Medieval Merchant's Tour

With a strategic location on the Baltic Sea between East and West, medieval Estonia was part of the Hanseatic League, a trade union traversing Northern Europe. When Tallinn joined in 1285 it became the northernmost city in the network. Wealth from commerce allowed Tallinn to grow and many buildings in the Old Town are reminders of this prosperous era. Merchants walked the streets, preparing goods like flour, salt and tea for sale. Tartu, Pärnu, Viljandi, and Narva also became important trade outposts and to this day, Pärnu and Tartu celebrate their history with Hansa Days in July.