Estonia - Tallinn

[Draytonian III]

Has anyone on here ever been as I’m going at the beginning of June,so any information would be welcome

[German Rover]

What do you want to know. I lived there for six months last year.

[Donnywolf]

Always worth a search - I was sure we had done this several times previously. This is one of the Links starring German Rover as well !

https://www.drfc-vsc.co.uk/index.php?topic=268072.msg818587#msg818587

[Draytonian III]

So we have,it’s a while since The Euros draw ,but thanks anyway

[SydneyRover]

What do you want to know. I lived there for six months last year.

I/we will be travelling the area later probably September and will use ferries trains and buses, going across from Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga, would like to get to Gdansk but may have to skip this bit as the length of travel times to and from. Any info at all is always welcome especially if there are some must-see places. Tallin was featured quite a bit in 'Berlin Station' but were hoping the Ruskies have settled down again.

GR, the Noku, if everyone knows the code?

[SydneyRover]

Well finally arrived here yesterday morning off the Helsinki ferry, raining and a bit cold but found the digs ok and went for a walk around town. The old town has a nice old square and plenty of eateries. Today went down to the maritime museum and clambered around one of the old ice breakers and a few of the many boats on display, I found it interesting. The area next to the museum has a lot of old timber houses some quite large that are slowly but surely being gentrified but still retain most of their charm. A nice place and a couple of days is enough to get a feel for it.

[SydneyRover]

By a convoluted route I'm now in Laigueglia and tomorrow I leave for Turin, but this little fishing village is a great place to chill for a few days. If ever you want a family holiday with sun, sea and aperitivo this is it. Ryan Air would likely drop you somewhere near but I arrived by bus and train. Allassio is an hours walk at most and there is a somewhat unreliable train the runs up and down the coast from Ventimiglia to Savona but it's like heaven on a stick with little family run hotels that still do full or half board and it hasn't changed much in 50 years.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Ahh...Savona.

Memories.

Stayed in a youth hostel 30-odd years ago while inter-railing. Up high on a hillside overlooking the sea. Beautiful weather. Delicious food. Great wine. Fun company. Couldn't get any better.

But it was only half full.

Then a coach turned up with a Swedish female under-20s orchestra on tour...

Excuse me while I reminisce for a year or two.

[SydneyRover]

No problems bst enjoy.

I visited the Superga today, not that I'm religious at all but there is a memorial to the Turino Team that lost their lives in the 1949 air crash. The plane crashed into the retaining wall around the back, which is where the memorial is 31 died with no survivors. As I mentioned in another post before Lesley Lievesley died there whom started playing for Rosso then DR where he scored 21 goals.

There are dozen of various club scarves, caps and shirts left by visitors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Lievesley

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46788983

Added:

Lesley Lievesley a parachute trainer survived 3 other air crashes before dying on Superga.

[Donnywolf]

Hope you enjoyed Tallinn - I know I did when I visited

Loved the walk along the Baltic and seeing all those "quaint" little Embassies - and the monuments to their struggles or worse in the recent past

Would go there again and both Vilnius and Riga. Vilnius is marginally my favourite

[SydneyRover]

Hope you enjoyed Tallinn - I know I did when I visited

Loved the walk along the Baltic and seeing all those "quaint" little Embassies - and the monuments to their struggles or worse in the recent past

Would go there again and both Vilnius and Riga. Vilnius is marginally my favourite

I did enjoy it and Riga thanks DW but didn't get to Vilnius. It's the first time apart from Stockholm that I've been through the Baltic area, in fact I only found out this trip that the Baltic Sea is fresh water. All those countries have suffered massively from invasion/occupation and wars.

[Donnywolf]

Loved Tallinn but the downside was went for Christmas Markets so the Sun was due up at 0900 (ish) and due to set 1500 (ish). Academic because we never saw the sun at all so sky was either completely "grey" or it was night time. So disorientating going back to Hotel after a day out and feeling it was days end only to realise it was only around 1630 and we had to get showered changed etc and go back out to eat / drink

Riga was also fascinating and great in parts. Liked the trip to the Baltic seashore and seeing all the Beach Party zones being set up for Summer at Jumala I think it was

Vilnius is just that bit better than both (imo). If I was given a free trip but told it could only be to one of the
those 3 places I would choose it. Loved everything about it and again it gained something be being much much warmer than Tallinn

It also gained by being the place where Trotta was feted to hit the Crossbar and Rovers feted to get promotion. There is a monument outside its Cathedral where the Line of hand holding people started and went across the three Baltic States in protests for freedom which thankfully came

Stand on the "slab" (pictured below) and turn round three times (maybe?) and make a wish which it says is guaranteed to come true. My Wife said what did you wish for ? Cant say as that negates the wish but of course I opted for Rovers to get straight back up to the Championship. Then I forgot it as you do and it was a few days after Brentford that I remembered the wish and instantly claimed the credit lol

[SydneyRover]

We're fated to return to the area as we now have a grandchild in Sweden. I agree with you about the weather it was dull and rainy for quite a bit of the time and it so effects how much you can or want to see in a day. I've learned so much more about history since I left school and travelled than I ever did before.

[Donnywolf]

Agree so did I and still learning even at my age

Was fascinated to look back (remember) when I was 13 or 14 and England played all these Teams like Hungary and Rumania and Poland and I used to think they were on the backside of the moon - or may as well be

They were so so far away or so it seemed and even if you could get to them you would not be allowed due to the political system they were enduring and repressed by

Unbelievable to find now 50 plus years later - the countries mostly liberated - flights and affordable - they are not that far away - and I have been in many many of them Poland Baltic States Czech Republic Slovakia and more

Fancying Slovenia next