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ST. PETERSBURG

2020-08-21 02_51_59-st. petersburg flag

Venice of the North

3 & 14 Night Stopovers

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CITY GUIDE

"St. Petersburg is a gem of world culture and Russia's most European city."
- Valentina Matviyenko

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BIRTH DATE -

  • 27 May 1703

 

POPULATION - 

  • 5,467,808

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AKA - 

  • Sankt Pieter Burkh, Petrograd, Leningrad, St Pete, Piter, Venice of the North, Palmira of the North, Amsterdam of the East

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MEANING - 

  • Did Tsar Peter the Great name it after himself or St Peter? Or both?

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RIVER - 

  • The Neva river is the only one but there are 300 kms of canals and 800 bridges over them which once gave the city the moniker of the Venice of the North

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HISTORY - 

  • Tsar Peter the Great wanting to modernise his country went incognito to the Netherlands to learn the secrets of shipbuilding. He spent 4 months there and quite enjoyed it. When he came back he decided he needed a new port city and started building St. Petersburg. As in Amsterdam many canals were built. Many of the new city's architects were Dutch. 

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  • The construction of the city took decades and the granite embankments on the canals didn't come along until 200 years later.

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  • After Peter came his wife Catherine l in 1725. She oversaw plans that were mainly developed in Peter's time. She didn't engage in the affairs of state and her rule was brief.

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  • In 1727 Peter ll (the grandson) took over and moved his court to Moscow. St Petersburg was neglected. It fell into a state of disrepair and people started leaving.

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  • In 1730 Peter II died and Empress Anna moved the capital back to St. Petersburg. Otherwise it may have become just another nondescript town. She built palaces and churches and implemented modern planning for the city centre.

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  • In 1740 Empress Anna's niece Anna Leopoldovna and then her son Ivan VI briefly ruled until they were deposed in 1741. He was the "Man in the Iron Mask"

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  • Empress Elizabeth ruled from 1741 to 1762 and oversaw the city becoming "a truly European city". It was an extravagant reign and buildings and palaces were greatly enhanced.

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  • Peter III only lasted a matter of months.

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  • Catherine the Great (a German) ruled from 1762 to 1796. She brought in the best artists and architects and was responsible for the famous statue of Peter the Great on horseback, the Marble Palace, Alexander Palace as well as adding to all of the existing ones.

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  • Paul I was next, he was eccentric and only lasted 5 years being assassinated by his own guard.

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  • Alexander I 1801 - 1825 became Europe's most powerful ruler, defeated Napoleon and left an indelible mark on the city with major projects including buildings, streets and squares. He also initiated St. Isaac's Cathedral which took 40 years to complete.

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  • Nicholas I 1825-1855 was responsible for the Alexander Column, completing the General Staff Building and the Palace Square. He was an autocratic ruler and during his time the Russian Empire reached it's zenith and it was also a "Golden Age" for Russian  culture.

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  • Alexander II 1855-1881 was a reformer and he modernised the city.

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  • Alexander III 1881-1894 saw a time of massive industrial developement and the city's population reach 1.2 million.  The Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood was also built.

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  • Nicholas II 1894-1917 was the last Tsar of Russia. The Singer Building and the Yeliseev Emporium were built in his time. In 1897 it was the third largest European capital after London and Paris. 

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  • When WW1 started the name was changed to the less German sounding Petrograd. Things didn't go well during WW1. People were suffering from a lack of food and fuel and were cold and weary from the war. The discontent started strikes and protests, the troops sided with the strikers and the Tsar had to abdicate bringing an end to over 300 years of Romanov rule. A provisional government took over but the Germans looking to cause problems transported Vladimir Lenin home from his exile in prison in Switzerland. It took 6 months but on 25th October 1917 the  Bolsheviks stormed the Winter Palace and took over.

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  • Lenin quickly forged a peace with Germany which cost huge tracts of land. This was followed by civil war breaking out in many parts of Russia. In March 1918 the capital was moved back to Moscow away from the insecure border. St. Petersburg experienced a mass exodus and within 4 years two thirds of the population had left. It took until 1921 to stamp out all resistance.

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  • When Lenin died in 1924 the name was changed to Leningrad. 

