Tallinn
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Some locations turn out to become some kind of theme in a trip, without necessarily intending it to be. Like Tallinn, a city I kept returning to for various reasons. I don’t have a major connection with capital cities in general, it’s usually nature that turns a country into a jay or nay… yet, it is a reference point to most people, as that’s often the only area they allow themselves to see. And in that context: with Tallinn, Estonia has quite the setup! If that’s all a tourist is gonna see, at least it’s pretty damn glorious. I’m sure perfect places don’t exist, but in Tallinn’s case you really need to go out of your way to trace down a point of criticism. It’s historical, it’s cultural, it’s well-kept, dude, the entire centre is even a UNESCO World Heritage area (which is, as you might or might not know, a persistent little travel fetish of mine). Tallinn tickles that old familiar feeling of wanting to split yourself up and branch off into all different directions simultaneously, as there’s just too much to see and bloody everything is worth exploring. Tallinn is almost annoyingly exciting!
So what makes Tallinn so special? Ehhh, do you have a sec?? You do, you’re here reading this, duhh… okay, I won’t let go of your attention, it’s Tallinn Time baby!
A good way to get yourself introduced to the historical center area is by walking tour. YES I KNOW, yuuuck , tours, we’re travelers not tourists, how dare I even suggest it? But honestly, by just walking around and shouting out some inevitable “wow’s” here and there you’re missing out. I missed the Free Walking Tour (which is never actually free), which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It triggered me to google audio tours and I found a splendid one on the Izi app (and in this case it is indeed free).
It kicks off at the Viru Gate (close to the Hellemann Tower), which is one of the two remaining ancient entry points into the city, dating from the time that Tallinn was a medieval fortification. Initially there were six! The other surviving one is the Coastal Gate, with the iconic “Fat Margaret” tower attached to it. A well-known landmark of Tallinn, currently housing the Maritime Museum, if that’s your cup of tea. The tour passes by this one later on. Onwards to the Town Hall Square, the pumping heart of the Old Town area and in summer pleasantly dotted with a vibrant array of bars and restaurants, whereas in winter it’s filled with the sparkling lights of the country’s largest Christmas market. Needless to say, its main sight is the Town Hall, a gothic-style building which is the oldest of the sort in the entire Baltic region and Scandinavia! While here, make sure you also have a quick peek into the Raeapteek (the Town Hall Pharmacy), which is said to be the oldest operating one in entire Europe. The tour continues onto the Cat’s Well, which was believed to form the home of a hair-raising spirit. In order to appease this menacing ghost and prevent disasters such as floodings, offerings in the shape of dead cats were thrown into the pit. The location was rather popular among spirits and demons alike… at this square, on 16 Rataskaevu Street, the devil is believed to have once held his wedding. The legend recounts how he once showed up (disguised as a man) to rent the venue for the event under one condition: no one was allowed to watch. The servant of the landlord, however, was unable to suppress his curiosity and peeked through the key hole… which caused him to die shortly after. This occurrence, as well as the footsteps of the dancing to be heard every night when the clock strikes midnight, made that not a single citizen desired to move into this building. Nowadays, to room can be rented though. Are you brave enough?
A good way to get yourself introduced to the historical center area is by walking tour. YES I KNOW, yuuuck , tours, we’re travelers not tourists, how dare I even suggest it? But honestly, by just walking around and shouting out some inevitable “wow’s” here and there you’re missing out. I missed the Free Walking Tour (which is never actually free), which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It triggered me to google audio tours and I found a splendid one on the Izi app (and in this case it is indeed free).
It kicks off at the Viru Gate (close to the Hellemann Tower), which is one of the two remaining ancient entry points into the city, dating from the time that Tallinn was a medieval fortification. Initially there were six! The other surviving one is the Coastal Gate, with the iconic “Fat Margaret” tower attached to it. A well-known landmark of Tallinn, currently housing the Maritime Museum, if that’s your cup of tea. The tour passes by this one later on. Onwards to the Town Hall Square, the pumping heart of the Old Town area and in summer pleasantly dotted with a vibrant array of bars and restaurants, whereas in winter it’s filled with the sparkling lights of the country’s largest Christmas market. Needless to say, its main sight is the Town Hall, a gothic-style building which is the oldest of the sort in the entire Baltic region and Scandinavia! While here, make sure you also have a quick peek into the Raeapteek (the Town Hall Pharmacy), which is said to be the oldest operating one in entire Europe. The tour continues onto the Cat’s Well, which was believed to form the home of a hair-raising spirit. In order to appease this menacing ghost and prevent disasters such as floodings, offerings in the shape of dead cats were thrown into the pit. The location was rather popular among spirits and demons alike… at this square, on 16 Rataskaevu Street, the devil is believed to have once held his wedding. The legend recounts how he once showed up (disguised as a man) to rent the venue for the event under one condition: no one was allowed to watch. The servant of the landlord, however, was unable to suppress his curiosity and peeked through the key hole… which caused him to die shortly after. This occurrence, as well as the footsteps of the dancing to be heard every night when the clock strikes midnight, made that not a single citizen desired to move into this building. Nowadays, to room can be rented though. Are you brave enough?
