Medieval Tallinn - 'A Well Kept Secret'

It's difficult to identify any individual part of Tallinn as a favorite attraction - the attraction itself really lies in the complete package - the Tallinn experience. I get the feeling that since being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tallinn has begun to attract a lot more tourists, but because of it's 'off the beaten track' location, things haven't yet snowballed into a tourist trap - go there soon before everyone else does.

Quick Tips:

Take your time - in the Old Town, no-one is in a rush - there's no need.

Best Way To Get Around:

In most cities you are unlikely to go and explore the suburbs and Tallinn is no exception.However, the Old Town has all you need to keep you occupied for two or three days and everything is within 10 - 15 minutes walking distance.

It's not really a traffic friendly city, particularly downtown as there are major long term roadworks throughout the centre (not in the Old Town) - appparently more tram lines being installed. However, if you do need to escape the city for a while, bus and rail links are excellent and Taxis are very cheap.

Peppersteaks is a relatively new Gothic style restaurant/bar right in the heart of the Old Town just off Raekoja Plats. Despite it's traditional feel and costumed staff, the ambience is tasteful and relaxed, focusing mainly on Estonian fare which has been jazzed up a bit. Tables are well spaced out and the candlelight adds to the romantic atmosphere.

To be honest, the food and service were difficult to fault with some interesting Eastern European and Russian combinations. Try smoked beaver with herbs or cheese soup with Gobrushka (trout). Despite being almost exclusively a nation of carnivores, Peppersteaks has many viable veggie options - try the oyster mushrooms with pine nuts.

For quality food in a relaxing bar atmosphere with great 'bronze' beer, this is one place well worth a visit.

For the ultimate Estonian dining experience you have to visit Vanaema Juures (Grandma's Place). This intimate little restaurant is tucked away in a quiet cellar, just off the street, in the Old Town, and it is big on atmosphere - you really feel like you're stepping into Grandma's house but not in a tacky, touristy kind of way. The menu tends to focus on traditional Estonian fare which is both tasty and wholesome without being fussy. Furthermore, most of the food is not smothered in the staple sour cream that you find almost everywhere else in Estonia. This was the best meal we had in Estonia and we had to book a couple of days in advance to secure a reservation (in July). Try Grandma's scrumptious meatballs and horseradish or the raisin and baked apple with yogurt! The candlelit atmosphere is cosy and you'll want to hang about long after your meal is finished, probably because you'll not be able to move! This provides a fabulous excuse to savour a glass of Vana Tallinn, the local tipple, a 50% liqueur that slides down easily.

As bizzare as an Estonian/Indian/Scandinavian restaurant may sound, Elevant fits into this niche and suprisingly works well. The large restaurant is big on atmosphere with widely spaced tables and ambient lighting and service is very efficient, yet unobtrusive. Having spent three weeks touring all of the Baltic States we yearned for some spicy food after the typical blandness of standard Baltic fare. We weren't disappointed!

Elevant successfully fuses Indian staples and gives them an Estonian twist - Wild Boar Korma (which I can reccomend) and Reindeer Bhoona. Although wine is the only alcohol which tends to be pricey in Estonia, Elevant offers a modest range of tastey wines - the house red is reasonably priced and easily robust enough to accompany the spicey offerings.

All in all, a rare opportunity to taste such an eclectic mix of cuisines.

Despite the fact that the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is by Tallinn's medieval standards a recent addition, this imposing 19th Century Russian Orthodox structure is really quite stunning and is accentuated by the fact that its 'onion domes' look comletely out of context. Apparently, the Russians built this as part of their Russification program, choosing its location beside the Estonian parliament very carefully.

It's well worth a look inside as the interior is very ornate, adorned with many icons and frescos. To be honest it's impossible to do it justice - even my photo doesn't come close.

This is a delightful tiny cafe located in the basement of the Town Hall on Raekoja Plats. The focus is on relaxation and atmosphere as well as fab coffee, beer and snacks. Prices are very cheap and they play great music. It's a superb spot for people watching and you can soak up the view across the square for hours or quench your thirst after scaling the steeple of the Town Hall (see photos)- best spot in Tallinn for whiling away a quiet afternoon - we kept going back.