Tallinn for 4 days. What ELSE to do?
June 30, 2022 4:57 PM Subscribe
My friend and I will be in Tallinn from Saturday, July 9th to Thursday, July 14th. We've got an AirBnB, and we've got restaurant reservations for most evenings. And we are going to take the ferry to Helsinki for one afternoon. What are we missing?
We are going to do all the usual tourist stuff, and our food is sorted out (but if you want to recommend somewhere for dinner or lunch we are happy to hear those recommendations). We are Americans, and most of the travel books dealing with the Baltic states have a chapter or so of obvious things to do. We've got that.
Is there anything to see that we are missing? Like, what would you take your friends to see as a local that might not be so obvious? Is there anything we should prioritize that TripAdvisor and the tour books don't talk about?
If you are Estonian, in Tallinn or very familiar with it, where should we hang out AFTER we've seen the things? We love beer, especially IPAs. We would prefer to hang out outside because COVID, and we like dive bars and alternative culture. We're both cis straight white dudes, but very into LGBTQIA+ culture, so everywhere is okay for us. We don't want to go dancing or to clubs, though. When I've been in Czechia and Hungary it was fun to go to bars and drink local schnapps, so we like that, too. Where to go?
Bonus points for a quick meal and or sightsee in Helsinki that we might not have found in the books or online!
TIA!
We are going to do all the usual tourist stuff, and our food is sorted out (but if you want to recommend somewhere for dinner or lunch we are happy to hear those recommendations). We are Americans, and most of the travel books dealing with the Baltic states have a chapter or so of obvious things to do. We've got that.
Is there anything to see that we are missing? Like, what would you take your friends to see as a local that might not be so obvious? Is there anything we should prioritize that TripAdvisor and the tour books don't talk about?
If you are Estonian, in Tallinn or very familiar with it, where should we hang out AFTER we've seen the things? We love beer, especially IPAs. We would prefer to hang out outside because COVID, and we like dive bars and alternative culture. We're both cis straight white dudes, but very into LGBTQIA+ culture, so everywhere is okay for us. We don't want to go dancing or to clubs, though. When I've been in Czechia and Hungary it was fun to go to bars and drink local schnapps, so we like that, too. Where to go?
Bonus points for a quick meal and or sightsee in Helsinki that we might not have found in the books or online!
TIA!
This is a weird super touristy recommendation and normally not up my alley but when I visited Tallinn my partner and I ate the Master Cook's Feast Dinner (pages 3-4 on this page) at Olde Hansa, which is a medieval-themed restaurant and I have thought about that meal for the now 11 years since. It should absolutely be a horrible meal given what and where it is (tourist restaurants are normally terrible!) and seems like the place should be cheesy and dive-y but it was somehow one of the most interesting and delicious meals I've ever had. I have long been trying to recreate the amazing rose pudding I ate that the end of that meal to no success so clearly I need to make another visit to Estonia. If you go, bring your appetite!
I hope the guide books have told you about the Depeche Mode Baar in Tallinn but if they haven't they should have. NB: You should probably like Depeche Mode if you go there because they are going to be playing Depeche Mode, but it's otherwise a pretty nice little bar.
posted by urbanlenny at 7:28 PM on June 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
I hope the guide books have told you about the Depeche Mode Baar in Tallinn but if they haven't they should have. NB: You should probably like Depeche Mode if you go there because they are going to be playing Depeche Mode, but it's otherwise a pretty nice little bar.
posted by urbanlenny at 7:28 PM on June 30, 2022 [3 favorites]
For a quick meal in Helsinki, both the open-air market (Kauppatori) and the market hall (Vanha Kauppahalli) just across from it at the South Harbour (Eteläsatama) have some pretty stellar choices for preparations of local products you probably won't get a chance to try elsewhere, like reindeer sausages and wee little tasty fish tarts and stuff.
posted by urbanlenny at 7:36 PM on June 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by urbanlenny at 7:36 PM on June 30, 2022 [1 favorite]
Where are you staying? Years ago I had an AirBnb up in the Kopli neighborhood to save money--it wasn't touristy at all but one of the things you can do is walk down by the seaside to the Estonian Open Air Museum historical exhibits (it's a sort of living history deal with old houses). If the museum isn't your thing, try Stroomi Beach anyway--it was pretty in February when I went and I'm sure it's more happening in the summer.
There's also the "Arvuutimuuseum" nearby which has old computers, if that's your thing instead of Baltic pagan dwellings.
posted by kingdead at 8:27 PM on June 30, 2022
There's also the "Arvuutimuuseum" nearby which has old computers, if that's your thing instead of Baltic pagan dwellings.
posted by kingdead at 8:27 PM on June 30, 2022
You probably don't have enough time, but maybe you could apply for an Estonian eResidency and pick up the card when in Talllin.
posted by BinaryApe at 1:14 AM on July 1, 2022
posted by BinaryApe at 1:14 AM on July 1, 2022
Response by poster: Where are you staying?
We're staying at what we thought was a very reasonably priced AirBnB in the city center (~80EU/night for a two bedroom apartment). But that museum sounds fantastic, and worth a half-day excursion!
Estonian eResidency...
I know about this. And it sounds like a great idea, but unfortunately my spouse owns a store here in the states and can't work remotely, and I much prefer to teach in person. But I hadn't really thought about it seriously... until now. It might be a good thing to have in my back pocket, given SCOTUS and all.
posted by Snowishberlin at 12:08 PM on July 1, 2022
We're staying at what we thought was a very reasonably priced AirBnB in the city center (~80EU/night for a two bedroom apartment). But that museum sounds fantastic, and worth a half-day excursion!
Estonian eResidency...
I know about this. And it sounds like a great idea, but unfortunately my spouse owns a store here in the states and can't work remotely, and I much prefer to teach in person. But I hadn't really thought about it seriously... until now. It might be a good thing to have in my back pocket, given SCOTUS and all.
posted by Snowishberlin at 12:08 PM on July 1, 2022
Best answer: On the handful of times I've visited Talinn pre pandemic, a pancake pub breakfast at Kompressor was a "must do" morning. http://kompressorpub.ee/en/ is a strong recommendation.
posted by ewan at 12:43 PM on July 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by ewan at 12:43 PM on July 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Came here to recommend Kompressor.
posted by rednikki at 3:34 AM on July 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by rednikki at 3:34 AM on July 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by heatherlogan at 6:59 PM on June 30, 2022 [1 favorite]