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The devil turned out to be a busy man in Tallinn. Also the St. Olav’s Church is surrounded by satanist legends. The building was entirely constructed by a stranger, who offered a refusal of all payment if his name could be figured out. Spies were released on the case. After they successfully discovered the stranger’s name, the builder, who turned out to be the devil himself, fell of the stairs towards his death. A very likely scenario indeed! However, the tour first passes the Niguliste Church, built by German merchants and dedicated to St. Nicolas, saint of sailors and businessmen. Despite the heavy bombing of the premises by Soviet planes in WWII, as well as a fire in 1992, the church is restored and a favorite location for concerts due to its famous sublime acoustics. From here, you can turn into the scenic and narrow Lühike Jalg Street, which translates as “Short Leg”, connecting the city centre with the Toompea area, which includes Tallinn’s best viewing platform located right on top of the hill. I was rather intrigued with the haunting statues of the faceless Grim Reaper in the Danish King Garden. Upon further investigation these turned out to be the monks Ambrosius, Claudius and Bartholomeus, who according to legend prayed for a divine intervention when the Danish King was losing battle… God was feeling generous that day and promptly dropped the Danish flag straight from the heavens, not only providing the national flag they use until today, but also leading to a victory. The hill also contains Toompea Castle, an ancient Estonian stronghold used since the 9th century AD. Besides that, one of Toompea’s main sights is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, one of the youngest buildings in this area and famous for its for this region rather atypical architecture. However, I had a stronger connection with the Dome Church (Toomkirik), the oldest still operating medieval church in town, which also forms the start of the Estonian Camino de Santiago (which I followed for 1000km into Lithuania).
We’ve had the short leg, which implies the existence of a long one as well: the Pikk Jalg. Equally eye-pleasing, but just a tad longer indeed (the longest of the entire downtown area). It leads along the Holy Spirit Church, the oldest one in town, which used to be an alms-house. Ehh, a..? Alms-house, yes. I had to visit the Town Museum* for it (recommended stop!), but now the honor is all mine to share the acquired data: these type of institutions were used to isolate the sick and feeble, while simultaneously providing shelter to the poor. A colorful ensemble of beggars, cripples and handicapped folks lived side by side among the coughing and floating bacteria of the lepers and diseased. Sounds lovely. The Town Museum itself is located inside of the most well-preserved house of Vene Street, a.k.a.“Russian street” as it used to host a Russian orthodox cathedral and an inn for Russian visitors in the 14th century. It’s clear by now that the Estonians love themselves a good ghost story, and the one of Vene Street evolves around a young white-haired woman whose spirit still occasionally appears… after dying from being walled in alive by her husband due to her infidelity.
* During my visit it included the exhibition "Indecent Tallinn", evolving around aspects of Tallinn's indecent life in terms of prostitution and other sexual themes. I learned that prostitutes included women who were not married but lived with a man, as well as single mothers. Starting from 1686, "whore benches" were installed in churches, where those "caught in the act of living a life of shame" were made to stand during a service. In these times it was also not possible to rape unmarried women who were no longer virgins, as that was free game. Nor could rape exist in marriage relationships, except in cases where men demanded sexual acts in an “unacceptable” way, such as anal intercourse or deplorable positions. The slightest suspicion of the woman's flirtatiousness pushed aside the rape allegation, or when it was suspected that the woman did not resist “enough.” It was even more difficult for single mothers to bring rape before a court, for the medical understanding at that time presumed that both male and female orgasms were required for fertilisation. This was simultaneously the time when nun convents often had a bad reputation among the people as they operated as whorehouses, and when (reusable) condoms were produced from fish bladder and animal intestines. What a time to be alive
* During my visit it included the exhibition "Indecent Tallinn", evolving around aspects of Tallinn's indecent life in terms of prostitution and other sexual themes. I learned that prostitutes included women who were not married but lived with a man, as well as single mothers. Starting from 1686, "whore benches" were installed in churches, where those "caught in the act of living a life of shame" were made to stand during a service. In these times it was also not possible to rape unmarried women who were no longer virgins, as that was free game. Nor could rape exist in marriage relationships, except in cases where men demanded sexual acts in an “unacceptable” way, such as anal intercourse or deplorable positions. The slightest suspicion of the woman's flirtatiousness pushed aside the rape allegation, or when it was suspected that the woman did not resist “enough.” It was even more difficult for single mothers to bring rape before a court, for the medical understanding at that time presumed that both male and female orgasms were required for fertilisation. This was simultaneously the time when nun convents often had a bad reputation among the people as they operated as whorehouses, and when (reusable) condoms were produced from fish bladder and animal intestines. What a time to be alive
Another sight on the Pikk, not mentioned in the audiotour, is the House of the Blackheads… former home of the brotherhood with the same name: a guild of merchants, shipowners and the like. Sounds familiar? That’s right, Riga also has a building with the same name dedicated to the same cause. The “blackhead” in fact refers to the Egyptian Saint Maurice, who serves as the guild’s patron saint.
