Escape to TALLINN

With its Hanseatic League heritage and folk art, design and sustainability scene, Tallinn offers an enchanting culture-focused city break, especially in the winter snow

- Polly Allen

In December, the picturesque city of Tallinn becomes even more magical.

Light installations and tiny illuminated trees brighten the medieval cobbled streets, while the Christmas market and its towering tree - a tradition dating back to 1441- sit at the heart of the festivities. Tallinn has often been described as a fairy-tale city, not least when it's covered in a dusting of snow and filled with twinkling lights, but the multilayered history of the Estonian capital actually reads more like an epic saga.

Over the centuries, Estonia changed hands between the Danes, Swedes, Germans, Nazis, Russians and the USSR, but the country fought to preserve its language, heritage and customs. Traces of its history remain, such as the city walls and towers – some originally commissioned by the Danish Queen Margaret Sambiria in 1265 (and later used as a hideout for punks in the 1980s). Then there’s the harsh modernist architecture of the Viru Hotel where, from 1972-1991, guests were covertly monitored by the KGB.

Today, the urban sprawl blends medieval listed buildings with Art Nouveau, Brutalist structures, skyscrapers, startup hubs, revamped warehouses, and a heady mix of cultural influences. This is a place that has not just survived upheaval, but thrived. Tallinn is constantly evolving, and its newest - and most exciting areas to roam are Rotermann Quarter and Noblessner. The former is home to the Tallinn Design House concept store, while Noblessner offers seaside saunas, port-side restaurants, and a brewery. Outside of the bustling centre, Kumu Art Museum and the 15th-century Pirita Convent ruins are worth a detour, as is the elegant baroque Kadriorg Palace, built by Peter the Great in 1718.

Must-sees

Tallinn Old Town