SHORE EXCURSIONS

Meet a Nordic designer and discover how she upcycles discarded waste materials to create green fashions. The venue for this enlightening experience will be the Telliskivi Creative City, a former industrial complex that has been converted into the largest creative center in Estonia. Of all the studios and galleries, the one that Reet Aus owns may be the most inspiring. She is committed to ending the fashion industry’s throwaway culture by creating clothing with excess textiles that would otherwise end up in a landfill. By upcycling or turning old garments into higher-quality sustainable ones, she helps to reduce Estonia’s carbon footprint. You will find a similar environmentally conscious atmosphere at the photography museum Fotografiska. After browsing the exhibits, you will enjoy lunch at a zero-waste restaurant, where the dishes are as creative as the photography. Views of Tallinn’s World Heritage site, Old Town, will enhance the dining experience.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Meet a designer that upcycles discarded textiles to create sustainable fashions.
• See stylish high-quality clothing made with materials once earmarked for the landfill.
• Browse a photography museum and dine in its zero-waste restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

This full day tour starts with a visit to the Song Festival Grounds with a capacity for 300,000 spectators and up to 30,000 performers sing. A short stop will provide you with an impression of the festivals that are held here every five years. Continue to Pirita, the beachside location of the yachting complex built for the 1980 Olympic Games where the 16th century ruins of St. Bridget’s Convent can also be seen. A short drive follows to Tallinn’s Upper Town, passing ancient walls and tower gateways. Disembark your coach at Tall Hermann Tower from where flies the national blue, black and white flag. Walk up Toompea Hill to Palace Square to view the Baroque Toompea Castle, now the residence of the Estonian Parliament, and to visit the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a dominating feature of Upper Town’s city skyline and home to numerous golden icons and mosaics.

Walk along Tallinn’s medieval cobblestone streets and proceed to the scenic viewpoint over the Lower Town rooftops, where there will be limited time for shopping in the small shops. Descend Short Leg Street to the Lower Town for an independent visit to Town Hall Square and view the exterior of the Gothic Town Hall. Your lunch will be served at one of Tallinn’s typical Old Town restaurants followed by a concert of medieval music in Holy Spirit church. Continue your walk along Catherine’s Passage, where shopping and browsing opportunities at the local craft workshops (including glass, leather, millinery and ceramic wares) await you. Return to the coach for the drive back to your ship.

OVERVIEW

Ride a double-decker bus through Tallinn, hopping on and off at the destinations that interest you the most. The beauty of this tour is that it allows you to linger at the attractions that sound most intriguing, so you will never feel rushed or compelled to leave. The bus will be waiting for you when you are ready to depart for the next stop. You will receive a route map and headphones onboard that explain the destinations, making it easy to choose your favorite ones. You will likely start in Upper Town, where you will find foreboding Toompea Castle. Be sure to look up to see the Estonian flag flying over its tower. Other stops include the Estonian Maritime Museum at the Seaplane Harbor, the Monument to the War of Independence at Freedom Square and Kadroirg Park, a naturally beautiful urban setting that dates to 1718 when Tsar Peter the Great conceived it.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride a bus around Tallinn, stopping at the attractions that you find most appealing.
• Stay as long as you like in each attraction to enhance your understanding of it.
• Hop on the waiting bus whenever you please and ride it to another intriguing destination.
• Explore sights as diverse as Toompea Castle, Kadriorg Palace and the Maritime Museum.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Visit locations where some of the most pivotal scenes in the movie “Tenet” were shot and hear anecdotal stories about the production from your insider guide, who was on the sets. Academy Award-nominated Christopher Nolan directed the sci-fi action film, which was released in 2020. Much of it was shot in Tallinn at buildings that include the Linnahall, which was part of a complex completed for the 1980 Summer Olympics during the Soviet Era. Other notable locations include the Kumu Art Museum and the Maarjjamäe Memorial, a modernistic site that honors those who died defending the Soviet Union in World War II. The scenes shot on Laagna Tee freeway were particularly breathtaking as they involved an elaborate, time-bending car chase. The road had to be almost entirely closed for three weeks while the stunt drivers – many of them locals – raced through downtown Tallinn. “Tenet” turned out to be the biggest, most profitable film ever shot in Estonia.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See where many of the most memorable scenes in the 2020 sci-fi film “Tenet” were shot.
• Hear stories about the action behind the scenes from your guide, who was there during filming.
• Visit Laagna Tee, a freeway that was largely closed to film the movie’s jaw-dropping car chase.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Visit attractions that will lend historical insight into Jewish life in Tallinn, especially during World War II. A walk through Old Town will set the stage for your immersion into the past as Tallinn was founded there in the 13th century. The focus will turn to Estonia’s natural beauty once you drive into the countryside to view precipitous Rannamoisa Cliff and roaring Keila Waterfall, which lies in the shadow of a manor house once owned by the statesman that founded Imperial Russia’s secret police. Consider it an omen of what lies nearby – the infamous Klooga Concentration Camp. Of all the horrors, the cruelest was the execution of every Jew in the camp just before they were to be liberated. Seeing the memorial at Klooga will be a moving experience. The Jewish population still isn’t huge in Tallinn, but it is growing as you will discover at the capital’s Beit Bella Synagogue.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit Klooga Concentration Camp, where thousands of Jews were executed during World War II.
• Gain an understanding of modern Jewish life in Tallinn at the Beit Bella Synagogue.
• Walk through the capital’s 13th-century Old Town for a glimpse into Tallinn’s long history.
• Behold the natural beauty on the outskirts of town at a seaside cliff and thundering waterfall.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Your tour begins with a drive through the picturesque Estonian countryside towards one of the oldest towns of Estonia – Rakvere. This town is located about 100 km east of Tallinn. Stop at the Rebala Heritage Reserve to look at an ancient cemetery from the Nordic Bronze.

