tallinn

tallinn, Turism guide, In Your Pocket

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Hotels Restaurants Cafés nightlife Sightseeing events Maps
TALLInn
20
Europe’s best city
guides for more than
20 years
October - november 2012
Hot events
All the biggest happenings
covered and uncovered.
Tallinn’s best guide
If it’s not in these pages, you
don’t need to know about it.
N°86 - €2.50
www.inyourpocket.com
Contents
3
Mr.
Sightseeing
Old Town
Mrs.
&
64
The medieval centre in a nutshell
ESSENTIAL CITY GUIDES
Sightseeing tours
66
By bus, by bike or on skates
Contents
Museums
68
VIP
Covering city history, from mines to marzipan
Arriving
6
Getting here is half the fun
The Basics
Kadriorg
73
Stroll in Tallinn’s most beautiful park
Interactive Tallinn
7
Helpful things everyone should know
History
74
Ta k e a c t i o n
Around Tallinn
10
Learn it, or you’re doomed to repeat it
Culture & Events
77
Daytrips, adventures and more
Transport
Getting around
12
Concerts, art galleries, cinema and more
Where to stay
78
17
Navigating Tallinn and travelling onward
Shopping
A bed for every budget
Dining & Nightlife
Where to eat
83
Cool souvenirs and fashion purchases
Directory
24
From sushi to
sült
90
Health
92
Cafés
43
The hottest places in the caffeine scene
Maps & index
Street register
93
Nightlife
46
Old Town map
95
Where to pick up or not pick ‘something’
City map
96
October - November 2012
 foreWorD
4
Share the experience
Get in touch with the In Your Pocket team and other
readers on any of the major social platforms. Let us know
your thoughts on places you loved and hated, the cities
you’ve visited and the people you’ve met. And pick up
some exclusive prizes and discounts along the way.
The city’s foliage has seemingly been painted rich hues of
gold, crimson, ochre and Sauvignon Blanc, layers of clothing
are slowly being added on top of svelte frames and a bounty
of cartoon-like mushrooms are popping up everywhere
- autumn has arrived in Tallinn and the Old Town looks
splendid.
The World of
In Your Pocket
Northern
Ireland
Ireland
Estonia
Russia
Latvia
Now that summer is over, one would think that there’s a lot
less going on in this city of just over 400,000, but nothing
could be further from the truth. There are still loads of
activities on the cultural calendar and although we did not
have space to list them all, we’re sure that at least one of the
events we did mention is bound to catch your attention.
Lithuania
Belarus
Netherlands
Poland
Germany
Belgium
Ukraine
Regardless of why you have made Tallinn a destination, it is a
wonderful place brimming with history, fascinating tales and
quite a lot of fantastic medieval architecture. It is because
of this that Tallinn was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site
back in 1997 and to this day it remains one of the most intact
medieval cities in Europe.
Czech
Republic
Austria
Switzerland
Romania
Slovenia
Croatia
Italy
So what are you waiting for? Load that shiny new 32gig card
into your camera, grab a friend or a friendly stranger, make
sure to put Tallinn in your pocket and explore the city for
yourself. You’re bound to find something fabulous – perhaps
even discover a hidden gem that we didn’t mention in this
handy little guide.
Always remember that this is just a guide, we try
our best to provide as accurate information as
possible by print time. Our experiences may differ
from your experiences and if you feel we were way
off the mark, please do let us know.
Bosnia
Serbia
Bulgaria
Montenegro
Kosovo
FYR Macedonia
Albania
Greece
It was 20 years ago this year that the first
In
Your Pocket
hit the streets of
Vilnius
, Lithuania.
Since then, we have grown to become the largest
publisher of locally produced city guides in Europe.
We now cover more than
75
cities across the
continent (with
Ghent
, Belgium, the latest city to
be
pocketed
) and the number of
In Your Pocket
guides published each year is approaching an
amazing
five million
.
Always an innovative publisher, we have just
launched a new version of our
iPhone app
, which
can be downloaded for free from the
AppStore
.
Search for ‘IYP Guides’ by name.
