We may make money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
The next stop in our Part 2 series of European Journeys on the Baltic Sea is Estonia. If you’re like me, I know nothing about Estonia. I know… I’m ashamed to say that I’m pretty bad at geography. I just feel happy for myself and my family when I get the chance to experience another country and get off our bucket list.
However, I learned that Estonia is bordered by the Gulf of Finland to the north and Finland to the other side of the Gulf; Sweden to the west, Latvia to the south and Russia to the east. Estonia was under successive rule for centuries by Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles, and Russians until 1987 when the Singing Revolution began to oppose Soviet rule, leading to the real independence for Estonia was restored on August 20, 1991.
Our cruise ship docked and we disembarked in Estonia’s Capital and its largest city, Tallinn, around mid-morning. My family and I hopped on a bus that took us into the Old Town. I really didn’t know what to expect. I discovered Tallinn to be very charming with its cobblestone streets, castles and churches. What is different in Estonia is the medieval buildings mixed with modern shops and cafe culture.
We visited Tallinn’s Old Town square, where Raekoja plats, a gothic town hall that hosts festivals and small concerts. Here, people relax in the warm sunshine with a cool breeze, enjoying their lunch while sitting in outdoor cafes. The weather in August is perfect!
We only had a few hours to see Tallinn, however only enough time to walk through the Old Town and visit the sites. Things to see in Tallinn are many churches like Church of Saint Olaf, Church of Saint Nicholas (now an ecclesiastical art museum), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Maryand Cwobble of the Holy SpiritAll are within walking distance of each other.
Are from The Patkuli . Platforman observatory located to the north of Toompea Hill Located clearly on a limestone cliff, you can see the fairy-tale view of Tallinn including Kiek in de Kok, a turret built in 1475, and the Church of St. Olaf. Another notable site is Toompea Castle and Pikk Hermann Towernow the Estonian Parliament.
Although our time in Estonia was short, I felt it was just the right amount of time to feel its enchanting culture. Have you been to Estonia? If so, I’d love to hear about your visit. Leave me a comment, share, like and follow.
If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 of Europe Cruises on the Baltic Sea and Things to See in Berlin.
Related