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  • Under Stalin tens of thousands were arrested, tortured and sent to labour camps. The prisons were overflowing with twenty people in a cell built for one. The terror was winding down in 1939 just in time for the next catastrophe occurred. WW2.

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  • Hitler attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941. 3 months later they reached Leningrad. The plan was to raze it to the ground. They blockaded the city for 872 days. It was the worst seige the world had seen. Over a million died from starvation. The city never surrendered and in 1945 was awarded with a Hero City Award. The siege inspired art and fierce civic pride.

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  • The city had been destroyed and it was up to the 600,000 surviving residents to rebuild it. By 1950 it was mostly done. Stalin decided he couldn't trust the local leaders who had successfully defended the city without any guidance from Moscow. He started persecuting them until 2,000 of them had been arrested and shot or fired.

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  • After Stalin died Kruschev let a lot of people out of gaol and rehabilitated their reputations.

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  • In the 1970's Leningrad became home to an underground artistic movement. To keep an eye on them the KGB opened The Leningrad Rock Club. The best musicians played here as it was the only legal club in town. St. Petersburg is now known as the home of Russian Rock and Roll.

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  • Things loosened up with Gorbachev. In 1991 the "Gang of Eight" (hardliners) put Gorbachev under house arrest and tried to take control. Boris Yeltsin led the charge to defy them and in Leningrad 200,000 came out to protest. The coup failed and shortly after the citizens of Leningrad voted to change the name back to St. Petersburg. Soon after the Soviet Union fell apart and it was once again Russia.

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BEST TIME TO GO - 

  • Late May to September is summer when they have the "White Nights"(May - July) and nearly 19 hours of sunshine. It is busy and expensive at this time. These are also the wettest months. Book a year ahead to get the best prices.

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  • Otherwise it's winter and very cold. There is a Winter festival in December. Prices are much cheaper. Winter sports are available.

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  • There is a small shoulder season from late April to mid June where the weather improves and the prices don't.

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  • August - September would be a good time for nice weather and better crowds and prices. 

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TOP 10 - IN NO ORDER

  1. The Hermitage (The Winter Palace)

  2. Grand Palace and Cascade Peterhof

  3. The Peter & Paul Fortress

  4. The Palace Square

  5. St. Isaac's Cathedral

  6. Russian Museum

  7. Nevsky Prospekt -                                                                                                                   Central Avenue

  8. Bronze Horseman -                                                                                                                    Peter the Great

  9. Church of Our Saviour                                                                                                                   on Spilled Blood

  10. Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) -                                                                                                                Catherine Palace

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FUN FACT - 

  • It would take you over 10 years to spend a minute at each exhibit at the Hermitage. If you pass an interview and prove your trustworthiness  you can take one of their rodent clearing cats home, with a special certificate.

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AIRPORT TRANSFER - Pulkovo International Airport (LED) 25 km

  • Ignore the touts and go straight to the line outside with fixed prices

  • 25 minutes to the city centre

  • Buses are the cheapest way

  • Also minivans which will take you to the closest metro station

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SAFETY - 

  • Beware of pickpockets especially children, even in the museums

  • Don't get in unlicensed taxis / always get an Uber or Yandex home from the bars and clubs

  • Be careful / avoid underground walkways

  • Never accept food or drinks in bars and clubs

  • Lots of scams, especially by children, don't stop and talk to them on the streets

  • Never try to bribe officials

  • It is illegal to talk about homosexual issues in front of minors

  • Generally it is as safe as other European cities

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FOOD - 

  • Beef Stroganoff, Borscht, Savoury Pancakes, Pirozhki, Pelmeni and Vareniki (dumplings), Chicken Kiev and Blini are all well known but still worth checking out in the homeland.

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  • Also try Solyanka (sweet and sour soup), Koryushka (battered fried smelt), Golubtsy (cabbage rolls), Okroshka (cold soup), Khachapuri (fried cheese bread), Zharkoe (meat and veg stew), 

       Shchi (cabbage, meat & veg soup), Leningrad Rassolnik (soup)

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  • Don't miss the famous Food Hall at The luxurious Eliseyev Emporium. It has products from all over Europe.

  • For good cheap buffet or cafeteria food go to Marketplace. No need for menu translation.