One of my favorite areas of the Old Town turned out to be the Katariina Passage, where the history of the (7) different guilds is still being held alive in a contemporary representation. Guilds are medieval closed trade unions, protecting their members from undue competition and providing a quality check and guarantee. The trade of the guild was usually learned for about 3 to 5 (up to 10) years, after which the apprentice became a journeyman for several years more. After this a mastership could be obtained by providing a masterpiece or chef-d'oeuvre, consisting of three separate items. Nowadays the concept of guilds has disappeared, but the trades are kept alive in the Katariina Passage. The area is your best shot for a unique souvenir, in case you were interested in taking some Tallinn home with you.
One of my favorite areas of the Old Town turned out to be the Katariina Passage, where the history of the (7) different guilds is still being held alive in a contemporary representation. Guilds are medieval closed trade unions, protecting their members from undue competition and providing a quality check and guarantee. The trade of the guild was usually learned for about 3 to 5 (up to 10) years, after which the apprentice became a journeyman for several years more. After this a mastership could be obtained by providing a masterpiece or chef-d'oeuvre, consisting of three separate items. Nowadays the concept of guilds has disappeared, but the trades are kept alive in the Katariina Passage. The area is your best shot for a unique souvenir, in case you were interested in taking some Tallinn home with you.
Digging Deeper
Exploring Tallin’s historical UNESCO area is a logical first action plan… but if you have granted yourself more than a day in wonderful Tallinn (and I surely hope you were that generous with your own persona) there is time for a “what’s next”. As Tallinn several boasts more than one personality. Let’s zoom in on the different neighbourhoods to be explored for starters. Telliskivi zum beispiel, absolute gem! Everything any self-respecting modern day hipster and/or young(-identifying) creative can only wish for in its wildest wettest dreams. Overpriced cutting-edge coffeeshop-book-and-art-exchange-crossovers? Check. Woke biological, gluten-free, non-GMO clothing and vegetable stores? Check! Recycle points, community gardens and intriguing street art pieces on every possible corner? Check, check and check. Anarchy’s not dead, my friends… instead… it got a capitalist twist. All run to the Telliskivi area for the full hipster immersion!
On the other hand, have a gander in the Rotermann Quarter! It boasts a vibe you would never expect to be Tallinn’s, after spending some time in the Old Town and Telliskivi. Expect futuristic, sharp-edged industrial architecture, trendy’d up with fancy eateries and shopping areas. It’s basically some watered down steampunk adaptation from culturally regenerated rye mills, boiler plants and power plants… done in such a well-done fashion that it received the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture. Oh Tallinn, you’re just the gift that keeps on giving.
Exploring Tallin’s historical UNESCO area is a logical first action plan… but if you have granted yourself more than a day in wonderful Tallinn (and I surely hope you were that generous with your own persona) there is time for a “what’s next”. As Tallinn several boasts more than one personality. Let’s zoom in on the different neighbourhoods to be explored for starters. Telliskivi zum beispiel, absolute gem! Everything any self-respecting modern day hipster and/or young(-identifying) creative can only wish for in its wildest wettest dreams. Overpriced cutting-edge coffeeshop-book-and-art-exchange-crossovers? Check. Woke biological, gluten-free, non-GMO clothing and vegetable stores? Check! Recycle points, community gardens and intriguing street art pieces on every possible corner? Check, check and check. Anarchy’s not dead, my friends… instead… it got a capitalist twist. All run to the Telliskivi area for the full hipster immersion!
