 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
General
Travel
Sightseeing
Entertainment
Printable Guide
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
City Guide > Europe > Estonia > Tallinn | |
|
Mini Guide of Tallinn City Overview Tallinn boasts the kind of stunning chocolate box old town that Disney executives can only dream of. Its old core is an almost impossibly pretty, all cobbles, castles and church spires with an eye-catching smorgasbord of medieval and baroque architecture. Estonia’s capital city, tucked right up at the north-eastern extremity of Europe on the shores of the Baltic Sea, has been hailed as the ‘New Prague’ and justifiably so, though it is more compact and easier to get around. Until 1991 Tallinn was clamped under the confines of Soviet rule, but since it broke free in a bloodless revolution, it has made up for five decades of lost independence by switching seamlessly from communism to capitalism. Marx is out and mobile phones are in with the city so switched on (with one of the highest mobile phone ownership rates in the world and Internet cafes and wi-fi hot spots springing up all over Tallinn) that the locals like to call their increasingly high-tech country E-stonia. On the fringes of the old core, a new district is emerging with gleaming new hotels and offices as Estonia celebrates the EU membership it attained in 2004. Anyone arriving in Tallinn with anachronistic images of what an old Soviet Bloc city should look like will be as surprised by this new skyline as they will be by the charming old core. Half the fun in Tallinn is just ambling around the old town streets drifting back through the layers of history that emerge at every turn with Russian orthodox churches and Dominican monasteries sharing the streets with old merchant houses and medieval meeting halls. Culture vultures will also find plenty to detain them in Tallinn, a city where art and culture are taken with a seriousness that is the polar opposite of the fun filled and unpretentiously raucous local nightlife scene. Getting There By Air Tallinn Airport (TLL) Tel: 605 8701. Website: www.tallinn-airport.ee The city’s modern and efficient airport is located 4km (2.5 miles) from the city centre. The main airlines using Tallinn airport from the UK are Estonian Air (website: www.estonian-air.ee) and Easyjet (website: www.easyjet.com). Other airlines include Air Baltic, Finnair and Lufthansa. Facilities in arrivals include car rental, a currency exchange office, bar, toilets, telephones, shops and an ATM machine. In departures there is a currency exchange office, bar, toilets, telephones, shops and an ATM. Business facilities are available in departures at the lounge, which has Internet and fax. The regular public bus no.2 connects the airport to the city centre, terminating near the landmark Viru Hotel on the edge of the old town. Metered taxis are also available outside the terminal, ensure the meter is switched on or agree a fare in advance. Getting There By Water Getting There By Road For such a modern and impressive country, Estonia’s road network comes as something of a surprise as there are few dual carriageways and even the main route south to Latvia (E67) only has a single lane in each direction. This road also connects Tallinn with the southern city of Parnu. The E20 cuts east towards the Russian border, which it reaches after the city of Narva, while route No.2 heads southeast to the university city of Tartu. There are plans for a new multi-lane highway connecting Tallinn with Russia and Latvia and on to the rest of Europe’s motorway networks, but this still seems to be years away. The main bus station (Tallinna Bussiterminal) is located a 10 minute walk from the old town at Lastekodu 46 (tel: 680 0900; website: www.bussireisid.ee). Services run to all major Estonian towns and cities as well as outside the country to Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and as far as the UK. The main operators are Eurolines (tel: 680 0909; website: www.eurolines.ee) and Ecolines (tel: 610 1570; website: www.ecolines.ee). Emergency Breakdown number: 1888. Getting There By Rail Tallinn Railway Station, Balti Jaam, Toompuiestee 35 (tel: 615 6851; website: www.evr.ee) is currently in the midst of a major renovation that is set to bring it into the 21st century though the national rail network is still limited. This railway station on the edge of the old town offers services to domestic destinations such as Narva, Parnu and Tartu, but only one international route, across the border to Moscow. The company running electric trains to the satellite towns and villages outside the capital is Elektriraudtee (tel: 673 7400; website: www.elektriraudtee.ee), while Edelaraudtee (tel: (038) 57 123; website: www.edel.ee) run longer distance trains. Beware the shady characters the station seems to attract. Getting Around Public Transport A comprehensive network of trams, buses and trolleybuses is operated by the local authorities. Tickets can be purchased at many newspaper kiosks. Passengers can pay when boarding though it is cheaper to buy tickets beforehand. Make sure you punch your ticket once onboard to avoid a fine. Taxis Taxis can be hailed on the street or at ranks at the railway and bus stations as well as in the old town. Pre-booked taxis can be ordered from a number of local companies such as Klisu (tel: 655 0777), Klubi (tel: 14 200) and Tulika (tel: 1200; website: