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A
winter weekend in Tallinn, Estonia
It is always a good idea to include new destinations in
your city breaks and a wise move will be to travel with
the destination’s carrier. My next 48-hour winter
break is in Tallinn, Estonia. I have to confess that when
I set out to experience a weekend in Tallinn, I was not
sure of what to expect. I had made the right decision and
was travelling by Estonian
Air. This is my first time travelling with the airline
and my very first visit to Tallinn which is situated on
the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, in north-western
Estonia.
I knew it would be different, first it was very cold and
it was snowing. I had expected this but I wanted to put
a little spice into my travels. I had also read somewhere
that making friends in Tallinn is not easy so I was ready
for many “cold shoulders” too. On the contrary,
Tallinn friendliness started on board the aircraft, where
a very curious Estonian proudly offered me some tips on
how to enjoy Tallinn, obviously she was intrigued to find
that an African-European had chosen to visit her country
for a weekend break in mid-winter! Upon arrival, my chauffeur
was also very chatty and friendly. My Chauffeur was so knowledgeable
about his city that I learned a lot before I went to bed
that Friday evening. If anything at all, he assured me that
despite that bitter cold night and white snow, it was not
possible to ski in Tallinn and the appearance of snow on
my arrival was rare. I was beginning to think that the ‘weather-gods’
were warned that I was in town! The warmth continued till
the morning from the hotel staff through to my guide even
though I was of a race and colour they were not used to
seeing. Very re-assuring.
Travelling to Tallinn
Estonian Air was
established in December 1991, shortly after the country
gained independence. It flies six times a week to Tallinn.
It flies direct non-stop flights between London Gatwick
and Tallinn in a three class service; Travel class, Flexible
Economy and Premium Business Class. As a member of the EuroBonus
Loyalty program, it offers frequent flyer programs on all
its flights.
It is important to note however that, even though the airline
is not a budget carrier in-flight catering is sold to passengers
in the economy class and offered complimentary to passengers
travelling in business and flexible economy. All flights
from London go into Tallinn airport which is about four
kilometres from Raekoja plats (Town Hall square); there
is a local bus connection between the airport and the edge
of the city centre (bus no. 2). The nearest railway station
Ülemiste is only 1.5 km from airport. The terminal
building is a small but modern, convenient and clean.
Where
to stay
Tallinn has a lot of accommodation choices –
from budget to the best, there is a wide selection
of hotels, guesthouses, hostels, apartments, bed and
breakfasts and camping solutions. Most hotels accept
major credit and debit cards. Rates are usually quoted
per room and not per person and include breakfast
and tax.
I stayed at the Schlossle Hotel, in
the medieval city centre which is otherwise known
as Old Town. The hotel was very warm with log fires
blazing in the lobby when I arrived. .
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One cannot fail to notice the plaque proudly displaying
the names of royals, diplomats and celebrities who
had stayed in this hotel as you climb up the stairs
to your room. Every guest walks past this plaque.
It raises your expectations and immediately makes
you feel important. I was a little disappointed though
that despite the numerous services advertised on the
room information list which included 24 hour room
service, laundry and valet service, baby-sitting,
Doctor on call, private sauna and massage service,
among others, there wasn’t a maid ready-in-waiting
to undress me and run me a warm bath – but hey!
– What do you expect after all it was a hotel
fit for kings and I was expecting a ‘kingly’
service! The hotel is ‘cute’ with 23 rooms
and suites to offer. All rooms have deluxe furnishing
and direct dial/ISDN-lines and phones, voice mail
and modem/ fax connection, minibar, In-room safe,
LCD television and DVD. My room was complimented with
a luxury en-suite bathroom and floor heating, personal
scale (as if I’d care to check my weight on
a fancy weekend trip!), it was a non-allergic room
with everything except for a non-slip bath mat! Most
importantly, everything in the room was clean and
carefully laid and I slept like a log. |
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Breakfast
was in the hotel’s restaurant Stenhaus which
has won many awards and has become famous in Tallinn
for its intimate atmosphere of 13th century vaulted
ceilings and the huge roaring log fireplace. Even
before breakfast, I was looking forward to dining
in its elegantly tapestry-decorated rooms, by
candlelight and to enjoy the city's best rated
culinary choices. Traditional breakfast is laid
out in a self-service manner but you can order
some hot breakfast. I suppose that in Tallinn,
Kings and Queens are familiar with self-service!
I was told that during the summer, you can enjoy
the courtyard garden for lunch and dinner.
Also, if you choose to send the whole boardroom
there on a brainstorming weekend, the hotel’s
Boardroom offers a unique setting for up to 40
persons. It has conference and banquet facilities
for up to 18 people; and provides Cocktail Receptions
in the manner of a Baronial Manor House for up
to 60 people. Apart from the efficient service,
they also provide an overhead projector, screen,
flipcharts, video recorder, slide projector, TV
set and pin boards.
Schlossle hotel is the destination of everyone
famous from royals through to diplomats, famous
musicians, celebrities and now of course, me!
