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Tallinn, with an artistic streak

Downtown angles, Old Town rooftops, Kadriorg’s gardens and a food scale that reached twelve out of ten.

Estonia202553 photographs

By Julius Uy4 min read

Red roofs, stone towers and a green-tipped spire overlook trees and the sea in Tallinn Old Town.

Tallinn made a strong impression on me. Downtown felt full of artistic expression, the Old Town earned an unqualified “absolutely gorgeous!”, and Kadriorg added palace gardens and green spaces to the visit.

My food notes were just as emphatic: several tens, one twelve, and a dessert that barely made it onto the scale.

Downtown Tallinn

I noticed a tremendous amount of artistic expression in Tallinn. It helped make the city feel very liveable to me. Downtown’s buildings show some of that character: reflective panels form sharp patterns, while angular metal volumes project above older stonework.

The city photographs move between very different surfaces: a red-brick corner tower, pale concert-hall columns and a covered passage beneath hanging globe lights. With the reflective panels and projecting metal volumes, these details show the variety behind my comment about Tallinn’s artistic expression.

Angular reflective glass panels cover a modern building above steps and planted concrete containers.
Reflections and sharp angles in downtown Tallinn.
Faceted metal volumes with triangular windows project above an older stone building.
Angular metal forms above older stonework.
Brick and cream decoration surround a rounded corner tower and arched doorway.
Brick and cream decoration surround a rounded corner tower and arched doorway.
Hanging globe lights illuminate a covered shopping passage with smooth sculptures.
Hanging globe lights illuminate a covered shopping passage with smooth sculptures.
White columns and tall windows rise above steps at a yellow concert-hall facade.
White columns and tall windows rise above steps at a yellow concert-hall facade.

RØST and bakery counters

At RØST in the Rotermann quarter, my cinnamon roll and espresso earned 10/10. The bakery’s black sign hangs against a stone wall. The pastries on display are twisted into compact knots, with dark golden folds.

This was one of the combinations that needed no complicated verdict: coffee, pastry, ten out of ten.

The food photographs also linger on the displays: round loaves, cinnamon and cardamom knots, croissants, and smaller savoury pastries. Chalk labels name what is on each tray. These counter photographs preserve the range I saw, alongside the cinnamon-roll-and-espresso combination in my notes.

A black illuminated RØST sign hangs from chains against a stone wall, above a smaller Leib | Kohv sign.
RØST’s sign in Rotermann.
Dark golden knotted pastries sprinkled with sugar sit on a paper-lined bakery tray.
Knotted pastries on display.
Round loaves and dark golden knotted pastries fill a bakery counter.
Round loaves and dark golden knotted pastries fill a bakery counter.
Small savoury pastries sit beneath warm lights on a bakery counter.
Small savoury pastries sit beneath warm lights on a bakery counter.
Knotted pastries sit behind chalk labels for cinnamon and cardamom.
Knotted pastries sit behind chalk labels for cinnamon and cardamom.
Sausage pastries and custard tarts sit beside chalk labels.
Sausage pastries and custard tarts sit beside chalk labels.
Croissants, chocolate pastries and round baked goods fill a glass display.
Croissants, chocolate pastries and round baked goods fill a glass display.

Tallinn Old Town

My entire verdict on Tallinn Old Town was “absolutely gorgeous!” Red roofs stretch around church spires, with the water visible beyond them. At street level, stone towers and walls stand above planted beds, with timber walkways linking parts of the fortifications.

The close views are as varied as the skyline. Dark domes and gold crosses stand against blue sky; a copper-coloured spire rises above a clock; stone doorways sit in the shade. Inside a church, painted icons fill a gilded screen.

Other photographs follow the Old Town’s changes in height: broad steps below a cross, narrow stairs between yellow walls, and towers above lawns and tiled roofs. The album cover pulls several of those shapes together in one vertical view.

Red and orange rooftops surround a tall church spire, with the harbour and sea beyond.
Tallinn Old Town rooftops and the water beyond.
Stone towers with red tiled roofs connect to a high wall and a covered timber walkway above planted beds.
Towers and stone walls in Tallinn Old Town.
Red roofs, stone towers and a green-tipped spire overlook trees and the sea in Tallinn Old Town.
The Old Town panorama I chose as my Estonia album cover.
Dark onion-shaped domes and gold crosses rise above an ornate white and red church.
Dark onion-shaped domes and gold crosses rise above an ornate white and red church.
A copper-coloured spire rises above a white clock tower.
A copper-coloured spire rises above a white clock tower.
Arched wooden doorways and shallow steps sit beside a shaded stone building.
Arched wooden doorways and shallow steps sit beside a shaded stone building.
A translucent cross stands above broad steps beside Estonian flags.
A translucent cross stands above broad steps beside Estonian flags.
A round stone tower rises beside trees and a church spire.
A round stone tower rises beside trees and a church spire.
A gilded church screen displays painted icons above candle stands.
A gilded church screen displays painted icons above candle stands.
A narrow stone staircase climbs between cream and yellow buildings.
A narrow stone staircase climbs between cream and yellow buildings.
A pale church tower rises above a lawn, flower beds and a yellow doorway.
A pale church tower rises above a lawn, flower beds and a yellow doorway.
A stone tower stands beside a pink and white building above a manicured lawn.
A stone tower stands beside a pink and white building above a manicured lawn.
Copper-coloured spires and a red tiled roof rise above pale walls.
Copper-coloured spires and a red tiled roof rise above pale walls.

Old Town · candlelit meals

At Olde Hansa, bear meat scored 10/10. The Gold Gruber shot went further: 12/10, accompanied by “Insanely good.” My scoring system had found a reason to stretch again.