On the other hand, have a gander in the Rotermann Quarter! It boasts a vibe you would never expect to be Tallinn’s, after spending some time in the Old Town and Telliskivi. Expect futuristic, sharp-edged industrial architecture, trendy’d up with fancy eateries and shopping areas. It’s basically some watered down steampunk adaptation from culturally regenerated rye mills, boiler plants and power plants… done in such a well-done fashion that it received the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture. Oh Tallinn, you’re just the gift that keeps on giving.
If you’re the museum-kinda guy/gal you’re in luck, as in that regards the fun just never seems to stop in Tallinn. Even though the country’s biggest is situated in Tartu (Estonian National Museum), the capital definitely has most of them. More for any average tourist to exhaust. I gave it my best energy and visited three: the earlier mentioned Town Museum (my fav), the KGB Prison Cells and the Photo Museum. Honesty forces me to admit that the last two can be scraped off the list. The KGB Prison Cells one surely is interesting, but similar yet bigger KGB museums can be found in literally every other post-communist country (this one took max. 10 minutes to walk through). The Photo Museum was downright boring with sleep-inducing themes and mediocre “talent”… and you’re talking to somebody who engagingly has visited countless photo museums and exhibitions all around the globe, with full-force enthusiasm. Maybe the other “Fotografiska Museum” in the Telliskivi area has more to offer, but as I didn’t visit this one I can neither confirm nor deny. Other museums in the artsy corner include the Kumu Art Museum, Estonian Art Doll House, Digitiva Multimedia Art Space, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Museum of Estonian Architecture, EKKM Art Museum, the Draakoni Gallery (free), Tallinn Art Hall and the Kadriorg Palace. The latter is located in a stunning park area which demands a visit on its own. To dive deeper into Tallinn’s history you can visit the Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour, Eesti Vabaohumuuseum (Open Air Museum), Museum of Orders of Knighthood, Niguliste Museum, Vabamu Museum of Occupations & Freedom, Kiek in de Kok / Bastion Passages Museum, Tallinn Legends, Maarjamae Palace Estonian History Museum & Soviet Statue Graveyard, Peter The Great House Museum and the Tallinn Russian Museum. Specialty ones include the Banned Books Museum (free), Estonian Health Museum, Estonian Jewish Museum, the Luscher & Matiesen Museum of Estonian Drink Culture and Eduard Vilde Museum (writer). You’d think I listed them all by now, but no, I can go on for another paragraph and bore the living daylights out of you… so here’s the full list.
I must give fair warning: The museum entries are far from cheap in Tallinn (although student discounts apply), which is why some prior planning and decision-making is key prior to jumping into Tallinn’s wild wild west of museums. The Estonian Museum Card is a thing, offering access to 100+ museums country wide, but this is a (rather pricy) year card mainly interesting for locals. The Tallinn Card is catered to tourists and includes access to attractions and museums as well as unlimited use of public transportation… but honestly, the price is so incredibly high that you might as well buy the Estonian Museum yearly card, in case your visit exceeds 48hrs. If you plan it extremely well though, the Estonian Night of Museums takes places on the 18th of May, granting free access to all national museums and heritage sites.
Alternatively, you can concentrate on the free-to-gaze-at statues and monuments and explore the (hi)stories attached to those. Such as the Chopin Bench, which in fact is a gift of the Embassy of Poland (Composer Chopin is a V.I.P. – Very Important Pole)… or the Broken Line Monument, commemorating the 852 people who died on the 1994 sunken passenger ferry catastrophe. Also the Teekond & Koduaed Memorial for Communism Victims of Estonia is self-explanatory. Need some dose of luck? It is believed that rubbing the buttons of the Lucky Chimney Sweeper Monument provides just that, while winking back to the times when citizens all try to nick some of the chimney’s sweepers golden coat buttons and trade it for some fortune.
I must give fair warning: The museum entries are far from cheap in Tallinn (although student discounts apply), which is why some prior planning and decision-making is key prior to jumping into Tallinn’s wild wild west of museums. The Estonian Museum Card is a thing, offering access to 100+ museums country wide, but this is a (rather pricy) year card mainly interesting for locals. The Tallinn Card is catered to tourists and includes access to attractions and museums as well as unlimited use of public transportation… but honestly, the price is so incredibly high that you might as well buy the Estonian Museum yearly card, in case your visit exceeds 48hrs. If you plan it extremely well though, the Estonian Night of Museums takes places on the 18th of May, granting free access to all national museums and heritage sites.
