Tallinn is one of Europe’s most beautiful and ancient cities, and it’s packed with a myriad attractions sufficient to distract even the most discerning poker player. Here’s a few highlights for you to check out when you’re not busy raising, reraising, checking and folding your way to victory.
Tallinn Old Town
Tallinn’s mediaeval centre is a UNESCO world heritage site, with buildings dating from the 13th century when the city was known as Reval and formed an important centre of the Hanseatic League. Wander the picturesque cobbled streets, stop for a coffee or a glass of Vana Tallinn at one of the many cafes, and pick up some interesting souvenirs. If you’re feeling a little worse for wear tomorrow morning after the Welcome Drinks party, you can pick up some aspirins at Europe’s oldest pharmacy, which has been operating continuously since the 15th century. Sadly they no longer stock the mummy juice, burnt hedgehog powder, burnt bees, bat powder, snakeskin potion and unicorn horn powder that were popular in mediaeval times.
Museums & Galleries
Tallinn is packed with places where you can learn more about this fascinating city. Our favourites include the Hotel Viru KGB Museum, where the KGB used to both house and spy on foreign visitors during the Soviet years, and the Patarei sea fortress which was originally built for Tsar Nicholas I but spent much of its history as a particularly grim prison.
Curiosities
We wouldn’t recommend that you voluntarily leave the comfort of the Radisson Blu Olümpia, but if you’re brave you can rent a room at the Old House guest house, where legend has it the devil got married. Some say you can still sometimes hear the clinking of glasses from the wild wedding party. Somewhat less creepy is Old Thomas (Vana Toomas in Estonian) – the weather vane atop the historic Town Hall commemorating a poor boy who famously won the city’s archery contest in the middle ages.
Restaurants
The mediaeval-themed Olde Hansa restaurant will serve you up a variety of interesting meats including wild boar, elk and bear in a charming old-world setting; the unusual meat theme continues at the Indian Elevant restaurant, where you can sample curried moose or crocodile in mango sauce. Balthasar is a garlic restaurant fittingly located above the Raeapteek pharmacy, given the health benefits of the pungent bulb, serving rich Franco-Estonian cuisine that will keep vampires at bay. And if you prefer something a little more modern and chic, Ö offers up exquisite seasonal cuisine in a minimal and stylish dining room.
