Tallinn, Estonia

Has anyone been to this port of call and if so, any recommendations of shore excursions?? I'm looking for something other than what the ship is offering.

Thanks in advance!

This is a very easy city to just get off the boat and walk to the major attraction, which is the old town itself. Unless you have mobility issues, I would consider reading up on how to do walking self tours.

Here is the walking tour that many people have enjoyed.

http://www.*****.com/tallinnwalk.html

By all means, walk into town unless you are physically impaired. It is a great old city.

Thank you so much....the walking tour looks fantastic. Pictures and maps too. Wonderful!! :)

Hi Lair Bear,

This tour looks fantastic! Tallinn is a beautiful city, I shall be printing off the walk and can't wait to give it a go. My husband Steve and I are cruising on Azura (A005) and as first-timers I am having much fun researching the cruise ports of call. I have a feeling the effort I am putting in to planning before going will really pay off. Thanks again for your post.

Sarah

Hi Lair Bear,

This tour looks fantastic! Tallinn is a beautiful city, I shall be printing off the walk and can't wait to give it a go. My husband Steve and I are cruising on Azura (A005) and as first-timers I am having much fun researching the cruise ports of call. I have a feeling the effort I am putting in to planning before going will really pay off. Thanks again for your post.

Sarah

Hi Riororo (what a curious and interesting name!) Something to do with Rio??

Any way, thank you for those comments to both you and Sarah.

As you might have noticed, we actually took this walk after I did the research and put the 'walk' together. It was, as you indicated, a matter of digging and becoming more and more interested what there was to see in Tallinn and learn about the history of the country and people. I was surprised how it all came together.

Likewise with the other ports, depending where you are going on this Baltic cruise, you will find lots of information and great pictures on this website by so many others who have done this trip. There is someone from New York who likes the Giants and a guy from Ohio, both of whom have some great input and pictures. But there are many more.

Just continue looking here and at what we did in the Baltic and perhaps you can find something that is of special interest to you.

Have fun traveling and exploring!!!!!

Last July my family took Lair Bear's Tallinn walking tour and it was great.Very easy and well laid out.Thank you Lair bear

We did no ship excursions on our Baltics trip (private tour in Russia via Denrus, - on our own otherwise) - we simply followed the walking guides in Rick Steves' Scandanavia book. His walking guides are simply fantastic - Tallin, Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen are all covered in the book.

We saw the same little gems that the tour groups went to (we know because we walked past them constantly!) but at our own pace and for free.

Tamara

We did no ship excursions on our Baltics trip (private tour in Russia via Denrus, - on our own otherwise) - we simply followed the walking guides in Rick Steves' Scandanavia book. His walking guides are simply fantastic - Tallin, Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen are all covered in the book.

Tamara

Indeed Steve's travel books have some great information and are very handy to carry with you. It is nice to browse while on an airplane for example.

When I started to look at what to do in Tallinn, I considered his section. But there are three things I wanted to improve upon:

1. His maps are somewhat vague and confusing to follow while you are there. He tries to put too much information on a little page map.

2. There are few pictures and in Tallinn I think that is very important because there are so many sights not to be missed.

3. The people of Estonia have had numerous struggles in their history and most recently their independence from Russia is best portrait in the movie 'The Singing Revolution'. And, again, I tried to sprinkle a bit of history throughout the walk.

Also in Tallinn I found that his route missed the great wall and beautiful towers along the north-west side. All you have to do is go over one or two blocks and you walk along this formidable wall that obviously was hand built centuries ago. I am still curious if the stones and rubble to make this wall came from underground when the maze of tunnels were dug. Perhaps EstAdventures knows??

My suggested route then also goes through some interesting back alleys before it joins the same shortcut that Steve uses.

Just sitting on pins and needles, waiting for that draft tomorrow night.

We also used Lair Bears great walking tour for our time in Tallinn, and it was just perfect. Tallinn is such a wonderful town to walk around in. Please, forget any ship tours or even any other tours, unless you are really into history and want to remember several hundred dates and Kings and such. The 'town' is only about a 10 minute walk from where the ship docks, and once you enter the gate you are taken to another world, of olden Europe, narrow cobblestone streets, wonderful little shops, all surrounded by a great wall and towers.

Even as Lair Bears walking tour covers everything there is to see in Tallinn, do not be afraid to deviate a bit and just wander some of the back streets, get away from the crowds, and explore on your own.

As was said here are a few pix of Tallinn, to get your bearings and get the juices of anticipation flowing

The gate to enter the 'old city' at Fat Margaret Tower

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster511.jpg

The walk uphill to get to the top of the town

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster537.jpg

One of the highlites of the walking tour

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe566.jpg

Part of the main square, to sit and just enjoy some great food or just relax

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europemaster602.jpg

Street vendors along the great wall. (some fantastic buys on hand made wool sweaters

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe622.jpg

Go off on your own, explore cobblestone streets with narrow sidewalks.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/baltics/europe518.jpg

Cheers

Len

Lair Bear thank you for that great walking guide! I am going to print that off to take with us in June! :D

I am traveling with a 76 year old with some mobility problems. I am worried about hills and cobbelstones. Are there taxis to take us to the upper town? I'm hesitant about a ship's tour due to the hills.