www.tulikatakso.ee). Ensure the meter is either switched on or agree a price in advance for all journeys. Car Hire There is little need to hire a car in Tallinn as the city is so compact. International car hire companies do have offices at the airport and also in the city centre. Companies at the airport include Avis (tel: 605 8222; website: www.avis.ee), Budget (tel: 605 8600; website: www.budget.ee) and Sixt (tel: 605 8148; website: www.sixt.ee). In the city centre there are offices of Avis (tel: 667 1515; website: www.avis.ee) and Sixt (tel: 613 3660; website: www.sixt.ee). Driving in the city centre can be intimidating with heavy traffic and local drivers driving erratically. Note headlights must be used at all times. Bicycle Hire City Bike meanwhile can organise bike hire and tours (tel: 511 1819; website: www.citybike.ee). Business Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview The old core of Tallinn is easy to explore on foot, with buses, trolleybuses and taxis on hand to get to the other out of town sights. In effect the key sight is the UNESCO World Heritage listed old town itself, a chocolate box beauty of winding cobbled streets, vaulting church spires and pastel hued buildings. The old town is neatly hemmed in by the remnants of its medieval walls, with some of the orange roofed towers that once protected the city from attack still intact. At the hub of the old town is the Town Hall Square, an expanse of cobbles awash with pavement cafes during the warmer months, with its landmark town hall soaring into the sky from the square below. The Toompea district hovers above the scene with its castle complex, churches and grand buildings; the two viewing platforms up at Toompea offer sweeping views out of the city and are good for getting acquainted with the city’s layout. Toompea is also home to the dreamy Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an orthodox gem that is the city’s most dramatic church. Away from the centre, the old Soviet naval base at Paldiski was once strictly off-limits, even for the locals, and now makes for an unusual but fascinating excursion. Tourist Information Tallinn Tourist Office Niguliste 2 Tel: 645 7777. Website: www.tourism.tallinn.ee The city’s main tourist office (above) is located in the city centre. The helpful staff dispense information, as well as hand out maps and brochures. They can also arrange tours and accommodation. Passes The Tallinn Card, available from the tourist office, gives free access to museums and sights, and includes free tours and free transport. Key Attractions Old Town Tallinn’s old quarter is one of the most attractive in Europe and it is easy to see why it has been dubbed a ‘mini-Prague’. It is compact and easily navigable. Many of the buildings have been renovated and the Old Town now boasts cafes, restaurants, hotels and tourist orientated shops, but this is no museum piece and local people still live and work here. Town Hall (Raekoda) Unmissable thanks to the sinewy spire that hangs omnipresent above the eponymous square. The original town hall rose in the 14th century, but much of the building you see today dates from the 15th century. There is now a small café at the Town Hall, but the interior is often closed for official functions. Visitors can, though, check out the pharmacy, said to be one of the oldest in Europe. Raekoja Plats 1 Tel: 645 7900. Website: www.tallinn.ee/raekoda Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Dominating the Toompea hillside is this striking orthodox cathedral with its instantly memorable black onion domes. The cathedral was commissioned by Tsar Alexander III, first opening its doors in 1900. Local legend has it that the reason that the cathedral has been plagued by structural problems is that, although it was commissioned to commemorate a Russian hero, it actually stands on the grave of an Estonian one. Lossi Plats 10 Tel: 644 3484. Website: www.hot.ee/nsobor Occupation Museum The dark days of both the Nazi and the Soviet occupations come alive at this chilling museum. Old uniforms, photos and audio-visual displays illuminate the tortuous decades that Estonia endured before its eventual independence in 1991. Toompea 8 Tel: 668 0250. Website: www.okupatsioon.ee Civic Museum The civic museum offers a lucid and comprehensive depiction of the story of this deeply historical city. Housed in a 14th century building, it covers up to German and Soviet times and right through to independence with some fascinating photos. Also stages temporary art exhibitions. Vene 17 Tel: 644 6553. Website: www.linnamuuseum.ee Further Distractions Kiek in de Kok This museum’s name translates as ‘Peek into the Kitchen’, a nickname given to the defensive tower in which it is housed by soldiers peering into the kitchens of the old town houses below. Today the tower and its museum offer an insight into the city’s medieval defences and the building is also home to an art gallery. Komandandi 2 Tel: 644 6686. Website: www.linnamuuseum.ee/kiekindekok TV Tower This 1980s monstrosity is thankfully located well outside the old town. It may never win any architectural awards and the staff are as rude as ever, but the views back towards the city and across the Baltic Sea towards Finland from 170m (557 ft) up are impressive. Kloostrimetsa 58a Tel: 623 8250. Website: www.teletorn.ee Tours of the City The Tallinn Tourist Office, Niguliste 2 (tel: 645 7777; website: www.tourism.tallinn.ee) can