About
When you tell people you went on vacation to Estonia and Latvia, their natural first reaction is alway, "Why?" I now have a bit of experience answering that question. And it's actually quite simple. I had given myself about 12 days to travel and wanted to go back to Europe - someplace I had never been. The only real caveat was that I had to fly Delta. I'm a points whore. So, when I found a silly-inexpensive flight to Helsinki, I decided to explore my options in that general region. Having never visited much of the northeast part of the continent and appreciating Soviet history, I ultimately decided to use my flight to Finland as a jumping off point to the Baltics. Unfortunately, Lithuania will have to come during a another visit. There just wasn't enough time to enjoy all three Baltic countries. In fact, I even decided to only explore two major cities - the respective capitals of Estonia and Latvia, Tallinn and Riga.
Arriving in Helsinki
I took an overnight flight from JFK to Copenhagen and then another quick hop on SAS to Helsinki. I'd never flown SAS before, but it was a part of Sky Team so I figured the pilots had least a few hours of flight training. It was fine. No frills. But it got me safely into Finland. Having already gone through Schengen Area immigration in Copenhagen, I was able to just walk off my flight and head into the city. To do this I followed the signs downstairs for the train, purchased an ABC tickets (3 zones), and then either the I or P train to Helsinki Central Station. It took 30 minutes. Easy.
Helsinki Central Station
From the central station platform, you kind of walk out into plaza and cross over to a building on the left. Downstairs in the back you'll find the VR luggage storage. It's automated and relatively inexpensive. I chose the XL locker because I wasn't sure if both of my bags would fit. Turns out it was big enough for all of the Rolling Stones touring gear.
Temppeliaukio Church
Next I set out on foot for my day in the city, starting out with the famous rock church. It took me about 15 minutes to get there. You can't miss it. It's the thing with all the tourists. It costs €8 to go inside, and I actually got there before it opened to the public at noon. Supposedly there is a free public service in Finnish at 10am, but I missed that. But right before noon the tourists were already growing outside. So I knew if I wanted any chance of snapping a photo of this architectural wonder without hoards of people, I would have to be strategic. I pre-purchased a ticket on my phone and then gate-liced the hell out of the entry so I could be first in. As the doors opened I fast-walked like a crazy person past the welcome area and took a few photos before the chaos. It worked. And it was worth it. Within literally seconds it was swarming with people. Satisfied, that I at least got a pretty image, I was able to actually walk around slowly and take it all in. Even sat for a bit and just looked up, admiring the spiral ceiling. Was it worth €8? Probably not. More like a fiver. Didn't spend all that long in there. But still kinda cool. And I knew it would likely be the most touristy part of my day.
Eira Neighborhood
I knew my time was limited in Helsinki - just the day - so I sorta pre-planed a full walking route. And from the rock church I then set off for the Eira neighborhood, due south about 25 minutes. It was a lovely stroll where I got to take in much of the city, appreciating it's architecture and trams and people, though everything was rather subdued being it was a Sunday. Lots of dogs, though. Finnish people like their pets. And I was happy for that. The Eira neighborhood is lined with expensive old apartments in beautiful buildings, the best of which can be found on one particular street.
Huvilakatu Street
This is that street. Stunning.
RAMS Roasters
From Huvilakatu Street, it's just short walk over to a little coffee shop that I read had a cinnamon bun that wasn't to be missed.The rumor was true. This thing was insane. Though it was starting to mist, I sat outside and enjoyed a cup of coffee and my photo-worthy pastry. I also ended up experiencing a quirk of Finnish culture that I had read about, but didn't quite understand. It's that Finns tend to be rather aloof and quiet. They value personal space and privacy. Whereas I'm a talker and love chatting it up with strangers. So I met a woman who was there with her husband and kids. Clearly she was from America. California to be specific. But her husband was Finnish. She and I talked and yapped (politely and within reasonable decibel levels) while her husband just sat there. He wasn't rude. Not at all. He smiled. But was just ... quiet. I have no idea how an American and a Finn pull off such a relationship, but it seemed to work. It was a cute little demonstration of cultural differences.
Market Square
After my coffee and snack, I walked over to Market Square by the waterfront. It was a collection of kiosks with food offerings and venders selling touristy nicknacks and crap I didn't need or have any interest in. So, I just hung around for a short bit before moving on. My next stop was (to be) a statue called the Wise Mouse. This is one of my favorite things to do when I travel - search for pointless landmarks. Statues and benches and whatnot. Just a silly adventure for the sake of seeing what else appears along the way. Now, I said the Wise Mouse was to be my next stop. But I never found it. Or maybe I did and just missed it because it's supposedly very small.
Kallio Neighborhood
Having failed to find the tiny statue, I soldiered on to another neighborhood just across the Kaisaniemi Bay. I think. It was just a small inlet river. The neighborhood is called Kallio. It's supposedly had a lot of the charm of Helsinki with less tourists. That seemed accurate.
