The past month has been completely full-on, and non-stop, so finally getting to sit down and write my Tallinn trip up feels like an absolute luxury. I’ve been working on some exciting big projects, as well as doing a big design course, and I can’t wait to bring everything together – watch this space!
Earlier on in the summer we did a trip round the Baltic States, and I had such an incredible time – we started our trip in Tallinn, Estonia.
Just under 3 hours away from London by air, Tallinn totally surpassed any expectations I had. First of all, it’s absolutely beautiful – in fact, the entire city was so on-point from a design perspective I was somewhat convinced that I was on the set of a Wes Anderson film for most of my stay.
It’s a fantastic city to walk around and explore in, and there is so much to do – some fantastic museums and cafes, perfect for a romantic weekend break.
Estonia is also 50% forest, so we took our hire car 30 minutes out of the city centre on a hike in the Pääsküla Bog, which was really beautiful. (Make sure you take bug spray though – I didn’t, and it was the only thing about my Estonia trip I didn’t like).
Our Airbnb was beautiful, and right in the centre of town, the perfect location in a beautiful old building – I had an amazing stay there.
Another massive bonus for me was the fact that every restaurant I went to in Tallinn was not only delicious, but that most restaurants had their gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu. I had a few friends who had lived/worked in Tallinn, so getting their food recommendations was great, and we didn’t have a single bad meal out there!
Where to Eat in Tallinn
I would be remiss if I didn’t do a list of all the incredible places I ate out at – but I’ll also include the restaurants that were recommended to me, but that I didn’t manage to get to (but definitely plan on ticking off of my list next time)!
Kohvik Maiasmokk
Maiasmokk is the oldest cafe in Tallinn, and is full of old-world charm. Kohvik Maiasmokk, or ‘Sweet Tooth’ Cafe, is largely the same as it has been since 1864 – there’s a cute marzipan display, an adorable mini ferris wheel of tea cups and saucers, and a train full of sweets – its mindnumbingly kitsch but a lovely place to have a coffee and something sweet. They also did the best macchiato I had in Tallinn, so it’s worth going for the coffee alone!
Maiasmokk is self-service (a relic from the Soviet era) and has some beautiful rooms – its definitely worth having a wander round before you tuck in.
Von Krahli Aed
I was slightly sceptical about this one at first, only because it is so close to the town centre. Having lived in London and New York, where they tend to keep the crappiest restaurants near the big tourist attractions (like Spaghetti House or Olive Garden) I was wary to say the least.
Luckily, I was proven incredibly wrong – not only was Aed beautiful inside (they had a nice courtyard, too) it was really delicious – beautifully crafted seasonal and local dishes.
The others also went nuts for the bread, and ended up buying a loaf to take back home with them.
F. Hoone
F. Hoone is in the incredibly trendy Telliskivi neighbourhood, in an converted warehouse.
It had a great vibe, and I’d thoroughly recommend their steak tartare!
Kohvik Sesoon
Sesoon is in the list of the Top 50 restaurants in Estonia, and it’s easy to see why – everything I tried was really delicious, but also really reasonably priced. Again, they do seasonal local dishes – I tried the rabbit with fennel and chantarelle puree, which was incredible.
The other restaurants that were recommended to me, but that I didn’t have time to try, included Rataskeavu 16, kohvik moon, Ribe, cru, rea, sinilind, and cafe Klaus – if you go to any of them, let me know!
All in all, I had such a lovely few days in Tallinn, and would definitely recommend it for a city break!
Have you ever been to Tallinn? Be sure to comment below, or let me know on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram!
