~ European adventures ~
Seeing the beautiful Astronomical clock in Prague’s Old Town
A recent trip to explore and document Prague led us to the Astronomical Clock in Prague, a medieval astronomical clock located in the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic.
Looking over Riga’s stunning old town from atop St Peter’s church in Latvia
Wanting to explore more of eastern Europe travelled to Riga in Latvia, to see St. Peter's Church, a historic and architecturally significant building located in the heart of the Daugava River and the city's beautiful Old Town.
Visiting the infamous KGB cells in Tallinn
The KGB prison cells in Tallinn is a solemn museum dedicated to the history of the Soviet secret police, and its subversive activities in Estonia, which I decided to visit when I got to the country so I could understand more about the place I would be staying.
Exploring the stunning St Kinga’s chapel - over 100m below the surface in Wieliczka salt mine, near Kraków, Poland
An experience drawn straight out of an Indiana Jones film, (or a Tomb Raider video game for us millennials), when we visited the Wieliczka Salt Mine, located near Kraków, one of the world's oldest operating salt mines and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Touring the Estonian Museum of Architecture
Located in the capital city, Tallinn, the Estonian Museum of Architecture is a fantastic museum that explores the beautiful buildings of Estonia.
Founded in 1991 with the aim of collecting, preserving, and exhibiting materials related to Estonian architecture and urban planning, the museum is located in the modern Rotermann district, inside a characterful Salt Storage building, that was built in 1908.
Discovering the Suur Toll icebreaker ship in Tallinn
The remarkable Suur Tõll, Estonia's iconic flagship and a living testament to the country's maritime heritage. Anchored within the captivating Seaplanes Maritime Museum in Tallinn, this steam-powered icebreaker is a sight to behold.
Named after the legendary giant hero of Estonian mythology, Suur Tõll (Big Tõll) pays homage to the mighty Toell the Great, who once roamed the island of Saaremaa. Legend has it that Toell would hurl massive rocks, often targeting his archenemy Vanatühi or any foes threatening the people of Saaremaa.
Roaming around the Estonian Film museum in Tallinn
A great trip for digital nomads that work in creative industries is the the highly interactive Estonian Film Museum, a museum dedicated to the history of Estonian cinema. Located in Tallinn, the museum was founded in 2006 and is currently situated, near to the Estonian History Museum (Eesti Ajaloomuuseum) in the historic Maarjamäe Castle.
Finding ancient art at the UNESCO archaeological site in Paphos, Cyprus
The Archaeological Park of Kato Pafos (Paphos) in Cyprus stands as a pivotal site, encapsulating centuries of history and cultural richness. Its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1980 underscores its significance as a treasure trove of ancient civilisation.
Exploring the UNESCO-listed Tomb of Kings in Paphos, Cyprus
The Tombs of the Kings is an incredible archaeological site near Paphos, Cyprus – that you might not have heard of.
Needing to travel back to London for meetings and to get planning for the first live Tales of Adventure events underway, I decided to come via Cyprus to get some brief respite from Estonia’s -20 winter and explore more of the island that I’d last visited some 12 years prior with 40 Commando Royal Marines during a summer of instability in the region.
Getting that overseas travel vibe at Tallinn botanical gardens
Having spent reduced my international travel thanks to a mountaineering accident and the pandemic, I’m desperate to see some new sights from around the world, and the Botanical Garden, situated on the outskirts of Estonia's capital city, Tallinn, delivers this in spades.
Spanning a vast area housing a diverse collection of plants from various climates worldwide, the garden showcases an extensive array of flowers, cactuses and animals, encompassing both native Estonian species and exotic plants from different continents.
Estonian Maritime Museum in Tallinn (aka ‘Fat Margaret’ / ‘Paksmargareeta’)
As a former Royal Marines officer, I was quite excited about vising the Estonian Maritime Museum (aka ‘Fat Margaret’ or ‘Paksmargareeta’ in Estonian) as it really offers a fascinating journey through maritime trade, agencies, and navigation, spanning from the Middle Ages to the era of sailing, steam, and motor ships in Tallinn’s old town.
Exploring the Pääsküla bog trail in Tallinn
Pääsküla trails are a network of hiking, cycling, and skiing trails located in the Pääsküla bog area in Western Tallinn, Estonia. The trails offer visitors the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the area and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, and skiing, depending on the season.
Staying at a beautiful Summerhouse in Leesi, Lahemaa national park
In summer 2023, I got to visit and stay in a beautiful private summer house in Leesi, to explore the Lahemaa National Park, a big and diverse national park located in northern Estonia and covering an area of approximately 725 square kilometres (280 square miles). Lahemaa, which translates to "Land of Bays," gets its name from the numerous bays and peninsulas that adorn the area's coastline along the Gulf of Finland.
One Sixty Smokehouse, an epic motorbike-themed restaurant in Tallinn
A fantastically cool restaurant that’s part of the Renard Speed Shop, 160 smokehouse is run by head chef, Andrei, and located in the ultra-cool Telliskivi creative quarter. It serves your favourite guilty pleasures, such as epic burgers, pulled pork tacos, hot dogs, and barbeque ribs, however also much more interesting fare such as soft shell crab burgers, and deserts made to look like the soap bars in Fight Club!
Saku mountain biking (near Tallinn)
The Saku forest offers a fantastic opportunity for active outdoor activities! Whether you enjoy hiking or skiing, you'll find a variety of well-maintained trails to explore. The trails range from 2 km to 7 km in length, providing options for different levels of difficulty. Additionally, there is a 2.7 km illuminated trail, allowing you to enjoy the forest even after sunset.
Visiting Tallinn boat show 2023
The Tallinn boat and maritime show is an annual event held in the Tallinn fairs centre (aka Eesti Näituste messikeskus), in the capital city of Estonia. The event is focused on showcasing boats, yachts, and other maritime equipment, as well as providing a platform for businesses and individuals to connect with each other in the maritime industry.
Seeing BASE jumpers backflip off Tallinn TV tower (aka Teletorn)
One of the things I first noticed when visiting Tallinn was the tall, pointy tower protruding from the beautiful green skyline, with what looked like a flying saucer built into it.
The Tallinn TV tower (aka the Teletorn) is a beautiful 170-metre mast located near Pirita beach and close to some of Tallinn’s wonderful hiking /biking / ski trails.
Navigating virtual worlds at the Proto Innovation Museum in Tallinn
In all the guides I’d read and many trips to super cool Noblessnor quarter, I finally got an opportunity to visit the Proto innovation museum, a highly interactive innovation museum that is a great place to take your family or friends.
Seeing the stunning Jägala Waterfalls near Tallinn
On my motorbikepcking trip to Juminda peninsula to learn more about the maritime disaster, I stopped to see the Jägala Waterfall, another stunning natural attraction located near Tallinn, just like the Keila waterfalls (albeit in the other direction).
Exploring Alatskivi castle near Tartu
In May 2023, I had the pleasure of visiting Alatskivi Castle, a stunning historic landmark located in the picturesque town of Alatskivi, in the East of Estonia. This impressive building can be found near the shores of Lake Peipus, just a short bus ride from Tartu, Estonia's second-largest city. It's a destination that has earned its reputation as one of Estonia's top tourist attractions thanks to its Disney-esque appearance!