Flat no 14
I'd done a lot of walking (some of it in a slight rain) and felt I finally deserved a beer. So, I stopped into this fun, trendy little cafe. It was lively. Filled with young-ish people. Flat no 14 describes itself as a restaurant, a bar, and your second living room. Again, that seemed accurate. I had a Bohemian-style pilsner. I people watched. I hit my wall. Travel had rather caught up to me, so I decided to skip some of the other nearby highlights I wanted to check out - like the Suvilahti skate park, Solmu Pub, Kotiharjun Sauna, and Alppipuisto Park. All of these stops were on my "maybe" list if I had time. I did. I just didn't have the energy, and I really wanted to hit the library. Seriously.
Oodi Helsinki Central Library
I crossed back across the bay, closing the circle of my mini walking route around the city, and made my last stop at what turned out to be my highlight of Helsinki. The Oodi Helsinki Central Library isn't just an architectural marvel, it's an institution that surely embodies everything that makes Finns the happiest people on Earth. It was stunning to look at and it literally warmed my soul. Seriously, I almost got a little emotional. Almost. At its core, yes, Oodi is a library. But it's so much more. It's largely just a gathering space. For everyone. You can sit around and read with friends - loads of kids and adults were doing just that. Or you could use their free services and facilities to your heart's content. Sewing machines, 3D printers, podcast studios, music recording rooms, chess tables. There were people everywhere just enjoying the space and each other. I even sat down for a bit and read my book. It was heavenly. The people of Helsinki are lucky to have such a place, and I only wish my city had anything even remotely close to this.
Viking XPRS
From the library it was just a short hop over to the train station where I grabbed my bags and then hopped on a tram to the ferry terminal. I could've walked. But I was over it. I knew I had a lot of time still, but figured I could maybe get on the boat early and kick back or, at worst, just chill in the terminal for a while. It was the latter. And it kinda sucked, actually. The terminal is no frills. And the boarding process is a hot mess. Lots of people. A mad dash to get the good seats. But I had a ticket and I was on my way. Prior to this trip I had actually agonized over which ferry to take to Tallinn, Estonia. Really, it's between three different companies Eckerö Line, Viking, and Tallink. And they're generally regarded in quality in this order, the prices reflecting their reputation. But not by much. For me it was between Viking and Tallink, and, ultimately, I chose the Viking XPRS for no other reason than departure time. I had heard it's a bit of a party on board these ships, and I was certainly curious. It's only a two hour journey, but Tallink does offer an "overnight" ship where you can sleep onboard in cabin. I considered this because I thought it might be a good time - weird for the sake of weird. Karaoke with drunk Finns. But, in the end, it seemed silly to waste a night on a stupid ferry. And, as it turned out, I got drunken karaoke on the Viking boat. And it was ... weird. Apparently, Finns love to sing old, sad songs. It's a thing. And it sounded like a dog growling. I watched for a little, but ended up just cozying into a window nook and catching some sleep. All while people hit the gambling machines near me and just plowed through money. It was astonishing, really. Two hours later we arrived in Tallinn in the darkness. It was cool and quiet in the night, and I was happy to be in Estonia.
:: TALLINN ::
Arriving in Tallinn
Departing the ferry was far easier than getting on, and I was quite ready to be off the boat. The ride was fine. I was just feeling like a decent meal and a proper sleep in a hotel bed. Fortunately, it was only a 12 minute walk to my hotel.
Metropol Spa Hotel
I'm not really an Airbnb guy these days. I like hotels. And I like saunas. This was both. A hotel and a sauna. A full spa actually. And it was perfect. I wouldn't get to full experience the hotel on night one, but, at first glance, I loved the location, the general vibe, and my room was really nice. I knew I made the right call on this one. And I would have no complaints. Every morning I started my day in Tallinn by going downstairs to the spa. It's free for guests. I would hit the hot tub, then the steam room, then the pool, then the sauna, then the pool, and back to the hot tub. It was heaven. Clean, modern, and simply wonderful. The hotel's location was in this cool little - I don't know how to put it - district with shops and restaurants and cafes. And, most importantly, it wasn't in Old Town. But near enough to that central tourist spot that you could walk there in ten minutes. And after checking in, that's exactly what I did in search of food and a beer.
Hell Hunt
In my notes, I had this bar in old town as being open late on a Sunday. Thus, I dropped of my bags in my room and made a mad dash to old town in hopes that I was right. And I was. Old town was quiet and lovely at this time. And the glow inside of Hell Hunt was welcoming. The Aston Villa v Crystal Palace football game was on TV. A small crowd was nestled inside. And I had just enough energy to scarf down some surprisingly good fries and polish off a large beer. Then it was back to the hotel where I promptly passed out for a proper night of sleep.
