Here is our second travel diary, after St Petersburg. Here we take you to Tallinn, capital of Estonia (the proximity between the two cities is quite fortuitous, it is not the same trip…but it may encourage you to pair the two cities during a trip.
- Why Tallinn?
- How to get to Tallinn?
- How to get around in Tallinn?
- Accommodation in Tallinn
- Eating out in Tallinn
- What to see in Tallinn?
- When to visit Tallinn?
- How long to stay in Tallinn?
- What is the atmosphere in Tallinn?
Why Tallinn?
Tallinn is a city that you hear a lot about but that few people actually know. Although it is a tourist destination, it is still a destination for connoisseurs, as tourists are more inclined to go to Scandinavian countries or to Finland: yes, contrary to popular belief Finland is not in Scandinavia, nor is Estonia. Moreover, if the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) share a fairly close linguistic base and if their languages are of Indo-European origin, the languages spoken in Finland and Estonia are Finno-Ugric languages, like Hungarian!
So why Tallinn? Because it has one of the most beautiful medieval cities in the worldEstonia is one of the most advanced countries in the digital economy (Skype, Kazaa or Bolt were born there) and in the Digital State, or to discover a country that has perfectly succeeded in its post-Soviet Union transition from which it emerged in 1991 and is now a very successful economic country.
More simply: because as you will see, it is cute, human-sized and you feel good there.
How to get to Tallinn
It cannot be said that the city is a major airport hub and services from Paris are not numerous.
There is a direct Paris CDG-Tallinn flight operated by Air Baltic and also marketed by Air France.
Otherwise your options are Lufthansa via Frankfurt, LOT via Warsaw, or SAS via Stockholm.
You can usually do it for less than €200 round trip unless you buy your Air Baltic from Air France (more than €250, so it’s useless unless you want to credit your points with Flying Blue).
Whether you take SAS or LOT a part of the trip is done on Nordica, the Estonian airline, while Lufthansa offers you Lufthansa all the way.
In short, I chose Lufthansa which offered me, moreover, business class for less than 100 euros more than the economy on Air France or SAS and better schedules.
- Paris-Franckfurt : Lufthansa Business
- Frankfurt-Tallinn : Lufthansa Business
- Tallinn-Frankfurt : Lufthansa Business
- Frankfurt-Paris : Lufthansa Business (pointless, no review)
Another choice is to go to Helsinki and from there take the ferry that will take you to Tallinn in 2 hours. Many Finns do it just for shopping!
You can also do the same from Stockholm but the crossing takes 16 hours!
But it can be an experience, right? It all depends on your taste.
How to get around in Tallinn
Apart from the city-airport trip and if you are going to visit sites outside the city such as the Estonian Open Air Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts which is a bit out of town, everything can be done on foot.
For the rest you have Taxis, Private Drivers (not Uber but Bolt which was created here) or electric scooters (Bolt also). Private drivers are much cheaper than cabs.
Accommodation in Tallinn
It is very easy to find hotels in Tallinn and apart from some very high end ones, the prices are rather low especially if you compare to the neighboring Scandinavia. You will easily find at less than 100 euros.
Needless to say (and this is true everywhere) that everyone speaks impeccable English, which makes life easier for the tourist.
As for me, but more upscale and expensive, I stayed at the Telegraaf Hotel.
Eating out in Tallinn
We cannot speak of an Estonian cuisine as such. The inspiration of the local dishes goes of course from Russia to Scandinavia with, not surprisingly, a lot of smoked or not smoked meat and fish and…garlic!
On the other hand, I found Tallinn’s gastronomic scene much finer and more creative than in Sweden, at least as creative as in Finland…and in both cases much cheaper.
You will find in the city many restaurants of all kinds, of all ranges and there is really a way to treat yourself, which is one of the strong points I took from my stay.
If you want to follow my experiences then I recommend Balthasar, Ö and Ribe. In all three cases I had an excellent experience, in quite different styles and I do not regret any of these choices.
The streets are full of restaurants and bars, the terraces are numerous and never empty and the atmosphere is joyful and good-natured!
If you don’t like the local cuisine (but I don’t see any reason for that) you will also find French and Italian restaurants… you will be spoilt for choice.
What to see in Tallinn?
There is a lot to see despite the modest size of the city. Here is a list of course not exhaustive to occupy your stay.
The medieval city
If there were one and only one reason to go to Tallinn it would be the medieval city!
The entire medieval city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And if Tallinn is twinned with Carcassonne it is surely not for nothing
As such the medieval city is a real pleasure to visit. You can stroll through its streets, strolling at random according to your inspiration, just breathing in the calm and good mood and admiring the beauty of the whole. Needless to say, it is completely pedestrianized.
And of course there are some “spots” that deserve your specific attention.
Toompea hill and its fortifications
Toompea Hill is located in the heart of the medieval city and is the upper town. It has its own fortifications
Walking around it is very pleasant. There are many official buildings, embassies and some emblematic monuments of the city.
From the hill you have of course one of the most beautiful views of Tallinn.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Located on the Toompea hill it is for me one of the most beautiful monuments of the city.
It is an Orthodox cathedral that was built between 1895 and 1900 at the instigation of Alexander III as part of the policy of Russification of the country. It was close to being demolished after the first world war and the Estonian independence because it symbolized the Russian oppression.
You can’t take pictures inside…but you can try from outside….
Toompea Castle
Also located on the hill as its name indicates, facing the cathedral, it is the home of the Estonian parliament.
