Planning to visit Tallinn? Here is some useful advice. It doesn’t matter if you come on a cruise ship to Tallinn or if you’re simply driving by in this article you will most likely to find very good advice on how to spend your money efficiently or how to stay safe during your visit to Estonia.
Always keep the weather in mind and by that we mean always keep your umbrella close. Tallinn has a very humid climate. You can never tell, if it’s going to be rainy, drizzly, dry hot or even snowy in the summertime. In that regard, you should dress up universally. It’s usually 15 to 30 Celsius in the summertime, 5 to 20 in autumn and spring and 15 to 0 in the wintertime.
Prices for goods and services can vary from place to place. Usually, if you are in a tourist centric area, like a cruise ship port or a central market, you will find prices there are slightly elevated above average. Typically, in terms of prices, Estonia is lower than Finland, but higher than Riga or Vilnius. Just like its geographical position, Estonia lies somewhere in between. When it comes to bargaining, it is not considered to be offensive to bargain, nor like in Arab countries, will people not be offended if you don’t bargain. So it’s completely up to you.
Don’t be afraid to speak English, as the majority of Estonian population speaks English pretty fluently. A lot of people know Russian as well, although some native Estonians may consider it to be somewhat offensive that some people confuse the nation with Russians. German is quite a widespread language as well although it is not as widespread as English.
Wi-Fi can be accessed from virtually everywhere. Estonia after all is the most connected country in the world. 100% of Estonia is covered with 3G and 4G networks. As far as Wi-Fi goes almost all places in the city center, like cafes, restaurants, barbershops have an open network with a fast strong connection.
Taxi is a good way to travel, although some private one person taxi companies can charge triple of what the average price usually is. To avoid such incidents, you should always confirm the approximate price to your destination. Just to give you an example; you could probably cross the entire city for €16.
Keep your things save, as Tallinn has some pickpockets and thieves just waiting for you to get distracted. The crime rate in the country is well below the European average but it is still a good idea to stay on the safe side.
And finally, don’t get too excited about Estonian national food, as it is pretty similar to German and can be very heavy for the unprepared stomach. Estonian national food mainly features potatoes, pork, cabbage and fish straight from the Baltic Sea. Don’t expect any gourmet, when it comes to national cuisine. If you prefer that kind of food, Tallinn has plenty of international high-class restaurants available for you.
Have a good time in Tallinn!