by George de Bruin
In the north-eastern corner of Europe (or officially Northern Europe) there are three small states that border the Baltic Sea and are therefore known as the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The most beautiful of these is Estonia. And the most beautiful town in Estonia is Tallinn.
Although people have settled here more than 5 000 years ago, it is one Europe’s most modern cities. It is one of the top 10 world cities in terms of digital services, it is the headquarters of the European Union’s IT Agency, and Skype has its origins here. Do not think that Tallinn is a town made of glass and concrete only, however. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and boasts one of the best-preserved Medieval city centres in Europe.
How do you get there?
Because Tallinn does not have one of the busiest airports, you have to take a few connecting flights to get there. For example, we reached Tallinn via Frankfurt and then Vienna. In Tallinn we realised that there is an excellent, not so expensive ferry between Tallinn and Helsinki – you can therefore consider flying to Helsinki (in Finland) instead, and the taking the ferry to Tallinn. Do your research well and decide on the easiest, cheapest option. Tallinn is not the most expensive city in Europe, but you still have to count your pennies (and there is much to see!).
What can you expect?
Tallinn is indeed a jewel. The Old Town’s alleyways and squares are gorgeous, do not follow any pattern and offer one little shop after the other for trinkets and bric-a-bracs, affordable food and drinks and heaps of souvenirs. There are especially two venues that we enjoyed thoroughly. The first is Kompressor, a pancake restaurant that is very affordable. And in the cellar below the Old Town Hall a lovely Medieval inn (that also sells traditional food): III Draakon. The beer is exceptional and served in clay mugs together with a free pickled gherkin (that you must fish out yourself from an old preserve vat!). Moreover, the innkeeper (a woman) in character: She wears Medieval clothing and speaks with a typical Medieval English accent when she serves you. And do not fret if she keeps some of your change for herself – she will explain to you that it is “her share” (the tip), as her husband is a poor Pastor who does not earn enough! I enjoyed every moment there.
The absolute highlight for me? When I met the world-renowned composer Arvo Pärt. He is the most-performed living composer in the world. Just outside Tallinn is the new Arvo Pärt Centre, where one can learn more about this famous, yet very modest man. It was here that we met him.
Look out for the walk-about tours offered by volunteers at the information centre close to the Old Town Hall – no easier way to explore the town and learn about its history. The guides are thoroughly informed, speak fluent English and are very friendly. In fact, most people in Tallinn are friendly and speak English.
There are centuries of history that you can explore on your own or during the walk-about tours; the town isn’t a UNESCO heritage site for nothing. The architecture will blow you away – there is the Medieval city centre, the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and restored factories just outside the Old Town that now serve as modern accommodation or art galleries. Speaking of which – Tallinn boasts more than 60 museums and art galleries, of which the Estonian History Museum (in the Old Town), the Tallinn City Museum (behind the Old Town Hall in the Old Town), the Estonian Art Museum (just outside the Old Town) and the Estonian Museum of Natural History are the most popular and well worth the visit.
If you are technologically-driven and addicted to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Tallinn will not disappoint. In fact, I don’t there is a place in Tallinn without Wi-Fi.
It is easy to move around Tallinn. The Old Town is small enough to explore on foot (in fact, no vehicles are allowed in the Old Town), and if your curiosity takes you further, Tallinn’s Uber services is just what you need. It is also very affordable. (I have to admit, though, that we only walked or made use of Uber – I can therefore not comment on public transport.)
Would I visit Tallinn again? For sure! There are too many things that I still want to see or see again.
All photos by Dirk Scholtz, unless otherwise stated.
