Day trip from Helsinki

In August me and my wife are planning a trip to Helsinki in August, and as I have been in Latvia and Lithuania, it would be great to get Estonia out the way also, so we are thinking about a day trip.

Few questions.

1) The ferry sets off from Helsinki at 7am-ish, and gets us into Tallinn at 9.30... we are planning to get the 8pm ferry back. Is this possible?

2) Do you get a passport stamp? :-)

3) What is worth seeing in the short time we are in the city?

4) Where is good to get a meal?

Any advice is most welcome.

Regards

Clark

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1) I think Lindaline is the cheapest and has upto eight crossing daily.

http://www.lindaliini.ee/index.php?main=129

2) Actually there is no immigration counter.

3) The old city of Tallinn will occupy you the whole day.

4) The Olde Hansa near the Town Hall of Old City will be the number one choice. It is a traditional medieval theme restaurant. The food was very good, and you should try the home made honey beer. However, the restaurant is very popular, and you may need to wait for a long time during summer high season. I was there last Decemeber to have an early 3:00pm dinner, and the restaurant was full!

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Thanks :-)

My wife is Ukrainian, and she is more interested in seeing the Old town and traditional Estonian type things (rather than the stuff she grew up with)... plus it will be the height of Summer, so will be about +30C(?) so would prefer to walk all day.

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Hi, it will be somewhat less than 30 degrees in August in these latitudes. Depending on the part of August, it can even be below 20. Yet historically, early August has always been perfect for being in the Baltics.

As to the stamp in the passport, Estonia joined the EU in 2004, which also was the end of passport stamping between Estonia and Finland. Now that Estonia joined the Schengen treaty in late December last year, there is even no passport checking either in the Tallinn harbour or in Helsinki.

I am not sure the old town in Tallinn will engage you for the whole day as it is not that big and there is very little to see in Tallinn besides.

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Thanks!

I have been in Riga in early Setember, and it was still in the mid 20C%26#39;s... so should be perfect weather for walking about.

We were thinking about spending the night, but due to lack of time (we are taking Oslo in also) a day trip is all we can do.

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Changed our minds and now going to spend a night in Tallinn :-)

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Hi

I would make the bulk of the trip to Tallinn and have a day in Helsinki.

Jackie

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We travelled with Nordic Jet Line between Helsinki and Tallinn this year in August - you can book on line and use an e-ticket. The cheapest tickets (27 Euro on-line special fare) are fine. Here%26#39;s the link: www-eng.njl.fi - you%26#39;ll have to wait until their summer sailing schedule comes out but it was barely half full when we went so there%26#39;s no rush.

We ate at Vanaema Juures (Grandma’s Place): (I-2) Rataskaevu 10/12, tel. 626-9089. Open:12-22; Sun. 12-18. which was yummy - but we only ate there because Old Hansa was full - you%26#39;ve been warned! Book ahead wherever you choose if you can.

Tallinn will keep you occupied for a day easily, there%26#39;s plenty of sight seeing to do.

Also the weather was about 70 when we were there and was a bit nippy in the evening, not sure if that%26#39;s normal for August.

Hope that was of some help!

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