Alternatively, you can concentrate on the free-to-gaze-at statues and monuments and explore the (hi)stories attached to those. Such as the Chopin Bench, which in fact is a gift of the Embassy of Poland (Composer Chopin is a V.I.P. – Very Important Pole)… or the Broken Line Monument, commemorating the 852 people who died on the 1994 sunken passenger ferry catastrophe. Also the Teekond & Koduaed Memorial for Communism Victims of Estonia is self-explanatory. Need some dose of luck? It is believed that rubbing the buttons of the Lucky Chimney Sweeper Monument provides just that, while winking back to the times when citizens all try to nick some of the chimney’s sweepers golden coat buttons and trade it for some fortune.
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Estonia Facts
Short History Recap
11000-9000BC: End Glacial Era → Pulli settlement, on the banks of the Pärnu River. 6500BC: Kunda culture establishes fishing and hunting communities in north. 5300-1750BC: Narva culture → mainly fishers, hunters & gatherers. 500BC: Iron works start. 100: Roman senator Tacitus uses the name Estonia for the 1st time to describe region. 100-600: Coastal settlements. Wind worshipping religion. 750: Battle of Bråvalla → Estonians & Swedes battle against Danes. 790: Viking Era (most Estonian Vikings are Oeselians). 1206: Start Danish Era → in response to frequent raids by Oeselian Vikings, the Danes strike back → King Valdemar II conquers Saaremaa & expands on Estonian territory. ’08: Baltic Crusades by Germans, converting Estonia to Christianity. ’20: Control divided between Danes in the north & (Germanic) Livonian Brothers of the Sword in south. 1343: St. George’s Night Uprising → unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Danes. ’46: Estonia (and Latvia) sold to German Teutonic Order, defeated in 1410. 1410-1558: Livionian Wars over territory. Local population declines to 120,000. 1558: Swedish protection. Estonian land privatised, Baltic Germans arrive. 1700: Battle of Narva on Estonian ground between Sweden & Russia. ’10: Sweden’s defeat → Estonia incorporated into Russian Empire. 1850: Estonian Age of Awakening = nationalist movement. ’90: Russification policy, only strengthens nationalism. 1918: Independence from Russia. ’20: Peace treaty with Russia. ’34: Prime Minister Pats’ bloodless coup establishes authoritarian rule. ’38: Pats president. ’39: Soviet Union (SU) military bases in Estonia. ’40: SU troops arrive. Estonia incorporated into SU (Estonia was neutral in WWII, but SU is not). ’41: German Nazi troops invade. ’44: Estonia reannexed by SU when German forces retreat. 10,000s Estonians deported to Siberia and Central Asia. ‘60s: Some deported Estonians allowed to return. ’88: Democratic vibes. ’87-’91: Singing Revolution in all Baltic states: demonstrations of spontaneous singing of banned hymns and songs. ’91: Communist rule collapses. Soviet government recognizes independence of the Baltic Republics. ’94: Partnership for Peace → limited military cooperation with Nato. ’97: EU negotiations. ’98: Changes in citizen laws to encourage Russian-speaking minority to become Estonian. 2002: EU invites Estonia. Overwhelming referendum votes in favor of joining. ’04: Nato. Officially joins EU. ’05: Estonia & Russia sign treaty delineating border. Russia withdraws in response to dispute over treatment of Soviet past. ’07: Law prohibiting display of monuments glorifying Soviet rule. ’11: Euro as currency. ’14: Estonia & Russia sign a new treaty ending border dispute. Nato presence rises in Baltics. ’21: Kaja Kallas 1st female prime minister. ’22: Estonia gives military and political support to Ukraine after Russian invasion.
