How Big (or Small) is Estonia?

April 10, 2012 in Discussion | No comments

A lot of people say to us here at EstAdventures, “Estonia is really small, isn’t it? We usually just nod and agree, but occasionally we will get a little philosophical, and ask “what do you mean by small?” (This usually happens on our View with a Brew tour!). We thought we might as well put our thoughts down here on the blog.

By European standards, Estonia isn’t that small, covering 45,227km². When we consulted our good friend Mr. Wikipedia, we discovered that Estonia is the 30th biggest country out of 48 in Europe, in terms of land mass. That puts it at the smaller end of the table, but it is larger than countries such as Denmark, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium. So it really isn’t right to call Estonia tiny, at least in terms of how big it is.

When it comes to population, Estonia is in a similar place on the table, but there are fewer “well known” countries behind it. In terms of population, Estonia is 35th out of 47. (Yes these tables have a slightly different list of countries. Blame Mr. Wikipedia, not us!) Estonia has just 1.34 million people at last count, making it bigger than Montenegro and smaller than Slovenia.

We have plenty of Americans travel with us, and we often put it to them in American terms. Estonia is bigger than Maryland (32,000km²) and smaller than West Virginia (62,000km².) If Estonia was a U.S state it would be the 42nd biggest state. Estonia would be the 30th  most populated state in the union, between Connecticut and Iowa.

If you’re from Australia, just think that Estonia is about two-thirds the size of Tasmania, and has a population just a touch smaller than South Australia.

So as you can see, Estonia isn’t tiny, but it certainly isn’t a big place. But as the old saying goes, good things come in small packages!

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Ewert and The Two Dragons

January 12, 2012 in Music | No comments

This week EstAdventure’s favourite radio station held their annual music awards. A song called “Good Man Down” by local band Ewert and the Two Dragons won both the popular choice and critic’s award. Take a look at the music video, and if you are in Tallinn on February 2nd you can see them play at Rock Cafe.

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Stags in Tallinn. They’re not such a big deal!

January 5, 2012 in Discussion | 1 comment

Over the years a number of foreign media outlets have reported that Tallinn has become over-run by British bachelor groups, or stag parties. According to these stories, hordes of English, Scotish, Irish or Welsh deadbeats have taken over the cobble stoned streets, and have ruined the medieval atmosphere for everyone else. Given that these stories are in the travel sections of major newspapers, it is surprising that anyone actually chooses Tallinn as a holiday destination at all! However reality may not be as bad as reported.

There are certain parts of Tallinn’s Old Town that are best avoided if you’d like to steer clear of stag groups, but this is a fairly small area, and one which is home to some of the worst bars and sleazy strip clubs. You probably wouldn’t want to go there anyway.  There are a string of bars and clubs on Suur-Karja street which attract a certain kind of clientele. Stay clear of places on this street like the expat bar Nimeta, and you will probably go your entire trip without seeing a stag.

The general rule is that if you are looking for a cultured, relaxing weekend with good food, great tours and smart nightlife, then the type of places you go will be completely different to where the stag groups go. Don’t believe everything you read about stag groups in Tallinn. Tallinn was the capital of culture in 2011, there is a lot more than stag groups to Estonia’s capital.

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St. Petersburg – Tallinn Train

January 3, 2012 in Tips, Transport, Uncategorized | No comments

Fairly regularly we are asked what is the best way to take the train from St. Petersburg to Tallinn?  Unfortunately the there is no train service between the two cities. You may come across some mention of a rail link on the internet, as there was one a few years ago, but it has been discontinued.

Given that the train no longer runs, you may be wondering what options you have instead. Rail in Estonia is fairly poor, and in most cases buses will be more frequent, comfortable and convenient. The trip to St Petersburg is certainly no exception. Several bus lines run between Tallinn and St. Petersburg, and you may like to choose between the following:

  • Ecolines: A fairly standard bus service. Twice a day from Tallinn at 6:10 and 21:30. Twice a day to Tallinn at 7:45 and 23:30. Standard fare €45.70. Around 9 hours.
  • LuxExpress:  As the name suggests, this company offers buses that are a bit more comfortable than average. Running 3 times a day, plus other services using other buses. €36-48. The rip is around 6 hours, making it the fastest option.
  • Simple Express: Sister company to LuxExpress. This service is aimed more at students. 3 services a day. This is the cheapest option at €30. Travel time is around 7 hours.

