Tallinn is a beautiful Hanseatic town situated at the entrance of the Gulf of Finland by the Baltic Sea.
Like most cities with an eight-hundred-year-old past, Tallinn is a patchwork of historic areas. The city's pride and joy is without a doubt its Medieval Old Town, but equally enchanting is the Kadriorg district, a throwback to the time when Estonia was ruled by the Russian Tsars. Other areas of Tallinn are perfect for those who want to get a glimpse of Soviet-era life, or just want to spend time in the great outdoors.
The historic part of town includes St. Catherine's Passage. A collection of craft workshops where artists use traditional methods to create and sell glassware, hats, quilts, ceramics, jewellery, hand-painted silk and other wares. The workshops are housed in the small, 15th- to 17th-century rooms on the south side of the lane, and are set up in an open-studio fashion so visitors can watch the artists at work, be it glass-blowing, weaving or pottery making.
There is of course also a modern side to Tallinn. The city is home to a thriving art scene that ranges from traditional, folk handicraft to modern home designs to edgy installation works. If you're travelling with a laptop, iPhone or other WiFi-enabled device, you can start by seeing how many unexpected places you can get free Internet. Whether you're walking through a city square, sitting on a park bench or relaxing at the beach, chances are you'll be able to pick up a WiFi signal.
A taste of Tallinn
The Seaplane Harbour is one of the main attractions. With the help of modern multimedia, the Seaplane Harbour in the wooden architecture suburb Kalamaja tells exciting stories about the Estonian maritime and military history promising a “sea full of excitement”. The museum’s display, that comprises of more than a couple of hundred large exhibits, revitalizes the colourful history of Estonia.
Simulators mimicking a flight above Tallinn, around-the-world journey in the yellow submarine, navigating on the Tallinn bay make this museum heaven for kids or adventurous adults.
Seaplane Harbour operates in architecturally unique hangars built almost a century ago, in 1916 and 1917, as a part of Peter the Great sea fortress. These hangars are the World’s first reinforced concrete shell structures of such a great size. Charles Lindbergh, the man who performed the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, landed here in 1930s.
Tallinn has a lot going for it – its Medieval charm, high-quality shops and restaurants, and English-speaking population are just some of its pluses. The city is big enough and interesting enough to explore for days, but also small and compact enough to give you the full Tallinn experience in just a few hours.
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