To keep up to date with all that’s new at
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Pocket
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us on
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(facebook.com/
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Cover story
On the cover of this autumn edition
of
Tallinn In Your Pocket
you'll find
the infamous Rataskaevu or 'Cats'
Well' as it's commonly refered to.
We let the 'cat out of the bag' as
to how it got its name on page 66.
The shot was taken by our very
own Küllike Johannson-Singer, both
a lover of cats and a pretty good
photographer.
Editorial
Editor In Chief
Nat A. Singer
Contributor
Steve Roman
Researcher
Irja Luks
Layout & Design
Küllike Johannson-
Singer
Photography
Küllike Johannson-Singer,
Nat A. Singer
Copyright notice
Text and photos copyright OÜ Linnajuht
1997-2012. Maps copyright cartographer.
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced in any
form, except brief extracts for the purpose
of review, without written permission
from the publisher and copyright owner.
The brand name In Your Pocket is used
under license from UAB In Your Pocket
(Bernardinu g. 9-4, LT-01124, Vilnius,
Lithuania, tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).
Editor’s note
The editorial content of In Your Pocket
guides is independent from paid-for
advertising. Sponsored listings are
clearly marked as such. We welcome all
readers‘ comments and suggestions.
We have made every effort to ensure
the accuracy of the information at the
time of going to press and assume no
responsibility for changes and errors.
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ESSENTIAL CITY GUIDES
Tallinn In Your Pocket
Vana-Viru 4, Tallinn 10111
Estonia
tel./fax +372 644 64 70
advertising tel. +372 631 33 50
tallinn@inyourpocket.com
www.inyourpocket.com
ISSN 1406-2690
©OÜ Linnajuht
Sales & Circulation
General /Ad Manager
Küllike Johannson Singer
Sales & Circulation
Marek Pärn
Advertising Sales
Irja Luks, Marek
Pärn
Publisher
OÜ Linnajuht
Cover Photo:
Küllike Johannson-Singer
© 2012
Printed by Reusner, Tallinn
Published six times per year
9,000 - 12,000 copies
Europe's biggest publisher of locally produced city guides
inyourpocket.com
Tallinn
In Your Pocket
Tallinn
In Your Pocket
tallinn.inyourpocket.com
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 arriVing
arriVing
BasiCs
6
7
As European capitals go, Tallinn is a remarkably easy-
access city. The passenger port and train station are both
within shouting distance of the Old Town/centre, while the
airport and bus station are a quick, cheap 10 - 15 minute
taxi ride away.
By plane
Tallinn’s airport may be a super-modern affair, but it’s so
small you’re never in danger of getting lost. Once past
the luggage receiving area, you’ll find ATMs and currency
exchange in the centre of the hall; toilets and car rental of-
fices are downstairs.
National holidays
Transportion in style
Basic data
Ta l l i n n
Population:
417,150 (as of 01.09.2012)
Density:
2,618.6 inhabitants/km2
Ethnic composition:
Estonians 52.5%, Russians
38.5%, Ukrainians 3.7%, Others 5.4%
Estonia
Population:
1,294,236 (as of 31.05.2012)
Density:
28.6 inhabitants/km2
Ethnic composition:
Estonians 68.7%, Russians
24.8%, Others 6.4%.
Territory:
45,227km2
Elevation:
The highest point in Estonia (and the Baltics)
is Suur Munamägi (318m) in Võru County
Islands:
1,521. The three largest are Saaremaa
2,673km2, Hiiumaa 1,023km2, and Muhu 206km2
Lakes:
Lake Peipsi, on the Russian border, covers an
area of 3,555km2, of which 1,529km2 is in Estonia. It
also holds the title as the 4th largest lake in Europe.
Rivers:
Estonia’s longest rivers are the Võhandu 162km,
Pärnu 144km, and Põltsamaa 135km.
Other cities:
Tartu 98,670, Narva 64,435, Pärnu
42,625, Kohtla-Järve 40,330.
Local time:
Estonia is in the Eastern European Time Zone
(GMT+2hrs). Summer time (GMT+3hrs) is in effect from the
last Sunday of March until the last Sunday of October.
Bus 90K
tel. (+372) 627 90
80, www.hansabuss.ee.
