Tallinn: Rated among Best!

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Independent last month, they had this headline: “10 best European city breaks” with these highlights for Tallinn: “The exquisite capital of Estonia has seen a remarkable history from its status as a Hanseatic port to its emergence from domination by the Kremlin. The Old Town remains one of the most exquisite urban centres in Europe. Cottages and mansions with pastel façades crowd around cobbled lanes that clamber to the top of the hill – home to the Orthodox Cathedral and parliament building, as well as a series of vantage points from which you can survey the church spires. Many atmospheric places to eat and drink: it feels like a Scandinavian capital, but at a fraction of the price..”

 

Sound great?  Loved our visit there in 2008 when doing a Baltics cruise to Russia, etc.  Any others having very good recent visits to Tallinn?

 

Full story at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/best-european-city-breaks-hotels-europe-b2231511.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,707 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[kitkat343]

It was an absolute highlight on our Baltic cruise, which is saying a lot because that included visiting St. Petersburg.  

[ontheweb]

Not recent, 2007, but agree it is a tremendous port city.

[Mrs.Dukes]

Tallinn was one of the highlights of our Baltic cruise last summer. Beautiful city.

[mskaufman]

Even in the rain it was a great visit.

[YoPhilly]

On 1/14/2023 at 4:24 PM, TLCOhio said:

 

From the London/UK Independent last month, they had this headline: “10 best European city breaks” with these highlights for Tallinn: “The exquisite capital of Estonia has seen a remarkable history from its status as a Hanseatic port to its emergence from domination by the Kremlin. The Old Town remains one of the most exquisite urban centres in Europe. Cottages and mansions with pastel façades crowd around cobbled lanes that clamber to the top of the hill – home to the Orthodox Cathedral and parliament building, as well as a series of vantage points from which you can survey the church spires. Many atmospheric places to eat and drink: it feels like a Scandinavian capital, but at a fraction of the price..”

 

Sound great?  Loved our visit there in 2008 when doing a Baltics cruise to Russia, etc.  Any others having very good recent visits to Tallinn?

 

Full story at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/best-european-city-breaks-hotels-europe-b2231511.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,707 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Thanks for sharing.  I'll be there this summer and looking forward to it.

[TLCOhio]

On 1/15/2023 at 7:08 AM, ontheweb said:

Not recent, 2007, but agree it is a tremendous port city.

 

Appreciate these great follow-ups and comments for Tallinn with its many charms and great character.  For those who have not been there, yet, below are just a few of my visuals as "evidence" as to what makes Tallinn so super wonderful.  

 

Might share more later.  Just have to dig out of my historic files.  

 

Does this pictures bring back any nice memories for those who have visited Tallinn? 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,727 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

At the top of Tallinn’s Toompea hill, this shows part of the Estonia Parliament building in the historic Pink Baroque Palace and the old Pikk Hermann watchtower with their flag on top.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

Here is an inside view of Tallinn’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built in the Orthodox style 1894–1900.  This church crowns the hill of Toompea. The church has been meticulously restored since Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.:

 

Inside of Tallinn’s historic St. Mary's Cathedral Lutheran church with parts of the building dating back to the 12th Century.  The main church was built in the 14th Century:

 

Dancers marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate.  So much charm, character and history in this somewhat hidden treasure of a town!! Tallinn's Old Town is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  Its history goes back to the 1100's and it was an important port for trade between Russia and Scandinavia.  In 1285, the city became the northern-most member of the Hanseatic League, a famed trading and military alliance of German-dominated cities.:

 

 

Shopping is great in Tallinn.  Here we are inside a nice linen shop near the City Hall.:

[TLCOhio]

If you like Tallinn and/or have an upcoming trip planned for there, below is round two of more "eye-candy" from our 2008 Baltics/Russia trip that included a visit to Estonia.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 240,748 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

 

At Tallinn’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, here is a view of its unique exterior and then a close up for one its mosaics on the outside of this historic Orthodox church.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

 

Here is a Tallinn street-shop vendor with various woolen items at her stall near the famous Viru Gate as you entered the lower walled area.  This area is commonly called the “Sweater Wall”.  Very charming and interesting.  Good values and buys.:

 

At lunch, we enjoyed Tallinn’s local beer.  This is the most popular beer in Estonia and the oldest operating brewery. Their slogan: "it's about the taste".  We agree!!!:

 

In the lower area of Tallinn, here is an older, back street with historic stone buildings.:

 

From our ship, here is a view of the main, historic town area with the many towers and excellent architectural features.: 

[mskaufman]

Tallinn in the rain

 

Northern Europe (shutterfly.com)

 

 

[TLCOhio]

16 hours ago, mskaufman said:

Tallinn in the rain

Northern Europe (shutterfly.com)

 

Appreciate this sharing of these visuals from our friend in Maryland.  Yes, recognize many of these locations from our visit there.  Fortunately, we had a little more sunshine and blue skies during our time there.

 

If you enjoy Tallinn, below is round three of more "eye-candy" from our 2008 Baltics/Russia trip that included a visit to Estonia.

 

On this Saturday, a local festival and parade was happening.  That added to the "FUN" and excitement for visiting here and sampling a little of their local cultural.  These visuals also offer a wider sampling of the architecture and building styles.  Look like a "good time was had by all"??

 

Have added tips, memories, pictures, etc.?  Add and share them here.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 100,049 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Independent in late June, they had this headline: “Estonia travel guide: Everything to know before you go" with this sub-headline: "This Baltic nation is an oft-overlooked European gem. Its capital, Tallinn, gets the bulk of attention, but there are compelling things to find all over, from beaches to art, sauna culture to festivals.”

 

Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Nestled high in the Baltics, Estonia’s burgeoning popularity has long moved beyond simply the stag party crowd. Step outside the culture-filled cities, all steeped in medieval history, and you’ll find half of this compact country is pure nature, covered in dense coniferous forest and preserved peat bogs, while just off the west coast are 2,000 virtually uninhabited islands dotted with wooden windmills, blinking lighthouses and the occasional isolated community. With its famously clean air and rich cultural heritage of handicrafts and folk music, Estonia is peaceful, natural, and entirely unexpected.”

 

For Tallinn, they shared: "History overlaps and comes to life in Estonia’s medieval capital. Kadriorg Art Museum is housed in a Baroque palace, Toompea Castle plays host to parliament, and street parades regularly dance between the perfectly preserved Viru Gates. The best way to explore? Get lost on foot in Tallinn’s walled Old Town, following needle-sharp Gothic church spires and steep alleyways that open into large courtyards lined with pastel painted Hanseatic merchant houses."

 

Full story at:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/estonia/estonia-travel-guide-best-things-to-do-eat-stay-b2360349.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour.  Visual Summary:

www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums