In case it's helpful to others planning a trip to the Baltics, I'm going to share my notes on highlights of our trip to Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, and Helsinki in May 2025. I'm going to have to break this up into parts to meet the Travel Forum character limit. We loved the Baltics and believe it's truly a hidden gem of Europe! Here goes ...
TALLINN
We were here for 3 days.
Our accommodations:
Tallinn City Apartments Old Town Square
Spacious, modern, and very comfortable apartment located right at the heart of the action.
Private tour some of us took, that I would recommend:
“Driving/Walking 5-hour Private Tour” led by Mati Rumessen (recommended by Rick Steves)
http://www.tourservice.ee/index.html
So, here’s the kicker. This is when the curse of the Riga herring hit my son the hardest. He was sick as a dog. And I was feeling a little off, but not really sick (I didn’t have the herring). So, my son and I skipped the tour (there was no way he could do it) and my husband and daughter did it without us. They raved about it! It sounded incredible and I’m sad that I missed it. But I can’t speak about it from personal experience.
Our favorite sites:
Old Town. Just strolling around looking at the old buildings and soaking in the European ambiance. I’m pretty sure we followed the Rick Steves self-guiding walking tours on our own.
Estonian History Museum - Great Guild Hall. Pikk tn 17, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia. Really well-organized with a lot of well-preserved artifacts. https://maps.app.goo.gl/9daaqRe5JkaJTWD7A
Eesti Meremuuseum. Vesilennuki tn 1, 10415 Tallinn, Estonia. Another really well-organized museum, this time dedicated to a maritime theme (boats, ships, navy, etc.) You can explore an old submarine as well as other boats outside the museum along the harbor. Definitely recommend. It’s a ways out of town so we took a taxi. https://maps.app.goo.gl/pCG3th3FUoms6bTk7
Telliskivi Loomelinnak. Telliskivi tn 60a, 10412 Tallinn, Estonia. Hip and artsy section of the city. Fun to stroll around and just look at what’s there. Lots of places to grab a bite or a drink. https://maps.app.goo.gl/yhyaHtfZ1QBiu7HTA
Our favorite restaurants:
Pub Kompressor. Rataskaevu tn 3, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia. Good food at reasonable prices. Nothing fancy. https://maps.app.goo.gl/hDNjmqrUKst4raFU7