The first port of call for the family cruise to the Baltics was to the capital of Estonia, Tallin. For a city of less than 500,000 people, it certainly offered a lot to see. The first thing we did upon disembarking the cruise ship is head to St. Olav's Church and Tower, where my parents and I (my sister chickened out) climbed 256 narrow steps up to the top, where we were presented with an amazing panoramic view of the historic city. The city goes back 1,000 years and was virtually untouched during both World Wars, making it perfectly preserved.
Following a few days in St. Petersburg, Russia (see my prior blog post), we then docked in Helsinki, the capital city of Finland. While there, we visited the immense Helsinki Cathedral and its Market Square where we tasted reindeer burgers and had the opportunity to purchase bear meat. WikiTravel summed up Helsinki perfectly:
Founded in 1550, the "Daughter of the Baltic" has been the Finnish capital since 1812, when it was rebuilt by the tsars of Russia along the lines of a miniature St. Petersburg, a role it has played in many Cold War movies. Today, Helsinki pulls off the trick of being something of an international metropolis while still retaining a small-town feel.
Click here to see more photos from Tallin and Helsinki.
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