If you’ve read any of my posts about Tallinn, Helsinki, Riga or Vilnius, you’ll know that my boyfriend and I spent our summer on the Baltic Sea.
And, although the area in the North East of Europe won’t be replacing the likes of Spain or Portugal as an archetypal summer location any time soon, what we found their left us pleasantly surprised.
Arriving in Riga, I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect. But, what I found was a vibrant, sprawling city, jam-packed awesome activities and spectacular sights. In fact, knowing where to start your adventure in the city can be far from straight forward. So, I’ve compiled this quick-fire guide to the 13 best experiences the Latvian capital has to offer.
Thanks to an influx of travellers from all over Europe, Riga Old Town caters to all kinds of drinking habits. However, if you prefer a more local take on boozing, you should probably leave the heart of the city behind. But, if you’re not sure where to begin – don’t worry! Here, I’ve mapped the best drinking holes all over town, so now you don’t have to.
While in recent years, Kalamaja has become the preferred watering hole of locals and visitors alike, there’s still plenty of drinking opportunities to be found in Tallinn Old Town – if you know where to look for them.
Tallinn is a pretty city at all levels, but it takes on an almost fairytale quality the higher up you travel. With its red roofs and pretty spires, viewed from above, the Estonian capital looks completely untouched by time. And, luckily for visitors, there are plenty of viewing platforms dotted around, meaning you can admire the city from every angle.
Escaping reality to start a sustainable new life in the forest is something only most of us will dream of. But, the folks at Projekt Kodu have made this utopic vision a reality. And, for a reasonable price, townies like me can sample an authentic eco-friendly lifestyle – even just for a night.
While Tallinn is a glorious city, Estonia has a lot more to offer visitors than just its capital. One of the country’s major tourist draws is the idyllic Laheema National Park. So, we decided to get away from it all and take a weekend break in this stretch of fairytale forests, beautiful bogland, and captivating coastlines.
City breaks are great and all that. But, sometimes, it’s nice to go beyond the capital and sample something a little more authentic. Thankfully, Porvoo provides the perfect romantic retreat for weary city-slickers and it’s just a stone’s throw from Helsinki.
Not fully Scandinavian, but not Eastern either, Helsinki has its own unique vibe. And, what’s more, visitors can easily sample the city over the course of a weekend.
So, we’ve been in Tallinn for almost one week now. The city is our first stop on our new adventure as so-called ‘digital nomads’. But, while we’re buzzing about our new lifestyle, lots of our loved ones have been asking, ‘Why Tallinn?’