I am planning a Baltics trip this May (Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius). Is taking a ferry from either Stockholm or Helsinki worth the experience, or should I just fly directly into/out of Tallinn?
To be more specific: I can fly from the US into Tallinn, or I can fly from the US into Stockholm/Helsinki and then take the ferry across. Is the ferry experience worth the extra effort or not? I am not concerned about the time/money, just the experience.
if you travel between Helsinki and Tallinn, I'd suggest the ferry over flying unless you are connecting to another flight.
The ferry takes a little over 2 hours and both terminals are closer to downtown than the airports.
Might depend on how much time you have.
I used the ferry between Tallinn and Helsinki for a long day trip and it was distinctly underwhelming--the Tallink Silja line was a pleasant enough and smooth sailing experience (different times of the year some of the smaller boats aren't used due to weather), and I set myself up with my knitting and a snack in the enormous cafeteria sitting area and there was nothing to see but water. Unless you plan to stay in Helsinki or Stockholm for a few days, I'd rather fly to Tallinn.
The ferry from Stockholm would give you a great view of the highly scenic Stockholm Archipelago. However, the Baltic capitals are very interesting places, so one needs to consider the time lost for the long ferry trip from Stockholm to Tallinn.
