Tallinn is the capital and the largest city of Estonia. It is located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. The city was known as Reval up until 1917 when it became independent.
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| Alexander Nevsky Cathedral |
Like Vilnius (Lithuania), Tallinn's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This would be the first stop for visitors. In Toompea (Upper Town), the major attractions are the Toompea Castle, The Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Lutheran Cathedral. You will also find here the old Estonian Royal Palace which is now the Parliament building. If you go to All-linn (Lower Town), you'll find the Town Hall square (Raekoja plats) and the town walls and towers that were once part of a 14th century gate system.
A couple of kilometres from the city centre is the Kadiorg Palace, the former palace of Peter the Great. This is now (partly) the Art Museum of Estonia as well as the presidential residence. Surrounding this is the Kadiorg park which offers outdoor concerts during the summer months. Incidentally, the park is celebrating its 295th anniversary this year.
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| Christmas market at Town Hall square |
And for a little bit of Olympic flavour, the coastal district of Pirita is where the marina was built for the Moscow Olympics of 1980. For those who like flowers, real or in stamps, the Tallinn Flower Festival is on at the Tower Square from May to August.
And, judging by the photo on the right, I'd definitely come around December for the Christmas market. These markets were originally from Germany and Austria but are now held in many other countries. You could do a month long trip in Europe and visit as many markets as you can.
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