III Draakon, in Tallinn Town Hall, supplied another 10/10 with elk soup. The food photographs show the setting as well as the dishes: heavy earthenware, lantern light, rough stone and chalkboards above wooden tables. An illustrated menu adds another detail from the Old Town meals.

A main course in dark sauce sits beside grains, vegetables and berries on a wooden table with a candle.
A candlelit table at Olde Hansa.
A brown earthenware jug and a handled bowl of soup stand on a wooden table beside a candle lantern.
Soup and earthenware from the food photographs.
A green handled glass holds an amber drink beside a candle on a wooden table.
A green handled glass holds an amber drink beside a candle on a wooden table.
An illustrated merchant-house menu is held in front of wooden chairs.
An illustrated merchant-house menu is held in front of wooden chairs.
A hand holds an earthenware cup beside a lantern and a stone wall.
A hand holds an earthenware cup beside a lantern and a stone wall.
Lanterns light empty wooden tables beneath chalkboards on a stone wall.
Lanterns light empty wooden tables beneath chalkboards on a stone wall.

Kadriorg Palace and park

Kadriorg brings a different set of colours and shapes. The palace’s red, yellow and white façade faces patterned flower beds and clipped shrubs, with a green roof above the long line of windows.

The red, yellow and white façade of Kadriorg Palace faces patterned flower beds and clipped shrubs.
Kadriorg Palace and its formal flower beds.

Kadriorg · pond, paths and trees

Around the Japanese Garden’s pond, planted banks and small islands sit beneath trees. Reflections fill the water between them, with hydrangeas and a low bridge adding closer details.

The wider park photographs follow gravel paths into shade, past birches, boulders, lawns and white benches. A wooden boardwalk bends beneath bright leaves. These photographs give the garden room beyond a single pond view.

A garden pond reflects trees and planted green banks, with small islands and timber edging.
Water and greenery in Kadriorg’s Japanese Garden.
Gravel paths branch beneath leafy trees and a tall park lamp.
Gravel paths branch beneath leafy trees and a tall park lamp.
A path curves between boulders, benches and birch trees.
A path curves between boulders, benches and birch trees.
White hydrangeas surround a pond reflecting a brown-roofed building.
White hydrangeas surround a pond reflecting a brown-roofed building.
A pond and small planted island sit beneath trees and bright sunlight.
A pond and small planted island sit beneath trees and bright sunlight.
A low stone bridge crosses beside hydrangeas, shrubs and trees.
A low stone bridge crosses beside hydrangeas, shrubs and trees.
A wooden boardwalk bends beneath bright green leaves.
A wooden boardwalk bends beneath bright green leaves.
A white park bench stands beneath trees and dappled sunlight.
A white park bench stands beneath trees and dappled sunlight.
Tall trees and globe lamps line a straight shaded park path.
Tall trees and globe lamps line a straight shaded park path.
Sunlight falls through a leafy canopy onto grass around a park lamp.
Sunlight falls through a leafy canopy onto grass around a park lamp.
A grassy lawn lies between mature trees beneath a blue sky.
A grassy lawn lies between mature trees beneath a blue sky.

Around Kadriorg · art and wooden buildings

The Kadriorg photographs also include geometric play equipment and a metal sculpture beneath trees. Their curves and angles make a different pattern from the palace’s decoration.

Pale wooden buildings add another set of textures: white window frames, pointed roof towers and tall glazed rooms. Stacks of split firewood sit beside the wooden walls.

Metal bars and cream and blue spheres form a playground structure.
Metal bars and cream and blue spheres form a playground structure.
A pale blue wooden building has white-trimmed windows and pointed roof towers.
A pale blue wooden building has white-trimmed windows and pointed roof towers.
A geometric metal sculpture rises from a paved path beneath trees.
A geometric metal sculpture rises from a paved path beneath trees.
A pale wooden house with tall windows stands beside stacks of firewood.
A pale wooden house with tall windows stands beside stacks of firewood.
Split firewood is stacked beneath covers along a wooden wall.
Split firewood is stacked beneath covers along a wooden wall.

More meals in Estonia

Rye bread earned another 10/10. One plate paired browned bread strips with a pale dip and a tall iced drink.

The sweet things produced a much wider spread of scores. Strawberry meringue from Reval Café got just 1/10; kohuke landed at 6/10. Herring on a breakfast plate fared better in words than numbers: I found it quite decent—salty, soft and savoury.

The breakfast photograph brings the herring note into view alongside sausages, potatoes, vegetables, cheese and browned patties. Other close-ups record bread and a spiral pastry, a packet of kohuke, and packaged wild jerky; I do not attach a new rating where my caption gave none.

Browned strips of bread fill a plate beside a pale dip and a tall iced drink on a terrace table.
Bread, dip and an iced drink from the Estonia meals.
Brown bread and a sugar-dusted spiral pastry sit on a white plate.
Brown bread and a sugar-dusted spiral pastry sit on a white plate.
A breakfast plate holds fish, sausages, potatoes, vegetables, cheese and browned patties.
A breakfast plate holds fish, sausages, potatoes, vegetables, cheese and browned patties.
A packet of wild deer jerky is held in front of a shelf of similar packets.
A packet of wild deer jerky is held in front of a shelf of similar packets.
A blue Alma kohuke packet is held in front of a refrigerated dairy display.
A blue Alma kohuke packet is held in front of a refrigerated dairy display.

Red roofs, stone towers and a green-tipped spire overlook trees and the sea in Tallinn Old Town.
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