A day out in Tallinn

The Estonian capital of Talinn is a mix of medieval and modern. Centuries of German and Swedish occupation have bequeathed a gorgeous Old Town. Most of the stag parties have now moved on to Ibiza, though they may be back around June 6 when England play Estonia at football. Meanwhile, the locals are celebrating spring according to a report in The Belfast Telegraph.

The fortified inner city, known as Toompea, rises above the outer layer of mercantile Tallinn. Navigational landmarks include the onion-shaped domes of the Alexander Nevski Cathedral and the spires of St Olav’s and Niguliste churches.

Most Estonians have neither the time nor the money for a leisurely lunch; many have recently become health-conscious. Join them, just off the tourist beat, at Loiri Pagar at Nunne or at its competitor Pagaripoisid which recently opened up next door at Nunne. Both provide a salad sandwich, yoghurt and fruit tea for about EEK40 (£2), which buys not even a small beer on Town Hall Square.

Maiasmokk at Pikk  means “sweet tooth” – and this is the shop where all nostalgia buffs congregate since nothing has changed here since the 1930s (except the prices). The 1930s was a time when chemical additives and artificial sweeteners, not to mention strip lighting and piped music, had yet to be invented. Come here for icing, but even more for marzipan, which makes an easy-to-carry souvenir.

Few foreigners find the narrow entrance to Tristan ja Isolde under the Town Hall Tower so it is rarely crowded, even in midsummer. Try a Vana Tallinn, Estonia’s signature aperitif, or one of the wide range of coffees. At the Casa del Habano at Dunkri  the staff make cocktails from a much bigger variety of spirits than any Cuban bar could manage. 

Tourists have largely taken over the Old Town restaurants so take a 10-minute walk to meet both local Estonians and those who return regularly from abroad. They get together at Eesti Maja at Lauteri  (00 372 645 5252). Order mashed potatoes in some shape or form, as they will be well-laced and well-spiced. Other dishes will be well-laced, too, such as pork in cider. Leave room for the signature dessert: chocolate cake and fruits of the forest ice-cream served together; EEK 230 (£10) should cover two courses and a beer.

Take a train from Baltijaam railway station out to Rocca Al Mare, which despite the name has nothing to do with Italy. It is the location for the Open Air Museum (www.evm.ee), which opens 10am-6pm daily, admission EEK70 (£3). Wooden houses, chapels and stables have been assembled from all over Estonia to recreate 18th-20th-century country life. One building is the Kolu Inn, where a brunch of pea soup followed by mashed potato is served on wooden plates.  

Take tram 1 or 2 from Viru Square to its final stop in Kadriorg. Walk through the park to KUMU, Estonia’s newly built art gallery. Look in particular for paintings by Gregor von Bochmann, the first artist in Estonia to paint peasants and farmhouses rather than the nobility and castles. Open 11am-6pm daily except Monday (and to 9pm on Thursdays). The admission price of EEK75 (£3.25) also covers the nearby Kadriorg Palace ( www.ekm.ee). This was built as a summer retreat by Peter the Great. Sadly for him, he did not live long enough to see it completed. You can also visit the former palace kitchens over the road from the main building, which now house the fascinating Mikkel Museum. During Soviet rule, Johannes Mikkel somehow managed to assemble and keep a collection of Dürer woodcuts, Meissen porcelain and Flemish paintings.

Join a group tour of the Bastion Tunnels which have just been opened to visitors. Despite the size and length of these defensive structures, they did not stop Peter the Great seizing Estonia. Guided tours (EEK50/£2.20) take place daily except Monday and Saturday between 11am-4pm, though check first on www.linnamuuseum.ee/kok.

Report by Chitra Mogul