I’d like to invite you on a post-Soviet Tallinn adventure. Come on an alternative virtual tour through a decade of extreme changes, witness the scale of gentrification and re-live a lost world. more “2011-2021: a virtual tour and time travel adventure of post-Soviet Tallinn”
If I was to tell you that right next to Tallinn, within view of Old Town, there was a heavily restricted Soviet military complex more “Naissaar: abandoned bunkers and Soviet secrets”
How can I make the most of my time in Estonia and have a real adventure? Good question.
Here are nine tips I’ve developed during my time in Estonia that I believe will help you to explore the city like a real traveller. more “9 travel tips to help you explore Estonia like a real traveller”
My favourite part of giving tours of Tallinn is undoubtedly the people that I get to meet. Many of these travellers come here to immerse themselves in a new culture more “Hidden Tallinn Tours {Reviews and Testimonials}”
Linnahall (a.k.a V. I. Lenin Palace of Culture and Sports) is one of the biggest eyesores in all of Tallinn; drab, grey and ugly… perhaps this is why I love it so much. more “Linnahall: portrait of an abandoned Soviet-era concert hall”
Something is stirring on the western shore of Kopli peninsula. A dormant industrial complex, left behind by the twenty first century, is beginning to wake up from its thirty-year slumber. more “Põhjala Tehas: abandoned rubber factory in Kopli”
Twelve years of knowledge and experience, in one place. Here is my Ultimate Tallinn Travel Guide.
more “The Ultimate Tallinn Travel Guide: Discover the real Hidden Tallinn”
I was just about to write a long and witty introduction to this piece, but then I realised that the title speaks for itself. more “15 Essential Websites and Apps for Travellers in Tallinn (Tinder not included!)”
Derelict; dangerous; destroyed; destitute. Kopli Lines has been one of the most problematic areas of Tallinn for decades. Vacant shells of former homes sporadically occupied by squatters and always in the news for the wrong reasons; more “~{Forgotten Tallinn Series, Ep.3}~ Kopli Lines, Abandoned Ghost Town”
In this chaotic and diverse world, there is one common phrase that unites us as a species. A phrase that, when uttered, causes every human being, regardless of their colour, creed or culture to rejoice…
more “14 Free WIFI hotspots in Tallinn (e-Estonia in action!)”
Tallinn is in a state of monumental metamorphosis. Apartment blocks rise up from the fertile ashes of a post-industrial wasteland, cafés procreate, shopping malls swell and futuristic trams glide silently across their new domain. more “~{Forgotten Tallinn Series, Ep.1}~ What’s the story of Kopli?”
Dynamic, yet peaceful.
Modern, yet traditional.
Nordic future, Soviet past.
Fiercely patriotic; yet outward-facing. more “A Beginners’ Guide to Tallinn”
Picture the scene: it’s 2009 and a pair of fresh-faced students had ventured to Tallinn for their first back-packing experience. more “A Beginners’ Guide to the Estonian Craft Beer Revolution”
There is no better way to explore Tallinn than on two wheels. Cycling offers the kind of flexibility, freedom and fun that motorised transport simply cannot. Hidden side-streets, secret forest paths and enticing neighbourhoods all become accessible when you venture out on a bicycle. more “Cycling in Tallinn: The 5 best rides in the Estonian capital”
Did you now that Tallinn Old Town is absolutely teeming with myths and legends?
You didn’t? more “5 Legends of Tallinn Old Town (and where to find them)”
It was the last day of our London to Tallinn bike ride and – by sheer coincidence – my birthday. Such days deserve celebration and I cannot think of a finer way to mark the occasion than a visit to an abandoned submarine base, hidden deep in the peaceful forest ambience of Laahemaa National Park. more “Hara: Abandoned Soviet Submarine Base”
Adventure, exploration and freedom are the guiding principles of any great trip. Here at Hidden Tallinn, we try to delve beyond the everyday sights and sounds of the cities and towns to bring you the hidden stories and cool places that make Estonia such a rich and fascinating country to explore. more “Cycling from London to Estonia: Summer Adventure”
The Old Town rewards the eagle-eyed traveller. From the Devil’s Wedding to the ‘L’ in the Old Town Square, hidden stories permeate this town. For those in the know (or, to be more accurate, those who read this blog), the sheer volume of Myths and Legends in the Old Town alone add a rich layer of intrigue and charm to this already beautiful city. more “The Old Town Pervert”
A word of warning; should you be out wandering through the Old Town after dark on a cold autumn night and a strange old man approaches you, be wary, for he has a question for you…
“Is the city finished yet?” more “Why the construction of Tallinn will never be complete: The Old Man of Lake Ülemiste”
The Soviet obsession with statues is clear. From Berlin to Bishkek, the former Iron Curtain cities are littered with these grand images of strength and unity – propaganda and personality cult – like the scattered wreckage strewn across the landscape in the wake of a mighty storm. more “Soviet Statues – Abandoned and Unloved”
“I remember being terrified by the egg”.
While reminiscing with Estonians about the melancholy days of childhood – the long summer days spent cycling through pristine forests, the heady scent of pine filling the nostrils and the hazy summer sunshine flooding the landscapes with a rich, warming glow more “Estonian Animation is Utterly Terrifying”
“Empty your mind. Be formless. Be shapeless. Like water, my friend.”
Information on this beautiful abandoned water tower is pretty limited.
Standing on the abandoned rail tracks more “Abandoned Water Tower, Telliskivi”
“This place is not fit for humans and never has been”
Still utterly fascinating and darkly captivating, Patarei Prison sits ominously on the Baltic coast; more “Re-visiting Patarei: Abandoned Soviet Prison”
During my first visit to Tallinn in 2009 I was privileged enough to witness a magnificent spectacle…
25,000 Estonians – young and old – all wearing national dress, standing on a magnificent semi-circular stage in front of a crowd well in excess of 100,000, all singing patriot, historic, emotional songs of freedom more “The National Song Festival”