ESTONIA INTRODUCTION

Everything that you see while travelling around in Estonia is inseparable from our history. Estonians belong to the oldest people in Europe and were already living on the coasts of the Baltic Sea at the time when the first pyramids were erected in Egypt. Since the 13th century they have been invaded and ruled by Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians, but each one of them have left behind also something good.

The Republic of Estonia was declared on 24 February 1918, and for a couple of decades the people felt pride in their home country. The destructive occupation by the Soviet Union which lasted half a century interrupted the natural development and growth of Estonia, which until then had been keeping up well with its northern neighbour Finland.

In 1991 Estonians regained their independence in the course of the “Singing Revolution” and returned to their rightful place in Europe and the world

TALLINN INTRODUCTION

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is truly one of the gems of Northern Europe. The city lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, only 70 km (43 miles) south of Helsinki. At the historical heart of the city is the hill of Toompea, covered in cobbled streets and filled with medieval houses and alleyways. The lower town spreads out from the foot of the hill, still protected by the remnants of a city wall. Around the city wall is a series of well-maintained green parks, great for strolling.

While the old town has been astonishingly well preserved and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, it is now in better shape than ever, with the bigger roads converted into fashionable shopping streets reminiscent of Zürich or Geneva, the new town sprawling all around is largely built in typical concrete Soviet style. The new center of town is Vabaduse Väljak (Freedom Square) at the edge of the old town, and nearby is the giant matchbox of Hotel Viru, the former Intourist flagship and notorious den of Cold War intrigue (every room was tapped and monitored by the KGB!).

Recently, Tallinn has received a boom in tourism, especially by day trippers which visit it from its sister city across the Baltic Sea, Helsinki.

Most tourists who visit Estonia arrive first in Tallinn. Since this medieval Hanseatic town, the capital, the business and cultural centre of Estonia deserves a guide book of its own.

Flights to Tallinn is easy to find and with Easyjet flying straight from London or Berlin into this beautiful city, how did you  manage to stay away for so long? You may also find various options connecting from various main hubs in Europe using other low cost carriers. We have a rental apartment in Tallinn for short and long term rentals. Have a look at www.estonia-apartment.com