Tallinn

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During our short Autumn break (October) we decided to head to Tallinn for a day trip. Which naturally means that I have to publish a month late blogpost about it. 

The journey is extremely popular with Finns, who take advantage of the low liquor taxes of Estonian waters. Multiple ferries (small cruise ships in size) take the 2 hour trip across the Baltic, and one of the departure terminals is only three tram stops down the road, so it made for a convenient trip.



The Old City was a short walk from the cruise ship terminal, and offers well-preserved medieval architecture, complete with winding alleys, fortress walls, and a beautiful town square. It's an excellent city to get lost in and walk around. Signs are helpfully stationed around the area, and most sites in this city core can be seen in a day or two. I'll be glad to return and see the inside of many of the churches and castles we saw. 


Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the most prominent building in the city. An orthodox church and controversial symbol within the city due to its semi-modern (late 19th to 20th century) construction as part of the Russification of Estonia. The interior was quite beautiful and ornate, and the outside featured a great many mosaic Jesuses frowning down at the populace. 



The City Walls are beautiful and filled with museums and historical sites to visit. One could make a trip of just walking the perimeter of these structures and stopping in at every art gallery and old monuments tucked in the alcoves. Local cheeses and mulled wine represent the highlights of the culinary scene, though I've no doubt that potato and oat enthusiasts would find as much of a home here as in Finland.



Fall foliage was hitting its peak when we arrived, offering a lot of beautiful views alongside the ivy which is planted just about everywhere. It was certainly a prime time to visit as the tourist season was winding down. Low number of visitors, but all of the restaurants and amenities catering to foreigners were still open. 


An old Academy of Sciences in a cloistered part of the upper city. More architecturally appealing than the Vikki Campus where I spend my daylight hours. 

Overall Tallinn was an amazing city to visit, offering a perfect amount to experience over the course of a day or two, and I'd strongly recommend it to anyone. In the Spring I'll return with some friends in my programme to catch the bird migration at some of the Estonian National Parks.

Max 





Comments

Matthew said…
Seems a lovely city. Looking forward to the bird migration post next year.
4:43 PM
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