Any help is appreciated.

Linda

Tallinn is full of hills and cobble stones. It definitely is not very accessible to those with mobility problems, and as I remember cars weren't allowed in the old part. Could you do a ship's tour by bus to somewhere out of the old town? Most tours list the level of activity required.

Thanks so much for your reply. I can start looking at ship's tours. It's very difficult because we also have a 13 year old, a 50 year old, me at 63 and the 76 year old. I can also split us up.

Again, thanks.

Linda

Probably don't need another person to tell you to tour Tallin on your own but I used both the walking tour and Steves book and we had a great time. This was my second favorite stop of the trip. I loved the old city and wandering around. We ended up eating at Olde Hansa, shopping in the square and wandered in and out of all the side streets soaking up the atmosphere.

My parents who have mobility issues on the other hand went on a ship tour that took them everywhere but the old town. Enjoyed themselves

but I know my dad wished they could have gotten some time in the old town.

JKW

Thanks so much for your reply. I can start looking at ship's tours. It's very difficult because we also have a 13 year old, a 50 year old, me at 63 and the 76 year old. I can also split us up.

Again, thanks.

Linda

Whow, quite a diverse group and probably a great family reunion. Please don't split up!

Well, on a cruise like this your 13 year old may want to do something 'exciting' and I don't have any suggestion for him in Tallin. But instead of the ship's tour (that also may involve lots of walking) consider the Hoho bus. As you get off the ship, it is right there to meet you (at least it was when we arrived).

Lair Bear-What a great idea!! I will check on the bus and that is what we'll do. I really would love to skip a ship's excursion for this port especially as this is where we'd like to do a bit of shopping.

Thanks so much for your help.

Linda

Have any of you rented bikes to explore outside the Old Town on your own (thinking of just an hour or so rental)? We thought this may be fun for our teenaged children.

Also I noticed City Bikes offers a walking tour detailing the town's legends and underground tunnels. Any opinions on whether this would be worth the time? Don't know if the "legends" are interestesting or just tourist talk.

Thanks for your input!

Has anyone visited Kadriorg Palace or Kadriorg Park? Are they worthwhile to see and how far are they to walk from the old town?

Whow, quite a diverse group and probably a great family reunion. Please don't split up!

Well, on a cruise like this your 13 year old may want to do something 'exciting' and I don't have any suggestion for him in Tallin. But instead of the ship's tour (that also may involve lots of walking) consider the Hoho bus. As you get off the ship, it is right there to meet you (at least it was when we arrived).

 

Is there a web site or other information available on the HOHO Bus? Things like cost, schedule and route?

We are going to be in Tallinn on the Eurodam in June.

Thanks

Is there a web site or other information available on the HOHO Bus? Things like cost, schedule and route?

 

We are going to be in Tallinn on the Eurodam in June.

 

Thanks

Google can be a very good friend. http://www.citysightseeing.ee/en/

Lair Bear and Len have given you some wonderful visual previews for what you can enjoy in Tallinn. Here are a few more items and options to consider. This is a super great, highly charming city! It's not too big to do during a cruise port stop. It has a nice mix of architecture, history, shopping, etc., that can be done in a very enjoyable time period. Don't underestimate this "gem" of a Baltics capital. It doesn't have the "fame" of some other towns in Europe, but you will love it!!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Here are outside and inside views of Tallinn’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral built in the Orthodox style 1894–1900. This church crowns the hill of Toompea. The church has been meticulously restored since Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.:

At the top of Tallinn’s Toompea hill, this shows part of the Estonia Parliament building in the historic Pink Baroque Palace and the old Pikk Hermann watchtower with their flag on top:

Inside of Tallinn’s historic St. Mary's Cathedral Lutheran church with parts of the building dating back to the 12th Century. The main church was built in the 14th Century:

Tallinn’s rooftops in this charming Estonia Capital with docked cruise ships in the background:

Dancers marching in Tallinn’s festival parade near the stone towers of the famous Viru Gate:

Great photos! You were lucky to have a sunny day when you were there. It was overcast, raining on and off when we were there. Totally changes the look and feel of the place. We had a great lunch downtown with dried deer jerky appetizer. I had the best ever mushroom soup, and my son had some hearty stew. Very good dark bread as well. (This was in his pre-vegetarian days.)

Great photos! You were lucky to have a sunny day when you were there. It was overcast, raining on and off when we were there. Totally changes the look and feel of the place. We had a great lunch downtown with dried deer jerky appetizer. I had the best ever mushroom soup, and my son had some hearty stew. Very good dark bread as well. (This was in his pre-vegetarian days.)

THANKS, Rachel! Yes, being nice and sunny does help much for the pictures and enjoyment. We were very lucky on our summer 2008 cruise. Had super great weather. On the last night in Stockholm and while inside doing museums in Moscow, we had a little rain. BUT, other than that, it was near perfect and super nice. Hopefully, our good luck continues in early July 2010. Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

First of all, I thank everyone for their generous advice.

The trouble with a Baltic trip is that every stop involves a different currency.

Do the local shops and restaurants in Talinn accept Euros?

Thanks, Jeff