Why does time travel seem possible in the Baltics?
Tallinn Old Town, April 2025
The Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) are probably not even on your radar, or maybe they are quite down on your travel list. No worries, they were on mine too for quite some time! After visiting Lithuania on a short sport’s trip during my teenage years, I thought I’m better off spending my holidays in another part of Europe 😅 In hindsight, I could not have enjoyed that trip even if I wanted to, so admittedly, I had no right to judge based only on that experience. But fast forward to today, I’m actually writing this blog post from my cozy hotel room in Tallinn and I couldn’t be happier for being here.
I’m not sure about you, but I draw my inspiration mostly from Instagram reels and other social media platforms. Around Christmas 2024, most of my feed was flooded with the big European Christmas markets. One of the most beautiful ones apparently was the one in Riga, Latvia. My curiosity got the better of me so I started doing a bit of research. Next thing I know, I was already booking flights and making a whole plan for my “Baltics” birthday trip. And since I’m already flying to Riga, why not visit Tallinn and pop on a ferry to Helsinki as well, right? I mean, why travel only for 3 days when I can be there for 9 instead? That, my friends, is called “travel math” 😅
Riga Old Town
After walking a bit around Riga’s Old Town, all I kept thinking is how much the city is alike Prague. With the colorful buildings and cobblestone streets, it looked like straight out of a fairytale. I might or might have not waited for a few minutes to get a clear shot of this epic scene but it was totally worth it! I was literally able to take amazing shots at first or second try, which rarely happens in busy, modern cities. Speaking of crowds, Riga did not feel like a Capital city at all - it was super chill and life felt very slow.
The busiest spot was probably St. Peter’s Church, I mean who wouldn’t want to climb the tower to soak up these views? 😍
Riga Old Town
The good thing about Riga is the great connection to the other Baltic countries. There were a couple of busses every hour going to Tallinn, Estonia. The bus ride takes 5-6 hours, which sounds like a lot of time, but the journey was rather pleasant and didn’t feel that long because of the scenic route.
Tallinn Old Town
In comparison to Riga, Tallinn really feels like a bigger and more dynamic city, even in the Old Town. People visit it for a day from Helsinki as well, so it makes sense that it attracts more tourists than Riga. All in all, Tallinn has a really authentic, lively vibe, with a perfect mix between the old and the modern. Be ready to climb a lot of stairs and walk uphill to explore the most beautiful part of the Old Town, and of course, get a nice panoramic view of the whole city below. Getting lost in the narrow alleyways will surely become your favorite part of this trip, as it was mine.
Tallinn Old Town
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For more travel-related content, follow @travels.bys. All photo credits go to her.