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Tallinn Old Town Records
I finally woke up at 11am. Worth it. And the first order of business on my first full day in Tallinn was hitting the spa. My body felt rejuvenated. Soon, I was back outside heading to Old Town to see it in daylight. And my first stop was at this little record shop. Seeing live music is always on my agenda, and I figured if anyone knew of cool local bands playing while I was in town it would be the guy behind the counter. And boy did he deliver with a tip about a noise rock duo called Hello Killu. He said he was running sound for them that Thursday for some show at the art gallery. I made a note. More on that later.
Cafe Maiasmokk
This is described as Estonia's oldest continuously operating coffee house. It apparently dates back to 1864. It was fine. Nothing special. I feel like it cashes in on being old, moderately charming, and right in the heart of Old Town. I had much better coffee in much cooler shops while in Tallinn. But if you're there and you need a cup, go for it.
Goofy Wiener Dog Park Bench
After coffee it was time to do some wandering. And first stop was a random bench. It was actually in my notes as one of those silly, unusual things that I would seek just to see if I could find it. And it was right there on my way to get some caffeine. It was cute. Whatever.
Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform
Tallinn's Old Town is high up on a hill and offers some stunning lookouts. So my next stop was at one of two notable viewing platforms. Oddly enough, on my last day I would discover a third viewing platform that never found its way into my notes, and it was easily my favorite. But for now, I was enjoying, perhaps, the city's most famous one. The one that ends up in all the photos because the word Tallinn is adorned on a nearby wall. It's definitely nice. And worth it.
Patkuli Viewing Platform
Different platform. Different view.
Balti Jaama Turg
It was time for lunch. Weeks back I had connected with a guy on the Facebook group for Tottenham fans in Estonia. And he tipped me off to a cool area to grab food and a beer. The Baltic Station Market is located just outside of Old Town, built into old warehouses. So you've got all sorts of cool shops and restaurants and bars. And without the heavier tourist throngs in Old Town. It's sort of worth noting here that I didn't actually spend a lot of time in Tallinn's Old Town. It's gorgeous, for sure. Well preserved and out of a fairy tale. But it was a little too touristy and pricy for my liking. Anyway, I went to this market to find the Totttenham guy's recommended restaurant.
Humalakoda
It was a cool little brewpub with decent beer on tap and pretty good food. I had a great hamburger and an IPA. Solid recommendation.
R-Kiosk
After lunch my plan was to head back to the hotel and prep for the rest of the night. But first I stopped at what is basically Estonia's version of a 7-Eleven. There, I bought a five-day transit card for €14. And after changing clothes, I used the card to ride the tram back to the general area where I had lunch, but this time at a little restaurant and bar
Peatus
The place was pretty neat, built out of an old, historic rail car. Definitely had a cool look. But sorta quiet. Maybe it was just the time of day on a Monday, but no real vibe. Still, I sat outside and had a beer. And that was nice.
Heldeke!
NEED TO PICK UP HERE. I'M STILL WORKING ON THIS TRIP.
Capitol Restaurant
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Von Krahl Cafe
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Mia & Leela
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Fotografiska
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F-hoone
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Ratas & Kohv
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Shaurma Kebab
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Kalamaja Neighborhood
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Robert's Coffee
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Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room
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Heldeke!
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Vaat Brewery and Tap Room
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Koht
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Limoncello Baar
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Tallinn Pizza & Kebab
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OA Coffee
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Hotel Viru & KGB Museum
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Kadriorg Park
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Presidential Palace
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KUMU (Estonian Art Museum)
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Kompressor
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Levier
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Flare Tattoo
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One Sixty Smokehouse
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Toompark
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Bishop's Garden Viewing Platform
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Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
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Lucky Chimney Sweeper Statue
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Chopin Bench
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Black Angus Sculpture
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Unibet Sports Bar
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:: RIGA ::
Arriving in Riga
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Airbnb
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Miit Cafe
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Zefirs
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Sporta 2 Stage
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The Freedom Monument
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St. James Cathedral
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Kaķis Maisā
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Sporta 2 Stage (Again)
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Innocent Cafe
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The Corner House
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LIDO
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Riga Central Market
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Riga Ghetto and Holocaust in Latvia Museum
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Great Cemetery
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Labietis Brewpub
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LuLū
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Mikla Bakery
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National Library of Latvia
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Andalūzijas Suns
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Latvian National Opera (Start of Walking Tour)
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Foodbox
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Vērmane Garden
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Cat House
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Black Magic Bar
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Folkklubs ALA Pargrab
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Clayton McNamaras Drinking Emporium
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Aleponija
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Krokodils Bar
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Parunāsim Kafe'teeka
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Latvian Occupation Museum
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Big Christopher
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Jana Seta
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Rocket Bean Roastery
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Ezītis Miglā
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Art Nouveau Triangle
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Bastejkalna Park
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Nakama Tattoo
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Hot Kebabs
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Leaving Riga
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