Estonia Facts
- Capital: Tallinn
- Language: Estonian
- Population: ± 1.3 mln
- Sq km: ± 45,339
- Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
- Electricity Outlet: C + F / 230 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +372
- Emergency Phone: 112
- Visa: Schengen visa (Estonia is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
- Vaccinations: None, although it’s recommended to get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease if you plan to spend a lot of time in the forests, as this is rather common in the Baltics (I personally caught Lyme disease in Estonia but detected it early, so I could get it treated with antibiotics)
- Climate: Cold Winter Humid Continental Climate (Dfb)
- High season: July-August
Short History Recap
11000-9000BC: End Glacial Era → Pulli settlement, on the banks of the Pärnu River. 6500BC: Kunda culture establishes fishing and hunting communities in north. 5300-1750BC: Narva culture → mainly fishers, hunters & gatherers. 500BC: Iron works start. 100: Roman senator Tacitus uses the name Estonia for the 1st time to describe region. 100-600: Coastal settlements. Wind worshipping religion. 750: Battle of Bråvalla → Estonians & Swedes battle against Danes. 790: Viking Era (most Estonian Vikings are Oeselians). 1206: Start Danish Era → in response to frequent raids by Oeselian Vikings, the Danes strike back → King Valdemar II conquers Saaremaa & expands on Estonian territory. ’08: Baltic Crusades by Germans, converting Estonia to Christianity. ’20: Control divided between Danes in the north & (Germanic) Livonian Brothers of the Sword in south. 1343: St. George’s Night Uprising → unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Danes. ’46: Estonia (and Latvia) sold to German Teutonic Order, defeated in 1410. 1410-1558: Livionian Wars over territory. Local population declines to 120,000. 1558: Swedish protection. Estonian land privatised, Baltic Germans arrive. 1700: Battle of Narva on Estonian ground between Sweden & Russia. ’10: Sweden’s defeat → Estonia incorporated into Russian Empire. 1850: Estonian Age of Awakening = nationalist movement. ’90: Russification policy, only strengthens nationalism. 1918: Independence from Russia. ’20: Peace treaty with Russia. ’34: Prime Minister Pats’ bloodless coup establishes authoritarian rule. ’38: Pats president. ’39: Soviet Union (SU) military bases in Estonia. ’40: SU troops arrive. Estonia incorporated into SU (Estonia was neutral in WWII, but SU is not). ’41: German Nazi troops invade. ’44: Estonia reannexed by SU when German forces retreat. 10,000s Estonians deported to Siberia and Central Asia. ‘60s: Some deported Estonians allowed to return. ’88: Democratic vibes. ’87-’91: Singing Revolution in all Baltic states: demonstrations of spontaneous singing of banned hymns and songs. ’91: Communist rule collapses. Soviet government recognizes independence of the Baltic Republics. ’94: Partnership for Peace → limited military cooperation with Nato. ’97: EU negotiations. ’98: Changes in citizen laws to encourage Russian-speaking minority to become Estonian. 2002: EU invites Estonia. Overwhelming referendum votes in favor of joining. ’04: Nato. Officially joins EU. ’05: Estonia & Russia sign treaty delineating border. Russia withdraws in response to dispute over treatment of Soviet past. ’07: Law prohibiting display of monuments glorifying Soviet rule. ’11: Euro as currency. ’14: Estonia & Russia sign a new treaty ending border dispute. Nato presence rises in Baltics. ’21: Kaja Kallas 1st female prime minister. ’22: Estonia gives military and political support to Ukraine after Russian invasion.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Evening Entertainment
Local Festivals
Full list.
- Sights: Old Town, City Wall, Viru Gates, Pikk Tanav (Street), Rataskaevu Street, Pikk Jalg (Long Boot Street), Toompea Hill, Toompea Castle, Viewing Point Kohtuotsa, Raeapteek (oldest operating pharmacy in Europe), Patkuli Viewing Platform, Tallinna Raekoja Plats (Square), Viru Square, Freedom Square, Town Hall, St. Catherine’s Passage, Masters Yard, House of the Blackheads, Telliskivi Street Art Neigbhourhood, Rotermann Quarter, Hellemann Tower, Epping Tower, Virgin’s Tower, Chopin Bench, Teekond & Koduaed Memorial for Communism Victims of Estonia, Lucky Chimney Sweeper Monument, Office of the President, National Library, The Broken Line Monument, Glehn Castle, Linnahall Olympic Area, Ukrainian Cultural Center, Beit Bella Synagogue, Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, Toom Church (Start Camino de Santiago), St. Olaf’s Church, Convent of St. Bridget Peapiiskopi Church & more churches.
- Museums: Draakoni Gallery, Banned Books Museum,
- Hikes / Nature: Kadriorg Park, Danish King’s Garden, Türisalu Clifftop, Stroomi Beach, Kukumae Beach, Nature Study Trail Paaskula Bog, Toompark, Hirvepark, Pae Park, Tammsaare Park,
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Teletorn, Kadriorg Palace.
- Museums: Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour, Eesti Vabaohumuuseum / Open Air Museum, Kumu Art Museum, Kiek in de Kok / Bastion Passages Museum, Museum of Orders of Knighthood, KGB Museum, Estonian Health Museum, Niguliste Museum, Vabamu Museum of Occupations & Freedom, Estonian Maritime Museum / Fat Margaret, City Museum / Linnamuuseum, Tallinn Legends, Maarjamae Palace Estonian History Museum & Soviet Statue Graveyard, Peter The Great House Museum, Museum of Photography, Fotografiska, Estonian Art Doll House, Bank of Estonia Museum, Energy Discovery Centre, Digitiva Multimedia Art Space, Estonian Museum of Natural History, Kadriorg Children’s Museum Miiamilla, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, Museum of Estonian Architecture, Estonian Jewish Museum, Luscher & Matiesen Museum of Estonian Drink Culture, EKKM Art Museum, Adamson-Eric Museum, Museum of the Popular Front, Estonian Theatre and Music Museum, Machines Leonardo da Vinci, Anton Hansen Tammsaare Museum, Tallinn Russian Museum, Computer Museum, Estonian Firefighting Museum, Eduard Vilde Museum, Tallinn Art Hall.
