Experience in Tallinn, Estonia by Katarina

Source

What is it like to live in Tallinn? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia. Compared to most capitals in Europe it is quite small but still very lively. Tallinn has a rich history and a lot of sites you should visit. If you are a young person then Tallinn has a lot of activities and a lively night life. In winter it is somewhat cold depending on the year. The temperature may wary from -20 in winter and up to +30 in summer. It is definitely a city for opportunistic young people who want to experience something in between European and post Soviet countries.

What is the student lifestyle like in Tallinn?

Student life depends on the University or College and on every individuals independent wishes. If you are an active student you may attend different events which vary by the preferences. Mostly students are regarded as equals by the teachers as future colleagues.

How much does it cost to live in Tallinn?

Depending on the income the living costs may be quite high or low. Renting an accommodation may cost from 150-600 euros depending on the area of residents and if you live in a dorm a room or an apartment. Food prices are different in each supermarket an average cost for food is 10-20 euros per cart.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Tallinn? Is there any advice you can give?

Depending on your individual need on the accommodation the cost and possibilities vary. Usually the accommodation is organised by the receiving college or university. You can find apartments or rooms on the real estate cites or on Facebook community.

Or you can contact a local and agree up on finding you accommodation in accordance to your needs.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Estonians just love potatoes. We eat potatoes with all most anything: steamed cabbage, meat, stake etc. In Estonia the cuisine is somewhere in between German and Russian cuisine. Dishes depend on the time of the year. Near Christmas Estonians eat blood sausages, steamed sauerkraut, mess (verikäkk), meat jelly and of course fried, boiled or steamed potatoes. In summer we mostly have shashlik or barbecue with potatoes fried in bonfire.

My personal favorites are varenniki (dumplings with curd) and steamed cabbage.

What places would you recommend visiting in Tallinn?

• The City Museum
• The museum of Occupations and Freedom
• The Maritime Museum
• The patarei Prison
• "Tallin Legends" Museum

Source

Is it good to eat out in Tallinn? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

A small homely bakery all the ingredients used are natural.

Best burgers in Tallinn

In the city center there are a variate of big shopping malls which contain cafeterias for different choices.

In center there are Solaris and Virukeskus.

In the city part of Solaris y Virukeskus.

And in Kristiine

Most of them contain dineries from American food to Chinese.

Is the nightlife good in Tallinn? Where is good to go?

Nightlife is mostly active on Friday and Saturday, on other days it is mostly quiet. The center of the city, the Old Town, is filled with pubs and clubs. There are clubs for the elderly, young adults and younger generation. Most popular are Club Venus (21+), Club Münt (18+), Club Hollywood (depends on the party). https://www.visittallinn.ee/eng/visitor/see-do/nightlife

on the city you can find different clubs and events.

What advice would you give future students heading to Tallinn?

Don`t worry Estonians are mostly not angry just a little introverted. We tend to stare at strangers, since we are timid it may seem hostile but we are just interested in different people.

If you are lost or need help just turn to any younger person near you they will gladly help you and most of them speak fluent English.

If you want to make Estonian friend you should be the more active person since Estonians are a bit slow on the uptake sometimes. If you make Estonian friends they will be glad to show you around and introduce our culture and places where you usually would not go.