I explored the Baltic States on my Baltic Explorer trip and Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, was such a wonderful surprise. The old town had been lovingly restored with the towering walls and castle, churches and cobblestone streets. If you want to see “old Europe” – this is a great alternative from the busy capitals in Western Europe!
You only have one day in Tallinn with its beautiful, medieval town center, and you want to make the most out of your time? You can wander the narrow alleys of the old town, marvel at the beautiful architecture and even take a quick tour of the city’s history, before closing out your day high above the rooftops watching the … Continue reading
My Baltic Explorer trip covered 7 cities in the Baltics, Poland and Germany over a period of 4 weeks. Despite staying at mostly mid-scale and upscale hotels, it was an inexpensive trip, compared to other European capitals! The Baltics turned out to be a great value destination, especially for family vacations! Similar to my ASEAN Explorer, I want to share … Continue reading
If you are tired after a walking tour of Tallinn’s Old Town or are stuck on a rainy day, you can check out the Kalev Spa & Wellness Center. It’s operated by the Kalev hotel and sits on the border of the Old Town and the new city center. You have access to a water park, a full fitness center … Continue reading
On my first night in Tallinn, I was wandering through the beautiful Old Town and was checking out the many restaurants in the heart of town. There are a lot to choose from, many with outdoor seating around the squares and along the little alleys. Most of them have their menus out, so you can take a look what they … Continue reading
If you want to get a short overview of the history of Tallinn, head to the City Museum. It’s housed in a medieval merchant’s house in the Old Town, so it’s easy to incorporate it into a walk around the Old Town. it’s really well done and has exhibits from the middle ages to Estonian independence. Some parts of the exhibit are … Continue reading
As my second home in Tallinn as part of my Baltic Explorer trip, I chose the Park Inn Central Tallinn. It was just a few blocks from the Old Town and my first hotel, the Radisson Blu Sky, it looked great in the online photos, had good reviews and I booked it at a price I hoped would turn out … Continue reading
I had picked a few restaurants in Old Town Tallinn from Tripadvisor to check out on an evening walk. One highly rated one is Rataskaevu 16, named after its address. When I checked it out on a weekday, it was completely sold out and turning away people, one after the other. I took that as a good sign and was … Continue reading
I’m very interested in history and usually have the history or national museum of my destination on my itinerary. In the Baltics, I wanted to learn especially about the more recent history of these former Soviet republics. Estonia has established the excellent Museum of Occupations, covering the Soviet and German invasions during World War II as well as the post-war … Continue reading
As my first hotel in Tallinn on my Baltic Explorer trip, I selected the Radisson Blu Sky, using points of the Club Carlson program and the Bonus Award Night feature of my US Bank Visa card (no longer available). It is one of the top rated hotels in Tallinn on Tripadvisor and it proved to be a great choice. … Continue reading