GET AWAY FOR A REALLY WILD SHOW!
takes a long weekend break in the beautiful capital city of Tallinn
ESTONIA may be a small nation – compromising just over 1.3million people – but the country’s capital Tallinn shows great things come in small packages.
The city, which is home to 60% of Estonia’s population, combines rich history with innovative and exciting developments.
The walls of the Old Town may date from the 1300s, but Tallinn is anything but a city stuck in the past, with many modern projects popping up alongside the beautiful historic sights.
I arrived just in time for Tallinn Music week in April, as hundreds of artists came to perform in many venues across the city.
The opening concert at an abandoned power station turned concert hall – Kultuurikatel – was an incredible experience, as young and old were enthralled by the “Radiohead Rewritten” show performed by the celebrated Estonian producer and conductor Kristjan Järv.
The festival sees a wide range of music performed, from electronic right through to classical, catering for fans of many different genres, ensuring the festival’s growing reputation on the music scene.
Estonia has a rich musical history and alongside the more experimental and modern music, there is still a large appetite for the classical genre.
During my long weekend in the city we were lucky enough to get tickets to the Brahms and Schubert concert performed by the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra at the imposing Estonia Concert Hall.
Having never being to a classical music concert before I was unsure what to expect, but was blown away by the powerful performance of the orchestra, with international composer Joseph Swensen at the helm. The make-up of the audience was also a surprise, young and old from a variety of walks of life, all sitting down to enjoy the transcendent experience.
Tallinn is a city of many surprises, with unexpected delights waiting round each corner.
None more so than in the former industrial area which is now home to one of the city’s most exciting projects.
Telliskivi – the Creative City – was created by Jaanus Juss who envisaged a new way of development for the city’s creative industry.
The complex consists of 10 derelict buildings that have been brought back into life.
Currently there are more than 200 businesses, companies and NGOs operating on the premises and it’s become the go to place for Estonia’s hipsters.
As well as a workplace there are hundreds of events that happen in the Creative City, drawing 700,000 people to the complex’s eateries and small shops over the year – think Shoreditch ten years ago.
Jaanus has promised never to build apartments on the site and carefully selects each company that’s allowed to set up there – but a hostel is due to be completed in the near future to quench the insatiable appetite for accommodation near to the site.
Estonia’s restaurant scene was yet another surprise to me, while I was perhaps naively expecting a diet of potatoes and hardy stews it couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Finland is visible from Tallinn and a mere two-hour ferry ride away and this closeness to Scandanavia was reflected in many dishes we ate.
A short distance outside of the city is Noa, which sits on the sea with a frankly stunning view of Tallinn.
We enjoyed several divine dishes, including lamb koftas and the best seabass I’ve ever had and, while the restaurant isn’t the cheapest in town, it’ll certainly be one of the most memorable.
Another excellent restaurant was Farm which puts a modern twist on traditional Estonian fare in a rustic setting.
Situated just inside the Old Town walls, the restaurant provided a warm escape from the snowy scene outside. The restaurant’s kitchen is centred in the middle of the eatery and watching chefs prepare my dish of Deer was a novel experience.
Despite all of Tallinn’s modern attractions, no visit to the city is complete without a tour of the Old Town.
We went on an extensive afternoon walking tour and discovered many of the medieval city’s attractions and legends.
From tiny cobbled streets to the imposing town square, the old town is almost fairytale like in its appearance.
With many myths and tales about the plague, noblemen’s exploits and the crusades, the Old Town is the perfect place to satisfy any history buff ’s appetite.
Estonia may be a small nation but it is a very proud one, and after a visit to Tallinn it’s easy to see why.