If you are pressed for time, you may like to fly between the two cities. Estonian Air offer one or two flights a day. However by the time you check in and get off the plane, you may not actually save that much time.

There is also a ferry service between the two, however it’s really designed for taking cruises from Tallinn. It may be an option if you are travelling to Tallinn on the right day, but for most people it won’t be the most convenient option.  It does offer visa free travel however, so you may like to visit St. Petersburg for a short trip, using Tallinn as a base.

Another option to consider is travelling via Helsinki. The Helsinki-St. Petersburg train is new and extremely comfortable. The Tallinn-Helsinki-St. Petersburg triangle makes a great multi-city trip.

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Cafe Mmuah – Great Lunch Spot

May 4, 2011 in Eating And Drinking, Restaurant Review | No comments

We had a great lunch today in café Mmuah, a place that we eat at quite a bit. Located in the Kaubamaja shopping department building, Mmuah is a bit of a favourite of ours, and seems to be a fairly popular spot for locals. It’s not as popular with tourists, because it’s just a little bit out from the Old Town. This may make it appealing to many, and it’s surprising as it’s only a 5 minute walk. Eating here feels like a real local experience, rather than manufactured tourism fakery. The lunch specials are great value, each week they have a new range of 9 dishes to choose from. The specials are mostly around €4-5, and are s good size for lunch. The décor is nice and the staff are friendly. A great lunch spot when you visit Tallinn where you can escape the tourist bubble just a little bit.

Café Mmuah, Gonsiori 2, (Kaubamaja Building) http://www.mmuah.ee/

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Culture Surfing – Tallinn Calling

February 16, 2011 in Film, Museums, Music, Something for the Weekend, Tips | No comments

Every once-in-a-while you here a really great idea, and we think this is just one such idea. You have probably heard of the concept of couch surfing, where someone will put you up in their spare room or on their sofa. Well Tallinn Calling won’t find you a bed for the night, but they will match you up with someone to attend cultural events with. We’re sure this will be a big hit with solo travellers. What better way to get into the local culture than to go to a cultural event with a local. Check out their website.

Music

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Real Estonian Souvenirs

February 13, 2011 in Souvenirs | 2 comments

The thing that annoys me the most about the tourism industry in Tallinn is souvenirs. It seems that every second shop in the Old Town of Tallinn is a souvenir shop, and almost all of them are jammed full of pointless, tacky crap. I think that the cruise ships are largely to blame, as the garbage tours organised by the cruise lines herd their passengers into shops rather than showing them Tallinn. Of course they are all receiving their little kick back, so they aren’t even the good stores, just the ones that pay. The worst thing is that the stores are full of things that aren’t even Estonian!

Souvenires Tallinn Estonia

We don’t want to burst your bubble, but amber doesn’t really come from Estonia. Yes, it comes from the shores of the Baltic Sea, and Estonia is on the Baltic, but amber comes from further south. If you want to buy amber from its source, go to Lithuania or Poland.

Certainly more frustrating than amber is the matryoshka dolls, or nesting dolls, that seem to fill every window in every souvenir store. These dolls are RUSSIAN, not Estonian. Only if you have a complete lack of cultural understanding would you think of these dolls as Estonian. Spend just 5 minutes reading your guide book and you will know that Estonian and Russian cultures are quite different.

Ok then! You’re probably thinking by now that I’m just a grumpy old tour guide who goes on and on about the negatives without making any decent suggestions. Well, the good news is that there are some really great souvenirs to be found. And that means that if you seek them out, then you will have a truly unique memento that very few others will have.

