Value: 3/5
Livability: 4/5
Nightlife: 3/5
Tallinn is the wealthiest of the Baltic states, and also the one with the least “Eastern European” feel to it. Even the Estonian language sounds more similar to Finnish than it does to a Slavic language. Tallinn is a very beautiful city.
Given that its located very far North, I recommend visiting during the summer when the days will be long instead of short. The city has a very quite and relaxed feel to it, similar to that of Gdansk, Poland. Prices are a bit higher than in Latvia and Lithuania, but nowhere near as bad as in Finland. I took a ferry from Tallinn to visit Helsinki, but returned after a day due to Finland’s high prices.
Recommended Places:
KGB Museum in Hotel Viru
On the hidden 13th floor of the Hotel Viru building, there are preserved rooms where KGB officials used to use equipment to spy on the hotel’s patrons. The KGB used to bug rooms with microphones and cameras, and listen in from their operations center atop the building. On the evening that the KGB fled in rush from the building, they left all their equipment behind. There is even half smoked cigarettes left in an ashtray.
This hotel still operates today as a normal hotel. Thus you should ask the front desk for tour times, and sign up for a guided tour of the secret 13th floor of the hotel, which until the fall of the Soviet Union, was claimed not to exist. You will be able to hear real spy stories and see actual spy equipment such as hidden microphones and cameras.
Pirita Beach
A beach located to the North-East of Tallinn. The sand quality of the beach is not great, but would still be worth visiting on a hot day. It can be reached either by a quick bus ride or a long walk.
Club Hollywood
The night I visited here, the club had a very entertaining DJ. The place has a big open dance floor in the middle in front of a center state, with sitting/lounge areas all around the sides. I remember being very comfortable while inside, because of the good ventilation and air conditioning. One of only a couple venues of its kind in the city.
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