Finland and Baltics

You can use the RS Scandinavia guidebook for info about Finland and Tallinn, Estonia. "In Your Pocket" guides are available at hotels, the TI, and other locations in the region, or you can download them free from inyourpocket.com . They are guide booklets for individual cities. If you are traveling through the Baltic capitols from Tallinn (to Riga to Vilnius), I recommend bus transportation. One company is Lux Express (luxexpress.eu.en). It will be easy to fill 7-9 days in this region--there's lots to see and do. Have a great trip.

My comments are that this sounds great. I love Helsinki and Tallinn; haven't been to the other Baltic states.

Such a broad post is hard to answer with any specifics. Some of us can answer more specific questions though.

I do recommend taking a sauna experience, but be forewarned that full nudity is the standard for that region. There are segregated saunas, so you might want to search those out but don't be surprised if attendants are of the opposite sex. If you do a sauna and aren't familiar with how it works, research it online and feel free to ask the locals what the customs are. People will be thrilled to help you understand.

Just outside central Tallinn is Catherine the Great's House and the cabin for Peter the Great (where they stayed while visiting). Well worth a visit for some Russian architecture and culture. They are easy to get to by tram.

I also think this sounds like a great trip--I visited Tallinn for a full week in 2013 with a day trip via ferry to Helsinki and had a wonderful time. If you look in the Estonia section I've posted a few lengthy responses to others asking about Tallinn--bottom line is, it's a lovely place to visit, plenty to do and see and yet not horribly stressful and crowded like so many other capital cities. 2-3 days for Tallinn would be about right--I have Estonian heritage so spent longer to visit out-lying areas.

I am planning to return, starting with a few days in Tallinn and then by bus to Riga and Vilnius as someone else mentioned.

If you only have a week, I would just stick to one country. Helsinki and the area around is absolutely beautiful. Tallin is great as well, and it's possible to do a day trip there from Helsinki, or an overnight. I wouldn't go too far into the Baltics with that short of a stay.

Another option, if you want to have a beach holiday, is to use Riga as you base and then hit the nearby (beautiful) beaches from there.

J

I was in Helsinki last August and one tip I have is to look at business class hotels. Prices can be deeply discounted in the summer. We stayed at Glo Hotel Kluuvi and the location (about a block off the Esplanade) was great. If you are interested in St Petersburg, you can travel round trip on St Peter Line ferry and spend 3 days visa free. With 7 to 9 days, I'd probably visit Helsinki, St Petersburg, and Tallinn, using the ferries.

I agree 100% with Laura. The opportunity to visit St Petersburg for 3 days and not have the hassle and expense of obtaining a Russian tourist visa is too good to pass up.
Tallinn is a wonderful experience, not to be missed.(IMO)