Tallinn is a medieval Christmas dreamland | Europe's best city in winter 🇪🇪🎄

'Tallinn in Estonia is the prettiest place I've ever seen.' That's how Marnie described the medieval capital city which is home to one of the best Christmas markets on the continent.
With snow on the ground and stunning decorations, Tallinn is yet another wintry Christmas dreamland and the second stop on our festive adventure through the Baltics and Scandinavia.
We of course visited the Christmas market both in the day and at night to see what all the fuss is about.
Olde Hansa is an authentic medieval restaurant experience with waiting staff who dress up and stay in character, so it's a great way to immerse yourself in Tallinn's history.
We also went to the Kohtuotsa viewing platform which is the best viewpoint over Tallinn, the cafe voted the best in the city and packed in a visit to the St Mary's and Alexander Nevsky cathedrals.
St Catherine's Passage is one of the true hidden gems in Tallinn and you of course cannot skip checking out the iconic Viru Gate.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:07 Travelling to Estonia from Riga in Latvia
01:55 First impressions of Tallinn
04:39 Tallinn Christmas Market at night
05:19 Olde Hansa medieval restaurant
06:53 Thoughts on Tallinn
07:59 The best cafe in Tallinn
08:57 Tallinn Christmas Market in the daytime
11:06 Kohtuotsa viewing platform - the best viewpoint in Tallinn
12:33 Climbing St Mary's Cathedral
13:32 Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
14:37 Viru Gate and St Catherine's Passage
Thank you for watching our short film and coming with us around Tallinn. We hope you enjoy it!
Ben and Marnie 💕
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It would mean so much to us if you could come along with us for our journey around the world. You can also really help us by...
🔔 Hitting the notification bell to let you know when we publish our videos, which are all things travel and adventure
👍🏼 Pressing the like button if you enjoy our videos and want to help the rest of the KZbin community notice us
💬 Comment on our video - please let us know what you think
🌟Subscribe to our channel - it really helps us and means you'll see our videos when they're up
📸 Come and follow us on Instagram here: / ben_and_marnie
We're always posting pictures of our travels and we love chatting to people, so don't be shy 🥰

[@kaurhanson3859]

Great to see you guys enjoyed Tallinn . Hope you will be back soon ! . Maybe next time at summer

[@BenandMarnie]

Thank you, we loved it so much! We will certainly be back again some day - it must be so different in summer and beautiful in another way altogether!

[@yelenayeli9529]

I visited Tallinn in august and it was beautiful❤. Although I think that Tallinn in snowy winter weather is even more beautiful❤❤❤!

[@BenandMarnie]

Ahh wow, that must've been amazing, we've seen pictures of Tallinn in the summertime and it looks so colourful. It is a completely different vibe in winter. I think you should go again in winter and we should return in summer to see it in a completely different way, but equally as beautiful 😀😍

[@yelenayeli9529]

​@@BenandMarnie The Baltic Sea at Narva Joesuu was amazing too! Also the vibe in the old spa hotel. And Narva nearby the river and close to Russia was also very beautiful. Just as the travel by train to Narva when you also get an impression of Estonia. And a lot more to see than the bus travel from Latvia to Tallinn.

[@BenandMarnie]

@@yelenayeli9529 we definitely want to go back again one day to properly explore the whole of Estonia. We loved it!

[@CarlCOts]

Its amazing any season to be honest my favorate town Tallinn 🇪🇪

[@NicolasDudic-ph4kd]

Absulutely beautiful city !! Thank you for Sharing this Nice vidéo ! Have a wonderful Christmas 🥂🍾🎄🎁☃️❄️🎅✨️ Pozz svima ot sefer I marija. Francija

[@BenandMarnie]

Thank you so much, really glad you enjoyed the video 😀 merry Christmas to you too! Hope you have the best time 🎄 such a nice comment 🥰

[@PROvsjo._]

Very beautiful.🙂👍

[@BenandMarnie]

Ahh thank you ☺️

[@tamerdegirmenci6129]

Süper beğenerek izliyoruz tebrikler teşekkürler 🎉

[@BenandMarnie]

Aww thank you for your kind words! We’re so happy you enjoyed watching! Thank you for coming with us to Tallinn 😀❄️😍🎄

[@migawkizpolski]

Absolutly amazing place 👍👍👍Cool film editing, good job!

