Tallinn [1] , the capital of Estonia , lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, only 70 km

Tallinn [1] , the capital of Estonia , lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, only 70 km (43 mi) south of Helsinki . At the historical and medieval 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.
The city's old town has been astonishingly well preserved and was inscribed oahu executive car rentals 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 oahu executive car rentals of Zürich or Geneva . Especially in summer, the Old Town is packed with tourists, with the traditional daytrippers from sister city Helsinki increasingly supplemented by Europeans taking advantage of cheap flights.
Alas, the new town sprawling all around is largely built in typical concrete Soviet style, now joined with glass-and-steel cubes celebrating the post-Soviet economic boom. The new centre of town is Vabaduse väljak (Freedom Square) oahu executive car rentals 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!).
Tallinn is a historic city dating back to the medieval times and it was first recorded on a world map in 1154, although the first fortress was built on Toompea in 1050. In 1219, the city was conquered by Valdemar II of Denmark, but it was soon sold to the Hanseatic League in 1285. The city, known as Reval at the time, prospered as a trading oahu executive car rentals town in the 14th century, and much of Tallinn's historic center was built at this time.
Tallinn then became a pawn in the geopolitical games of its big neighbours, passing into Swedish hands in 1561 and then to Russia under Peter the Great in 1710. By World War I and the ensuing brief Estonian independence (starting 1918) Tallinn's population had reached 150,000.
Estonia was eventually oahu executive car rentals occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940, only to be conquered by Nazi Germany (1941-44) and then retaken by the Soviets. In World War II, the city was quite extensively bombed by the Soviets, although luckily the medieval town remains. The Soviet Union undertook a program of massive Slavic migration, and just over 40% of Tallinn's current inhabitants are Slavic (compared to an average of 28% for the entire oahu executive car rentals country). On Aug 20, 1991, Estonia declared independence oahu executive car rentals and Tallinn became its capital once again.
Today, Tallinn is a bustling, gleaming metropolis of over 430,000 people. However, among the tall glassy buildings and corporate headquarters, Tallinn retains an inner charm seldom found anywhere else. Estonians consider themselves to be living in a Northern European/Scandinavian or an eastern European country depending on who you ask, with very close ties to Finland (ethnic, linguistic, and cultural), and visiting Tallinn you will find a mix of at least three architectures in this very visual city -- old Europe (the city walls with rustic buildings and charming living areas with well-preserved and colourful wooden houses of bourgeois taste of 1920s), Soviet brutalist (concrete apartment blocks), and modern Europe (including McDonald's next to the city walls!).
Tallinn Traveller Info , Vana-Posti 2, Tallinn Old Town, Phone: oahu executive car rentals +372 5837 4800, (Email: tallinn@traveller.ee ), [3] . The permanent office of the alternative tourist information center that is run by local youth and provides you with best insider tips about Tallinn. They can also assist with booking bus and ferry tickets, different day trips, tours and other activities. Open every day from 10AM to 6PM.
Tallinn Traveller Info tent , on the corner of Harju and Niguliste street, Tallinn Old Town, Phone: +372 5836 9200, (Email: tallinn@traveller.ee ), [4] . A summer-only stand of the alternative tourist information center that provides you with best insider tips about Tallinn. Run by local young people, it is the best place to start any stay in Tallinn, oahu executive car rentals no matter the length. They know all the best restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs, cool secret places oahu executive car rentals and phone numbers of every hostel in Tallinn. Besides that they also organize different alternative tours. Open only in summer, June 1 to August 31 from 9AM to 9PM.
Bicycle tourism information at City Bike office , Uus 33, Tallinn Old Town, Phone: +372 5111 819, (Email: mail@citybike.ee ), [6] . The all year round opened office is conveniently locating on the corner of Old Town, nearby oahu executive car rentals bicycle lines. Run by bicycle oahu executive car rentals enthusiasts you can get all kind of bicycle touring information about Tallinn and Estonia, over 150 bicycles for rent, Original Tallinn bicycles tours and maps. Open every day from 09AM to 5PM, May-Sept from 09AM to 7 PM.
The most common ferry route is from Helsinki , Finland to Tallinn Port [7] , which has upwards of 20 departures daily. Depending on the ferry, journey time is anywhere from 1.5 to 3.5 hours. Prices average €16-30 one way, depending on operator, season (summer costs more), day of week (Fri and Sat cost more) and time of day (to Tallinn in the morning and back in the evening is popular and hence more expensive). Particularly popular are day cruises , which can go for as little as €19 return. All ferries except Linda Line's catamarans can also carry cars, from €25 one way.