  • Some recommended restaurants are Phali Khinkali - for Georgian food 

  • Buterbrodskybar - for good Russian food

  • Katyusha - "thoroughly Russian 

  • Gogol Restaurant - step back into the 19th century

  • Kvartirka Soviet Café - to reminisce the Soviet days and try some homemade liquors

  • Café 'Mayak' to experience Leningrad

  • and for your Donuts (& coffee) don't miss the legendary Pyshechnaya on Bolshaya Konyushennaya

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NIGHTLIFE - 

  • You can book online for an organised pub crawl. 

  • There are many nice restaurants and bars in the historic centre of the city

  • Nevsky Prospekt is the main thoroughfare and has many hotels, restaurants and bars around it

  • Nearby Rubinshteyna street is full of bars and nightlife and good if you're over 25

  • Dumskaya street is good for under 25 year olds

  • Vasilievsky Island is a University hangout so there are a lot of bars and pubs

  • New Holland is very popular in the summer with lots of out door restaurants and bars. Don't miss "The Bottle" an old prison with several floors of bars, cafes and shops.

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SIDE TRIP - 

  • Tallinn and Helsinki

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COSTS - 

  • Cheaper than Moscow and many other European cities. Similar to Eastern European prices. Should be able to stick to budget with twin share room.

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GETTING AROUND - 

  • Black cabs come out at night and like to charge a lot more. Avoid them by getting staff to  call a cab or organise a car. Write the price down to try to avoid arguments later.

  • There are also lots of trams, metro trains, trolley buses, and minivans.

  • There is Uber, Yandex Taxi and Gettaxi

  • Public transport finishes at midnight

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MUST DO - 

  • ​Go to the Circus / Vodka museum / Rasputin museum

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SHOPPING - 

  • You can buy Replica Fabergé Eggs here

  • Or a Russian fur hat, amber, porcelain, vodka, Russian Dolls, 

  • Bolshoy Prospekt is the place for women's clothes shops

  • Udelnaya Flea Market - Uncover some unusual Russian memorabilia

  • Nevky prospekt is the main shopping street and has been claimed to be one of the best streets in the world - go for a 4.5 km stroll and don't forget to check out the amazing Eliseyev Emporium

  • The area around Chernyshevskaya metro station is a cheaper place to shop

  • There are food markets, farmer's markets and open air markets to be found

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               ST. PETERSBURG WEEKENDER 3N            

2020-05-24 18_59_43-Pulkovo Airport to P

 

HIGHLIGHTS - museums, bridges & palaces

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  • Museum of Russian Vodka

  • Pyshechnaya doughnut café

  • Freud Museum of Dreams

  • Museum of Hygiene

  • See Pavlovs dog

  • Stay in Tsentralny (Center) 

  • Free walking tour guide

  • Business lunch at Marketplace $4

  • Faberge museum

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  • What a fantastic city to spend a 3 day weekend in. So much to see and do. Cheap flights, easy e-visas for 30 days and East European prices. If you catch a ferry from Helsinki you will get 72 hours visa free on arrival. If you do come in this way see the trip below for what to do in Helsinki and maybe a side trip to Tallinn as well. You'll love it so much you'll be back for a longer stay as soon as you can.

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  • This will be like a sampler menu just to give you a taste of what's available. You could spend days in the Hermitage alone. And there are many other museums (often very unique) to get around to. Don't miss the Museums for Vodka, Dreams, Faberge Eggs, Russian Cruiser Aurora, Shadows, Hygiene (ever wondered what Pavlov's dog looked like?), mini Russia and Rasputin's House.

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  • Stay near the bars and restaurants. Soak in the culture by day and let your hair down at night. Any time of the year is an interesting time to come. Winter may be more of a challenge but your efforts will be well rewarded. Of course the "White Nights" of summer are the most famous when all manner of entertainment and a few festivals come alive.

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  • The Peterhof Palace complex is one of many must sees. It was built to outshine the palace at Versailles in France. A canal cruise is a good way to see the city and some of it's 342 bridges. The food here is great so hoe into all of your favourite Russian dishes. Visit the Caviar Bar. Go shopping along Nevsky Prospect and pick up some souvenirs and presents to remind you of this one of a kind city.

