The Perfect 48 Hours in Tallinn, Estonia
The capital city of Estonia, Tallinn, perches on the country's northern coastline of the Gulf of Finland. One of Europe's most unrated countries Estonia is technologically advanced with the world's first-ever E-Government, is comprised of 2000 islands and is covered by 50% of uninhabited woodland. The streets of Tallinn have seen many world powers across the centuries from Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Soviet Russia.
Tallinn's Old Town is abundant with medieval houses and cobbled alleyways to explore which are still protected by the remnants of the city's walls today. In addition to the medieval core newly updated districts such as Noblessner and Telliskivi are quickly expanding, offering contemporary art and architecture alongside an exciting multicultural food scene.
The Basics
Location - Northeastern Europe
Currency - Euro, mainly card payment
Language - Estonian, English, Russian, Finnish + German
Religion - Historically Christian but today only 14% of the population declare religion to be part of their lives
Drive Side - Right-Hand
Plug - C + F
To Eat
Olde Hansa - A real dining experience Olde Hansa is not to be missed and remains one of my most memorable meals in Europe to date. Olde Hansa is a medieval-inspired dining experience with goblets of wine, darkly lit rooms with period-inspired furniture and live music using traditional instruments such as the vielle, harp, bagpipe or drums. Choose from wild meats and game to flavourful lentil soups and decadent oven-baked cheeses. Typically I would shy away from somewhere like this assuming it was a complete overpriced tourist trap but the food and atmosphere exceeded expectations.
F-Hoone - Situated in the Telliskivi Creative district in a century-old industrial building F-Hoone offers a fusion of food from Aussie-style brunches, Indonesian favourites such as Nasi Goreng and locally brewed Estonian beer. The food is an exciting mix of flavours with a buzzing atmosphere under the high ceiling of a converted warehouse. The service is casual yet attentive with 1960s school-style furniture and indoor and outdoor seating.
Pagasus - With vibrant 60's interiors Pagasus is situated in the attractive street of Harju spanning over 3 floors with outdoor seating scattered across the cobbled streets overlooking the grounds of st Nicholas. The menu includes internationally popular dishes inspired by the season with pure and simple flavours using local and high-quality ingredients. The extensive spirits and cocktail menu include some in-house creations and well-recognised classics.
To Do
Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia - Tallinn is home to several art galleries including Kumu, Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design and Adamson-Eric Museum. I opted for the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia which is located in Tallinn’s former heating plant and is a small independently run gallery which hosts temporary conceptual exhibitions and performances by local artists. The museum is open from April to December and is also home to an artsy café and sculpture garden.
Patorel Prison - One for the dark history lovers, Patorel Prison sits in the Kalamaja district on the coast of the city housing inmates from 1919 until 2002 and has been left virtually untouched since. Originally opened as a sea fortress in 1840 and operated as an artillery battery it is now a memorial to the victims of communism and Nazism. In recent years part of the building has been re-opened as an exhibition which covers nearly 1,200 square metres in the eastern wing of the prison, where you can see the original interior and prison yard.
To See
Telliskivi Creative City - Think of London's Shoreditch or New Yorks Williamsburg and you have got the vibe of Telliskivi Creative City. Located in the former industrial complex of Tallinn this area houses galleries, small shops, various creative companies, start-ups and restaurants. Many cultural events take place throughout the year with large public pieces of art painted boldly on the side of buildings.
Toompea Castle - The castle has been revamped countless times but still retains the basic shape it was given in the 13th and 14th centuries. Now home to Estonia's Parliament, the building sits on a limestone cliff overlooking the rest of the city. They offer a limited number of guided tours throughout the week or you can simply go to take a walk around the grounds.
Kohtuotsa viewing platform - There are several viewing platforms across the city but Kohtuotsa sits right in the centre offering panoramic views of the deep orange roofs and church spires of the city.
Tallinn Town Walls - The oldest section of Tallinn's city wall were built in the 13th century and over time became one of the largest and strongest defence systems in entire Northern Europe. More than half of this impressive defence system has been preserved including 1.85 km of the wall, 26 defence towers, 2 gates and fragments of two front gates. There is a section of the wall open for visitors which costs 3 euros to visit and connects the Nunne, Sauna and Kuldjala towers with fantastic views of the Old Town.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - Built in 1900 this dome topped Russian Orthodox Church is richly decorated in a mixed historicist style and sits on Toompeas Hill. Designed by respected St. Petersburg architect Mikhail Preobrazhenski inside you can admire the mosaics and 11 church bells which weigh 15 tonnes in total.
The city of Tallinn feels welcoming and authentic with its friendly locals and original character. I had blue skies every day during my time in August, perfect to discover the city by foot, and with it being one of Europe's least visited countries crowds were non-existent. There is a plethora of activities, sites and food to keep you busy on a long weekend break or extend your trip by visiting the neighbouring countries of Latvia or Finland.
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