- Nature: Tallinn Botanical Garden.
- Other: Tallinn “Free” Walking Tour (tip expected), Curling Tallinn, Kalev Spa and Waterpark, Vaat Brewery.
Evening Entertainment
- Nightlife Areas: Old Town, Telliskivi, Noblessner. The Kuku Club was the birthplace of the Singing Revolution.
- Theatres: Estonian National Opera, Nuku Theatre & Puppetry Museum, Vene Theatre, Von Krahl Theatre, Tallinn City Theatre, Eeste Kontsert, Nordea Concert Hall, Linnateater, Estonian Drama Theatre, Russian Theatre, VAT Teater.
Local Festivals
- Tallinn Restaurant Week – Mar.
- Bread Festival – Mar.
- Tallinn Music Week - Apr.
- Tallinn Coffe Festival - Apr.
- Jazzkaar – Apr.
- Tallinn Old Town Days – Jun.
- Tallinn Craft Beer Weekend – Jun.
- Medieval Days – Jul.
- OlleSummer Festival (music) – Jul.
- Song Celebration and Dance Celebration – Jul.
- Maritime Festival – Jul.
- Birgitta Festival (music) – Aug.
- Fringe Festival – Aug.
- Tallinn Design Festival Disainioo – Sep.
- Nargen Festival (culture / music) – Sep.
Full list.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Estonia: Coop, Maxima, Selver, Rimi, Prisma, Grossi and Lidl. Maxima, Grossi and Lidl are the more budget-sensitive ones.
- Markets: Balti Jaam (trendy and expensive), Nomme Market, Keskturg Central Market, Sadama Market, Viimsi Market.
- Local Dishes: Kartulisalat (potato salad), Rosolje (beetroot salad with herring and pickles), Mulgikapsad (pork-cabbage dish), Rämm (herring), Mulgipuder (meat porridge), Kama (porridge), Kiluvõileib (meatball soup), Hernesupp (pea soup), Leivasupp (sweet soup with apples and whipped cream), Verivorst (blood sausage), Sült (head cheese), Rukkileib (rye bread), Kiluvõileib (rye bread sandwich with fish), Pirukas (stuffed dough pastry), Kringel (sweet or savoury pastry), Kohupiimakreem (curd cheese dessert), Vastlakukkel (cardamom bread roll), Kohuke (cold dairy curd snack), Mannavaht (semolina cream), Kompott (compote), Kirju Koer / Kass Artur / Küpsisetort (cookie cakes).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Estonia, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here. That said, these are concentrated in the bigger cities, you won’t pass many of them hiking. Local vegetarian (not vegan) dishes: Leivasupp, Rukkileib, Kohupiimakreem , Vastlakukkel, Kohuke, Mannavah, Kompott, Kirju Koer / Kass Artur / Küpsisetort. Local vegan dishes: Porgandi-Oakotletid (carrot and bean fritters), Nogese Kartuli Kotetid (potato fritters), Hapukapsa-Peedisalat (sauerkraut and beetroot salad), Seenesupp (wild mushrooms soup), Lillkapsa Ja Läätsesupp Seentega (cauliflower, lentil and mushroom soup), Porgandi Ja Kruubivorm (barley and carrot pudding).
- National Drink: Vana Tallinn (liquor) and Vodka, Kali (alcohol-free fermented drink), Beer, Sweet Fruit Wines.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Baltic countries, Estonia is the most expensive one. Expect Western European prices for food and accommodation. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is another decent option. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, and seem to focus on the more upscale boutique stays nowadays. Writer’s pick: I stayed at a friend’s place.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Estonia is rather big and active. I Couchsurfed on many occasions and also used Warm Showers, which is in principal a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays. That said, long-distance hikers fit well with these type of travellers and are warmly welcomed.
- Wild Camping: is entirely legal in Estonia, with the exception of private land. You can literally spend the night anywhere you want, as long as you don’t leave a mess and treat nature with respect. Estonia really goes above and beyond, as their local nature conservation institution, the RMK, provides a great number of free campsites, easily traceable via their app. Most contain sheltered picnic tables, a fireplace with free fire wood, a dry toilet, water access and sometimes even a tent shelter for rainy weather. Truly phenomenal!