Linda Line [9] – Small catamarans Merilin and Karolin . The fastest oahu executive car rentals option (1.5h) with frequent departures, but susceptible to bad weather. April-November only (or as long as the sea is clear of ice).
Tallink Silja [10] – Up to 6 departures daily on large Star and Superstar ferries (2h). They also operate the Baltic Princess (3.5 hours), a slick new 2800-passenger behemoth with cabins for easy overnight stays in Tallinn. Discounts are available to Eurail pass holders.
oahu executive car rentals All ferries except Linda Line dock at Reisisadam port, to the north of the center. Tallink uses Terminal D at the south-eastern side of the bay and Eckerö and Viking the Terminal A/B at the northwestern side. From there, bus #2 operates to both the city center (A. Laikmaa stop), inter-city bus station (Autobussijaam stop) and the airport (Lennujaam stop). Alternatively, you can take a leisurely 15 minute walk, first west to Mere pst and then down to Viru Square. View a map of route 2 [12] .
Linda Line uses the Linnahall terminal, a short distance to the west from Reisisadam, and is also within walking oahu executive car rentals distance, with a stop for bus #2. The journey from the port to the city center is not all that impressive but don't be shocked - this isn't the real Tallinn!
Tallinn Airport [13] (AKA "Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport" or "Ülemiste Airport") ( IATA : TLL ) ( ICAO : EETN ) is located 5 km from the city center on the eastern shore of Lake Ülemiste. The flight timetable is available online [14] . A decent and reasonably priced cafe (open 8 20) can be found on the 2nd floor, above the departure area (before security control). Cafes beyond the security are more expensive, as usual. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal building. There is a designated room for smokers - a glass "gas chamber", with a few tables, but ventilation is imperfect.
Estonian Air ( Amsterdam , Brussels , Copenhagen , Kiev -Boryspil, Kuressaare , London -Gatwick, Milan -Malpensa, Moscow -Sheremetyevo, oahu executive car rentals Oslo -Gardermoen, Saint Petersburg , Stockholm -Arlanda, Tartu , Vilnius , Antalya , Athens , Barcelona , Berlin -Tegel, Dublin , Heraklion , Minsk , Nice , Paris -Charles de Gaulle, Rome -Fiumicino, Salzburg ),
Bus #2 [15] stops right in front of the airport. The journey to the entrance to Old Town (A.Laikmaa stop) takes approximately 15 minutes. Be careful because both inbound and outbound line #2 buses use the same bus stop at the airport. To get to the city center, catch the bus traveling towards "Reisisadam" (the passenger port) (and not towards "Mõigu", which is a residential area on the outskirts of the city). The bus stop in the city center (A. Laikmaa) is located between Hotel Tallink and the Viru Center shopping mall/ intra-city bus terminal. The bus does not stop in the intra-city Bus Terminal itself. You can buy tickets at the R-Kiosks all around the city, in the bus terminal, or on the bus. View a map of route 2 [16] .
Edelaraudtee [19] and Elektriraudtee [20] operate a limited train service within Estonia , Go Rail [21] a service to Moscow and St. Petersburg , Russia . Train use is not very common in Estonia, and taking the bus, plane, or ferry is almost always a better option.
Frequent buses also operate between oahu executive car rentals Tallinn and Riga , Latvia with continuing service to Vilnius , Lithuania and the rest of Europe. Buses also run between Tallinn and St. Petersburg , Russia (€30, 8 hours). Free wi-fi is usually available on board.
The Old City is best navigated on foot, not that you have much choice. A network of buses, trams and trolleybuses covers the rest of the city. There is an abundance of relatively cheap taxis. Before you jump in a random taxi car make sure you check the price on the window oahu executive car rentals of the car. In Tallinn there are more than 20 different taxi companies [29] and some can be a rip-off.
Map: [32] (pick Ühistransport). Baby prams can be carried in most of the buses, trolleys and trams except for a few which have steps. For getting out of Tallinn, Peatus [33] is the public transport route planner for all of Estonia, searchable by points on the map or names of places.
All modes of public transport operate with the same tickets. Single tickets can be bought from R-Kiosks or by mobile phones for €1, or from the drivers for €1.60. In addition the following ticket oahu executive car rentals options are available: 10-ticket book (€8), 24-hour ticket (€5 including the €2 deposit for the rechargeable travel card), 72-hour ticket (€7.50), 10-day oahu executive car rentals ticket oahu executive car rentals (€11), 30-day ticket (€25), 90-day ticket (€50). Discounts are given to students and Tallinn residents. The Tallinn Card [