So why travel all the way to a city that you don't know anything about? A city that you had never even considered as a destination? Tallinn was the destination of the final trip that is part of my extracurricular Honours degree, and so with some 40 other students we went there to research the hypermodernity present in this historic town. With no background-knowledge into this destination whatsoever, I think every single one of us was amazed when we did our first research into this country. Not only is Estonia one of the cleanest places to breathe or the first place to have had a Christmas tree, it is also the first country to have implemented a flat tax system, one of the least religious countries in the world, and the birthplace of Skype. And one of the most impressive things of all: Estonia has created the most advanced digital society of the world. e-Estonia allows you to file your taxes in less than 10 minutes, apply for Estonian citizenship, and even vote online. e-Education, e-Governance, and e-Health, Estonians can do everything online with their super-safe identity cards that are plugged into their laptops and computers. Well, everything except from getting married, getting a divorce and selling your house.

Amazing right? Our beautiful travel blog will explain you more about what we researched during our time in Tallinn. Here, however, I would rather spend some more time on why you should visit this highly underrated city as well. More specifically, here are 5 reasons why!

Tallinn Old Town

Secret passages, grand squares and winding streets; Tallinn's Old Town, also known as Vanalinn, breathes the medieval spirit of Northern Europe's oldest capital. This quaint city is a World Heritage site, and walking down the streets past the arts and craft stalls and flower shops it is difficult not to feel the romance of this city.  

The Town Hall Square is the heart of the city and home to the some of the most impressive gothic architecture in the city. With the beautiful weather we experienced while there, the square is filled with outdoor cafes, while in winter, one can find a stunning Christmas market here. The narrow lanes that radiate off the square are home to tons of cafes, restaurants and shops. Our Soviet walking tour took us around Vanalinn in two hours while getting a lot more background information on the different buildings and historic sites. As we were a bit short of time, we did not get to climb the 258 steps of St. Olaf's church, but please admire the view for me if you ever get to go there!

A completely opposite side of Tallinn can be found in the Kalamaja and Telliskivi areas. In stark contrast with the romantic feels of the Old Town, these parts show the creativity of Estonia housed in industrial buildings. Everywhere around there are design shops, street art and hidden bars. This bohemian part of Tallinn is fast-growing and ever-changing. The Telliskivi creative centre is housed in the factories that went bankrupt after the collapse of the Soviet Union. These abandoned buildings were an eyesore to the Estonians until rebuilding created it into a connection between the Old Town and the residential districts. Our hip group added to this creative atmosphere by organizing a salsa-class with live music and a singing performance in the streets of this hipster hub. Lots of fun and lots to explore!


Food, Food, Food

Travelling isn't travelling without tasting this place you visit. And oh boy, the flavours in Tallinn are excellent (and the prices are even better)! From sweet home-baked pastries for lunch to fancy three-course dinners, we enjoyed every single bite! We tried the traditional Estonian rye bread, which Estonians are very proud of. It is often accompanied by the saying "Respect the bread, it's older than you", probably due to the extreme scarcities Estonia had to face during its many occupations. Another thing not to miss were the Kalev chocolates. Kalev is the longest operating candy and chocolate factory in Estonia, and oh man, do I understand why. My favourite? Definitely the marzipan coconut! I brought some home as a souvenir, but I have to admit that it can no longer be found on my souvenir shelve... (oops)



Architectural Oddities

Apart from the Gothic Old Town of Tallinn, the city has to offer many more architectural highlights, some of which are surprisingly interesting. Linnahall is such an example, a huge concrete building which housed part of the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and was used as a concert hall. Now abandoned, the structure crumbles away at the edge of the city centre, while the Estonians are desperately looking for a solution on what to do with this concrete masterpiece. For now though, you can enjoy beautiful sunsets over the sea with a view on the Old Town of Tallinn!



On the opposite side of the spectrum is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an immense Russian Orthodox cathedral that was finished in 1900. You can find this magnificent piece of architecture in the middle of the city, which is no coincidence, as it was built as part of a general wave of Russification during the Czarist ruling of Estonia.



What I loved most about the architecture in Tallinn was how the city centre was so contrary to my expectations. In my head this would be a cold, grey, Soviet city, but the houses were all so brightly colourful ranging from pink to yellow to dark-red. I loved seeing the many different types of styles mixed together, especially visible in the artistic doors, each of which seemed to tell a different story about the life going on behind it.

Markets

I really cannot visit a city without going to its markets. No travel story is complete without visiting seeing and tasting the life of the locals. Most famous in Tallinn is the Balti Jaam market, a former Soviet market that has just been totally renewed to house many different food stalls, second-hand stores and pop-up shops. Located right next to the central station, it is a very easy way to experience live in Tallinn.

We were also lucky enough to be able to stroll past the Town Hall Square market stalls during our time in Tallinn. The stalls, decorated in medieval style to fit the rest of the Old Town, sell everything ranging from delicious pastries, to hand-knitted socks and cute souvenirs. Definitely worth a visit while you spend some time in the city!


So aitäh Tallinn, thank you Tallinn for the amazing time we had during our time in the city. And thank you for the amazing weather (because be prepared when travelling here, last year around this time there was still snow laying around...) If you are convinced though to put this capital on your bucket list, do not wait too long to actually cross it off, because before you know it, this city will be on everyone's radar like it deserves to be!