The plan to visit Tallinn in nearby Estonia had been pencilled in before we left home but we had left the decison on whether or not we would go until the last minute, depending on our energy levels. Consequently the night before at 7 pm we were booking the ferry, compromising by not choosing an early departure but one that would give us roughly four hours to explore the medieval town of Tallin.
The ferry was an adventure itself, ten decks including a VERY popular duty free store (complete with trolleys obligatory for the amount of alcohol some people purchased!) a dance floor, pub, numerous cafes and restaurants and several decks that were just cabins – all for a 2.5 hour trip 🤣
We found a good spot by the window and watched the last of the Finnish islands disappear as we entered the Gulf of Finland proper where there was quite a swell. We didn’t realise how much heavy traffic was also aboard until disembarking and we saw a seemingly endless array of semi trailers being disgorged from the bowels of the ship.
So, interesting facts about Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Estonia itself has been occupied by many different countries throughout its history but most recently in 1991, the independent democratic Estonian nation was restored and a period of quick development as a modern European capital ensued. Tallinn has the highest number of startup companies per person among all capitals and larger cities in Europe and is the birthplace of many international high-technology companies, including Skype!
The reason we were visiting though is because it also famous for it’s beautifully preserved medieval “Old Town” which is a 20 minute walk from the ferry terminal.
The downside of visiting Europe (particularly northern Europe,) at this time of the year is the cold but the flip side is far less tourists and we were able to wander about for several hours finding deserted streets, beautiful churches and stunning architecture. I’m sure the town square will be heaving with tourists in a few short weeks but today it was quiet with a few hardy souls enjoing the brisk spring day.
We wandered in and out of churches, declined the local Glog being sold on street corners and found the THE most instagrammable lookout ( I know, you’ve seen it..😉)
In the midst of this glorious Gothic architecture, curiously juxtaposed across the road from Tallinn’s oldest cafe was the Russian embassy.
The Russian embassy, currently fronted by security fences adorned with anti Russian/ pro Ukrainian signs, memorials to Ukrainian dead and not so covertly watched from nearby street corners by police maintaining a constant vigil. What we can only read about in the newspapers is front and centre here, comparatively close to the area of conflict.
With our weary feet demanding a rest we managed to snag a table in the oldest cafe, it’s beautiful interior demanding our attention until the hot chocolate and cake arrived.
Somewhat rejuvenated we began walking back toward the ferry, noting that the streets were undergoing lots of renovation, in part to support the commitment to improving the tram system. Public transport in the city has been free of charge for almost 10 years in an effort to reduce car use as well as traffic regulations which encourage daily cycling by giving cyclists priority over car drivers.
Tallinn values insects as well – for the sake of these pollinators a strategy of letting parks, conservation areas and gardens grow wild has been introduced. Also worthy of note is the fact that protected green areas make up almost 20% of Tallinn’s total area. Tallin was awarded the title of European Green Capital for 2023 and is clearly serious about its commitment to the environment.
Although our visit was short, we were both glad we had included Tallinn in our itinerary and highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area 😊
Tomorrow, making the most of our last day in Finland…