Just a few bits of information from a native resident of Tallinn. The look and feel of the city is very different from district to district. The old town is unfortunately very touristy in summer and locals don't really go there that often since there are very few shops and other businesses oriented towards the local market. This is also why the old town is that empty during winter. Only a couple thousand people still live there at this time. The city centre around the old town is small and sparsely populated in relation to the overall population of the city. This is because Tallinn had only around 140,000 residents before WW2 and the fastest period of population growth happened during the Soviet Occupation. Most of the housing developments during the Soviet period happened in large housing estates on the outskirts of the city, the main ones being Lasnamäe, Mustamäe, Väike-Õismäe and Pelguranna. In total these disctricts/areas alone house more than half of all Tallinn residents. These areas can be quite grim and many buildings are still not renovated, compared to Central Europe where almost all have had a refresh in recent decades. They definitely still have that strong Soviet feel to them which you may not feel that much in the city centre. A lot of wealthier Estonians have moved to US-style suburbs during the last 30 years which in turn means there is less activity in the city centre, although there are desirable areas in the city centre or close to it as well. Kalamaja is one of them, it's actually the most expensive neighbourhood in Tallinn currently. Other nice areas that are close the city are Kassisaba, Uus-Maailm, Veerenni, Raua and Kadriorg. If you want a more garden-city feel then Kristiine is a good option as well. Talinn has a sizeable Russian-speaking population from the Soviet Occupation period but there are more and more "new" immigrants coming in, many of whom are working in IT. Russian-speakers are more prevalent in Soviet housing estates, especially in Eastern Tallinn (Lasnamäe district) where they are a majority but there are a lot of Russian-speakers in other Soviet housing estates as well. There are more Estonians in suburbs and also in those nicer areas I mentioned. More recent immigrants tend to move to the city centre or close to it as well. Tallinn has been and still is quite car-centric but fortunately there has been a slight shift in recent years towards more human-friendly urban design solutions and policies. New bike paths are popping up every year, for example, although it's still quite sporadic and it's definitely not at the level of Helsinki, not to mention the big cycling cities. Public transport is decent, although it really depends on what routes you have to take. Since Tallinn is quite spread out on the North-East to South-West axis, it can take a long time to get from one side of the city to the other. However, if you live and work in the city centre or close to it, you can get by without a car. Short-term car hire is also super popular in Tallinn(see Bolt Drive, Citybee) which is really handy for occasional car use. There's pretty much always a car available at a short walking distance. Rent in Tallinn is not too high. Historically it has been cheaper to buy than to rent, although the high interest rates have changed that for now. If you're planning to stay here for longer I'd definitely suggest looking into buying a place, even if it's for a few years. If you're looking at building something yourself then prepare yourself for quite a lot of bureaucracy. Everything goes a lot smoother if you have a good architect to prepare the design drawings, documentation and get the permits since that is very difficult to navigate even for locals. Groceries and eating out is definitely expensive over here compared to other Eastern European countries, sometimes bordering on Scandinavian prices. Look out for the price of utilities as well when renting on buying since they can be hundreds of euros a month on top of rent, always ask to see previous utility bills from both the summer and winter period. If you like nature then there are several nature trails within Tallinn city borders but lots more within an hour's drive from Tallinn. Estonia also has the freedom to roam so you can wander around elsewhere as well if you feel like it.
Thanks for the information. I've been twice in Tallin and I'm in love with this city. I'm planning my third visit there. Once again, thanks for your help.
Wishing you a great start! Estonia is by far the best baltic country you could chose from! As a foreigner, you'd face several challenges in Latvia and Lithuania, even discriminating ones. People in Tallinn are tremendously more warmer and more welcoming to foreigners, even proud that people decide to move there (certainly not the case with Riga or Vilnius).
Welcome to our tiny country here and enjoy your stay, how ever long it may be. The weather will get warmer at around april, so you'll still get empty streets for a while when you walk around. If you are using public transportation for now, then i suggest getting a 30-day ticket for 30€, it's valid for all trolleys, trams and those white-green buses you see, if you are using a car then be careful with parking because there are some parking zones in the center of town that you need to me mindful of. 700 for airbnb isn't that bad actually, you could get a 2-bedroom apartment for 400 in a commie-block but then water, electricity and central heating will be added on top. I hope your caffeine-quitting venture works out, never had to deal with that myself ;)
Technically no, but i'd still say yes because i'm close enough to get all the benefits of services and far enough to skip the negatives of noise. @@AlexMathersFilms
haha.... ROTFLOL at "Food is good." That was such an understatement. ;-) You will get a Soviet feel visiting other parts of Tallinn.... Väike-Õismäe, Lasnamäe as examples. For sea / beach view you should visit Pirita.... walk from Pirita all the way to Merivälja Pier along the sea.
If you want to be free of psychological limitation and live a freer, happier life, follow my Substack at Untethered Mind: www.untetheredmind.co
Just a few bits of information from a native resident of Tallinn. The look and feel of the city is very different from district to district. The old town is unfortunately very touristy in summer and locals don't really go there that often since there are very few shops and other businesses oriented towards the local market. This is also why the old town is that empty during winter. Only a couple thousand people still live there at this time.
