Old Town Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, located on the southern shore of the gulf of Finland, is about a two hour ferry ride from Helsinki, and makes an excellent day trip from the Finnish capital.

Dating back many centuries, Tallinn is one of the oldest capitals in Europe’s northern region. Tallinn has an extensive and fascinating history with evidence of human settlements near the Härjapea River and Iru dating back approximately 5,000 years. It appears that Iru was abandoned at some point and relocated mostly on Toompea Hill.

In the mid 10th century, a wooden fortress was built on the hill that provided protection and administrative support for local communities. Its location on the Gulf of Finland made the fortress an active hub for trade. In 1219, Danish King Vlademar II arrived, conquered and erected a new stone fortress; thus increasing Tallinn’s role as an important Baltic port.

Of course, there is much more to the city’s history, including occupation by the Germans, Swedish and Russians; click here if you’re interested in learning more. Independence was regained in 1991, and today it is a thriving economy and is a stunning and welcoming place to visit.

We arrived without agenda or specific “must see” items, but rather we were interested in strolling and getting a feel for this historic city. We spent all our time in old town which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Its cobbled streets, amazingly well preserved medieval architecture and Gothic Churches will no doubt, impress even the seasoned traveler.

This tiny chapel was built in 1909 and served as a church until the 1960s. It has also been used as a phone booth and souvenir kiosk.

We stopped in at the Holy Spirit Church of Tallinn, which was completed in 1360. It’s a beautifully preserved Gothic church with stunning artwork and stained glass.

Of course, there are some touristy places too.

We found this public protest display outside the Russian Embassy, to be particularly poignant. The faces of the young people who have been arrested and imprisoned brought me to tears. I can’t imagine the horrors they’re facing in a Russian prison. Their fresh, beautiful smiles may fade forever.

Original art by theTravelsketcher.

We had a delicious lunch at Hell Hunt, Tallinn’s first craft beer pub after regaining independence from the Soviet Union. In business since 1993, it has a great selection of entrees and beverages.

Today, Estonia has more startups per capita than any country in Europe. In addition, it has declared internet access a human right, and was one of the first countries in the world to do so. You’ll find free wifi almost everywhere. In addition, most residents in Tallinn are multi-lingual, making it very easy to interact with the locals.

We booked our ferry tickets through Ecrerö Line; adult round trip runs about €25. We were on the MS Finlandia which is HUGE! There are many bars, restaurants, private cabins, play areas and much more. The ferry was completely packed and even with so many amenities, we found it difficult to find a place to sit.

We traveled on a weekend, which was a big mistake. If you make this trip, I suggest going on a weekday. Although, Old Town Tallinn didn’t feel over-crowded at all.

Have you visited Old Town Tallinn? Even if you haven’t, I would love to hear from you, so leave a message if you’d like.

Wishing you grand, and crowd free adventures,

Tricia