Visit the partially ruined, 13th century Rakvere Castle to see weapons, the Torture Chamber and Hell Chamber. At the entrance to the castle you’ll find an enormous sculpture of a bull called Tarvas, standing in guard of the town. A medieval lunch with Estonian beer is served in the castle restaurant. Afterwards, learn about distilling in Estonia and you’ll have a chance to taste Estonian spirit. Alcohol has been produced in Estonia since the 15th century and the exhibition presents important information concerning alcohol production. For those who wish to receive a certificate of the “connoisseur of vodka“, a more thorough spirit, a tasting opportunity will be provided.

From Rakvere you’ll return to Tallinn for a walking tour of the old town, starting at the Tall Hermann Tower. Follow your guide through Palace Square, with the Parliament House of Estonia and the Russian Orthodox Church. The stroll will take you over cobblestone lanes for an outside view of the famous St. Mary’s Cathedral and panoramic lookout points from where you’ll have a splendid view over the old town wall, red-tiled roofs, towers and steeples.

Bicycle through the most historical and picturesque sections of Tallinn, parts of which are a World Heritage site dating to the 13th century. As you pedal through garden-like Kadriorg Park, which Peter the Great established in 1718, you will see the palace he named for his wife, Catharine. For a glimpse into more recent Estonian culture, you will bike through the Song Festival Grounds, the site of the Singing Revolution, a 1988 musical demonstration against Soviet rule. The influence of Communism will really come to life outside the Estonian History Museum, where you will view of a collection of discarded sculptures of leaders such as Stalin and Lenin that were more prominently displayed during the Soviet occupation. It was a turbulent time, as you will discover at the sobering Memorial to the Victims of Communism. The more scenic side of Tallinn will present itself at beautiful Pirita beach and in Old Town, where you will pause at a delightful café.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Pedal a bike through Tallinn at a leisurely pace that allows you to really enjoy the highlights.
• Gain insight into the Soviet occupation of Tallinn at a sculpture garden and at a memorial.
• See the 18th-century palace Peter the Great built for his wife at lovely Kadriorg Park.
• Explore Old Town, a World Heritage site in the heart of Tallinn.

Departing from the pier, begin with a scenic drive around the Old Town, which offers magnificent views of the medieval city walls. See the watch-towers, graceful spires, and winding, cobblestone streets. Visit the Russian Orthodox Church inaugurated in 1900 and filled with a stunning array of superb icons. View the exterior of the castle, now the seat of Estonia’s parliament.

