Our cruise stops here for 8 hours. Is an organized tour needed or is is possible to see the highlights on our own? Any suggestions are welcomed.
Organized Tour in Tallinn?
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I think you'll find that you can see things on your own. We took a short taxi to one of the gates of the old town. The old town is what you'll be interested in. There is a TI to get local information. The old town is highly walkable and small enough to see in a short amount of time.
Hi espinach1; Go to this web site and you can download as much information as you need. inyourpocket.com ENJOY Iris
espinach1 - Which cruise?
I found a self-guided historical walking tour in a guidebook (probably Fodors, Frommers, or Rick Steves), and we found the old city very easy to negotiate on our own.
Depends on where you're docked. If you're docked in the city of Tallinn, then yes, you can do it all on foot, on your own. The walk to the city is about 10 minutes from the pier. You should be able to get free maps from the tourist center in the middle of the ship terminal.
The walk to town is relatively easy. To make it to the lower part of town, just walk to Fat Margaret (a stout tower) and then make a left. Keep walking until you reach a set of grand tower gates, make a right, and you're in the center of town. There's an upper part of town that requires a bit of climbing, but it's worth it.
A few years ago, I did Tallinn completely unguided (and mapless, at first!) using a ferry from Helsinki. I agree that it is quite easy to do on your own. For an idea of what you will see, check my phototravelogue at http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=f363d0s.ben2fb20&x=0&y=-95hdl3 , with the Tallinn pictures beginning at number 16.
You can walk from the pier to Old Town, but most cruise ship will provide a shuttle bus. So you might save your energy for the walk through old town.
Tallinn is VERY compact and walkable. Tallinn's main attraction is just the architecture (is "cityscape" the right word?). Within two hours you will have seen everything, leaving enough time to munch a garlic bread in one of the cafés in the center of town. IMO, no need for an organized tour.
iris1745
Thanks so much for the link to the inyourpocket site - it's great!
SemiMike - cool pics! Thanks for sharing. I did a whirlwind tour of Helsinki & Tallinn in 1.5 days 2 weeks ago. Your pics gave me a lot of valuable info. I saw many of the sites in your photos, but had no idea what they were, lol!
I showed up to Tallinn without a map or a plan, also. Hopped on a sightseeing bus to get the quicky tour, and then strolled around, ate lunch, and took the ferry back to Helsinki. Can't wait to go back & check it out some more.