To be honest, there is a lot of “handcraft” that is just plain awful! I wouldn’t give some of the knitted sweaters I’ve seen to my worst enemy. But if you’re prepared to hunt around you will find some gems. One store we like is the Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union (Eesti Käsitöö) located at Pikk 22. There’s also a range of shops in the Master’s Courtyard and Katariina Kaik, two small passages which both run of Vene street.

If we had our way we’d kick out all of the souvenir stores from the Old Town and replace them with places like Kuld ja Hõbeehted at Pikk 27. This is a jewellery store has lots of beautiful items with an Estonian flavour. They manage to be Estonian without being kitsch.

I’m sure you have plenty of souvenirs that are just clogging up your house. Let’s face it, you don’t really need another fridge magnet! Why not buy some clothing from an Estonian designer, and you can wear your souvenir.  Hula on Pikk Street began life as a project by students at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Ivo Nikkolo is probably the best known designer in Estonia. Nu Nordik in Vabaduse Väljak (Freedom Square) has fashion by young designers, as well as jewellery and design ware. Why not get your feet into a cool pair of modern shoes with traditional Estonian folk patterns. Made by Folkr, these are a great blend of old and new. They also make a range of other items such as aprons.

Visit a music store and pick up some Estonian music. Arvo Part is an internationally renowned Estonian composer. The Popular local band is arguably Tanel Pader and the Sun. Metsatōll will suit heavy metal fans.  Ask a local for some suggestions, there’s bound to be something to suit your taste.

Kalev is Estonia’s most famous chocolate producer. They produce some really nice boxes with painted scenes of Tallinn landmarks.  These make fantastic gifts for friends back home.  Or for friends who like a tipple you might consider the national liqueur, Vana Tallinn.

Souvenirs don’t have to be cheap and tacky. With just a little bit of effort, you can find a really unique and interesting.

Souvenirs Tallinn Estonia

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Estonian Weather

February 11, 2011 in Tips, Weather, Winter | No comments

The weather really does affect the enjoyment of your holiday, and it’s no wonder we spend so much time talking about it.  Sometimes the Estonian weather seems so unpredictable that there’s no point trying to understand it, but there certainly are some patterns worth taking note of.

Surprisingly for a country on the Baltic Sea, the greatest influence on Estonian weather is the Atlantic Ocean. The North Atlantic Current, part of the Gulf Stream, warms all of Europe, including Estonia.  Estonia’s location on the north-west of the east European Plain means it is in a transitional zone between a maritime and a continental climate.

Westerly winds bring humid maritime air which make winters warmer than some other places at similar latitudes. Tallinn is at similar latitude to the very northern tip of Scotland, Newfound Land and Labrador, Southern Alaska or Siberia. Summers are also often milder due to the maritime air.

The Latitude leads to a large variation in the length of days, which is perhaps the most interesting aspect of Estonian climate. At the winter solstice the day is just over 6 hours long in Tallinn. At the summer solstice the day lasts a whopping 18:40 minutes. And even when “night” finally arrives it never actually feels dark.

Estonia receives an average of 1600-1900 hours of sunshine a year, which is roughly half the possible maximum.  When the sun is shining you will see locals and tourists alike flock to sunny spots around the town to enjoy a drink in the sun or to work on their tans.

Statistically August is the wettest month, and September has the highest number of rainy days. During summer there is an average of around ten days when some rain occurs, which means that you can expect fine weather around two-thirds of the time.

Mean maximum temperatures are around 20 degrees in summer, on rare occasions the temperature will creep into the low 30’s. Be prepared for hot weather, because many buildings lack air conditioning, especially in the Old Town.  Even in the mid 20’s Tallinn can seem hot.

The Baltic Sea does affect the weather, keeping coastal areas warmer in winter and cooler as summer approaches. The inland areas warm faster than the sea, so in spring coastal areas are cooler, but this difference is usually gone by the time summer arrives.

Estonian winters may seem long and harsh to many people. The minimum temperature is around -5 degrees, but may drop into the -20’s in Tallinn on occasions.  Snow covers the ground for 75-135 days, with inland areas having the most snow for the longest period. No wonder Estonians are so good at cross country skiing!