Built on a cliff, the Upper Town provides a superb vantage point from which to view the red gabled roofs and spires of Lower Town. Your tour continues down both Long and Short Leg Streets to the Lower Town. See the apothecary, which opened in 1422, the Great Guild House, Blackheads Brotherhood House and the 15th century Gothic Town Hall. Enjoy some free time on the grounds of the Dominican convent at a colorful market and St. Catherine’s Arts and Crafts Center, before rejoining your coach and returning to the pier.

A drive from the harbor takes you through the city center and along the main street passing Estonia’s modern and elegant 19th century buildings. As you approach the Old Town, you’ll get fascinating views of the medieval city wall with its fairytale turrets. The walking portion of your tour begins at Nun’s Street in the Lower Town. Strolling through the old streets, you’ll see the beautiful medieval guild houses, the Gothic Town Hall and the charming 15th century apothecary. Continue to the beautiful Kadriorg Park, founded according to the order of Peter the Great and named after Peter's wife, Catherine.

Admire the architecture of the Baroque palace and enjoy the lovely restored gardens, a small replica of Versailles. The tour continues to the Song Festival Ground where national song festivals are held and up to 30,000 singers participate. Following a brief visit to the interesting ruins of the 15th century St. Brigit’s Convent, you’ll drive back to the city, past the famous Estonian Russalka monument and the summer residence of Count Orlov.

Your tour begins with a scenic drive through the cultural heart of Tallinn. View the Tall Herman Tower, one of the three remaining towers of the Knights of the Sword Castle. From the base of the nearby Cannon Tower, enjoy a wonderful view of the churches and towers of Tallinn's Upper Town. You’ll then continue through Kadriorg Park, a true highlight with its charming Baroque ensemble that was designed as a summer residence for Peter the Great. You’ll also see the beautiful Swan Pond where a photo stop will be made. You’ll visit the Song Festival Ground, a natural amphitheater that hosts Estonia's national song festivals.

You’ll pass by the Forest Cemetery where distinguished Estonians are buried amongst the pine trees, before continuing on to Pirita, the beachside location of the yachting complex built for the 1980 Olympic Games. From this vantage point, the 16th century ruins of St. Bridget's Convent can be seen. As you return to the harbor, you'll drive past the summer residence of Count Orlov and the delightful statue of Russalka, Estonia's mermaid, on the coast.

Depart from the pier for a short drive to Tallinn’s Old Town, where ancient walls and tower gateways can be seen. At Tall Herman Tower, walk the short distance up Toompea Hill to Palace Square. Visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which dominates the city skyline, with numerous gold icons and mosaics inside. Proceed to the scenic viewpoint over the Lower Town rooftops, before rejoining your bus.

Continue the tour to Kadriorg Palace, built in 1723 by Peter the Great in honor of his empress wife Catherine I. Its magnificent scale is enhanced by its setting on several levels, with upper and lower gardens in contrasting styles. Since the Russian Revolution, the ornate palace rooms have been used as an art museum. After viewing highlights of the European art on display, stroll through the Lower Garden back to your coach for the return to your ship.

Begin with a scenic drive around the Upper Town of Tallinn. Pass by the old town wall from the 13th century, the Fat Margarete Tower and the main railway station. You’ll leave the coach at the Tall Hermann Tower for a short walk to the Palace Square. Visit the Russian St. Alexander Nevski Orthodox Cathedral (1900), displaying a lot of spectacular icons. Take a short walk to several panoramic viewpoints where you can enjoy the view over the Lower Town, harbors, marinas, commercial ports and even do some shopping.

Take a short drive to the Seaplane Harbour, an Estonian Maritime Museum. This unique museum displays some large exhibits, most of them housed in the seaplane hangars built in 1916-1917. Originally, a part of Peter the Great’s Naval Fortress, the Seaplane Harbour has lately been restored for the needs of the Estonian Maritime Museum. It exhibits the Lembit submarine, the Suur Toll steam icebreaker, Short Type 184 seaplane and other life-size items. This is a great experience for the entire family to see and do such as: the Yellow Submarine, an aquarium, games, a cafeteria, the harbor and many more. During your stay at this museum you’ll also have an opportunity to enjoy a coffee break at the cafe and to visit the museum shop. At the end of your tour, board your coach for a return ride to the pier.