Op-
erated by Hansabuss on behalf
of the airport, the 90K costs
only €2 per ride. You can hop on
or off anywhere along the route
Airport - Central Bus Station - Hotel Olümpia - Freedom
Square - Mere pst - Balti jaam - Hotel Tallinn - Freedom
Square - Estonian Academy of Arts - Central Bus Station
- Airport. The comfortable and roomy bus runs every 20
minutes from 7:20 - 18:40 daily and also offers free WIFI.
January 1
New Year’s Day
February 24
Independence Day (1918)
March 29 (2013)
Good Friday
March 31 (2013)
Easter Sunday
May 1
May Day
June 23
Victory Day (1919 Battle of Võnnu - Cēsis)
June 24
St. John’s Day (Midsummer)
August 20
Day of Restoration of Independence (1991)
December 24
Christmas Eve
December 25
Christmas Day
December 26
Boxing Day
Getting to town
A taxi ride from the centre roughly costs €10 and takes between
10 and 20 minutes. You can also take bus N°2 (marked Len-
nujaam - Mőigu) from the ‘A. Laikmaa’ stop, just outside the
airport to the down town Viru Centre. Alternatively, the 90K
Hansabuss-operated airport bus (see the listing on right).
There’s also a separate shuttle that will take you and other
passengers anywhere within Tallinn’s city limits for the low
price of €5.
By helicopter
Copterline, the 18-minute helicopter service from Helsinki,
lands at the Linnahall harbour. See the ‘By ship’ section for
details of how to get into town.
By ship
Most ferries and catamarans arrive at the Passenger Port
(reisisadam), terminals A, B and D. Left Luggage and a helpful
information booth can be found in the main hall of terminal
A. Exchange offices are plentiful but not always economical.
ATMs are just as easy to find. Terminal D, located just across
the small neck of water, has similar services. Lindaline’s
boats arrive at the neighbouring Linnahall Speedboat Har-
bour, where a currency exchange booth is open whenever
boats are arriving. Rates here are decent.
By bus
Buses arrive at the bus station (autobussijaam), (H-4), just off
the main highway from Tartu, but Eurolines passengers coming
in from Riga or Vilnius should strongly consider hopping off at
the much more central Viru väljak stop (ask other passengers
where), rather than continuing on to the bus station itself. Once
at the station, you’ll find
left luggage
in the basement. The
cash-only
currency exchange
takes all major currencies,
including Russian roubles, but gives appallingly bad rates. The
ATM
by the main entrance is probably a better bet.
Electricity
The electrical current is 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Sockets take
the standard, round-pinned European plugs.
Ethnic groups
About 68% of Estonia’s population is made up of ethnic Es-
tonians, descendents of Finno-Ugric tribes that settled this
area about 5,000 years ago. The largest minority in today’s
Estonia is by far the Russians, at roughly 26% of the national
population. Along with Ukrainians and Byelorussians, thou-
sands of Russians moved or were sent here during Soviet
times, and chose to remain after independence. Though
some integration is taking place among the younger genera-
tion, language and cultural barriers tend to keep Estonians
and Russian-speakers apart.
Getting cash
You should have no problems filling your wallet in Tallinn - cash
machines (ATMs) are never hard to find. Big banks are usually
your best bet for exchanging currency. At night and on week-
ends, however, decent exchanges are more elusive. Tavid
at Aia 5 has good rates and also runs an all-night exchange
window that will do in a pinch. Their night rates aren’t as good
as what they are during the daytime. Another place that offers
very good rates is Eurex at Estonia pst. 7. Beware of bright
blue and yellow Monex exchanges around town. These have
convenient locations and working hours, but generally give
unfavourable rates and even charge a €3.20 - 6.40 commis-
sion on each transaction - even when they state in big bold
letters ‘No Commission’.
Getting to town
The city centre is just 1km away, down Juhkentali tänav from
behind the station. Buses N°17A, 23 and 23A leave directly
from the coach area near platform 1, heading to Vabaduse
väljak (4th stop) in the centre, while trams N°2 and 4 run
from nearby Tartu maantee to Viru väljak (4th stop), also
in the centre. A taxi to Old Town should cost about €5.75.
