🇪🇪 Tallinn — Family, Art, and Quiet Streets
Tallinn is a city that somehow lives in three times at once — a mix of medieval charm, Soviet echoes, and modern Nordic design. Every visit feels familiar yet new. Whether we come for ski and sauna or to see my family, it’s always special. Since moving away, I find myself seeing it a little like a tourist, showing my husband the city through both my eyes and my heart
We often rent a car to explore more of Estonia. The walk through Viru Raba was unforgettable — pure stillness of trees and water, a deep calm that stays with you.
✈️ Arriving and Getting Around
Arriving in Tallinn always feels easy and welcoming —The airport is small, compact, and beautiful. Public transport is simple — buses and trams take you straight to the city centre, and the best part is it’s all free. On the streets, we even saw friendly delivery robots quietly roaming around, adding a touch of modern magic to the city.
🌳 Parks, Museums, and Streets
Kadriorg Park is a favourite spot — wide paths, water reflections, and quiet corners perfect for sketching. We also visited KUMU Art Museum, admiring Estonian art and the soft northern light. The doors in Old Town Tallinn deserve their own mention — their colours and textures always spark my artist’s eye.
At Telliskivi Creative City, my “Wings” mural, painted by me — Meru — still lives its own life, with people posing for photos as if they’ve grown their own wings. I often see them shared online, and it makes me smile from across the sea..
We also visited the Tallinn TV Tower (Teletorn) and had dinner in the restaurant there, enjoying a beautiful sunset over the city — a moment of calm and awe.
Walking behind Patarei Prison, where we found a barbed wire heart — we took a photo together there. It’s such a symbol of Tallinn itself: a city that holds beauty, memory, and resilience all in one.
🎨 Art, Museums, and Personal Work
Tallinn also holds a few of my artworks in various homes and spaces — even a painted sofa at Viinistu Museum.
We visited Eesti Kunstiakadeemia to see my brother and sister’s work evolving — so inspiring!
At Swiss Hotel Conference Hall, my friend Olja showed us my art on display, which was a wonderful full-circle moment.
These visits, along with my mural in Telliskivi, make me feel part of Tallinn’s living art scene.
❄️ Winter Fun and Family Moments
We went skiing with my dad at Viimsi, enduring -15°C, followed by a big family dinner full of warmth and laughter. Cross-country skiing at Trummi Nõmme was another first for us, and afterward, we went to my mom’s sauna — and yes, we jumped into the snow after the heat, laughing and feeling completely alive and then enjoyed a cosy home-cooked dinner.
Breakfasts at my auntie’s were always welcoming and full of love. And we always stop to buy fresh black bread straight from the bakery — still warm and so deeply nostalgic.
We took a trip to Tartu, my childhood town, where my aunt lives. Walking around my old house and neighbourhood — Tammelinn — brought back so many memories. The mural in our garden house still exists, and I remember staring at it for hours as a little girl. Picking apples from our old garden was a sweet nostalgic treat.
We also met friends who attended our wedding for dinner in Vanalinn. Estonian food is always exciting — fresh, surprising, and full of character.
💛 Little Things That Stayed With Me
The calm of Viru Raba, reflections of water and trees.
Quiet streets of Tallinn, colourful doors, wings, and murals everywhere.
Childhood memories in Tartu — the garden mural, apples, and streets of Tammelinn.
Seeing family thriving and art evolving around me.
Skiing in the cold, followed by sauna and hearty meals.
Tallinn is a place where art, family, and personal history all weave together. It’s calm, clean, and endlessly inspiring — a city that stays with you long after you leave.
🗺️ Places We Visited
Tallinn Old Town – cobbled streets, colourful doors, quiet squares
Kadriorg Park & Kumu – reflections, Estonian art
Viru Raba – serene bogs and endless trees
Telliskivi Quarter – murals, street art, and my wing mural
Trummi Nõmme & Viimsi – skiing, sauna, family dinners
Tartu / Tammelinn – childhood streets, garden mural, apple picking
Eesti Kunstiakadeemia – my brother and sister’s art
Tallinn TV Tower – sunset over the city
