Tallin and Helsinki

Efour

Efour

Efour

Caporegime
Joined
8 Sep 2005
Posts
30,821
Location
Norrbotten, Sweden.
Who's been?

Booked a little 4 day cruise there and now I'm wondering what on earth to do :p

They are both reasonsbly small, walkable towns.

I'm very interested in WW2 and I've seen a few museums and what not. The GF has already given me the eyebrows of disappointment regarding this. Just like how I have to go to HMS Belfast evert time we are in London.

Any personal recommendations on food and pub options?
Hidden gems?
Places overhyped?
 
Have been to Tallinn, it does look like a great city to explore. But we missed out on that due to getting in with a crowd of locals at the gig we were there for and ended up spending three days on an insane drinking binge.
 
C616WH1.jpg
 
Tallinn - nice just to wander around, particularly if you are there out of high season. Similar to Dubrovnik with its encompassing medieval walls and lost of little alleys to explore. Restaurants? Didn't particularly rate them, lots of standard fare Italian and also cater heavily for Russian tourists. That said, I could easily be biased as my apartment was in the centre and there are many to choose from; no doubt there are some hidden gems. However, you could try the medieval dining experience at Olde Hansa, like a bierkeller style environment with food from the 1500's: https://www.oldehansa.ee/. This is right in the centre too, easy to find.

If architecture interest you, Kadriorg Palace lies on the outskirts of Tallinn. Baroque, built by Peter the Great for Catherine. Akin to some of the great Russian palaces in and around St Petersburg, on a smaller scale. It's perhaps 15mins out from the centre, from memory there is a tram line which runs past it.

Helsinki - I was only there for a day so others will have more knowledge. A clean, efficient city but didn't particularly grab me. Temppeliaukio 'rock church' is worth a look; a Lutheran church that was opened in 1969 and was quarried directly into the bedrock and has a somewhat incongruous location in the midst of the city. Clearly you enjoy history, so Suomenlinna could be to your taste; a mid 1700's fortress that sits on an island just off the mainland, in the mouth of Helsinki's port. Sadly, as I visited with two females that had zero interest in this sort of thing, I didn't get the chance - but it was high on my hitlist! Boats run out to it from the waterfront, which also had a quite a neat little outdoor market - decent for street food.
 
Last edited:
Tallin is great, lots to explore and the old market stalls have some great Soviet memorabilia.

Mainly so in the inside of pubs as went in January and it was -28C daytime and got colder at night.

If going in winter wear tights or longjohns under your trousers to stop your thighs going numb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom