Tallinn is the “It” place to be, wireless and booming with a young and “paperless” government Skype-ing in medieval headquarters.Ī compact city that is easy to navigate, Tallinn boasts perfectly preserved medieval turrets, towers and red-roofed buildings. The best (yet most crowded) time to visit is in the summer, where the days are bright and the nights stay light. Revelers crowd in the cobblestone streets until late, intoxicated by the dreamy summer spell … and Estonian beer. Tallinn isn’t called the “Baltic Vegas” for nothing.Įstonia is plugged in and wired at every stop, with 364 national hot spots and counting from gas stations, car washes, grocery stores, buses, and bars. Look for the Wi-Fi signs in orange and black, and sip beer at a pub while surfing the Internet. Most hotels and libraries also have coverage. For a complete list, visit OUT AND ABOUTįollow a cobblestone road down to Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square), where Town Hall still serves a Gothic centerpiece hearkening back to a medieval time-when Tallinn was the strategic port on the Hanseatic League trade route between east and west. Wander up Vene to Müürihave Street to spend a couple of Krooni on Katariina Käik (St. Catherine’s Passage), a narrow passageway with local artisan shops lining the ancient monastery walls. Although definitely on the brochure, this is a delightful passage to browse, while observing Estonian arts and crafts from the Middle Ages in the making. You can stop in Katariina Gild to see leather bookmakers, weavers and potters at work, and then buy the finished products. Poised on the corner of Hobusepea and Pikk Streets, A-Galerii displays unique and modern jewelry created by local artisans trained at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Learn about traditional metalwork as you marvel over these inspired creations-every piece is truly a work of art. Find Irene Jürna’s lace patterned metal cuffs, created with old techniques for an urban look. Adolfas Shaulys throws a new spin on the classic cufflink, while Ülle Köuts marries metals to create smooth, ornamental rings. A-Galerii, Hobusepea 2 646-4101, On the other side of Town Hall Square, follow along Pikk tänav (Long Street), to Pagari, home to the old K.G.B. Olav’s impressive medieval spire looming above. Olav’s was also used for surveillance by the K.G.B. The hefty climb up to the top is worth it for the view. (in Estonian)Įstonians are filled with a strong national pride-a quality that kept their identity alive under decades of foreign rule. Check out the harrowing Museum of Occupations. This museum chronicles the history of Nazi and Soviet oppression in Estonia from 1939-1991.
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