Author:
Piret Potisepp
The founder of Designtours.ee which is a great way to meet and greet fabulous creatives in Tallinn
You’ve walked through the old town, marvelled in the port area and had a nice cup of coffee in Viru street. Now you’ve covered the basics of your visit to Tallinn and you’re ready to take on more unconventional activities. Here are 10 things to consider.
Early morning run at Kadrioru Park
Kadriorg is the famous park where locals love to go for picnics, walks and running. The area around the park is one of the mostly desired living areas in town where lots of influential arts & business people have created their homes. The Presidential Palace is also situated in Kadriorg along with great museums. The run from the city center to the park takes only 10 minutes and there are several routes to choose from, depending on your preferences. You can wonder around in different parts of the park and pass beautifully renovated buildings.
Bonus: The current President of Estonia, mrs. Kersti Kaljulaid is an avid runner and you may end up running alongside her.
Go back into Soviet times and have a wonderful pastries for breakfast at Narva kohvik
Narva kohvik is a popular place among locals to have their morning pastry on the way to work. Moscow pastry (Moskva saiake in Estonian) has survived in its original form decades after Estonia regained its independence and is still as tasty as it used to be 35 years ago. The décor from 3 decades ago remain preserved.
Side note: Unfortunately, the service level has not changed since then, either.
Bizzare & spooky
If these keywords get you excited, then a walk to Patarei is a MUST. It once housed the most famous prison, but its location is so superb that now the project is underway to make the facility into luxury apartments and the most progressive office spaces in town. Be fast since soon you won’t be able to see the place in all its spookiness for long.
Fancy a great dancing lesson with the best dance teachers in Tallinn?
Book a lesson at Tantsugeen - one of the most fun dance schools in town. Their teachers are just fabulous & fun. And you can sign up for a free trial lesson. The styles vary from latin to funk & hip-hop.
Immerse yourself into the beauty of Rotermanni
Take time to hear the compelling story of its owner, Peter, a Dutch man living in Tallinn who makes the most wonderful flower compositions in town.
Enjoy wonderful lunch at creative restaurant Manna La Roosa at Vana-Viru street
If food is not your main target, then you’ll find a surprising art works and photography on the walls. The food menu itself is not long, but everything is delicious and it is all seasonal. Last, but not least, their cocktails selection is famous in town.
Vana Tallinn - a legendary liquor
Vana Tallinn is a legendary liquor, which used to be THE gift each Finn took back to Finland from their visit to Estonia. Now with many more tourists in town Vana Tallinn remains its charm. Partly because the recipe is a secret one and no one knows what exactly is in it. You can get an overview of the process of how it is made. Liviko, the oldest distillery in Estonia has recently opened its visitors centre, so you can easily book a tour and find out.
Curious about ciders?
There’s a similar trend as in craft beer when it comes to this apple rich & bubbly drink. There’s a lady called Kaire who’s an absolute fan of ciders. She created Siidrimaja which in English means Ciderhouse. It is situated just few steps away from Liviko so you can have a tasting of ciders instead of your usual aperol. Kaire is the first certified pommelier in the Baltics.
Sunsets in Tallinn can be mind-blowing
But only once you get into the right spot. One, which gives you an avid postcard look of Tallinn, can be enjoyed from Pirita beach. Side note: don’t expect to take a dip while there. The water at Pirita is usually cold.
