More From Tallinn, Estonia

I couldn't finish sharing our time in Tallinn without showing you a few more snaps of the city and giving you the low-down on a handful of things you should try & buy if you find yourself there someday.

||EAT||

Want to experience cuisine like true medieval Estonians? Dine at Olde Hansa. 

We feasted on wild game delicacies such as boar, elk, and bear sausages as well as a thick meat stew, crusty bread, and juniper & herb cheese. Y-U-M! Don't forget to try their famous house beers--my favorite being the traditional dark honey beer, served in the most rustic of stoneware mugs. Restaurant is located just off the market square.

Want to enjoy a leisurely pint? Stop in at Hell Hunt, Estonia's first pub! Located right on Pikk (street) just a few blocks after you enter the city walls and pass Oleviste Church, this quirky pub and brewery is perfect for a light snack and camaraderie with friends. We ducked in after passing by it for the 3rd time on our walk around the city. Didn't take us long to realize we should have gone in long before! It had a great bar atmosphere and some pretty tasty home brews (as well as a decent selection of Belgian beers), so it made for a wonderful reprieve from all the walking we'd done. D even took home a t-shirt!

I'd also highly recommend trying Estonian chocolate. It's insanely good and again…very unexpected! We tried samples from two different shops and both were well worth the stop:

Anneli Viik--quiet cafe with best hot chocolate in town! 

Right across the street from Hell Hunt, so you can't miss it. :)

Kalev Chocolate Shop & Workshop--we brought some of this back on the ship with intentions to enjoy it back in Germany…but we ate it all before we even got home!

I can't stress this enough, but again…if you ever find yourself with an opportunity to visit Tallinn, GO! Don't hesitate for a second. It's perfectly charming, people are friendly, and you'll just have the best day ever. Stay tuned for the last stop of our Baltic cruise…Riga, Latvia!

Baltic Cruise: Tallinn, Estonia - Part 1

Talk about surprise destinations! Tallinn, Estonia was a completely unexpected bright spot of our entire Baltic Cruise. We all LOVED Tallinn! It's even deserving of more than one blog post. Yep, we really loved it. Just sailing into the port, it was obvious that we were all in for a step back into time. I remember standing on the top deck of the ship and seeing the walls of Tallinn hovering along the skyline as we floated to the dock. Another beautiful walled city! I adore a good medieval walled city. They always hold such rich history, quaint alleyways, and charming architecture...and Tallinn was no exception. 

The walk from the cruise ship to the walls of the city was quick and easy, no taxi or shuttle bus needed (always love that). Before arriving, I made one of my nifty Google Map itineraries and shared it with our group so we'd all be ready to tackle the city with a plan. I became the designated tour guide for the day and off we went into the walls of Tallinn! Tallinn isn't super small, but it was small enough to enjoy all in one day without getting lost or felling overwhelmed by sights. The town was simply a pure joy to walk through. Every cobblestoned street we wandered was bursting with color and swoon-worthy architecture, I couldn't snap photos fast enough! As we ventured deeper and deeper into the heart of Tallinn, it became obvious how proud the city was of its heritage. Men and women of all ages were dressed in medieval garb and selling wares characteristic of that time period. They were pushing antique wooden carts through the squares loaded with modern things like sodas and baseball caps, likely for sale in some shop down the street. Locals blew horns and danced in parade as mid-day hit, sending the entire market area into celebration. It was such an exciting treat to view bits and pieces of Tallinn as it once was, and to know the locals thrive in sharing their history with its visitors.

We stopped at as many of Tallinn's most notable sights as we could squeeze in during our quick 8 hours there. And with limited cars on the city's narrow streets, walking was the way to cover it all. One of my favorite hidden gems of Tallinn was St. Catherine's Passage, a rustic alleyway that connects Vene Street to Müürivahe Street just along the Dominican Monastery (also known as St. Catherine's Church). If you didn't know it existed before your visit, you'd surly miss it, as it is a bit tricky to locate (photo below shows entrance to passage, for reference). Dubbed the "prettiest walk in Tallinn", Katarina käik is littered with small craftsman workshops and charming restaurants with al fresco dining. The combination of open-studio creativity and the medieval atmosphere gave off an ambiance unlike anything I would have expected. The locals are right, it's easily the most picturesque stroll in all the city!

After we exited the passage, we found ourselves against the back wall of the town where even more stalls of shopping delights could be found. We felt the Tallinn kept unfolding like a map before our feet, new and wonderful things to discover around each alley turn. The sights, the sounds, the smells…I was truly in awe of Estonian culture. Such a special city, such a heart-filling experience.

Annnnd this was just our morning in Tallinn! I still have so much more to show you, it's almost ridiculous. But come back soon! Oh, and just go ahead and book your flights to Estonia. I'm telling you, I'd go back to Tallinn in a heartbeat. More gorgeousness to come...