From Minsk to Tallinn ; Trip Report

Last spring, on the eve of the big May weekend, I wanted a change in the situation and new impressions, so the idea arose to go on a journey and visit Tallinn ; the most northern of the capitals of the Baltic.

I used to be in Tallinn, a beautiful medieval city, which is called the Baltic Pearl. If from our Minsk to the nearest Vilnius neighbor, give your hand, then to Tallinn, you need to do a path with a length of almost 800 km.

Road to Tallinn

We decided to go with friends by car for two days with a race on the way back in Riga.

The road by car is much more economical train or aircraft and a comfortable bus, and if you go to the company and thread on gasoline, it goes at times cheaper.

On gasoline throughout the route we spent around € 120.

Left on Friday at 10 pm, so as not to get stuck in line on the border and come to Tallinn on Saturday early in the morning. To the Lithuanian border of only 2 hours of time from Minsk and at night there is no large cluster of cars. Crossed the border through the checkpoint Kotlovka, Since the speed of travel pays off difference in the distance compared to a stone log. The border passed somewhere in 3.5 hours, which is generally considered pretty quickly.

So that the road was not very tedious, made a couple of stops. Already at the entrance to the city visited roadside cafes. Breakfast cost, on average, € 8-10 with man.

Accommodation

Tallinn met cloudy windy weather. All wine – Cold Baltic winds and location by the sea. On the way to the hotel, we drove past the city beach and were not kept from the desire to make the first photos for memory.

For the purpose of saving, we booked housing in the suburbs for a month (9 km from the center). So it turns out cheaper, in the city the most city bite. The choice fell on a good three-star hotel Ecoland Spa Hotel, Very clean, cozy and with good breakfast. The hotel is located in a pair of meters from the bus stop. Direct buses go straight to the center.

Room costpled near 45 € / day with breakfast and the opportunity to visit the spa and sauna for free.

Movement in the city

If you want to save on gasoline and avoid trouble searching for free city parking, it is better to leave the car in the hotel parking lot and get to the center by bus. The city center is most convenient to move on foot, more time will take the search for parking space.

For residents of Tallinn Travel in public transport is free, but for guests and tourists – be kind, pay 2 € per ticket.

The ticket is bought from the driver immediately at the bus entrance, it is better to have cash without passing.

If you risk and drive a "hare", pay the controllers fine in the amount of € 40.

There are still very cool lifehak – buying Tallinn Card:

• Cost for 1 day – € 31,
• For 3 days – € 49.

With this card, you can not only travel for free in transport, but also profitably save. The bonus is discounts and benefits to visit attractions, museums, cafes, shopping in stores, and the package even includes the choice of one free excursion. We did not buy a map, she is beneficial if you arrived in Tallinn for a few days.

Acquaintance with Tallinn

To better learn the history of the city and his sights, it will not be superfluous by a guide with a map of the main objects, search an inexpensive tour from local guides or take Tallinn City Tour ; HOP ON HOP OFF .

Tallinn City Tour really costs her money. At your disposal a two-storey bus and headphones with audiohyda for ten languages. A ticket for 1-2 days will cost about € 20-25.

The route is very thought out, you can drive around almost all the main objects and go out at different stops, walk and catch the bus again.

We took a regular tour with a guide, as when you first get acquainted with any city, I prefer to walk and immediately embrace many objects. In Tallinn, many old narrow streets. The bus will not pass there, but the guide will tell everything and tell, also will give recommendations, where you can go to cheap to eat, buy souvenirs or what to visit the museum.

The first point was observation deck, Where from different angles there is a panoramic view of the city, on the red tiled roofs, cathedrals, port and medieval architecture.

In Tallinn there are several viewing sites from which you can admire a beautiful view of the capital. One of them is the playground of Kohtotts, visiting free.

From the observation deck, we went further – in the heart of the old town on the town hall. Life boils here, there are many cafes, shops and restaurants, where you can have a delicious dinner, and in the evening dine. There is a small secret on this square for quest lovers: a round plate marked with a special sign.

If you get up on this stove, you can see all five spiers of the old Tallinn.

For lovers of height, access to the Town Hall Tower with its famous spire, on which the caretaker sits. The townspeople name His Old Tomas. Now in the town hall there are concerts and urban events.

Entrance – near € 4.