St. Mary’s Cathedral
It is the oldest church in Tallinn and mainland Estonia. It was originally a Christian cathedral, which became Lutheran in the 16th century. It is also the only building on the hill to have survived the fire that destroyed part of the city in 1684.
St. Olaf Church
Located in the heart of the lower town, it is the largest building from the medieval period still standing.
It takes its name from the Norwegian king Olev II Haraldsson.
It is estimated that it was built in the 12th century before Denmark invaded the country.
It is famous for its gothic style but was unfortunately under construction during my visit
It is said that at that time its bell tower, with its 120m height, was the highest building in the world. In any case what is certain is that he has a love/hate relationship with lightning.
The church has been struck by lightning 10 times in its history and the church burned down three times in its entirety in 1625, 1820 and 1931!
It has therefore been restored and rebuilt several times.
The Estonian History Museum
Also called the Grand Guild Hall, it houses a museum that presents Estonia from prehistoric times to the late twentieth century.
At that time it housed a very powerful institution that ruled Tallinn for 500 years: the Great Guild. Its members had to be merchants, nobles, of Germanic origin and married. The mayor and city councilors were elected by the Grand Guild, which also had a monopoly on the purchase of salt from ships, its resale and the brewing of beer. Tallinn was therefore part of the Hanseatic League, which ensured German domination of trade in the region for centuries.
It was therefore not only a center for business but also a place of influence.
The Estonian Open Air Museum
Located 8km from Tallinn (Taxi or bus required) it is the reconstruction of a village of farmers and fishermen. It pays homage to rural life and Estonian architecture from the 18th to the 20th century. 80 buildings take place on its 72 hectares!
KUMU (Estonian Art Museum)
It is located in the public park of Kadriorg, a stone’s throw from the Presidency of the Republic and the museum of the same name. Quite far from the old town, it can be reached by transport or by cab. For my part, I did the outward journey on foot in order to get some exercise (40 minutes walk from the old town) and the return journey by Cab.
Opened in 2006, it is the most recent of the Estonian museums. It presents collections of Estonian art from the end of the 18th century to the present day, including the fifty years of administration of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic.
I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised and I regret not having had the time to spend more time there.
The seaplane port (Seaplane Museum)
The name is a bit misleading because you will only see one seaplane here. It is in fact a museum dedicated to the maritime and military history of Estonia. In addition to the seaplane in question, the most beautiful piece for me is a submarine of the 2nd world war of 600 tons perfectly restored and that one can visit. For the anecdote it was built for the Estonian Navy but served in the Russian Navy during the war.
Military ships are visible and can be visited outside.
The church of St Nicholas and its museum
Built in the XXIII century it was a Christian church before becoming Lutheran after the protestant reformation.
Since 1984 it has become a museum and a concert hall.
Townhall Pharmacy
I already mentioned it in my review of my dinner at Balthasar. It is a pharmacy dating from the 15th century and is currently the oldest pharmacy in Europe in operation. It is amusing to see the few customers making their way through the line of tourists who come to spend about ten minutes there.
Half pharmacy, half museum, it exhibits period tools and products as well as animals preserved in formalin.
It has no other interest than its age, but since the visit is free and you will not fail to pass ten times in front of it while visiting the old town, you might as well make a little stop there.
St Catherine’s passageway
It is a small street in the city center where you can find cafes and craftsmen. Its typical character makes it one of the most photographed sites in the city.
Other places to visit in Tallinn
This is only a non-exhaustive list and depending on the time you have or your tastes there are plenty of other things to do in Tallinn.
I told you that I wish I had stayed longer at KUMU. For lack of time I also skipped an extended walk in the Kadriorg Park as well as the Kadriorg Art Museum dedicated to Russian and Western art from the 16th to the 20th century. In terms of museums the city is quite well supplied and there are plenty of things to do according to your tastes.
With a little time to spare one can also think of the KGB museum or the Tallinn TV Tower which provides a unique view of the city.
Nature lovers will also consider excursions outside the city.
The city’s website is full of details on all possible visits. Good to know, the Tallinn Card gives you free entrance to many sites.
When to visit Tallinn?
I would be tempted to tell you in a rather obvious way from June to August when the days are long, bright and the temperature is mild.
But while preparing my trip I saw that the destination was also very pleasant during the Christmas holidays when the city is adorned with a nice snowy coat, illuminations and a Christmas village.
Two different approaches that are not mutually exclusive.
How long to stay in Tallinn
I recommend two days on site to be sure to see at least everything that interests you. Then you are free to extend to take your time, get out of the city, go to Helsinki …. One day is too short, three may be too much if you only want to visit and not stroll.
What is the atmosphere in Tallinn?
In fact, this is surely the most important thing: how do you feel at your destination, how do you “live” the city. I will admit that I was a bit apprehensive: my few trips to Sweden and Finland had left me with a mixed impression. Yes, it’s cute and relaxing, but it’s horribly expensive, the food is not very good (Sweden in general and Stockholm in particular) and in the end the people and the atmosphere are deadly boring (a little bit of Sweden but mostly Helsinki).
None of that here. The food is good, the prices are affordable, the atmosphere is very good but the people are nice, smiling, friendly. Cars even stop to let pedestrians who cross badly pass! The city is a pleasure to stroll and get lost in the streets. It’s human, warm, pretty and surprisingly very lively.
The atmosphere of the old town, its bars, its restaurants, its terraces filled at all hours is really pleasant. I think that the fact that the city attracts mainly “quality” tourism has something to do with it.
Is it necessary to specify that one feels completely safe there?
In short, this is one of the cities I would gladly return to just for the pleasure of being there.
