all the way to the direction of Pirita while enjoying the fresh sea breeze. You can also rent a bike and cycle to Kadriorg and Pirita. Pirita beach is absolutely beautiful, surrounded by a forest of pine trees, nearby the beautiful St. Birgitta's Convent ruins dating back to 1407. Traveling during hot summer days? You must spend a day at the beach! While it doesn't sound like the number one activity to come to mind when thinking of the northern regions, the water is surprisingly warm during the summer months, especially August. On the opposite direction, also on the shore, you have the young Kalamaja district. Haven't been there myself but it definitely has people talking so it must be good!




Other suggestions

Planning a trip in the late July? Visit the annual Öölaulupidu, Night Song Festival. It's an annual song festival where you can enjoy traditional music performances by local musicians. It's quite a cool event even if you don't understand a word of it. Check Google for dates and more information.

Shopping is always a success in Tallinn. You should try local brands such as Ivo Nikkolo, Baltman, Monton and lots of smaller boutiques you can find spread out across the city centre. Visit visitestonia.com for more information, http://www.visitestonia.com/en//things-to-see-do/interests-lifestyle/shopping/design.

For some great reading to better understand Estonia and its history I recommend one of the amazing bestsellers written by an incredible author Sofi Oksanen.

While in the area, you should take a ferry to Helsinki and spend a day or two. Consider continuing to Turku for a day followed by a trip to Stockholm either by sea or air and spend a couple of days in the beautiful Swedish capital. Visiting these three/four cities really gives you a great understanding of the differences of the countries, the cultures and the richness of the region.