Séparée d'Helsinki par une mince bande de la mer Baltique, Tallinn se dresse fièrement sur la côte sud du golfe de Finlande. En tant que capitale de l'Estonie, elle joue un rôle majeur en tant que puissance politique et économique qui a été le terreau d'innombrables startups, lui donnant le surnom de «Silicon Valley de l'Europe». Cependant, le passé historique de la ville est un attrait majeur: Fondée en 1248, la vieille ville de Tallinn est une merveille classée au patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO, entourée d'une nouvelle ville soviétique tentaculaire. Des visites à pied emmènent les visiteurs dans les superbes bâtiments médiévaux, tels que le château de Toompea et la cathédrale Alexandre Nevski; à travers le parc Kadriorg; et au palais impérial russe en son cœur. Profitez d'une soirée en vous promenant dans les rues pavées et en participant à une dégustation de bière à Olde Hansa pour un avant-goût de l'époque hanséatique, une saveur de la vieille Estonie. Les jardins botaniques, la marina et la plage du quartier de Pirita méritent également l'attention, ainsi que les ruines du couvent de Pirita. Ceux qui vont plus loin qu'une simple excursion à terre peuvent parcourir 50 kilomètres à l'est jusqu'au parc national de Lahemaa, un mélange fascinant de forêt et de marais. À seulement quatre heures de route, la capitale lettone de Riga attend également avec sa masse de beaux bâtiments Art nouveau.
Tallinn’s charms change seasonally, tempting different types of travelers throughout the year. Winter (November through February) offers snow-blanketed cityscapes and Christmas festivities. Spring and fall offer cool-but-comfortable weather and an atmosphere of pre-summer stillness. The busiest season is summer, when Estonia’s capital is pleasantly warm and full of life; June is particularly popular. The city also hosts events every few weeks through the year, including December’s jolly Christmas markets and July’s Tall Ships Races.
Tallinn’s main sights are mostly concentrated the small, walkable, and cyclist-friendly Old Town, so you can easily explore on foot or by renting a bike. There are also public transportation routes that ring the Old Town: buy a ticket for use on the buses, trams, or trolleybuses, and you can catch a ride at different spots around its circumference. This transportation network also extends to the neighboring modern city and to other districts, like Kadriorg.
The wide-open, peaceful sands of Estonia’s Kakumäe Peninsula offer a wonderful break from the city. In the summer, it’s a great place to recharge your batteries, take a swim, watch the kitesurfers skid over the waves, and stroll along coastal walking and bike trails. If you’re here between 9pm and 10pm in July and August, you can also enjoy stunning satsuma-colored sunsets. To reach the beach, take a short bus ride to Kakumäe tee or Sooranna tee.
Tallinn is known for its UNESCO-protected Old Town, with its paved squares, onion-domed churches, and merchants’ houses girded by fairy-tale-like walls and watchtowers. Visitors focus on this medieval gem, but also, increasingly, on wider Tallinn, which delivers everything from the gardens of Kadriorg to Nordic-style cuisine, urban art, and nightlife.
...PlusAim for a 2-day visit. Explore the Old Town to see its Instagrammable Town Hall Square, multi-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Toompea Castle, and watchtower-studded walls. The next day, cast your eyes wider to Kadriorg Park, the edgy café-filled Rotermann Quarter, and the reconstructed wooden villages at the nearby Estonia Open-Air Museum.
...PlusAside from sightseeing in the Old Town and modern city, Tallinn is replete with restaurants, nightspots, and lesser-known museums and neighborhoods to enjoy. Try both hearty and modern Estonian cuisine; slurp on glögg (mulled wine), party at a rammed nightclub, and roam the arty Kalamaja district and fascinating Seaplane Harbour Museum.
...PlusGrab a complimentary Old Town map to see its lovely Town Hall Square, medieval mansions, and city walls; and finish by exploring the free-to-enter Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Tallinn’s Balti Jaam Market, with its food and trinket stalls costs nothing to visit, as do the picnic-perfect gardens and meadows of Kadriorg Park.
...PlusYes. Tallinn welcomes approximately 3.8 million tourists a year, most of them lured by its picturebook Old Town, with its colorfully painted townhouses, squares, churches, and relaxed, small-city vibe. Other draws include wider Tallinn’s top-notch museums, graceful Kadriorg Palace and gardens; hip modern districts, world-class cuisine, and electric nightlife.
...PlusYes, Tallinn is considered very safe to visit. Crime rates are low and you’re unlikely to encounter problems during the day or night. That said, as in all capital cities, it’s wise to keep your valuables safe at Old Town hotels, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, as pick-pocketers just might target them.
...PlusNombre d'attractions | 22 |
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Nombre de visites | 231 |
Nombre d'avis | 1 531 |
Devise | EUR |
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