During my recent trip to Finland, not only did I get the chance to go to Lapland - which was an unreal experience - but I also decided to take a day trip to the Estonian capital: Tallinn. Yes, because why not? While planning my trip, I realised how close Estonia was to Finland, and how easy it is to travel there from Helsinki. Indeed, there are multiple ferry companies that offer this route, but there’s also 35-min flight option. Even though flying there seemed quite convenient, I didn’t want to go through the whole airport security process, and also I thought the ferry was a more unique experience.

I thus booked my tickets with a company called Tallink; the return trip cost me €28. The Helsinki-Tallinn line operates multiple times a day, but I chose to spend as much time as possible in Tallinn so I took the 7:30am ferry and got back the same day on the 11:30pm ferry. The check-in and boarding processes are both very easy but make sure you arrive in advance (1 hour is recommended) especially if you haven’t checked in online. Also, double check which dock you are departing from because there are a few in Helsinki, and they are not walking distance from each other.

What to do?

I didn’t expect to have such a crush on this city as I didn’t know what to expect at all. I had done very little research prior to my trip because I was too busy organising my move to Australia. As much as I like planning things, sometimes when I know I have time, I just like wandering in the streets of a new place with no particular plan in mind. Tallinn’s historical centre is absolutely beautiful and it was even more beautiful because of all the Christmas decorations.

It is super easy to get from one place to another because everything is walking distance. It takes approximately 20 minutes to walk from the port to the city centre. The only time I had to take a bus was to go to a specific restaurant located outside of town. Buses a quite reliable in Tallinn, however I didn’t find the payment process very easy. You need to buy a prepaid card at a news station, or pay with coins. They don’t take credit cards… something to keep in mind.

Here is a list of all places I visited and recommend checking out:

• Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

• Pikk Jalg & Lühike Jalg - 2 beautiful streets, perfect for photo opportunities

• Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform

• Raekoja Plats - this is where you can find Tallinn Christmas Market

• Vanalinna Uisupark - there is an ice skating rink in the winter

• Freedom Square

• Kadriorg Palace

Now because this was just a day trip, I was only able to test 2 restaurants & 2 bars (yes, I ate a lot!) so I tried choosing wisely. I found online that Tallinn has some of the best cuisine in the world, and there seems to be a lot of very good restaurant options. My experience was amazing everywhere I went so I can only recommend the below establishments:

• NOA Restaurant - this is the one that is located outside of town, and the journey is 100% worth it. Service was amazing, food was delicious and the view is incredible!

• Rataskaevu 16 - most popular restaurant in the historical centre for traditional cuisine.

• Karja Kelder - a friend told me it’s the oldest pub in town and I thought it was quite cool!

• Tabula Rasa - perfect place to get delicious signature cocktails.