After a wonderful time in Vilnius, we moved on to Tallinn. The bus ride took around eight hours. Quite long, but in a comfortable bus it was manageable.
We were actually very lucky with the weather on this trip. All the Baltic capitals welcomed us with good conditions. Even Vilnius, despite some short but heavy rain, did not disappoint. Tallinn welcomed us with almost southern heat. Of course, because of the humidity it feels heavier there, even though it was only around 25 degrees. For us, coming from the south, that is not much. But for a northern city, such warm and clear weather felt like a real gift.
Tallinn Old Town
Tallinn’s Old Town is fairly large, but at the same time very cozy and full of character. In four days we managed to walk through almost all of its streets and hidden corners, and along the way we noticed many small details that stayed with us.
There are not as many churches here as in Vilnius, for example, but they belong to different confessions and religious orders. We even witnessed wedding ceremonies in several very different churches. All of them are still active, with regular parish life. Two places are especially worth mentioning: Niguliste Church and Museum, and St. Olaf’s Church. Both have tall towers that you can climb for a great view over the city.
And in Tallinn, finding a good view from above is never difficult. There are many viewpoints on the hills around the old city, each offering beautiful panoramas. Almost every one of them has a small café nearby where you can stop, grab something simple, and just enjoy the view.
The Towers of Tallinn
Tallinn has preserved its medieval city walls remarkably well, and with them the towers of the old city, many of which offer excellent views.
Most of these towers are open to visitors, and for us it became almost a challenge. Not only can you climb them, but you can also walk along long sections of the old fortifications. Of course, we took that challenge seriously. We climbed as many as we could, took countless photos, and explored everything we found.
Some towers are simply viewpoints. Others include access to parts of the city wall. And some even contain full museums inside. One of the best examples is Tallinn’s maritime museum, built directly into the old walls. Naturally, we explored that too.
Kadriorg Art Museum
I will never forget July 24, 2025, in Tallinn. That was the day we visited the Kadriorg Art Museum and Peter the Great’s small house.
Kadriorg Art Museum is absolutely worth visiting. The surrounding park is beautifully designed, and inside there is a small but rich collection of Russian painters. The building itself was originally a palace built by Peter the Great, so there is plenty to admire from an architectural point of view as well.
After the museum, you can also visit Peter’s small house nearby. It is a very modest and simple building.
Since both the museum and the house were smaller than we expected, we finished earlier than planned and decided to keep walking. And that was exactly when I heard the sound of a very serious soundcheck…
A Loud AC/DC Concert in Quiet Tallinn
Whenever we travel, I always check what concerts are happening in the places we visit. To this day, I still do not understand how I completely missed the fact that AC/DC were playing in Tallinn. I simply had no idea. The only thing that had surprised me before was how expensive hotels and apartments were for our dates. But even that did not make me look deeper into the reason.
And then I heard the soundcheck.
I have enough experience to recognize when the equipment is serious. So we followed the sound. On the way, we asked a local couple who was playing that night. They answered very casually: AC/DC. At first, I could not believe it. I honestly thought they meant some cover band. But when we got closer, it became clear — it was really them.
My wife is not a fan of this kind of music. We had no tickets, and there were none left for sale. But I really wanted to get in. I took my wife back to the apartment, checked every possible website, and of course there were no tickets left just two hours before the show. Still, I went to the entrance anyway.
And I got lucky! I bought a ticket from someone who could not make it. Completely by accident, and completely unexpectedly, this trip gave me one more night of pure rock and roll.
I will never forget that kind of luck — or that kind of planning mistake. Since then, before every trip, I pay even closer attention to cultural events in the cities we visit.
A Journey with a Surprise
Of course, an unexpected concert by one of my favorite bands became an unforgettable surprise.
But Tallinn itself was also a surprise. A city with well-preserved history, a calm rhythm, and many unexpected details along the way.