Phoebettmh Travel: (Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, only 70 km (43 mi) south of Helsinki. At the historical and medieval heart of the city is the hill of Toompea, covered in cobbled streets and filled with medieval houses and alleyways. The lower town spreads out from the foot of the hill, still protected by the remnants of a city wall. Around the city wall is a series of well-maintained green parks, great for strolling.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

The city's old town has been astonishingly well preserved and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, it is now in better shape than ever, with the bigger roads converted into fashionable shopping streets reminiscent of Zürich or Geneva. Especially in summer, the Old Town is packed with tourists, with the traditional daytrippers from sister city Helsinki increasingly supplemented by Europeans taking advantage of cheap flights.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

Tallinn's atmospheric Old Town is an enthralling hodgepodge of medieval streets and spires. It's a small city, and the tourist areas are safe and easily explored on foot. Buy a Tallinn Card if intending to use buses, trolleys or trams. For a look into Tallinn's past, visit Rocca-al-Mare Open Air Museum's typical rural Estonian taverns, windmills and watermills, see the onion-domed 1900 cathedral or join the bustle in historic Town Hall Square. St. Olav's spire was once the tallest in the world.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

Attractions

Like most cities with an eight-hundred-year-old past, Tallinn is a patchwork of historic areas. The city's pride and joy is without a doubt its Medieval Old Town, but equally enchanting is the Kadriorg district, a throwback to the time when Estonia was ruled by the Russian Tsars. Other areas of Tallinn are perfect for those who want to get a glimpse of Soviet-era life, or just want to spend time in the great outdoors.

(Estonia) - Tallinn City - Fat Margaret tower

(Estonia) - Tallinn City - Tall Hermann tower

Some of the attractions that the Old City has to offer are Fat Margaret and Tall Herman, these are two towers, the first one being short and stout while the second one being the tallest in Tallinn and part of the city’s medieval fortifications. Alongside these you will find here the Maritime Museum as well as the Art Museum and the Dome Church.

(Estonia) - Tallinn city - Church - St Nicholas Church

(Estonia) - Tallinn city - Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

One other major point of interest is the Kadriorg Palace, built in 1736 for Peter the Great it features wonderful wooded grounds as well as a small cottage which houses the Peter the Great Museum. In a somewhat similar vein you might want to travel a bit west of Tallinn and visit the Estonian Open-Air Museum, this is where you will encounter rebuilt traditional homesteads and trade houses of old Tallinn. With a bit of lucky you’ll see a street performance of folk music or dance.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

When the sun goes down and you’re tired from all that sightseeing it is time to experience the city’s varied culinary offers and as far as food is concerned you will find pretty much everything possible from Indian and Mexican restaurants to the more traditional eateries.