Tallinn - the city of Skype

Anyone who complains about the expensive public transport is probably envious of Tallinn's inhabitants. As a reminder, from January 2013, persons permanently registered in the capital of Estonia can travel by public means of transport for free . You only need to buy a special green card for 2 euros and activate it via the Internet. It is debatable whether such an idea has a chance of success in any of our cities (e.g. in Warsaw, much larger than Tallinn, with a population of 420,000), which does not change the fact that the vision of free communication sounds nice.

A city that cares about its people

Nevertheless, no matter if you are a local or a regular visitor, Tallinn delights everyone. It is impossible to get used to the beauty of the city, it still amazes with its stylish architecture, the number of well-preserved monuments and the beauty of the houses covered with red tiles. What's the easiest way to get here? The city is located on the northern coast of the country, on the shores of the Gulf of Finland and can be reached via Via Baltica - when driving from Warsaw , you cross the Polish border in Budzisko, the Latvian border in Grenctale, and the Estonian border in Ikli.

The beauty of old architecture - Lower and Upper Town

A tourist who has decided to visit Tallinn must visit the Old Town, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, consisting of two parts: the Lower and the Upper. Vanalinn, or the Lower Town , is surrounded by the longest preserved defensive walls in Europe. Originally a wooden, stone form was obtained at the end of the 13th century. One of the 26 surviving red-tiled towers is Paks Margareeta, or Fat Margaret. It is a squat tower that houses the Estonian Maritime Museum, and previously served as a prison. While in the Lower Town, it is worth seeing the house of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, the group of medieval tenement houses called Trzy Sisters is also worth attention. The eyes of tourists are also caught by the Church of St. Olaf from the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. It is the tallest building in the Old Town and its vantage point offers a wonderful panorama of the old part of Tallinn.

The Upper Town, on the other hand, is situated on Toompea , a limestone hill above Lake Ulemiste . At the foot of the hill is the medieval Church of St. Nicholas, an Evangelical Lutheran church dedicated to the patron saint of merchants and sailors. There is also the oldest Estonian church, the Lutheran cathedral Toomikirik, and the Toompea castle, built in the 13th century by the Order of the Knights of the Sword. Only the wall and the Pikk Herman tower , now the seat of the government and parliament, remained of the former structure. Tourists are also delighted with the delicious building of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries in the Byzantine-Russian style. But the greatest attention is paid to the park in Kadrior - magnificent French gardens with a majestic 18th-century palace that houses the president of the republic. The park is also attracted by the statue of Rusalka (Russalka monument Kadriorus), an angel holding an Orthodox cross in his hand, and Kumu, an art museum housed in a modern, glass building.

Classic and modern

In addition to the monuments, tourists are attracted by a whole lot of cafes, restaurants and pubs. Scattered around the Town Hall Square , they allow you to admire the picturesque merchant houses while sitting right at the table. In summer, all the tables are placed outside, and the streets of the Lower Town resound with bustle until the late evening hours. Numerous cultural events, such as the Old Town Festival , also take place here. It is worth knowing that the Tallinn town hall is the only gothic town hall in northern Europe that has been preserved in its entirety. And its gutters in the shape of dragon heads are asking for a commemorative photo.

The city delights with the beauty of its monuments, but they are not the only attraction of Tallinn. This is where Skype was born , and wireless Internet can be found virtually anywhere, be it in the park or on the beach. After visiting the monuments, it is worth visiting the Pirita district , which is a suburban recreation center. There is a modern Tallinna Olumpiakeskus here, which includes the Olympic center and the yacht port. One of the local attractions is Lembit, a submarine where you can visit the seafarers' quarters, and see the old part of the city or the sea through a ship's telescope. You can also sit in the radio operator's chair.

By camper to Tallinn

There is no shortage of good hotels and guesthouses in the city. However, motorhome owners can stay at one of the several nearby campsites. Both Pirita Harbor Camping (Regati 1) and Tallinn City Camping (Pirita Tee 28) will be a good choice. The first is a year-round campsite where we can use the sauna and learn to play tennis. Two adults will spend the night there for approx. EUR 13 / day. Tallinn City Camping , on the other hand, is open in the summer season (from 21/05 to 15/09), and the prices are slightly higher here - from 25 to 29 EUR / day for two people, a place for a motorhome and access to electricity. On the other hand, the guests have access to the Internet and can use the laundry room without any problems.

Regardless of what we came to this beautiful city and whether we choose a guesthouse, hotel or camping, we will still be delighted with the stay. Tallinn is a unique place that will not be forgotten. And it is quite possible that we will want to come back here next year.