Tallinn

Charming and picturesque, Tallinn has come into its own after being bandied about by European powers for ages. The Upper Old City, or Toopea Hill, is the oldest part of Tallinn, inhabited since pre-history, and home to Toompea Castle, one of Estonia’s most treasured landmarks. Most visitors spend the majority of their time in Old Town, but we highly recommend venturing outside the walls to the KUMU museum, a cutting-edge facility built into a limestone cliff and serving as a national gallery and contemporary home for Estonian art. Don’t miss the Opera House if you’re in town between October and June, for its enticing lineup of opera, symphony and ballet performances. Gain insight into local life at the Estonian Open-Air Museum, with 80 historic buildings, from wooden farmhouses to windmills, moved from their locations across the country and brought together as a microcosm of Estonian life. Don’t miss Telliskivi, a bohemian area with alternative cafes, bars, artist studios, pop-up boutiques, food trucks and a weekly flea market.