With its perfectly preserved medieval Old Town, towering church spires and charming cobbled streets, Tallinn has every reason to bask in the limelight as European Capital of Culture 2011. What I hadn’t banked on was actually becoming one of the many head-turning sights.

As our guide Kristina urged us to pedal faster, and the “conference bike” gathered speed, curious Estonian drivers slowed down to take a look and bemused tourists turned their cameras from architectural gems tofocus on our novel mode of transport. While walking is the best way to discover Tallinn at leisure, the circular bikes made for seven illustrate that this is no city stuck in a time-warp and it’s easy to combine history with a decidedly different experience.

After cycling past the wood-boarded houses of the Kalamaja neighbourhood to the coastline that was out of bounds to citizens under Soviet occupation, we reluctantly turned for home, wishing we’d signed up for the 32 euro one-hour tour. We’d opted for 30 minutes based on pre-ride nerves that were quickly dispelled with Kristina firmly in charge of the steering – and brakes.

Tallinn’s focal point is the Old Town square, a great place to start a city tour. The town hall is a Gothic masterpiece and the main sights are within walking  churches and unique attractions such as the Town Hall Pharmacy with ancient lotions and potions on display.

After stopping for coffee in one of the many cafes lining the square, we set off to Toompea, once the preserve of the city’s aristocracy and home to the president’s residence and parliament building. It’s well worth the walk to the Patkuli viewing platform overlooking the stunning UNESCO-listed Old Town and we stopped for a breather at the Cathedral of St Mary, where countless coats of arms adorn the white walls.

festivals

Spring is the start of the main tourist season and midsummer, with up to 18 hours of daylight in June, is another popular time to visit and also a good time to enjoy some of Tallinn’s many festivals.

One of the biggest celebrations takes place at the beginning of June. Old Town Days is a week-long streetparty packed with medieval characters, musicians, dancers and entertainers. In July there’s Beer Summer (www.ollesummer.ee), the largest outdoor festival in the Baltics. Despite its name it actually incorporates a huge music festival, albeit with plenty of beer on the side.

By the end of October things quieten down. But if time to visit, especially during Tallinn’s Christmas market that starts in the last week of November.

After the cycling and walking, we had worked up an appetite and the next stop was Cafe Moon (www.kohvikmoon.ee) in the Vorgu district. Far removed from your average cafe, talented Tallinn chef Roman Zashterinski has teamed up with two fellow chefs to serve fantastic food worthy of a designer restaurant but in an informal setting. Although Estonia waved goodbye to its kroon and joined the eurozone at the beginning of the year, it’s still an inexpensive destination for UK visitors.

My borscht soup with beef was three euros and the main course of duck in a honey lemon sauce was under 10 euros, a fraction of what you’d pay for similar food at home.

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