Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cost and Hours:
Late April-Sept: €6, park open daily 10:00-20:00, histor-
ic buildings until 18:00; Oct-late April: €3, park open daily 10:00-17:00 but
historic buildings closed. Tel. 654-9100,
www.evm.ee
.
Getting There:
Take bus #21 from the train station to Rocca al Mare
stop—because buses back to Tallinn run infrequently, check the departure
schedule as soon as you arrive, or ask staff how to find the Zoo stop, with
more frequent service, a 15-minute walk away.
Lahemaa National Park (Lahemaa Rahvuspark)
—This vast, flat, forested
coastal preserve on the Gulf of Finland is only a one-hour drive east of
Tallinn. While it is a popular tour destination and the nature is pristine, the
park's charms are modest. I had a great guide, and it was a fascinating day
out. But with an average guide, it could be a snore. Highlights include the
thick forest (including cemeteries, because Estonians bury their dead in the
woods), bog walks, rich berry and mushroom picking, rebuilt manor homes,
and peaceful fishing villages surrounded by the evocative ruins of Soviet oc-
cupation. City Bikes and Tallinn Traveller Tours organize day trips out (€49/
person;see“ToursinTallinn,”
here
).Forhikingandcyclingtraildescriptions,
check online (
www.keskkonnaamet.ee/lahe-eng
)
or stop at the park's visitor
center when you arrive (mid-April-mid-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, later hours in
summer; mid-Oct-mid-April Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00; tel. 329-5555).
With so many cruise-ship tourists inundating Tallinn, the Old Town is full of
trinkets, but it is possible to find good-quality stuff. Wooden goods, like but-
ter knives and juniper-wood trivets, are a good value. Marvel at the variety
on sale in Tallinn's liquor stores, popular with visiting Scandinavians. Tucked
into the Old Town are many craft and artisan shops where prices are lower
than in Nordic countries.
The
“Sweater Wall”
is a fun place to browse sweaters and woolens,
though few are hand-knitted by grandmothers these days. Find the stalls under
the wall on Müürivahe street (daily 10:00-17:00, near the corner of Viru
