I’m no authority in what places are the must-dos. But I can tell you which are the ones I went to. I’ll sprinkle in some basic information along the way and tell you about my experience. Your trip will be different but I thought I’d share mine. 

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia and is home to more than 400,000 people (roughly 1/3 of the population). It’s old town is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I always associate Tallinn with tech startups companies, being the home of Skype, Bolt, and Wise. I remember looking at jobbatical postings years ago and all of them were based in the city. What surprised me (and it shouldn’t have) is how embedded seafaring is in its history and culture.

For other posts related to Tallinn, you can visit these links: pictures and a story.

In the meanwhile, here are 5 places I visited in Tallinn:

Lennusadam / Seaplane Harbour

Before heading to Tallinn, I didn’t know the city had such rich naval history. And what better way to immerse yourself than being able to go inside a submarine, albeit an inactive one. I’ve never been in one so the experience was surreal and unforgettable. There are also seaplanes, ships, and shipwrecks all around which can be exciting or overwhelming.  And I could’ve remote controlled a miniature ship in a pool but that would have meant depriving kids of a slot to play or me losing to them in front of their parents (which my pride cannot take). 

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

I’ve never been to Russia. So the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was a unique architectural feast for my eyes, especially the onion-shaped domes. Just because it’s amusing to me doesn’t remove its historical baggage. It is largely associated with the Russification of Tallinn in the late 19th century. Upon gaining its first independence, Estonians initially intended to demolish it back in 1924. Circumstances prevailed and it’s now a place of worship for the largest religious group in Estonia and a tourist attraction for travellers like me.

St. Olaf’s Church

No official sources confirm it but there are stories that this used to be the tallest building IN THE WORLD from the late 16th century to the early 17th century. I cannot know that definitively. But I will say that the climb up, where ropes are substitutes for handrails, and uneven steep stairs are the norm, made me feel like it was the tallest building in the world. I think I’ve changed a lot through the years but not as much as this structure. It’s now Baptist but it used to be Catholic, Lutheran Evangelical, and once even a KGB surveillance hub. 

Old City Harbour

The Old City Harbour acts as a marina, a passenger harbour, and accommodates cruises. The port sees activity from more than 10 million people each year, with residents from Finland, Sweden and Russia as its biggest source of visitors (it might change given the Russia-Ukraine situation). Like most touristic areas with bodies of water surrounding it, there are cruises available. I booked one to get a nice escape and be one with the open waters. But when I saw that a helicopter company also operates in the area, although short and expensive, I jumped on this opportunity as well! It’s my first time so it will always be worth it.

Toompea

I’ve covered the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral separately as many consider its significance and architecture different with the rest of Toompea. And Toompea has a lot to offer. The only physical activity of my day was going around on what is factually a hill and getting decent views of the city.  Power is all around as the less opulent Toompea Castle houses the Estonian Parliament (and many who previously colonised the city). And spirituality is everywhere,  from the aforementioned Alexander Nevsky Cathedral to the Toomkirik (Evangelical Lutheran). 

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The trip to Tallinn happened in August 2022.