organise guided group tours and guides for individuals, though booking ahead is recommended. They also offer an audio self-guided tour (website: www.audioguide.ee). The ‘Tallinn Official Sightseeing Tour’ (tel: 610 8616; website: www.travel2baltics.com) combines a bus tour with a walk through the old town (free with the Tallinn Card). A new addition in 2005 was a bright red bus (tel: 627 9080; website: www.hansabuss.ee), which now takes tourists on ‘hop on-hop off’ tours to attractions outside the old town. City Bike meanwhile organise tours on two wheels (tel: 511 1819; website: www.citybike.ee). Excursions Paldiski: Fifty miles (80km) outside Tallinn is a once mighty Soviet naval base (the last Soviet forces left in 1994). Today a ramble of ruins and leftovers offer the chance to peek behind the old Iron Curtain. Taking a bike or car is recommended as the various things to see, such as Peter’s Fortress, the Pakri lighthouse, the naval graveyard and the old submarine training base, are quite spread-out. Kadriorg Palace: Commissioned by Peter the Great in honour of his wife, Catherine, this elegant baroque palace is one of the few genuinely unmissable sights outside of the old town. Also home to an art gallery and an expanse of beautifully laid-out gardens. Weizenbergi 37 (tel: 606 6400; website: www.ekm.ee Sport Shopping Gone is the era of Soviet deprivations with a number of large malls, such as Kristline Keskus, Endia 45, and Ulemiste Center, by the city’s airport, now very popular with the locals. In the old town you will find some more interesting retail options with the main souvenirs knitwear (from the market by the old town walls next to Viru gate), Vana Tallinn, the city’s most famous alcoholic tipple, ceramic depictions of medieval old town buildings and, somewhat bizarrely, amber as it is not actually found naturally in Estonia but imported instead from Lithuania. Fashion fans may want to check out the city’s increasing number of fashion shops including local outlets like Tango, Suur-Karja 18 and Elegance Boutique, Vaike-Sojamae 4, as well as big international names such as Hugo Boss, Parnu 10, and Max Mara, Harju 6. Culture Throughout the year, Tallinn bustles with the arts, with everything from small-scale alternative creations right through to grand opera performances and classical music recitals. Many performances are only in Estonian as the country celebrates the return and dominance of the local language after decades of Soviet-era suppression. Check out Tallinn in Your Pocket, a bi-monthly guide to the city, for details of major events. The tourist office can also often help with information and even bookings, but there is no last minute ticketing agency as such. Main cultural venues in the city include the Estonian National Opera, Estonia 4 (tel: 683 1260; website: www.opera.ee), the massive concrete Linnahall, Mere 20 (tel: 641 1600; website: www.linnahall.ee) and the Estonian Drama Theatre, Parnu 5 (tel: 680 5555; website: www.estoniantheatre.info). An alternative venue is the Von Krahl Theatre, Rataskaevu 10 (tel: 626 9090; website: www.vonkrahl.ee), a favourite of the local student community. Nightlife Bizarrely the Tartan Army (the ‘disorganisation’ of football fans who faithfully follow the Scottish national side) are credited with kick-starting the city’s nightlife in the 1990s after decades of Soviet dreariness. The two bars they set up after a football match in Tallinn, the Nimeta, Suur-Karja 4, and the Nimega, Suur-Karja 13, are still going strong and are a good place to meet locals praticising their English. Overlooking Town Hall Square, Molly Malone’s, Mundi 2, is a better than average Irish theme pub with a sunny terrace in summer. With stag parties increasingly invading all of the above, the local trendies have moved onto chic lounge-style bars such as Kaheksa, Vana-Posti 8, Pegasus, Harju 1, and the Stereo Lounge, Harju 6. For live music the veteran Guitar Safari, Muurivahe 22, seldom disappoints, while Saku Suurhall, Paldiski 104b, is a massive venue used for major gigs. Tallinn’s club scene is fairly lively with the enormous Decolte, Ahtri 10 (website: www.decolte.ee), fun when it is open, joined by Hollywood, Vana-Posti 8 (website: www.clubhollywood.ee/est), in the old town with its steady diet of techno and its dubious clientele of teenage girls and rough men. City Statistics Location: Northern Estonia, directly across the Baltic Sea from the Finnish capital, Helsinki. Country dialling code: 372. Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220V, European two prong plug Average January temp: -1ºC (30ºF). Average July temp: 17ºC (62ºF). Annual rainfall: 565mm (22 inches). Special Events Tallinn Jazz Festival, Apr, lively jazz/blues and world music festival brings life to the city as it emerges from winter hibernation Admiralty Sea Days, May, maritime themed event down at the city’s passenger port Old Town Days, Jun, medieval themed festival in the old town popular with costumed locals Midsummer’s Night, Jun 21, locals celebrate the longest day, when its does not really get dark, with bonfires and all things pagan Beer Festival, Jul, biggest beer festival in the Baltics with live music accompanying the lashings of beer New Year’s Eve, Dec 31, celebrations in the city to welcome in the New Year in style Cost of Living 1 Estonian Krooni (1Kr) = £0.04; US$0.08; C$0.09; A$0.10; ¬0.06 Currency conversion rates as of October 2005 |