The Pop Culture Travel Guide

Tag: Estonia

Tallinn: Let Me Kiek in Your Kök

Where: Komandandi 2, Tallinn, Estonia

11/27/2006 at 10:22 AM
Tags: , , , (all tags)


The 2007 Lonely Planet Bluelist is full of what these big travel guide publishing types think will be hot (and not) in the coming year has an interesting selection of cities in its Top Ten: all three capitals of Baltic countries Estonia, Lativa and Lithuania make the list, among others. One of our favorites is Estonian capital Tallinn, and according to Lonely Planet there's more than one good reason to head there:
The flair of the streets is decidedly fashion-forward, with boutiques bearing the imprint of rising Estonian designers, in contrast with centuries-old artisan traditions. The capital also boasts the largest wine cellars in the Baltics and plenty of medieval settings in which to imbibe.
Imbibing is well and good, but we can do that at home too--we recommend catching a distinctively Estonian sight, like the Kiek in de Kök, a 15th century cannon tower renowned as one of the most powerful towers on the Baltic coast. You'll find it on the Toompea Hill, still part of the medieval Old Town of Tallinn, and we love it especially for its name. Apart from the fact that Kiek in de Kök sounds damn cute, the meaning is also great: "peek in the kitchen", because that's what the guards could do into neighboring houses.

[Photo: dgaponeko]

Related Stories:
·   Cities on the Rise [The Australian]

0 Comments - Add Yours by amandak

Putting Students in their Place: The Clink

Where: Tartu, Estonia

8/01/2006 at 9:40 AM
Tags: , (all tags)


The southern Estonian town of Tartu is a good stopover if you're doing a Baltic city hop, lying as it does mid-way between Tallinn and Latvia's Riga. It's a university town with all the young people's trappings that go with it, but be on your guard at Tartu University. It's the home to a long-used Student Lock-Up--fortunately now only a tourist attraction.

In previous centuries misbehaving students got locked up here for hours, days or weeks at a time, depending on the seriousness of their crime. Turning up late for class too often gave them just a couple of hours of captive time--still enough though to contribute to the artwork and poetry inscribed in the ceiling and walls. But not returning your library books on time could score you two days lock-up just for a first offence. Talk about tough love.

[Image via jbelluch/Flickr]

Related stories:
Web Cams in Tartu [Tartu City Government]

0 Comments - Add Yours by amandak



Submit a Tip

Advertisements

ADVERTISE ON JAUNTED

Get Alerts!
Travel Stories Straight To Your Inbox.