🇪🇪 Estonia – Tallinn

“The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”
– Henry David Thoreau

In October 2022 I visited Tallinn in Estonia. Truth be told, I’d never actually thought about Estonia as a travel destination but I came across a really cheap flight from Liverpool with Ryanair and the dates fitted in with my time off work. I began to research Tallinn and from what I could see, it looked so pretty so I decided to go for it and book the flight.

Once the flight was booked which only cost £30 return, I began to look for a travel hostel in Tallinn. I found one called ‘Imaginary’ which only cost £25 for 3 nights. By this time I had discovered an app called Hostelworld which was amazing to find all the hostels in destinations and able to read the reviews. ‘Imaginary’ was by far the cheapest to date.

Once I arrived in Tallinn, I hadn’t booked any transfer as I planned to get a taxi at the airport but was pleasantly surprised that there was actually a tram right outside that would take me straight to the Old Town where I was staying and only cost €1.50

I got off the tram and with the help of Google maps, I found my way to the hostel. I’d booked a dorm of 4 but there was only one person staying in there. It was very basic but clean and for £8 per night and right in the Old Town, It was a bargain. Even just walking to the hostel and seeing the Old Town at night I knew this was going to be a special place.

In the morning I set off to explore and was blown away as it was just stunning, like a medieval town and after getting some breakfast in the town square, I just spent the day walking around as there was lots to discover.

My first stop was Square, ‘Alexander Nevsky Cathedral’ as this was one of the landmarks I’d discovered whilst researching and wanted to visit and everything was in walking distance.

Walking around Tallin was just mesmerising, like I was emersed in a story book as it was just like a fairytale

Tallinn by Night

If I thought Tallinn was beautiful in the daytime, nothing prepared me for how beautiful it was at night time with everything lit up and as a female solo traveller, it just felt so safe to be walking around after dark. There were bars and restaurants so also quite a few people about.

Kadriorg Palace/ Art Museum

The next day I planned to go to Kadriorg Palace/Art museum which is an 18th-century Petrine Baroque palace in Kadriorg, Tallinn. I got a tram again as I realised this was probably the most easiest form of transport and again the cost was only €1.50. It took around 20 mins to get to the Palace but it was nice seeing the surrounding area.

Once at the Palace, it was breathtaking. I think it was around £8 to enter but bags and coats must be left in the locker area. The walk up to the Palace set the scene straight away and like everything else I had so far, it just looked like it was out of a fairytale book and inside was just as grand

III Draakon – Authentic Medieval Pub

Just when I thought there was nothing else to surprise me, I came across III Draakon pub that is actually in Tallinn Town Hall. It was fabulous inside and so authentic with maidens inside serving. As a rule I don’t drink alcohol when travelling solo but I did on this particular occasion and tried some of their Mulled wine. One ended up 2 then 2 became 3 as it was delicious and just added to the atmosphere and I just fell in love with this place due to its authenticity and uniqueness.

Masters Courtyard

On my final day of exploring, I was just walking back to my accommodation and I just happened to see an entry off the street. Now hidden streets/alleyways are what I just love so when I saw this my mind was blown as it was one of the prettiest places I’d ever seen. It was so quirky and vintage, I just couldnt get over how somewhere like this even existed

Prices

*Return flights out of Liverpool with Ryanair as of October 2022: £30 return. However, for some reason, Ryanair appear to have taken this destination off from Liverpool and also Manchester which are the most local for me so for my next trip to Tallinn, I will be researching alternative airports or even airlines to try and find the best budget friendly deals.

* ‘Imaginary’ travel hostel: £24 for 3 nights

So that is only a total of £54 for return flights, accommodation and to be transported to a storybook setting 😍

THE END

The End is the only way to end a fairytale story and that genuinely what this trip felt like. Tallinn has to be one of the most beautiful places in Europe and it’s so hard to explain to people the atmosphere and magic of the place unless they have experienced it for themselves. I adore it here and will forever be one of my favourite places to be and hopefully I will return one day.