By train
Arriving by train at Tallinn’s Balti Jaam (B-1) puts you just a
couple hundred metres from the walls of Old Town. Since
renovations the station itself is no longer a Soviet-era relic
and now includes a nice restaurant and even a day spa, in
case you need to unwind after your journey. Left luggage
is in the back of the main hall, just off the breeze-way that
leads to the platforms. The exchange booth (across from left
luggage) offers decent rates on all Scandinavian, Baltic and
Russian currencies. ATMs are just next to the front doors.
Borders
Estonia belongs to the Schengen visa area, which in-
cludes 22 EU countries, Norway and Iceland. It means
that if you are travelling to Estonia from within the Schen-
gen border control-free area, you will not be required to
show any documentation when you arrive in Estonia,
whether it be by ship, plane or by car. In fact you will not
have to go through customs at all, but each individual
country still maintains the right to perform intermittent
checks. Of course if you arrive in Estonia from outside
the Schengen zone you will still be required to show
your passport or EU identity card if applicable. For more
information on Schengen and how it might apply to your
trip to Estonia, logon to the Estonian Foreign Ministry’s
website at www.vm.ee.
Getting to town
You can just head for the spires of Old Town on foot, but a
taxi from the Passenger Port or the Linnahall should cover
the short ride to town for €3.80 - 4.50.
By car
Crossing the border from Latvia is completely hassle-free
now that the Baltics belong to Schengen. Getting over
the border from Russia will take quite a bit longer. In both
cases, be sure to bring your car’s registration papers
and a valid insurance policy, such as the international
green card. You can also buy insurance right at the border
station. Please note that the speed limit on highways is
90km/h, in the cities 50 km/h, unless otherwise noted,
and the headlights have to be always turned on. For fares
and regulations on bringing a car by ship from Finland
or Sweden, contact the ferry companies in the ‘Getting
around’ section of the guide.
Getting to town
Just cross the street at the underpass and walk up Nunne tänav
into Old Town, or take trams N°1 or 2 from behind the station
three stops to the Mere pst. stop. Avoid the taxis that wait here.
Customs
European alcoholics rejoice! When you leave Estonia
headed to another EU country, you can take out as much
booze as you can carry (or convince inspectors is for
your personal use). Coming into Estonia from another EU
country, each individual aged 18 and over may carry in
duty-free 90 litres of wine and 110 litres of beer and 10
litres of hard alcohol (over 21%alc/vol), 800 cigarettes,
400 cigarillos, 200 cigars and 1kg of pure tobacco. When
leaving, beware of stricter tobacco restrictions if you’re
headed to the UK, Sweden or Finland. Relatively unlucky
travellers from non-EU countries can carry in a measly 4
litres of wine (not exceeding €175 in combined value), 2
litres of beverages up to 21%alc/vol and 1 litre of hard
alcohol; 40 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars or 50g
pure tobacco. How much booze and smokes you can
take home depends on your own country’s restrictions.
For more information, contact the Customs Department,
Narva mnt. 9j, tel. 880 08 14, tolliinfo@emta.ee, www.
emta.ee.
Using taxis in Tallinn
Tallinn's taxis are notorious for overcharging - even the
mayor got ripped off! (Granted, he was, pretending to
be an Italian tourist at the time.) Drivers either set high
mileage rates or fix their meters to run at light speed.
There's no sure-fire way to avoid the cheats. but there
are precautions you can take. Get to know the average
rates, and try to order a taxi by phone, rather than getting
one off the street. Turn to the ‘Getting around' section
for phone numbers and fare details. Barring that, you can
ask the driver for an estimate of how much the ride will be
beforehand. Also see ‘Arriving' for estimates of how much
rides should cost from the bus station, airport, etc. To
report a cheat, call the 24-hour hotline, tel. 1345.
Tallinn
In Your Pocket
Tallinn
In Your Pocket
tallinn.inyourpocket.com
tallinn.inyourpocket.com
October - November 2012
 BasiCs
BasiCs
8
9
Tourist information points
Key phrases
Public toilets
Free internet for all
Tallinn Traveller Info
C-2, Vana-Posti 2, tel. (+372)
58 37 48 00, tallinn@traveller.ee, www.traveller.ee.