[@BenandMarnie]

It’s honestly so incredibly pretty, one of our favourite places without a doubt 😍 Thank you for your kind words, means a lot to us 🙏

[@jimmyryan5880]

So pretty

[@BenandMarnie]

Isn’t it just! Perfect word to describe Tallinn 🤩

[@cookvlogwithsandhya4381]

Beautiful place 😊 nice sharing dear friend 👌

[@BenandMarnie]

Thank you for enjoying it with us! The pleasure is all ours 🙏☺

[@CarlCOts]

Its a good idea to have a look in to allyways there! And buildingns&streets have plaques with cool history about them🇪🇪🇧🇻and its my favorite city😊

[@BenandMarnie]

Yeah, there are so many little nooks and crannies to discover in Tallinn! We already cannot wait to go back again one day 😀

[@CarlCOts]

Gonna go there in june to see how Estonians celebrate midsommer and old town !

[@jonasjonava]

Leedu, Kaunase linn - tervitused õed ja vennad Eestist.!!!

[@BenandMarnie]

We really want to go to Lithuania at some point! 😍

[@jonasjonava]

@@BenandMarnie ❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍🇱🇹❤️🇺🇦

[@painterlegsboro3685]

Had a brilliant winter week there about 5 years ago. Incredibly peaceful capitol city

[@BenandMarnie]

It's genuinely so incredible! If you want true winter vibes, I don't think you can beat Tallinn. You're so spot on with the word peaceful! That's exactly what we felt too ☺

[@katrinlausch3078]

Kehrwieder (your pronounciation was very off 😇)is German meaning sth. like "come back/ visit again (please)". Love your editing and videos. Stay safe and enjoy the Holidays, Kate ✨

[@BenandMarnie]

Oooops sorry! We weren’t sure how it was said. Estonian speaking is definitely not our strong point 😅 But thank you so much, that’s very kind Kate! Merry Christmas 🎄😀

[@katrinlausch3078]

Well like I said it is German anyway 🤣❤️

[@BenandMarnie]

@@katrinlausch3078 ohh sorry, didn’t understand whether you meant it’s German but pronounced differently in Estonia… 🤣 Well, German clearly not a strong point either… 😅

[@katrinlausch3078]

😆

[@ruhicenetvideos]

this video will get more views

[@BenandMarnie]

Thank you for your kind words, Ruhi. We watched your video on Yakutsk before, looks absolutely crazy!

[@tom_roche]

Tallin looks very cosy. Great video guys! Safe travels.

[@BenandMarnie]

Ahh cheers dude 🤩 legend for supporting us! 👊

[@s4nder86]

What about Tallinn?

[@ristalinternational]

Did you try/taste cinnamon or honey beer at Olde Hansa? :)

[@BenandMarnie]

Oooh we think we just had the most ‘normal’ kinda beer available 😅 Should we have tried it? We will add that to our list of things to do when we come back to Tallinn if so haha 😃

[@Victoria.Foxworthy]

Now I can say, "Tallinn? Oh yes, I've been there. I toured around with my friends, Ben and Marnie. We had a marvelous time!" 💖

[@BenandMarnie]

Awww that’s sooo sweet!! Big beaming smiles 😄 you’re welcome to join us anywhere, anytime! So glad you enjoyed coming with us haha! 🧡

[@MiracoloItaliano2.0]

В Прибалтике депрессивно. Она выdмирает, людей нет, все разъехались.

[@s4nder86]

@@MiracoloItaliano2.0 Mother Russia awaits you.

[@MiracoloItaliano2.0]

@@s4nder86 Мы говорим о Прибалтике. Скажи, каким образом твои праздные разговоры поднимают демографию Прибалтики?