On the square, we looked in Town Pharmacy, the oldest in the city. Entrance to it is free. Very remarkable place where unusual drugs sell in ancient recipes, there is a Museum of Medical Instruments.

About food

III Draakon

For national Estonian cuisine and famous Tallinnish pies we went to one of the local institutions III Draakon on the Town Hall Square. To get into this medieval Corchm is not so easy, at the entrance to the queue, so I had to stand 20 minutes outside in front of the entrance. But impressions of the interior and feeding dishes are guaranteed.

In the institution there is no electricity, eat when candles in a romantic twilight. After ordering food you can entertain and catch a free salty cucumber in a barrel with a wooden stick with a nail to which it is necessary to push it. I could not get.

The price tag is very acceptable, here serves Raw Soup from Elk meat (about 3 €), pies with meat and vegetables for 1-2,5 €, a glass of beer costs up to 3 €.

Kohvik Narva

You can still look into one of the Kohvik Narva cult coffee houses and please yourself with a delicious dessert with coffee. I ordered on the recommendation of the guide Berry Pie.

Coffee price € 2.50 per cup.

Kalev

Move to Tallinn from Russia and get permanent residence

All lovers of sweet recommend to visit the Kalev chocolate store, an incredible paradise for sweet tooths. On the second floor there is a confectionery workshop, where the masters are cooked by hand. For a fee, you can also take part yourself, having prepared chocolate with your own hands.

All institutions are located in the old town relatively close to each other. By the way, the most popular souvenir is the amber. There are many souvenir shops that can offer amber decorations for every taste and color, and among them the store is very popular Nu Nordik.

Lido

For dinner went to Lido (Latvian network of fast self-service restaurants). Price tag for a dense dinner: € 8-10 per person. This institution is much more economical in comparison with a cafe or restaurant, where the serving of the dish comes to € 25. In Lido you can well refresh. Here is a large selection of good diverse meals, you dial to the tray that you want, and pay at the checkout.

Tallinn Streets and other sights

Tallinn is famous for its streets and many of them are funny names.

The most famous Pikk Jalg and Luhike Jalg are translated as a "short foot" and "Long leg".

"Long leg" was the main street for a nobility that leads to the castle on the mountain. On Pikk Jalg, you can get to the "Garden of the Danish King" and take a walk in the medieval courtyards of the former residence.

If the forces remain after a long daytime walk, it is necessary to stroll around the evening Tallinn, visit Domsko Sobop, one of the most famous towers – Tolstoy Margarita, Parliament building, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the main gate of the old city – Viru.

In the evening, the city for some reason seems completely different – not as day. Light lights and there is a feeling of some kind of mysticism. About the city walks a lot of legends and every place something is famous.

Main attractions, including sightsets, we managed to bypass in one day without visiting museums. To find out the city and plunge into it more deeply, it is still better to plan a trip at least for three days. In Tallinn there is a lot of things to see and I would definitely want to return there again.

It is important that in the city it is convenient to move on foot, all objects are a short distance from each other. We did not have time to visit the port, but I would like to walk, of course, and there.

Despite the height of the spring, in the northern capital windy weather does not regret its tourists, so it is better to capture warm clothes and an umbrella. The weather is very often changing, in the morning the bright sun shines, after dinner it may rain. On the trip, only the fact that in the late afternoon had to walk under an unpleasant drizzling rain, but, despite this, there were plenty of impressions from what he saw.

Some Riga

On the second day we went to Riga. Since the city was on the way, we decided to "kill two hares in one blow".

The old town of Riga is very small, you can bypass it in 2-3 hours on foot, walk along the waterfront of the Daugava’s river, see the medieval house "Three Brothers" (in Tallinn there is a similar building "Three sisters") and taste the Riga Balzam. If there is time, then you can still go to Jurmala to visit.

RESULTS

As for the budget of the trip, the total costs went about in about € 200 per person For three days, taking into account gasoline, accommodation, nutrition and souvenirs. The big bonus was breakfast in hotels, so it had to spend money from the food only for dinners and small snacks in the city.

Those who want to go to Tallinn, better to work out the plan and the scheme of the route in advance so that the journey turns out as saturated as possible.

See also other reports on Tallinn: Tallinn-Stockholm: 4 days for 2 capitals