Estonia - Travel Blogs & Travel Guides (2021)

19 Best Hidden Gems In Europe

The best hidden gems in Europe include stunning mountain towns in Italy, overlooked islands in Croatia, the ultimate detox spot in Sweden and some surprising places to hit the slopes.

Want to compare travel options to get from Tallinn to Riga? Find out the best routes by car, bus and plane, plus some handy tips for your journey.

So you’re looking at how to get from Estonia to Latvia, but are wondering about the best routes, how long it takes and costs? Well, I’ve got you covered! First things first, when you look at the locations of the cities of Tallinn and Riga you’ll see they’re almost in a vertical line from one another. The problem? They’re pretty far apart! Over 300 km to be exact.

From Seville and Tallinn, to Athens, Riga and St Petersburg, it’s time to venture away from the obvious and consider these lesser-visited cities in Europe.

When I think of my favourite European destinations, many of them are the tried and tested choices, with Barcelona sitting at the top of the list. But there are plenty of underrated European cities that are packed with all the good stuff – culture, top restaurants, beautiful architecture, and that a bit of adventure too!

So if you fancy shaking up your holiday habits, why not book a mini-break to check out a few of these less-visited choices?

Seville, Spain

I visited Seville a couple of years ago on a wonderful road trip around Andalucía. I absolutely loved Seville. I remember trying to drive around the city’s tiny, skinny streets, petrified of scraping the car against the walls! It’s a stunning city though, and along with the impressive Plaza De Espana, Real Alcázar de Sevilla and Seville Cathedral, I also loved discovering some great restaurants.

My Tallinn blog is the perfect place to start if you’re planning a trip to Estonia’s capital city!

From Helsinki, it was time to board the ferry to Tallinn for the final stop of my Busabout Scandi-Baltic Adventure… and WOW did Tallinn win me over!

I’d read relatively little about the city, but it was the one place that everyone I’d spoken to before my trip said “Wow” or “Ooh it’s so pretty”. They had described it as a fairy-tale city… and I could see why! It turned out there were also plenty of cool things to do in Tallinn… I couldn’t wait to start exploring!

Check out Part 2 of the video of my Scandi-Baltic Adventure now, and scroll down to read all about my time in Tallinn.

Hotel St Petersbourg Tallinn Review Billiards Art

Time to check out Hotel St. Petersbourg in Tallinn, Estonia!

“At what time would you like to visit our private sauna suite?”

When it comes to unique proposals at luxury hotels around the world, this is one of the best offers I’ve had. I checked into the very grand St Petersbourg Hotel in Tallinn (part of the Schlössle Hotel Group) after a whistle-stop tour of The Baltics and Scandinavia. Tallinn marked the end of my trip, and by this point I was exhausted and in need of good dose of relaxation and comfort.

It was the history of the hotel that first caught my attention. Opened in 1850, it is the oldest continuously functioning hotel in Tallinn, and one of the oldest in the whole of Estonia. After just a few hours in Tallinn, I was won over by the city’s medieval charm. It was like a fairytale – full of secret passages, romantic views and castle-like spires. Hotel St. Petersbourg is conveniently located in the heart of all of this – 30 seconds from the central square and the 13th Century Town Hall. Close by are several top restaurants, bars and museums. Thankfully it wasn’t bang in the heart of Tallinn’s famous nightlife (stag dos and all…!) so there was no need to worry about noise.

I stayed in a double room on the third floor. The colour scheme oozed luxury – with grey walls, a furry silver throw, maroon curtains and some quirky design features including a large monochrome photograph of a woman, and a cream armchair with funky pattern. I loved the parquet floor and antique mirror, and was pleased that while some of the décor was heavy, the room was flooded with Estonian sunshine!