Just steps from the ‘official’ tourist information office, this
alternative tourist information point is run by local young
people for travellers of all ages - albeit geared a little more
towards the ‘youthful’ crowd. They offer their advice on
what’s happening each night on the entertainment scene,
as well as their favourite eateries and which hostels have
vacancies, as well as some inexpensive, alternative tours
(see ‘Sightseeing’ section).
Q
Open 10:00 - 18:00.
J
Tourist Information Centre
C-2, Niguliste 2/Kul-
lassepa 4, tel. (+372) 645 77 77, fax (+372) 645 77
78, turismiinfo@tallinnlv.ee, www.tourism.tallinn.
ee.
The city’s official tourist information point is the best
equipped to answer any question.
Q
Open 09:00 - 18:00,
Sat, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.
J
Hello
Te r e
Study your geometry to avoid an
embarrassing situation: A triangle
pointing down signifies the men's
room (M or Meeste), while the tri-
angle pointing up is the women's
room (N or Naiste).
By now, most have heard that Estonia is in-
deed a pretty tech-savy country. In fact much
of the country is blanketed in WiFi or wireless
internet hotspots. From long-distance buses
to cafeś, pubs and even some shops and
public areas - WIFI is everywhere. For foreigners visiting Tallinn
this means you'll be able to check e-mails, SKYPE with friends
back home or share photos on Facebook using your Android
phone, iPhone or Blackberry - free of charge. Just look for the
orange and black WiFi sign and you're good to go. With all that
free WiFi around, you'll also want to purchase the Tallinn In
Your Pocket iPhone app available here. In Estonia, WiFi infor-
mation including WiFi locations is provided by www.WiFi.ee.
Goodbye
Head aega
Please
Palun
Thank you
Aitäh
Excuse me
Vabandust
Yes
Jah
No
Ei
Zero
Null
Visitors with pressing needs won’t be left with their legs
crossed, as there are quite a few public toilets around the
city. Some can be found at the Viru Gate on Valli (C-3) and
there’s a Swedish-built automatic WC on Toompea Hill (C-
1), nicknamed locally the ‘million-crown toilet’ due to the
public outcry at its construction bill. It can be found next
to the Nevski Cathedral (C/D-1). There’s also a few new
high-tech, self-cleaning ones around the city. The most
central is right next to Tammsaare Park (C-3), and others
can be found at; Toompark near Balti Jaam (B-1), Police
Garden (H-3, on Gonsiori street), Kanuti Garden (B-4),
Piiskopi Garden (C-1) and in Kadriorg next to the Roheline
aas Street parking lot (H-4). However, the fear of being
trapped inside may deter the more easily frightened, no
matter how badly they need to ‘pee’.
One
Üks
Two
Kaks
Three
Kolm
Four
Neli
Five
Viis
Six
Kuus
Seven
Seitse
Eight
Kaheksa
Nine
Üheksa
making a purchase just present your passport, ask for a
tax-free stamp on your receipt and take receipts along with
unused purchases to the customs office at the airport or
border-crossings into Russia when you leave the country.
At the airport, anything checked into luggage will need to
be claimed at Customs before you enter the security gates,
items in your hand luggage can be claimed from the Customs
booth between gates 5 and 7. Visit www.globalrefund.com
for more details.
Te n
Kümme
Hundred
Sada
Thousand
Tu h a t
Push (on a door)
Lükka
Pull (on a door)
Tõmba
Where is... ?
Kus asub...?
How much does ... cost?
Kui palju maksab...
Bon appetit!
Head isu!
Religion
Some locals will tell you that Estonians are all tree-worshiping
pagans at heart, but the truth is that this isn’t a very religious
country at all. There is no state religion, and according to
the 2000 census, only 31.8% of the population claims any
religious affiliation. Of those that do, about 180,000 are
Lutheran and 170,000 Russian Orthodox.
Tax free shopping
'Tax-free' shopping is finally starting to gain popularity
in Estonia and if you are a non-EU resident and plan to
spend over €38 on electronics, clothing or even souvenirs
- it just might be worth trying to claim the tax back. When
One beer, please!
