May 13, 2019 - Denver, Frankfurt, Tallinn

Old Town Tallinn, with its jumble of 14th and 15th century architecture, its medieval walls, needling towers, and twisting, cobblestone streets is also the site of many of the city's important historic attractions and museums including the House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads, St. Catherine's Guild. and the 15th-century Guildhall that now houses the Hi story Museum. Tallinn is an old city that has been invaded by many foreign powers. Old Town was built on a hill overlooking the Baltic Sea and was ringed with a high wall with about...

Aug 22, 2018 - DAY 6 - Tallinn

Day 6 - Tallinn (Estonia) Docked in Tallinn at about 8am, once again in lovely, but quite breezy sunshine. We disembarked at 9.45am, this time for a non-organised day exploring the town on our own on foot. Unfortunately three other large cruise ships were in port at the same time, so this meant that nearly 10,000 of us were hitting the narrow cobbled streets of the ancient walled town at the same time and trying to visit the same attractions - not good! This is clearly one of the least appealing aspects of cruising! By lunchtime we had...

Jul 13, 2018 - Estonia

Yesterday we spent the morning in Geneva with the girls and after lunch we said our good byes. We headed for the airport mid afternoon for our flight to Tallinn. We have really enjoyed the opportunity we have had to holiday with Karen, Elysia and Jayde. It was after midnight when we finally landed in Tallinn due to flight delays and were grateful for our pre-arranged airport transfer. Our hotel is in the "old town", a UNESCO world heritage site and we spent today exploring this beautiful town. It's a very popular tourist destination and...

Jun 28, 2018 - Culture in Tartu

Walking around the C18th classical architecture cultural city including Raekoj Plats town square and its "kissing students". A visit to Toomemagi Cathedral Hill - a stronghold in C5th & C6th and now university buildings and park. 9am we met up with our guide for the next 2.5 hours: Marieka. She was very good, talked clearly and directly to us and waited for everyone to catch up when we got behind (taking too many photos !). We walked via the river from the hotel to the town centre via the Pig (and its other half – the pork), the Town...

Jun 27, 2018 - Travelling to Tartu

Lots of travelling today to Estonia's second city, Tartu. Stopping at Parnu for lunch and ferry to Tartu for a free evening to explore the leafy university city. Tartu Hotel. A really long day so let’s see how it went ! We headed for the electric ferry, going over to Koguva & Kuivastu on Muhu to Virtsu on the mainland, then drove two hours towards Parnu. For some reason it was deemed necessary to paddle on the beach (my feet stayed dismissively dry) before being given two hours to walk around Parnu which was to include lunch. I had a cheese...

Jun 26, 2018 - Exploring Saaremaa

Being crime-free, Saaremaa attracts lots of mainland visitors. We will explore windmills, churches and juniper groves (gin ??!!). Kuressare has a C14th castle and is picturesque. We will visit town hall and St Laurentius church. Also free time (to visit Bishop's palace - one of best preserved medieval castles in Europe). Staadioi Hotel. A beautiful day. At last brilliant sunshine all day, little cirrus clouds occasionally. Temperature up to about 22oC. A really easy interesting day with some R&R. Off at 9am on a walking tour into Kuressare...

Jun 25, 2018 - Travelling to Saaremaa

Drive towards Gulf of Riga and ferry to largest off-shore island of Saaremaa. A strategic Soviet military outpost and escape route to the West. It's own culture and simple way of life. En route: a visit to Muhu Island and Kogua open-air Museum. On Saaremaa visit Karja medieval church and Angla windmills and then up to 4000 year-old Kaali Crater, a result of a meterotie impact equivalent to Hiroshima bomb. On to Kuressaare to check in at Staadioni Hotel. Did a tour of Tallinn by coach. Stopped at the Song Music venue and went inside then on...

Jun 24, 2018 - Walking around Tallinn

Talinn is 57 miles over sea to Helsinki and half way between St Petersburg & Stockholm so will lots of cultural influences since first stronghold in C10th. Closest to Finland language and economy. Seized by Swedes in 1561 for 150 yrs and taken over by Russians who industrialised medieval town. On hill, overlooking the sea, Old Town is cobbled. Walking tour + C14th gothic town Hall, pink parliament buildings and Toompea Castle near Alexander Nevsky Cathegral (11 bells). Afternoon free: lots of colourful knitted & linen handicrafts.Seaport...

Jun 23, 2018 - Tallinn

Time to get our bearings before others arrive. Tallinn, pop 500,000,is compact and easily accessible on foot, with minimal traffic. The Old Town is one of the best Hanseatic town centres world wide and a UNESCO Heritage Site. Vibrant cafe and nightlife culture. Seaport Hotel Hop On-Hop-Off bus Red Route to: the Sound Music Festival park (every town has one), Russalka Memorial (commemorating 177 Russians lost at sea in 1893 en route to Finland), very soft, sandy beach, walk in the park to the Palace gardens, the Kadriog Palace (Peter the...

Jun 22, 2018 - We're off - just

A l o n g day. Up at 5:45, now in Tallinn at 1:45 (tomorrow!). Easy to Heathrow from Premier, Bath Road; check in, security, pleasant breakfast in (new to me) T3 (with enormous stainless steel work of art in atrium), essential shopping, meander around the shops, wait at gate, go to board...... only to find our flight left an hour ago! So, a few loops with Lufthansa and service desk at Explore and..... big sigh of relief.....a booking on evening flight via Frankfurt to Tallinn as before.... at a charge of course but not eye watering. A few...

Jun 13, 2018 - Voted Funniest Guild Ever

June 13 Wednesday Today we went into Tallinn, Estonia. A country that has been ruled by everyone in Europe it seems. The Germans, Russians, Sweden, Poland, and yes even Denmark. The Russians ruled them most recently. The population of Estonia is 1,300,000 people. Our guild told us how the National pass time was stealing everything they could at work and not nailed down from the Russian government. Some stole enough to build houses. Her grandfather had a closet full of chocolate.They had to have permission from the government to own a...

Jun 13, 2018 - Team name - the 5 of 20

June 12 It was a cruising day. Naps, trivia, playing cards, and eating, always the eating. There is a trivia at 5 we play and are asked 20 questions. It was so ridiculously hard the winner had 8 right and we only had 5. The geography of the world has changed so much since high school, next cruise I am packing a world map. I met a woman from Azerbaijan. She spoke perfect English. Before you look it up on a map its near Turkey. The World Cup is in Russia this year. Yes, we will be in Moscow for the opening ceremony and in St Petersburg...