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  • Too soon it will be time to head off home. If you want to see a lot more of Russia have a look at the Trans Siberian adventure in Train Trips - Journeys.

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Since July 2019, some 53 nationalities -- including all European Union citizens -- can now get e-visa access to the northern city of St. Petersburg and surrounding area for up to 30 days.

St Petersburg on the river

Image by Peter H from Pixabay 

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     MEET ST. PETERSBURG 14N           

2020-05-24 18_00_19-Helsinki, Finland to
st-petersburg-

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HIGHLIGHTS - finland, russia & estonia

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  • Helsinki 3N - St Petersburg 6N - (Overnight Ferry 1N) - Tallinn 4N

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  • This is a triangular trip which means you have a few extra options. You can start and  finish in whatever city you like. For the sake of this exercise we will fly in and out of Helsinki. Visas for Finland and Estonia are the same that apply to all the Shengen countries in Europe. 90 countries can enter visa free and 150 countries need visas. In 2022 those visa free countries will need to pre-register to get an electronic travel authorization (ETIAS) which will give them multiple entries into Shengen countries for 3 years. The visa for St Petersburg you should be able to get online for 30 days.   

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  • Travel between the cities is easiest by train and ferry. Fast train from Helsinki to St Petersburg is 3 hours. Normal train from St Petersburg to Tallinn are 7 hours. Ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki is 2 and a half hours. If you enjoy the leisurely travel option on ferries there is one from Helsinki to St Petersburg that takes 14 hours and gives you 72 hours visa free in St Petersburg and surrounds. This ferry sails 3 times weekly. There is also a 14 hour overnight ferry from St Petersburg to Tallinn which could be a good option during the White Nights. This runs twice weekly. Another option could take you the long way from Tallinn to Helsinki via Stockholm.

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  • Not that many people visit Helsinki and they are missing out. Stay in Kamppi among the bars and restaurants and next door to the city centre. Visit the nearby Church in the Rock. Excavated into solid rock, its dome is made of copper and its walls are raw hewn rock. This unique and amazing Church is also used for concerts.

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  • Helsinki is situated on the Baltic Sea and is surrounded by hundreds of islands. There are all manner of boat trips including dinner and sunset cruises. One of the best day out is a visit to the sea fortress of Suomenlinna. It is a short ferry ride away and is built on a number of islands which are connected by bridges. The Swedes began building this UNESCO Heritage Listed Site 1748. Some of the attractions include bunkers, museums, a WWII Submarine and a Microbrewery.

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  • After all of this activity you'll be getting hungry. Near the ferry terminal you'll find Market Square. Salmon Soup with rye bread is an iconic dish here. It's a top spot for food, treats, handicrafts and souvenir shopping. Some of the local dishes include Ruisleipa (Famous Rye Bread), Breakfast Pies, Thursday Soup (Pea soup), Baltic Herring, Grilled Sausage served with a bun, mustard and beer, Cinnamon Buns, Lingonberry Pie, Cabbage Rolls, Baked Cheese served with jam, Salty black liquorice in many forms (e.g. Ice Cream), Cardamom Doughnuts and Fish Soup to name just a few. Beer and Apple Cider are popular drinks.

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  • Another quintessential Finnish experience is the Sauna. Alternate between freezing and cooking yourself because it's good for you. You will find them everywhere. If you're lucky you may even get to see the Northern Lights while you are in Helsinki. One thing's for sure you'll be out seeing the night lights. In recent years Helsinki's nightlife has come of age and you will find a wide choice of venues to check out. Most places are in the city centre near your hotel and the many young people and students give it  a lot of energy. One innovation you might like to try is the Sparakoff (Train Pub). A bright red tram that works like a hop on hop off bus and sells alcohol.

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  •  Hop on the fast train and 3 hours later you'll be rolling into Finland Station in St Petersburg. As in the 3 day trip above you will be staying close to the action. You'll have a lot more time to get around to the many museums, palaces and other must see attractions. It will also give you enough time to some of the wonderful day trips out of St Petersburg. Such as Petergof and Pushkin where you can see the palaces of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great respectively. Catherine's Palace was actually built for her predecessor Catherine I but she did use it as her Summer Palace. It contains the Amber Room known as the 8th Wonder of the World. Thanks to WWII most of what we now see is a reproduction. Still very impressive though.

