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5 Reasons to visit Tallinn
Friday 31st August 2012 | Osh
I boarded the M/S Baltic Princess cruise liner from Helsinki to Tallinn armed with a vague plan, courtesy of In Your Pocket Essential City Guides, and fairly low expectations. Estonia sounded nice but I had learnt not to expect too much from weekend trips to party destinations. 48 hours later I understood exactly why Tallinn was the place to be.
Book your ticket now if….
- You fancy yourself a drunken sailor
If you’re opting to cruise on in to Tallinn the party starts the second you leave land. Tax Free Shops sell cheap booze and no one is shy about starting early. While I’m sure Tallinn has a lot to offer as a family destination the cruise ship highlights are definitely drink and party based. The three hour trip is perfect for pregaming but limit your on-ship purchases because despite tax exemption there are better deals to be had when you reach your destination. If you want the full booze cruise experience you may want to consider an overnight ship out of Stockholm. Either way expect a journey full of lively Scandinavians.
- You’re into chemistry
Don your lab coat and head on over to Labor for dry ice cocktails and shots from test-tubes. True to theme walls are splattered with neon ‘radioactive’ paint and biohazard tanks. If that isn’t enough of a sell their happy hour is half off everything and runs unto 23:00 on weekends. When the alarm sounds Labor’s test tube shots go for a euro a tray. They're perfect for sharing and after a couple rounds you may be up for a different kind of chemistry experiment. Or, if you need to cool off, head over to Merchant House’s Ice Bar for frosty drinks and ice-glass shots.
- You’re brave enough to try the house special
Actually, for this one it’s bravery all around. If you’re feeling bold you can head to Levist Väljas getting there means navigating several dark alleyways backroads. The trek is a little scary but pretty short. Tallinn is nice and compact so it doesn't take much to get you off the beaten path. You get a break from the tourist meccas and a chance to see how the locals party. Levist Väljas house special isn’t on the menu, and whether it’s an initiation for tourists or a genuine local favorite is still a mystery but, like the drinks over at Labor, it involves no small measure of chemistry. Blue Curaçao, Baileys, and Coca-Cola create a noxious green cocktail to be drunk through a straw. It tastes only slightly less revolting than it looks and sounds but the look of satisfaction on the bartenders face makes the whole experience worth it. The venue is dark, smokey, but most of all exciting. Everyone is up for a chat but the women’s restroom is where real friends are made. One small room is fitted with two toilets and it’s only polite to invite someone else from the line in with you.
- You’re a foodie
Between parties you’ll need to refuel and there is no shortage of cheap and delicious food in Tallinn. This is prime opportunity to take advantage of cheap prices and treat yourself to a multicourse gourmet meal. If you key is more your style grab some snacks from a food cart or gorge yourself on giant pancakes at Kompressor.
- You want to meet a knight in shining armor
Finally, despite crazy nights, a trip to Estonia’s capital would be amiss without taking in some of the history. In fact, the history is pretty hard to miss. Most of Tallinn is built in and around the Old Town and Toompea Castle serves as a backdrop. This means that meals and drinks are observed in buildings erected between the 13th and 16th century. If your vacation photos need a little more pizzazz you can have them taken with axe and arrow wielding nights. Or, if action is more your style, you can try your hand at archery and see how you would have faired way-back.
