Tall(aght)inn on the 49

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The historical city of Tallinn is pretty much untouched (bar the odd renovation or paint-job) since the middle-ages. As a result, the medieval buildings, misshapen cobble-stones, houses bunched one upon the other, impressive town-halls and churches that appear half western, half eastern, are most evocative and intriguing.

To describe it as Disney is to do exactly the wrong thing, undermining its authenticity with a commercial brand, so I’m sorry, yet it is like something from the pages of a fairy story, down to the old well in a street off the main square where you can imagine Cinderella going about her daily chores, or the little side-streets and taverns where Gepetto might have gone about his business or had a pint.

We of course are by no means the first people to have discovered it, the town was teeming with a healthy tourism industry, from the stag parties which we’re so familiar with from Temple Bar to families and couples all out to have a good time. It was nice to be around that for awhile, but we loved Tallinn best when it was a bit empty, mid afternoon, and the sun was streaming down (the rain did stop occasionally).

That said, we did splurge on a medieval feast in the Bunratty Castle style, and it was great fun, all the staff were in costume and there were lots of candles and goblets of cider and beer.

Apart from that, we used the opportunity to do a lot of chores and got to meet more locals as a result - very helpful bunch, delighted to give any advice they can. We felt we were moving east though, as people don’t naturally seem to smile as much here, but that doesn’t mean they don’t go out of their way to help you out. The younger Estonians seemed very trendy, confident and (Alan interjects) very good-looking. There’s a confidence similar to that of Dublin, with massive building work and restoration work on every street corner.

And then to Helsinki... but more about that l8r!

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Photos

Sunset in Tallinn
Medieval tower on entry to Tallinn's historic quarter

Open air theatre
This curiosity lurked down a side-street. Presently out of use, but plans are afoot to rehabilitate it

Mushrooms!
These were everywhere, and also huge! Magic

Street scene
Ludly