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  • The food is very good here so why not get into all of your Russian favourites like Beef Stroganoff and Chicken Kiev. Other popular dishes are Borsht (Beetroot Soup), Fried Stuffed Pancakes, Pirozhki (Savoury and Sweet stuffed buns), Savoury and sweet stuffed dumplings, Solyanka (Sweet and Sour Soup), Blini with sour cream and smoked salmon and caviar, Fried Smelt (Fish), Cabbage Rolls, Pyshkas (Doughnuts), Leningrad Rassolnik (Local soup speciality - St Petersburg was called Leningrad in Soviet times) and create your own High Tea with some Russian Spiced Tea and a Leningrad Cake Set. For those feeling nostalgic for the old days there are a number of Soviet style eateries around town. 

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  • The city is not only famous for its art and culture but for its nightlife as well. Leningrad (St Petersburg) led the way with Rock n Roll in Russia. Which was considered very subversive at the time. They played smuggled music from the west and had their own rock music bands as well. It was also the first Russian city to adopt Clubbing inthe 1980's.  The nightlife really began to flourish in the 90's when they opened some Discotheques that have become very famous. The Russians like a good time and are happy to party the night away. You will find live music, concerts, DJ's, festivals etc. and costs at most places are quite reasonable.

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  • If you are taking the Ferry option you will need to begin this whole trip on certain days as it only sails twice a week. The ferries are very comfortable and quite reasonably priced when you take a nights accommodation into account. Plus they're a lot of fun and can be very relaxing. Otherwise you could take the train or the bus which are both around 7 hours.

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  • Many non-Europeans would have trouble locating Estonia on a map let alone know anything about it. Which makes it a bit of an exotic destination. Well you're in for a real treat and it will a great way to finish off the trip. Stay in the heart of the UNESCO listed (Medieval) Old Town which has the best traditional cafes, restaurants and pubs. You'll feel like you've stepped out of a time machine and landed in a 15th century fairytale. If you feel like a splurge stay at the St Petersbourg Hotel 5***** and it's the oldest hotel in town - 14th century. Tallinn is one of those places to get to before everybody else finds out about it.

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  • If you can drag yourself away from your lovely new home in the Old Town there really are some interesting and quite different things to look at in Tallinn. A KGB Hotel, the Museum of Occupation, Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour ( including a submarine from the 1930's, 2 cinemas and a lot of interesting Military hardware), the Estonian Open Air Museum (Which basically recreates the country, people and all, in one convenient space), what was the Lenin Palace of Culture and Sport originally built for the 1980's Olympics (once abandoned but now plans are on the table to turn it into a concert venue), Kamu Art Museum, Toompea Castle, Tallinn TV Tower, Tallinn Town Wall, the oldest (and still operating) pharmacy in Europe - 1422 as well as palaces, cathedrals and museums. Quite a list.

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  • Now for the food and it doesn't disappoint. AS mentioned earlier the Old Town is THE place to get traditional meals. Dishes like salted salmon, fried herring and roast duck leg. Several restaurants offer medieval fare (700 year old recipes) as well as entertainment. There is also a modern evolving cuisine being pushed along by a young generation of chefs. Influenced by it's former masters but uniquely Estonian. Other influences come from far flung places like Peru and Japan. Estonian  chocolate is very good. Typically for this area Rye Bread is very important. Sprats are popular and get turned into all sorts of dishes. You can eat very simply or sit down to a fine dining tasting menu.

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  • When Beer O'clock comes around you could pick worse places to start off than Lounge 24 at Radisson Blu. A rooftop terrace with wonderful views over the city. Perfect for sundowners. From here you could do your own pub crawl back towards the Old Town. Tallinn used to be a Bucks and Hens Night destination so there is no shortage of pubs and clubs and bars. There are a few legendary ones you you check out. In fact Tallinn claims the title of Party Capital of Northern Europe. There is a healthy craft beer scene here and some pretty wicked cocktails. Just don't forget to say Terviseks. The fun way of saying cheers.

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Image by Luidmila Kot from Pixabay 

dome-of-the-rock-Copper Church Helsinki

Image by Stefan Herkenrath from Pixabay 

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Image by anja_schindler from Pixabay 

Tallin Estonia
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