From Warsaw, our next stop is Tallinn – an enigmatic city I’ve always wanted to visit.

Top of our list is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral – Tallinn’s largest and grandest orthodox cupola cathedral. It is dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky who in 1242 won the Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipus, in the territorial waters of present-day Estonia. This church I daresay is Tallin’s best known landmark.

With just 2 days in this city, we chose to explore the Old Town. Tallinn’s Old Town was entered on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 as an ‘exceptionally complete and well preserved example of a medieval northern European trading city’.

Old Town is dotted with numerous historical churches and restaurants – the medieval feel of which were painstakingly preserved. At the center of the square is the Townhall – initially a building where urban citizens held meetings. It was later used as a government building, a court and a place to introduce new goods.

We tried a couple of restaurants and were not disappointed 😊

While the hubby enjoyed his dark honey beer, I ordered a Vana Tallinn, the city’s signature drink. It is a sweet, tasty liqueur that reminds me of a mix of gin and vodka. It has a smooth but bitter flavour, with aromas of cinnamon, toffee, citrus and warm spices. The waitress warned me it was a very dangerous drink 🥴

Limited myself to just one shot so we can visit Tallin’s famed churches. Interestingly, with its numerous churches, Estonia is one of the least religious countries in the world with just 16% of the population saying religion has any importance in their lives.

Here’s a list of notable churches we visited:

• St. Olav’s Church

From 1549 to 1625, this Church, was the tallest building in the world with its 159-metre spire. Today, after several fires and rebuilding the church stands at 123 m high. At €3 each, it is possible to climb the 258 steps to the top and enjoy the view.

• Church of the Holy Spirit

With its white paint, this Church looks plain from the outside with the finely carved clock as its main attraction.

There is an entry fee of €1.50 per person which I think is a reasonable amount. Inside, the church really looks ancient – the nice kind. The main altar depicts the descent of the Holy Ghost on the twelve apostles at Pentecost.

• St. Peter and St. Paul’s Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Administration of Estonia. What’s interesting about this church is that it leads to the remains of St. Catherine’s Dominican Monastery. With entry fee of €2 each, one gets to see the old hallway and the courtyard.

Every corner of Tallinn is picture perfect – with its cobbled streets and winding narrow alleyways – it’s like being transported in the medieval times. Indeed a wonderful, timeless experience.