Mama Said
- Safety: Estonia is a very safe country. Besides bears there aren’t any dangerous animals, and even the bears are unlikely to interact with humans. Similar to the Estonians themselves: they really keep to themselves and won’t talk to you unless you talk to them. No one will bother you.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink. Estonians also love their natural water sources for water provision, but you’ll generally need a local to point those out to you as they’re not clearly signposted. I drank straight from the streams in the forest without any issues, but I used a lifestraw/filter for the water from the bigger rivers or when close to a town or farmland. However, when cooking a filter wasn’t needed, as the act of boiling already kills the bacteria.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Estonian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
- Simcard: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are Telia, Tele2 and Elisa. Telia has the biggest network coverage and the fastest connection, which makes it most attractive for a hike in the countryside. You can cheaply buy their simcard, confusingly called ‘Super’, in any gas station or supermarket and then download the app to top it up. As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. Tip: instead of paying straight away for a calling or data package, first top up via the app and then pay with that money. Like this, you get free bonus data and minutes, while still having the full amount of money available for payments. In order to use your sim outside of Estonia, you must not only allow roaming on your phone, but also in the app (very odd and unusual, I didn’t know this and got stuck in the Latvian forest without reception… and all my Estonian data had already expired once I found out). Elisa has the cheapest deals, but a rather bad reputation. Tele2 is decent, but their connection is not as fast and widespread as Telia’s.
Transport
Next?
- Walking: Tallinn has a rather compact and walking-friendly city centre. However, to reach the suburbs, alternative transport might be necessary.
- Cycling: Tallinn pretty bicycle-friendly with mild and considerate traffic, and even the occasional bicycle lane.
- Public Transport: Tartu has a network of buses, trolleybuses and trams. It operates between 6AM and 11PM. You can buy 1-hour tickets (with unlimited vehicle changes) at the ticket machines in the airport or main terminals, online on Tallinn Pilet, or on the Pilet app (more expensive). It’s also possible to just swipe your debit or credit card in the bus. The website and app also offer day tickets. For 3-day, 5-day or 30-day tickets you must go to the Tourist Information Centre, the Tallinn City Government, R-Kiosks, the Central Bus Station, Omniva Post Offices or Maxima / Prisma / Selver / Rimi / Stockmann supermarkets. There are also plastic top-up cards: the Uhiskaart is specifically for Tallinn, but the Go Bus and Ridango card work here as well. Make sure to scan a ticket upon each entry in the vehicle. Good to know: Upon buying 3 or more 1-hour tickets over a day, hour tickets are automatically replaced with one day ticket if paid by debit/creditcard.
- Taxi / Uber: Estonia has taxi apps such as Uber and Bolt. However, the cheaper local app is called Forus.
- Intercity Buses: Tallinn is well-serviced by bus lines. The bus station is called “Bussijaam” and is located at Lastekodu outside the city centre. Google Maps is unreliable for bus times, as it’s not always up-to-date. Instead, use the local Tpilet app. You can buy tickets on this app as well, or pay in cash or with the Ridango, Go Bus, Tartu or Uhiskaart Card. Card payments are usually not accepted! Golden budget tip: In the south of the country, if on the Tpilet app it says “no bus tickets available” this generally means the ride is FREE with the Ridango card (which I bought for EUR 2 from the bus driver). That’s right! I have of course tested this theory, and with one exception in Viljandi, this was indeed true. In Tallinn all public transport is paid, but this is interesting in case you plan to travel in the rest of Estonia.
- Train: Estonia’s train network connects certain parts of the country in a rather efficient and budget-friendly manner. The operating company is called Elron, and buying tickets online gives you a 15% discount. Alternatively, you can buy tickets at the train station or in the train itself (they check 100% of the times). Tallinn’s train station Balti Jaam is right in the centre (Telliskivi area). Other train stations inlude the Ulemiste Station (airport) and the Tallinn-Vaike Station (south).
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Estonia. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport.
- Airport: Tallinn Airport (TLL). If you’re on a budget, Riga Airport in Latvia generally has much cheaper connections. Affordable buses connect Riga with Tallinn in just a few hours.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe in Estonia, but definitively not common. The shy and introverted nature of the Estonians makes them a bit less likely to invite a stranger into their car, so waiting times might be slightly longer compared to other countries. That said, I hitchhiked on plenty occasions in Estonia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone). More info on hitchhiking in and out of Tallinn can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- In Estonia: Karula National Park, Rakvere, Viljandi, Otepaa, Voru.
- International Destinations Close By: Russia, Latvia, Finland, Belarus.
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