Old Town in Tallinn, Estonia

What had originally been a pit stop between Scandinavia and Russia turned out to a highlight in our European travels: Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, was our first foray into the Baltic region and emerged one of our favorite cities in Europe.

From Helsinki, we took the Super SeaCat across the Gulf of Finland and in less than two hours arrived in Tallinn Bay. The Old Town is in a short walking distance from the port so within an hour of arriving in Estonia we were exploring Old Town. Upon entering the gate, a sudden hush falls on the city. The city’s 14^th-century layout and architecture make it feel like you’re traveling back in time. The buildings are painted a multitude of colors: sea foam green, light pink, canary yellow and white. The cobblestone streets are very narrow, often too narrow to fit a single car, and the city felt practically empty, like our own to explore.