Four friends, autumn, and off we go on a flight. Just like in the past three years, my three friends and I set off for Eastern Europe. Well, more like the Baltic region, to be precise. A two-hour flight from Bremen to Tallinn is no longer a problem for all of us. With Uber to probably the worst Airbnb in Tallinn. A 1.40 m x 2.00 m bed for two - okay. A 1.00 m x 1.80 m bed for two - shit. Plus, there's a staircase and walls made of chipboard. Well, nevermind, we're hardly ever in the apartment anyway. We arrived around 8 pm and at 9 pm we went to the grocery store to buy the essentials for breakfast. Then we headed into the city with a beer in hand. As we walked for about 20 minutes from our apartment through the banking and hotel district to the city center, we quickly realized that Tallinn is doing pretty well, and the prices reflect that. Burgers starting at 17 euro, beer starting at 5 euro, etc. In addition, most signs are in Russian and Estonian, which is a shame.
The next day, we went to Linnahall, a former shopping center right by the sea that looks more like a World War II battleground, but still had something special about it. Otherwise, there is really nothing at the harbor/sea. The actually beautiful, winding, but also manageable old town lost a lot of its charm due to the high prices and the many tourists. We quickly stopped by the Radisson to take a few photos and then continued. (Small tip: Vana Villemi Pub, a beautiful pub with fair prices and good food)
Linnahall
Vana Villemi Pub Altstadt Aussichtspunkt in der Altstadt So far so good, we are glad that we're moving on. Two days are definitely enough for Tallinn. We took a really good coach for 16 euro and headed to Riga, a four-hour journey. Since the first apartment had nothing to do with a nice Airbnb, the second one in Riga made up for it. Two large comfortable double beds and a large kitchen-living room, all in the middle of the old town. I don't have much to say about the following 4 days and 3 nights, because there was a lot of alcohol... Riga is nice, but in my opinion, it shouldn't be overrated. The usual boat tour during sunset is a lot of fun with beer (definitely negotiate the price), and the famous market hall offers a variety of sweet pastries that are delicious and extremely cheap. I had breakfast there for about 2 euros. So it's definitely worth a visit! The nightlife and the pubs leave nothing to be desired, finally beer at decent prices (2.80 euro for a pint). Otherwise, there wasn't much else to report... Sicht von unserer Haustür Bootstour Markthalle Next, after a few complications with the rented van and three new faces in the group, we went from Riga to Kaunas, yes, Kaunas. Originally, our plan was to go to Vilnius, but by chance, we came across the Euroleague top game Fenerbahce Istanbul vs. Zalgiris Kaunas (basketball) on the internet, and we didn't want to miss it. One of the new faces in our group was doing an Erasmus year in Vilnius and got us tickets there for 7 euros each, a nice price. Arriving just in time for the kick-off, we had beer and caraway breadsticks with aioli at overpriced stadium prices. 15,000, a sold-out stadium, and great atmosphere, something different for a football enthusiast and definitely recommendable! However, I don't think anyone really needs the clappers, seat cushions, flying advertising balloons, and other unnecessary halftime gimmicks. After the game, we quickly went to Vilnius (about a 90-minute drive) because the van had to be returned.We quickly grabbed something to eat, had a drink or two, and went to the hostel, which was perfectly fine for 10 euros per night. The next day, we tried to explore the city in a hurry, which turned out to be quite challenging with such a large group and after exhausting days. The view from the castle was okay, the old town a bit shabby but still had a special charm. Personally, I find it the most interesting city of the three. I have to mention the artist quarter, which sees itself as independent. It has its own anthem, its own president, and its own constitution, which is very funny and questionable to read, but still interesting!In the evening, we asked the locals for the best places to eat and ended the evening with the national dish 'Zeppelin'. Aussicht vom Gediminas Turm Great trip, new countries, new cities that are worth a visit, but not a must!
