Aelfgifu Travels

Hi Aelf Crew,

As mentioned, I visited Estonia as my final stop on my Baltic States trip, shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The number of military personnel walking around Tallinn was noticeable, particularly in the Old Town. I did research at the time if this was normal pre-Ukraine invasion, and learned that the invasion of Ukraine, NATO’s involvement and Estonia’s heightened security concerns had contributed to the increased presence of soldiers.

Estonia is where my obsession with free walking tours began. I found a great one advertised at my hostel, and despite the bitter cold, our tour guide kept us moving to keep warm whilst still taking in the city’s sights. It was extremely informative and I would recommend a similar tour to anyone visiting Tallinn.

On the tour I was recommended to visit the KGB prison cells, which were detention centres in the basement of a building used during the Soviet occupation. These were interesting, especially for someone fascinated by Soviet history. However, it did feel expensive (€9 in 2022) for what was essentially a basement with 6 cells. I understand there may be a lack of space but I wish instead there was more information provided for the ticket price. There were placards dotted around but I needed more to really get the feel of the symbol of communist terror that these could offer.

I agree, Tony, I agree.

In addition, I went to the Estonian Maritime Museum as I love model boats – the true nerdy nature of Aelfgifu is really shining through on this post! My ticket was €20 and I spent an entire afternoon going around this museum playing on the interactive buttons, exploring the exhibitions and to top it off, I found a hidden karaoke corner with traditional naval songs from different countries. Naturally, I sang every single one. What some may call weird, I call a 20-something year old girl enjoying herself singing sea shanties in a museum corner.

Depending on the length of your stay and what you plan on seeing, it may be worth looking into a ‘Tallinn Card’. For €43 (for 24 hours), you would get free access to both the KGB prison cells and the Maritime Museum listed above, along with  free travel on public transport and discounts to tours. I leave the link here in case helpful: https://www.visittallinn.ee/eng/visitor/tallinn-card/tallinn-card/what-is-tallinn-card

Top Tips to Learn from Aelfgifu:

• Planning your itinerary beforehand will help you make a more informed decision on tourist cards like the Tallinn Card, as it’s only worth it if you’re planning to visit several attractions in a set amount of time.
• I will sing this tip until the cows come home: free walking tours are a fantastic way to get local insight at a price that is comfortable for you. Just be sure to wrap up warm as even when moving, Tallinn winter is brutally cold.

Is there any other sights you would recommend seeing in Tallinn? Let me know below!

From the cells,

Aelfgifu