[@pianoman4Jesus]

My wife, who is Estonian, first took me into Vanalinn via Viru gate. So I will always remember that as first direction to see Vanalinn from. @1:55 Your first memories are from Fat Margret (Paks Margareeta). @6:21 Looks like a proper Estonian meal... both of yours. Yours looks like it has some cubes of cooked pumpkin, correct? Where did you dine for this meal? @8:35 Oh Excellent, you found Kehrwider Saiakang Chocolaterie. I have very good memories of visiting that! I had a delicious gooseberry torte, warmed up per the young lady who served us, and a delicious hot chocolate. She said shop staff harvest the gooseberries fresh. So definitely not serving up factory prepared food. You showcased several of my favorite spots around Vanalinn. On the West side of Toompea is Piiskopi Viewing Platform, overlooking my wife's highschool running track below. At the South West corner of Toompea is Pikk Hermann, where the Estonian flag is raised each day. Then across the street to the South is Lindamägi, a lovely park with a statue of Linda. Up at the North end of Vanalinn is Oleviste kirik (St. Olaf's church)... once the tallest building in the entire world. Presently it is used by a Baptist Church congregation. By Viru Gate was Musumäe (Kissing Hill) Park. And on and on the spots would go.... Good video. 👍

[@BenandMarnie]

What a wonderful comment to read, this really, really warmed our hearts so much 🧡 It was a genuine Estonian meal indeed, I think it did have pumpkin, you are correct! And it was delicious haha! Aww wow, yeah the Kehrwieder cafe was so cosy and cute. Great selection of sweet and savoury and lovely coffee. We can see why it earned its title as the best cafe in Tallinn! They were very friendly, that's true! I'm so glad we managed to highlight some of the best spots. We didn't know too much about it when we came, so we just tried to research the best places and also just follow our nose really and it lived up to our expectations and more! I cannot wait to come back to Tallinn now and visit some of the places you mentioned!! Awesome, and thank you so much again for your lovely comment 🙏

[@pianoman4Jesus]

@@BenandMarnie haha so again, @6:21 venue for that meal was....???? 😉

[@BenandMarnie]

@@pianoman4Jesus sorry for misreading 😅 it was at Olde Hansa!

[@pianoman4Jesus]

@@BenandMarnie Thank you for identifying the venue. 👍

[@pianoman4Jesus]

@@BenandMarnie As I feel we are local Estonians, not tourists, while there... thus we rarely dine out local in Tallinn for an official meal. We eat at home! But for refreshments while downtown, THAT is how we discovered Kehrwider Saiakang Chocolaterie. Another one, outside of Vanalinn.... Pontšik! They make fresh doughnuts. You purchase them freshly made. They have a robotic doughnut making machine, customers are able to see the doughnuts being made. YYUUMM!!! Väga hea! It is located at: Narva mnt 2, Tallinn Oh, an bakeries!!! One good one I know the address of: Pagaripoisid Ltd. Vana-Lõuna 37 Tallinn. Right next to a large tram garage. And while you are down that far South in town, walk to visit Tallinn-Väike Jaam (Tallinn-Little Railway Station) Tallinn. Unllike Baltijaam, the original structure still stands. (Both were similar buildings originally.) Now, I really will stop with suggestions.... getting outside of Vanallinn, so getting more and more suggestions. 😉

[@441greenleaf]

Soon i am going there for newyear. Did you take any permission for flying a drone? İ wanna bring my drone but i think europe have very strict rules about flying drones in city centers

[@BenandMarnie]

Hey, you can fly a drone in Estonia - but worth checking the local rules as it will depend on what kind of drone you have 😊

[@lamprosfountas9212]

7:10 how can I find this place?

[@BenandMarnie]

Hey, we were just around the corner from the 'Fat Margaret' entrance to the old town. There is a park and a slope right next to the outside of the city walls which gave us this amazing view of all the old, medieval buildings! So beautiful!

[@rihardsvitolins]

Why you ignored Vilnius, best city in Baltic counties. Saying as a Latvian

[@BenandMarnie]

Just time restraints sadly! 😞 We will be back to visit Vilnius one day for sure 👌