Tick these sights off you Tallinn must-see list.
Town Hall Square
Once executions were held here but now the centre of this sprawling cobblestone square is lined with lively cafes and the only complete gothic town hall in Northern Europe.
Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments
There was no asking politely in medieval times — it was straight onto the torture table. Not for the squeamish!
Russian Orthodox Church
This lovely neoclassical Russian building will make you think you’ve stepped into Moscow’s Red Square.
Kiek in de Kok
No, it’s not a kick to the nether regions, but rather the 15th century defence tower on the slopes of Toompea hill. The name means ‘peep into the kitchen’, because soldiers on duty used to look down the chimney and into the kitchens of surrounding homes.
Fat Margaret’s Tower
The cannon tower defended the seaward side of the Old Town and today houses the Estonian Maritime Museum.
Kadriorg Palace
A grand baroque palace built by Peter the Great, it sits in the middle or a leafy park that also houses the new Kumu Art Museum, a treasure trove of traditional Estonian and Russian art.
Going tenpin bowling
OK, so it’s perhaps not the most culturally
revered of activities while you’re travelling, but the Estonians love
it. There are a few different lanes in the city, but if you head to the
one at Pirita Beach you can skittle some pins while enjoying the ocean
view.
Getting naked
You don’t want to be running around in the depths of winter in the nuddy, but Estonians get a kick out taking their kit off for a sauna. You can sweat it out in one of dozens of saunas that dot the city.
Avoiding bucks parties
Might
be easier said than done because the price of beer in Estonia is pretty
cheap compared to other countries in the region – you’ll get a pint for
around £2. Avoid anywhere that plays English Premier League football
and you should be right.