The city centre around the old town is small and sparsely populated in relation to the overall population of the city. This is because Tallinn had only around 140,000 residents before WW2 and the fastest period of population growth happened during the Soviet Occupation. Most of the housing developments during the Soviet period happened in large housing estates on the outskirts of the city, the main ones being Lasnamäe, Mustamäe, Väike-Õismäe and Pelguranna. In total these disctricts/areas alone house more than half of all Tallinn residents. These areas can be quite grim and many buildings are still not renovated, compared to Central Europe where almost all have had a refresh in recent decades. They definitely still have that strong Soviet feel to them which you may not feel that much in the city centre.
A lot of wealthier Estonians have moved to US-style suburbs during the last 30 years which in turn means there is less activity in the city centre, although there are desirable areas in the city centre or close to it as well. Kalamaja is one of them, it's actually the most expensive neighbourhood in Tallinn currently. Other nice areas that are close the city are Kassisaba, Uus-Maailm, Veerenni, Raua and Kadriorg. If you want a more garden-city feel then Kristiine is a good option as well.
Talinn has a sizeable Russian-speaking population from the Soviet Occupation period but there are more and more "new" immigrants coming in, many of whom are working in IT. Russian-speakers are more prevalent in Soviet housing estates, especially in Eastern Tallinn (Lasnamäe district) where they are a majority but there are a lot of Russian-speakers in other Soviet housing estates as well. There are more Estonians in suburbs and also in those nicer areas I mentioned. More recent immigrants tend to move to the city centre or close to it as well.
Tallinn has been and still is quite car-centric but fortunately there has been a slight shift in recent years towards more human-friendly urban design solutions and policies. New bike paths are popping up every year, for example, although it's still quite sporadic and it's definitely not at the level of Helsinki, not to mention the big cycling cities. Public transport is decent, although it really depends on what routes you have to take. Since Tallinn is quite spread out on the North-East to South-West axis, it can take a long time to get from one side of the city to the other. However, if you live and work in the city centre or close to it, you can get by without a car. Short-term car hire is also super popular in Tallinn(see Bolt Drive, Citybee) which is really handy for occasional car use. There's pretty much always a car available at a short walking distance.
Rent in Tallinn is not too high. Historically it has been cheaper to buy than to rent, although the high interest rates have changed that for now. If you're planning to stay here for longer I'd definitely suggest looking into buying a place, even if it's for a few years. If you're looking at building something yourself then prepare yourself for quite a lot of bureaucracy. Everything goes a lot smoother if you have a good architect to prepare the design drawings, documentation and get the permits since that is very difficult to navigate even for locals. Groceries and eating out is definitely expensive over here compared to other Eastern European countries, sometimes bordering on Scandinavian prices. Look out for the price of utilities as well when renting on buying since they can be hundreds of euros a month on top of rent, always ask to see previous utility bills from both the summer and winter period.
If you like nature then there are several nature trails within Tallinn city borders but lots more within an hour's drive from Tallinn. Estonia also has the freedom to roam so you can wander around elsewhere as well if you feel like it.
this is helpful thank you! Are you in town?
I would say it's a perfect and honest description of the city
Thanks for the information. I've been twice in Tallin and I'm in love with this city.
I'm planning my third visit there.
Once again, thanks for your help.
Great vid, mate. Thanks
Thank you sir
Wishing you a great start! Estonia is by far the best baltic country you could chose from! As a foreigner, you'd face several challenges in Latvia and Lithuania, even discriminating ones. People in Tallinn are tremendously more warmer and more welcoming to foreigners, even proud that people decide to move there (certainly not the case with Riga or Vilnius).
good to hear! I hope I can figure out a way to stay
Welcome to Estonia! Hope you like it here!
thanks! Are you from here?
@@AlexMathersFilms Yup
@@martinkoitmae6655 what do you do over here man?
@@AlexMathersFilmsDo you mean like everyday life?
@@martinkoitmae6655sure! Work too
There's no corporate income tax for reinvested revenue only. Dividends are taxed.
gotcha - are you based in Tallinn?
Finland isn’t a Scandinavian country, if that’s what you were referring to.
❤ from Tartu
Welcome to our tiny country here and enjoy your stay, how ever long it may be. The weather will get warmer at around april, so you'll still get empty streets for a while when you walk around. If you are using public transportation for now, then i suggest getting a 30-day ticket for 30€, it's valid for all trolleys, trams and those white-green buses you see, if you are using a car then be careful with parking because there are some parking zones in the center of town that you need to me mindful of. 700 for airbnb isn't that bad actually, you could get a 2-bedroom apartment for 400 in a commie-block but then water, electricity and central heating will be added on top. I hope your caffeine-quitting venture works out, never had to deal with that myself ;)
thank you friend. Are you in town? Still off caffeine....
Technically no, but i'd still say yes because i'm close enough to get all the benefits of services and far enough to skip the negatives of noise. @@AlexMathersFilms
Nice video. Not so many people makes travel vlogs about Estonia.
my pleasure!
P R O M O S M
What this?
Great stuff mate 👊
Thanks dog
haha.... ROTFLOL at "Food is good." That was such an understatement. ;-) You will get a Soviet feel visiting other parts of Tallinn.... Väike-Õismäe, Lasnamäe as examples. For sea / beach view you should visit Pirita.... walk from Pirita all the way to Merivälja Pier along the sea.
Thanks for the tip!