Will I make the grade and have my name placed
on the plaque of famous names that had made into
this hotel? I hope so – especially as I
could not identify any African-European on the
list. |
How
to discover and enjoy Tallinn
Tallinn is renowned for its history – both medieval
and Soviet so whatever you do, you need to explore it.
The best way to start your weekend visit is to get the
48-hour Tallinn card (http://www.tallinncard.ee). This
is a card that gives you free admission to 40 museums
and sights, free sightseeing tours, free use of public
transport and discounts in shops and restaurants.
Tallinn has two sides to its coin, it is a medieval
city with a modern twist and the contrast is remarkable.
The medieval city centre is the jewel in its crown.
Influenced by the Baltic, German and Russians, the old
town of Tallinn is a rare blend of northern European
history, culture and architecture.
I was particularly drawn to the tourist shops
full of exquisite Fabergé eggs. It large
Town-hall Square and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
are sheltered by ancient towers and sturdy wall
dating back to the 14th century. The streets are
paved with winding cobblestones and lined with
properties dating from the 11th to 15th century
centuries. Tallinn’s Old Town is so well
preserved that in 1997 UNESCO added it to its
World Heritage list. |
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The
Old Town, Lower Town
This is home to the Town Hall, the Town Hall
Square, Town Hall Pharmacy and Medieval Churches.
Then there is the Latin Quarter home to monasteries,
courtyards and passages, town wall, Towers,
Gates and Guild Houses.
The Old Town,
Upper Town
This is where you can discover the Toompea Castle
& Tall Hermann’s Tower, Cathedrals,
Panoramic view of the city and the Danish Kings
Garden. Beyond the Old Town is St Bridget’s
Convent and my favourite of all is one of Tallinn’s
Soviet legacies the Alexander Nevesky Cathedral.
This large, richly decorated Orthodox Church
was founded in Tallinn in the late 19th century,
at a time when tsarist Russia carried out an
imperialist policy of Russification in the outskirts
of its conquered territories. Its powerful impression
can be witnessed from a distance and in the
interior. The church tower contains Tallinn’s
grandest church bell ensemble, among the largest
bell, which weighs 15 tons.
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Places
to eat
A good place to stopover for lunch is the Ribe
Restaurant. The Ribe is a contemporary restaurant
with delightful interiors and delicious food. It has
rare foods on the menu including a variety of game.
I was also impressed to discover that Ribe stocked up
some Louis XIII.
For a traditional Estonian
cuisine, you may want to visit the Kuldse
Notsu Korts where you can enjoy an Estonian dish
served by Estonian waiters and waitresses.
Other sites worth visiting
are the KGB Headquarters, the museums, Open
air attractions, the Tallinn zoo with some 350 species
of over 5400 animals, and the botanical garden.
Shopping
The large shopping malls are in the New Town and exclusive
boutiques are located in the Old Town. Everything you
need is available in Tallinn from designer labels to
exclusive one-off items in the petite boutiques. Do
not expect any bargains though – prices are about
the same as any other part of Western Europe.
Nightlife in Tallinn
Tallinn is a very interesting city. During the day rich
cultural tours are at their peak and then if you plan
a formal dinner, the suggestion is that you make it
early because dinner starts early between 6.30pm and
9.30pm, followed by pre-night out drinks before the
night out activity. A weekend in Tallinn is full of
buzz. Most of the nightlife activity goes on in the
Old town. The bars, night clubs, pubs and wine bars
are within walking distances of each other so instead
of picking a specific spot; you can a have a nightlife
medley by visiting several venues in one night.
Friday night is when all Tallinn gets lively. The night
activity starts from 11pm to 3am. If you want a less
crowded scene Thursday or Saturday will be a good idea.
However, if you are visiting in summer, there is not
much difference between the days. Bars and Pubs stay
open until at least midnight and a pint of the local
brew costs about 2-3 EUR. Expats and Foreign visitors
stick to clubs such at the Havana, Molly Malone’s
Nimega, Nimeta or O’Malleys; while the young and
trendy favour the hip party scenes.
Nightclubs
A quick scan of Tallinn revealed 13 nightclubs two of
which are a gay clubs. The nightclubs do not open until
11pm and most people linger nearby pubs and bars until
then. Some of the nightclubs like Club Privé
and Club Hollywood have fully-serviced lounges to cater
for the pre-nightclub traffic.
Other ways of enjoying
Tallinn
If you do not prefer to dance your way into the night,
you can enjoy some fine cuisine experience, by attending
some of the cooking challenges, organised Estonian parties
and evenings, spas and relaxation activities, continue
with culture and entertainment or opt for adventure.
The choice is endless.
Cultural
Events in Tallinn, Estonia during April and May 2008
Useful
information - Visa Regulations
Nationals of EU and EEA member states do not require
visa to enter Estonia
Dial 110 to call the police free of charge from any
phone
Tourist information
Tallinn Tourist
Information Centre
WIFI- There are more than 358 zone covered by Wi-Fi
in Tallinn
Business Contacts
Estonian Chamber of Commerce
Enterprise Estonia
Tallinn City Enterprise
Board
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