My Estonian friend, who had invited me to come visit her during her vacation in her hometown of Tallinn, suggested we go for a bike ride outside the city centre. This being the second time on a bike since childhood, I must admit I was a bit apprehensive, but with nice, wide bike lanes like that, I had no reason to worry. Our 8(!) hour outing turned out to be an utter joy! After renting me a bike, we made our way down to the seaside promenade, and started our adventure:
- The beautiful Kadriorg Park, with the even more adorable and colorful Kadriorg Palace, and, in comparison, the very anonymous Presidential Palace.
- Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, which I believe must be one of the best outdoor concert arenas I have ever seen – for short people like me 🙂 And just outside the gates there’s a tiny roadside diner to lunch at – serving delicious Azerbaijani food.
- Maarjamäe Memorial, which provides an excellent view of the Tallinn skyline and Tallinn Bay.
- Pirita Beach, where the kites were out, and we passed through the splendid adjacent woods.
- Paat. A restaurant shaped as a boat turned upside down. Located all the way out in Viimsi. Sitting on the outside deck, nice and quiet with the sounds of waves rolling in, enjoying a light snack. And from the looks of it, a stylish restaurant serving food to match.
- And, last but not least, I got to see places from my friend’s childhood, which always adds another dimension to a trip!
I rented my bike at City Bike. They have plenty of kinds to choose from, but I got one of those old style ones that I knew from childhood 🙂 – hail foot brake! Leave a 100 euro (2015) deposit, and pay when you return. I paid 15 euros for 8 hours, which I find to be a good deal.
Wow – eight hours on a bike – well done. Cycling is such a great way to see a city – sounds like you fitted a lot in. I’d love to go to Tallinn. Thanks for linking up with #citytripping again
My butt hurt 🙂 I’ve only gone biking a couple of times, but it is super. Will do more.
Tallinn is somewhere I’d love to see – and bike tours are such a great way to get around. Thanks for joining up with #citytripping
I usually don’t go biking, but I have found it a great way to explore. Will try to do more of that!
I love seeing cities by bike. Thanks for the suggestions, especially like the sound of the Maarjamäe Memorial.
#citytripping
I’ve discovered the joy of it just recently. The memorial itself was a bit futile, but the view super!
Good for you Bea – looks like a great place and the bike allowed you to cover a lot of ground.
We covered a lot of ground! Being on that bike for so many hours sure hurt 🙂 But it was such a great idea to get out of town. Would do it again!