Palun üks õlu!
Cheers!
Terviseks!
Visas
Estonia is in the European Union and lucky citizens can
conveniently enter the country with just a national ID card. All
others need valid passports. You can enter Estonia visa-free
and stay 90 days if you’re a citizen of any EU country, Norway,
Iceland, Switzerland, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand,
Israel, Argentina, South Korea and a number of other coun-
tries listed on the website below. All others, including South
Africans, Russians, Byelorussians and Ukrainians do need
a visa to come to Estonia. Because of the Schengen Border
Treaty, anyone requiring a visa for Schengen countries only
need to obtain a visa from one of these countries in order to
visit Estonia. Anyone staying in Estonia for more than 90 days
(180 days for UK citizens) needs either a residents permit
or a visa, though there are certain very specific exceptions
for EU citizens. For all the details, contact the consular
department of the Foreign Ministry, tel. 631 74 40, or check
their website, www.vm.ee, which has more information than
you’ll ever need.
What’s your name?
Mis sinu nimi on?
You have beautiful eyes.
Sul on ilusad silmad.
Will you marry me?
Kas sa abielluks minuga?
Language
Confused? Join the crowd. Estonian is completely
unrelated to Russian, Latvian, Swedish, German or any
other Indo-European tongue. Along with Finnish and
Hungarian, Estonian belongs to the Finno-Ugric group
of languages, thought to have originated somewhere
beyond the Urals thousands of years ago. Luckily, the
younger generation and those in the tourist industry
speak English. You can find some of the more essential
words and phrases on left.
www.inyourpocket.com
Estonianisms
Noh...
Well.../Um...
This sounds like ‘No’, but actually just means the speaker
is temporarily tongue-tied
On ju? Eks ju?
Right? Isn’t it?
Two interjections that punctuate Estonian speech
Head isu!
Bon appetit!
...or ‘Good Appetite’, as you will sometimes hear
Jätku leiba!
May there be enough bread!
begins a meal. The polite answer is...
Jätku tarvis.
It’s needed.
Jõudu tööle!
Power to your work!
Expression of goodwill, used when you come upon
someone hard at work
Jõudu tarvis
Money
In 2011 Estonia joined the common European currency, good
news for all of the tourists who visit Estonia from countries
that already use the Euro. If you happen to come from a
country that does not use the Euro, it should also be easier
to change your money before you arrive as most banks around
the world stock this currency. Standard Euro denominations
are legal tender, however you may find it difficult to pay with
any bills over 50. All ATMs operate on international systems.
Credit cards are easy to use - major hotels, most restau-
rants and a pretty much all downtown shops accept Visa,
Mastercard and EC. American Express, Globus and Diner’s
Club are less common.
Making the call
Making the call
Calling within Estonia
To call any number within Estonia,
either from a fixed line or a local mobile, just dial the
number as it’s written. There are no city codes in Estonia.
Mobile numbers
Estonian mobile numbers all begin
with ‘5’. Just dial the number as is. Again, there are no
special codes.
Calling Estonia from abroad
Estonia’s country code is
+372. Just dial your international access code (00 from
most European countries), then 372 then the number, be
it mobile or land line. That’s it.
Roaming
To call any telephone in Estonia from a foreign
mobile account, dial +372 followed by the number, as
outlined before.
Calling abroad from Estonia
Dial 00, the country code,
then the rest of the numbers.
Power needed
The formulaic answer
Ter v i s t!
Urgent care
Gesundheit!/Bless you!
Lit. Health!
Ole tubli!
Take care, be good!
Kuidas käsi käib?
How are you?
Lit. How does the hand go?
Ikka käib
Still goin’
Typically laconic Estonian reply
The Tallinn First Aid hotline tel. 697 11 45, can provide
treatment advice in English, and if need be, direct you to the
appropriate hospital. If you need cough syrup at 03:00, try
the round-the-clock Tõnismäe pharmacy (see pharmacies).
For dramatic situations that require an ambulance, call tel.
112. Emergency operators speak English.
Tallinn
In Your Pocket
tallinn.inyourpocket.com
October - November 2012
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