Experience in Tallinn, Estonia by Martin

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

Tallinn is a great city. I would definitely recommend it as I have not seen any foreigner who would not like it. Amazing architecture, free public transportation if you are a resident here, safe city (low crime rate), great cuisine - what else would a guest of Tallinn want?

The city is not big, especially if you are coming from larger countries, yet it is very modern and multi-cultural.

The best part is, of course, the Old Town. It is different from most old towns you have visited and the reason for that I would like you to identify by yourself.

What is the student lifestyle like in Tallinn?

Great! You can find a canteen in your university with affordable prices and good food quality as well as fancy and expensive restaurants. Party life usually starts from Wednesday night and continues until Sunday, yet there are always pubs open in the Old Town on other weekdays as well. Most of the student parties are held on Thursdays as it is believed Thursday is a Student's Friday. The reason behind that is very practical: there are many students who are coming from other cities to study for weekdays and go back home for weekends which means on Friday night most of the national buses are full of students who are going home for the weekend, as a result many clubs (at least if there are some in your university) will organize events on Thursday nights to ensure that most of the students attend them.

How much does it cost to live in Tallinn?

You can manage with 200-300 EUR for your expenses besides (! ) accommodation. I do not count accommodation in as there are different options from student dorms a la 100 EUR per month to Erasmus flats a la 250-350 EUR per month.

Source

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

Not really, there are always flats open for a rent.

If you would like to get to student campus dorms, you should act fast - apply in the beginning of July!

If you are okay with the more expensive option of having a flat or a room in a shared flat - you can always find them. One advice to find cheaper options is to look for flats either in June or October (as July-September prices are usually much higher due to the start of the academic year). For the spring semester there is not a big difference.

Also, consider different advantages or disadvantages your neighbourhood gives you: is it far away from the city centre, bus stop, your university, shopping malls, etc.

Try to avoid Kopli neighbourhood as the crime rate there is significantly higher (yet not critical). At the same time flats there are really cheap.

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

Cuisine contains a lot of potatoes and meat (mostly pork), so if you are Muslim, be careful with ordering "traditional Estonian dishes". Yet, you can always find meals with chicken and there are plenty of fast food restaurants or any other international restaurants (Turkish, Indian, Chinese etc. ).

What places would you recommend visiting in Tallinn?

• Old Town (take Free Study Tour);
• Zoo;
• Any kind of museum to learn more about the Estonian culture.

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

I personally prefer cooking by myself as it is much cheaper, yet if you are going to eat out, I would recommend places called Kompressor (legendary pancake house in Old Town) and Draakon (they serve soup with deer meet for a very affordable price right in the middle of Old Town, great service, and "medieval" theme ).

If you can afford more expensive meals, you can find them in Olde Hansa which is believed to be the most expensive restaurant, yet with medieval theme and even bear meet if you wish.

Source

For budget eating out, go for McDonalds, Hesburger (alternative of McDonalds), Subway or any Kebab place.

Is the nightlife good in Tallinn? Where is it worth going?

Yes, there are lots of nightclubs in the Old Town:

• Venus;
• Studio;
• Hollywood;
• Prive;
• Va Bank.

For cheap and good heavy drinking pubs:

• Shooters (10 shots for 10 EUR);
• Labor (drinking from medicine flasks);
• Nimeta (sports bar, translated called literally "With no name");
• Note well! These 3 spots are located just next to each other and this area is called Bermuda Triangle because usually if you enter it, you party so hard that you get lost in one of them. Be careful! :D

Source

What advice would you give future students heading to Tallinn?

Try to learn Estonian, at least a bit! Estonians appreciate foreigners speaking their language a lot!

Do not expect Estonians to be very warm and welcoming as they need some more time to get used to new people. They are not rude, just coming from another culture. (e. g. if you try to hug or even kiss an Estonian person the first time you see him/her, do not expect the same behaviour, yet do not get offended!)