Tallinn, the capital and largest city of Estonia, was part of the Soviet Union for about 50 years. Now, Estonia is part of the EU and uses the Euro instead of the kroon. Being the math whiz that I am, love when you only have to worry about one kind of currency.
Upon first glance, Tallinn's Old Town will make you feel like you've stepped into a magical and medieval storybook, complete with ancient buildings dating back to the 14th century and quaint cobblestone streets. Reminds me of other places we've visited, like Girona and Carcassonne.
If you want to squeeze as much as possible into your visit to Tallinn, start with a walk on the medieval wall around Old Town. The wall is about a mile long and still has 26 towers. Since the wall is above the city, you'll have to climb 45 steps to get to the wall. Wow! Just 45 steps? We could probably sprint those! Other walls we may have climbed were free, but this one costs 1.30 Euros to climb. You're thinking "they want me to pay to climb steps?" Yep. I'm starting to see a pattern here - paying to climb the steps! Remember, this wall is old...and the stairways are steep, dark and narrow. Not good if you get claustrophobic or want to strut about town in your stiletto heels.
Old Town is easy to walk around on your own. But if you don't do a tour or do a little web research or get a good tour book before you go, or you'll be clueless about what you're looking at. You can also take a free walking tour of Tallinn with a local. Yes, the tours are free, but you are usually expected to tip the guide when the tour is over. Some guides are better than others, which we learned in Paris - our morning guide was great, the afternoon guide just so-so.
Many people say Tallinn is a mix of Scandinavia and Russia, and you can find some unique food specialties such as Herring, boar, elk & rootbeet salad, or maybe beer soup with ice cream and sauna-smoked lamb leg. Think I'll be heading back to the ship for lunch or head to the local bakery!
A must see is the top floor of the Sokos Hotel Viru, which houses a small K.B.G. museum. The door has a sign in Russian that reads, “There is nothing here”. The story goes that their surveillance techniques were pretty darn sophisticated and there were "bugs" in the sauna. Really? Even the ashtrays were bugged (how I have no idea). Tours are given in English at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and the guides tell stories about life during the Soviet rule, which they say are worth the price of admission (7 Euros). The hotel also gives you the best views of Tallinn Bay and Old Town. I'm betting you can take an elevator vs. climbing steps to the top!
The onion-domed Estonian Orthodox Cathedral, St. Alexander Nevsky, is up Pikk Jalg to Toompea, the hill overlooking the Old Town. On the way back, head through the Danish King’s Garden, which also has great views of the Old Town.
In Tallinn, stores and street vendors sell amber jewelry and linen. You'll also find handmade woolen sweaters, glass art, juniper wood products, and leather goods. The woolen sweaters are the same quality as those you'll find in Stockholm but you can get 'em cheaper in Tallinn. The most unique items? Communist memorabilia found at antique stores.
Be careful of pickpockets! They operate in pairs -- one distracts you in front and the other grabs your wallet from behind.
If you want to see it all, take the HOHO (hop on, hop off) bus. Currently 16 Euros and 33 places of interest.
Here are a few videos to watch about Tallinn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAC8F_2qTTY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nEUF4LWhcE, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_U8xzIY5R8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O4PEtjvaXE
Ciao!
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