Tallinn — A Baltic Gem

Photo by author. Houses built up against Tallinn’s Medieval walls. Check out the size of the tower.

It’s not as far off the beaten track as it used to be, but when I said “We’re going to Tallinn,” there was still something of a response of “Where?”

Where is Tallinn?

Tallinn is the capital of the small Baltic republic of Estonia. It’s a coastal port on the south side of the Gulf of Finland. In fact, it’s almost opposite Helsinki.

Why Tallinn?

Here are some reasons you might want to visit Tallinn:

1. The Old Town. Tallinn’s Old Town is a full blown World Heritage site, one of the most beautiful Medieval towns in Europe, and beautifully preserved.
2. Textiles. Estonia is known for textiles, and you can buy wonderful wools and linens in Tallinn for, well, wonderful prices. Not dirt cheap, no, but perfectly affordable.
3. Museums. The Seaplane Harbor has an amazing collection of, of all things, mines, in an building of considerable architectural significance. Kiek-in-the-Kok has Medieval and slightly later arms and armor, as well as passages under the Bastion that include a mock up of an air raid shelter and an interesting collection of carved stone. There are a couple of museums that go into the Soviet era past, too.
4. Churches. The churches. There are Lutheran churches. Catholic churches. An Orthodox cathedral with an…