I was having a friendly discussion with one of my buddies the other day when we had the topic about the places that we want to visit someday. As I have mentioned before in this blog, I said that I wanted to retire in Prague. Prague was a typical answer. It's one of the most visited places in the world. My friend, however, said that he wanted to visit the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn.
I was mildly surprised to hear that, especially since Estonia is not among the more popular destinations in the EU region. Unless you're in the Eastern Europe region yourself, chances are you might not have heard of this country. So I asked him why would he want to visit the little-known place. Then he answered that he is interested to find out more about one of recent years' fastest growing economies, right after it regaine its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
I laughed. I know that he's very interested in economics, but I didn't know that he is that interested to actually base his desired destination because of economic history.
Well, don't fret. There's more reason to visit Tallinn than its recent economic boom, though you can always visit it for that reason as well if you want to. Having its roots dated to the Middle Ages, you certainly won't get disappointed with Tallinn's prevalent architecture. In fact, the Old Town of Tallinn is listed in UNESCO'S World Heritage Sites list for its medieval architecture that has been preserved over the years.
Of course to fully feel this medieval atmosphere, you have to walk down on the cobbled streets yourself and check out the cafes, restaurants, pubs that line them. There are also festivities scattered althroughout the year based on medieval traditions, such as "Old Town Days" and "Medieval Market."
Another point of interest for the city is the Soviet influence reflected unto it. For about half a century, Estonia was forcibly taken into the USSR fold. When it regained its independence, the citizens were quick to eliminate much of the signs of the Soviet era, though a half-century certainly cannot be erased that immediately. Some of these structures are the KGB Headquarters, the Tallinn TV Tower, and the Museum of Occupation and the Fight for Freedom.
So if you really feel like visiting Europe this winter, then do pay a visit to Tallinn. The interesting mix of Soviet influence and medieval architecture is really something to see.