If this is all too much information and you just want to know what the weather tomorrow will be, then there are plenty of sources for you to get climatically prepared. The most popular local source is http://www.weather.ee.  At EstAdventures we use http://www. ilmajaam.ee, and although this is in Estonian, you will probably be able to figure it out.

Whatever the forecast, you had best be prepared for all sorts of weather. Estonian weather can change very quickly. As the saying goes; “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing!”
Month Mean Temperature oC Mean Total Precipitation (mm) Mean Number of Precipitation Days
Daily
Minimum		 Daily
Maximum
Jan -7.5 -2.1 48.3 11
Feb -8.2 -2.3 32.4 8
Mar -4.9 1.6 32.0 8
Apr 0.0 8.0 36.5 7
May 4.9 14.6 37.9 7
Jun 9.8 19.2 56.9 8
Jul 12.0 21.0 78.4 11
Aug 11.5 19.8 82.2 11
Sep 7.4 14.7 74.0 12
Oct 3.5 9.3 72.7 11
Nov -1.3 3.3 67.2 14
Dec -5.2 -0.1 56.6 14
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Independence Day – 20% off Walking Tours

February 3, 2011 in Uncategorized | No comments

Given the long history of foreign occupation of Estonia, it will really isn’t all that surprising that Independence Day is one of the most important days of remembrance in Estonia. To mark the occasion, we’re giving 20% off our Urban Adventures walking tours until Independence Day, February 24th. Simply use the code INDEPENDENCE when you book any tour online. The discount is valid for any tours in the 2011 season, which runs from May to September.

If you are in Tallinn on Independence Day, you will find that the city is fairly quiet, and many shops will be shut.  However, there is one activity that more than makes up for the shop closures. We highly recommend that you get up early and head to Toompea for the Independence day ceremony. Toompea is Tallinn’s historic castle and site of the present day parliament. The atmosphere at the ceremony is well worth soaking up, and you may even be inclined to join in the march of students which often ends at the pub!

So what does Independence Day actually mark? In the dying days of the First World War, a group of Estonian intellectuals and community leaders made the most of a brief period between occupying armies to declare Estonia’s independence. After the Russian revolution, Bolshevik troops were retreating eastwards, leaving Tallinn free, albeit just for a day. The declaration of independence was declared on February 24th. The Germans arrived in town just a day later, and completely ignored the declaration.  After the collapse of the Germans in November 1918, the Bolsheviks invaded Estonia, looking to regain their territory. Estonia also had to fight remnants of the Baltic German Nobility looking to regain their positions of power.  By February 1920 Estonia had militarily defeated the Germans and Russians. The Bolsheviks signed the Peace Treaty of Tartu on February 2nd 1920. After nearly 2 years of fighting Estonia was truly free.

The Estonian Declaration of Independence is perhaps one of the most uplifting pieces of political writing ever. If you have a moment read it over. If you’d like a little more information on the war of independence try and get your hands on the film Names on Marble (Nimed marmortahvlil.) If you can’t find it in your country, it is widely available in Estonia. It is the most successful Estonian film ever at the box office.

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EstAdventures Joins the Urban Adventures Network

April 20, 2010 in Uncategorized | No comments

EstAdventures is pleased to announce that we have joined the Intrepid Urban Adventures network for 2010.  Urban Adventures is a new outfit who have began providing fantastic, small group single day activities all around the world.  From May EstAdventures will be operating the Tallinn branch of the Urban Adventures network. This means that our scheduled walking tours will be running under the Urban Adventures banner. You’ll still get the same fantastic experience as on previous EstAdventures tours, and the tours are still terrific value. All of our day tours will continue to run as EstAdventures tours, and we will continue to offer the best private tours available.

We’re really excited to join such a great team, and to celebrate we’re giving away a limited number of tours at HALF PRICE. Just jump on the Urban Adventures Tallinn website and use the code UAP2547 to recieve 50% off your booking. But please hurry, as you need to book before May 1st, and there is a limited number of discounted places available.

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