Estonia

My Estonia travel summary:

Visited: August 2016

Duration of visit: 4 days

Capital city: Tallinn

Population: 1.3 million (2016)

Estonia travel blog reading time: 7 minutes

• Tallinn – a pleasant capital city where modern glass skyscrapers softly integrate in a historical old town.
• Kadriorg Park – flower beds, museums, Swan Bond, administrative building with the office of the President.
• KGB Museum in Hotel Viru – a Soviet-era hotel where the KGB secretly monitored foreign guests.
• Parnu – Estonian summer capital received me with heavy rainstorm, but disclosed why it is so popular vacation spot on the Baltic Sea.
• Estonian black bread is so delicious that I can eat it alone, without any additions.
• Border crossing with Latvia in the middle of forest.

I visited Estonia together with Latvia and Lithuania, traveling independently through all three countries by a rented car.

The Republic of Estonia is contrasting and unique. Even though it’s part of Baltic countries (together with Latvia and Lithuania), with which it shares similar geography and recent history under Soviet Union umbrella, it is different. Estonia is ethnically and linguistically close to Finland. It was under Russian and Soviet rule for over 300 years until 1991, when it began following its own path.

One of the best examples of rapid growth is progress in the IT sector, especially within government services. Public administration has become among the most efficient in the world, reflecting a strong partnership with its citizens.

Today, Estonians can do any transaction online, without even visiting governmental offices, queuing, filling up forms and waiting for days or weeks to get a procedure done.

Estonia has the most efficient eGovernment in the world. It was the first country to allow its citizens to vote online in 2005.

One of the most peaceful political demonstrations took place on 23 August 1989.

Around two million Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians formed a 675 km human chain called the Baltic Way, peacefully demanding independence from the Soviet Union as part of the Singing Revolution.

It is probably the most remarkable congregation of human beings for a common, peaceful cause. Considering that around eight million people lived in these territories at the time, the participation of two million demonstrators was extraordinary.

They linked hands for 15 minutes at 19:00 local time, making the achievement even more remarkable.

Unlike many other capital cities in Europe, Tallinn has managed to wholly preserve its structure of medieval and Hanseatic origin. The beautiful Old Town of Vanalinn earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1997 for its exceptionally preserved 13th-century layout. It is the main attraction of the capital and a must-place to visit. The city was lucky enough to escape complete destruction during the World War II.

Original cobblestone streets dotted with medieval churches and grandiose merchant houses, barns and warehouses leniently merge with souvenir stalls, restaurants offering traditional food, bars and cafes.

I wandered through the winding alleyways and backstreets of Vanallin without any precise plan, stepping back in time.

The area offers many things to do During my walk, I stopped by a souvenir stand. I bought a traditional wool hat with two tails that is also used as a scarf, and Estonian rye bread.

The heart of the Old Town is Town Hall Square, where Estonians welcome national heroes returning from major achievements abroad. The square also hosts Old Town and Medieval Days and a famous Christmas market around a large Christmas tree.

Alexander Nevski Cathedral is one of the most monumental examples of Orthodox sacral architecture in Tallinn. It was built in a typical Russian Revival style at the end of the 19^th century, during the period of Russification. Due to that reason it was particularly disliked by many Estonians as a symbol of oppression.

Demolition was planned in 1924, but lack of funds and the building’s massive structure prevented its execution. The interior, which is decorated with mosaics and icons, is also worth a visit.

Kadriorg Park, commissioned by Russian great tsar Peter the Great in the 18^th century, is the most outstanding palatial and urban park in Estonia. Flower beds, a number of museums, Swan Bond and administrative building with the office of the President, are the highlights. The flower beds around the Swan Pond are among the most popular spots for a park stroll. From there, a pleasant promenade leads directly to the president’s palace.

I wandered around in a peaceful setting, without entering any building. Although Tallinn is calm, strolling this green area just 10 minutes from the city center felt almost like the countryside. A little bit too cold for a picnic, but charm setting with a lake, flower garden and Presidential Palace in the background offers a great escape.

The main goal of Kumu Art Museum, opened in 2006, is to preserve and make sense of Estonian art from the 18^th century to the present day. For me, the highlight is the building itself, designed by Finnish architect Pekka Vapaavuori. Set into the limestone slope, a circular building with a large and lofty atrium, is modern and timeless. The sphere and the curved line are eternal forms.

Natural materials with local traditions harmonically coexist with the setting of Kadriorg Park. A mix of dolomite, wood and copper position a high building in a non-intruding form with the natural environment. Observing it from the outside, I didn’t realize how big the exhibition scattered through four floors actually is.

The next stop on my Estonia travel adventure was the KGB Museum in Hotel Viru, a former luxury hotel for foreign visitors. From the 1970s, the KGB secretly monitored guests and their contacts with Soviet authorities.

Any hotel that was appropriate for foreign visitors also had to be appropriate for the KGB. Viru was one of them. The first high-rise building in Tallinn was completed in 1972, when Estonia was part of Soviet Union.

Officially, the hotel had only 22 floors. Signs to stairs leading above the 22^nd floor and on doors said “there’s nothing here”. Well, there was something on the top – a hidden floor.

The 23rd floor housed a KGB radio center used to eavesdrop on foreign guests meeting Soviet contacts inside the hotel. Sixty hotel rooms and several restaurant tables contained hidden listening devices monitored by KGB microphones.

The operation was continuously running until the KGB left the hotel right before the independence of Estonia, in August 1991. The secret rooms were found in 1994 and transformed to a museum.

It is a fascinating landmark that lets visitors step back in time. I also took a photo with the red phone once connected directly to top KGB authorities. When the red phone rang, the person who answered knew an extremely important order was coming in. Interestingly, the telephone had no dial, as it always connected directly to the KGB headquarters in Moscow.

Our entertaining and occasionally sarcastic guide took us through various rooms that showcase Soviet-era objects. The racks of Soviet-era electronics, tape recorders, uniforms, telephones, gas masks, spy camera with wide angle and much more.

Dark rye bread is an absolute staple food and a cultural identifier for Estonians.

Most restaurants offer their own homemade bread alongside their meals. Estonians have been baking bread for over seven thousand years, no wonder that quality handmade breads can be found in neighborhood bakeries and restaurants.

Why Estonian rye bread is so special or delicious?

I am a big fan of bread and I have tasted many varieties all over the world. Nevertheless, in Estonia, I was able to eat the bread alone, without any cream, cheese, butter or anything. The extraordinary taste is complete, filling and unique.

Fermented rye bread is higher in fiber, darker in color and stronger in flavor. It stays fresh for up to two weeks if kept refrigerated.

The superb Medieval center of Tallinn is one of the best-preserved of its kind in Europe. In combination with modern high-tech buildings and parks, it gives the capital a special position in the Baltics countries. Developing fast with fresh ideas and innovations, using modern technologies and offering numerous opportunities, Estonia has the highest ratio of startups per capita in Europe.

More than half of Estonian almost completely flat landscape with few hills is covered with forest that offers home to lynxes, brown bears and wolves. On the other side, over 2,300 mostly untouched islands could offer future tourism potential as global temperatures rise.

At the end of my Estonia travel adventure I was sitting at the Patkuli viewing platform, tasting black Estonian bread, while enjoying views over the Old Town. It made me wonder why, despite many well-preserved religious sites, only 16% of Estonians consider religion essential.