Tallinn

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, possesses one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in all of Northern Europe. The walled hilltop Toompea (Upper Town) and the lower old town together form a Unesco World Heritage Site of extraordinary coherence — Gothic town hall, medieval towers and city walls, cobblestone streets and merchant houses that have barely changed in 600 years. Toompea Castle (now housing the Estonian Parliament), the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (built by the Russian Empire in the 1890s), and the Dome Church (with its remarkable collection of aristocratic coats of arms) occupy the upper town. The lower town's Town Hall Square, Gothic Town Hall, St. Olaf's Church (with its tower long used as a navigational landmark for ships) and the medieval alleyways are best explored slowly. The Viru Gate is the atmospheric entrance to the old town from the modern city. Tallinn has one of the world's most remarkable digital societies — Estonia invented Skype, pioneered e-governance and offers e-residency — and that innovation is reflected in an excellent contemporary design and tech scene alongside the medieval heritage. The Telliskivi Creative City and Kalamaja neighbourhood, in converted industrial buildings, are the best areas for contemporary restaurants, cafés and galleries. Estonian cuisine — black bread, smoked fish, sour cream, blood sausages at Christmas — is distinctive. Tallinn is very affordable.