To get a taste of what contemporary Tallinn is really like you need to take a short walk out of the Old Town and explore the Central Districts that encircle it.

As well as a lot of pre-World War II buildings that provide a flavour of inter-war Estonia, this part of the city also includes a handful of communist-era oddities such as the Hotel Viru and the Linnahall concert hall.

Gentrification

The area also contains several things that are emblematic of the “new”, post-independence Tallinn, notably the former warehouses and now posh residential and shopping neighbourhood of The Rotermann Quarter; the post-industrial arts-and-culture hub of Telliskivi Creative City at the northern fringes of the Old Town; and the harbourside Noblessner Quarter. All three are great after-hours hangouts with a glut of cafes, bars and restaurants.