The port cities of Helsinki and Tallinn are separated by just a 50-mile strip of the Baltic Sea.
But while they share similarities in location, the neighbouring capitals offer a totally different vibe making them perfect for a twin-centre break.
It’s easy to travel between Finland and Estonia’s capitals via a picturesque three-hour ferry route, but you can cut down on journey time, and maximise sight-seeing time, by hopping on one of the nine daily 20-minute Finnair flights between the two.
Both capitals are small by European standards, making them manageable to get around, not too crowded or overwhelming. Perfect for a whirlwind weekend away.
HELSINKI
What to do
There is no better place to kick off a trip to Finland than with a visit to a traditional sauna.
The practice is an intrinsic part of Finnish culture and integral to the lives of the locals, with the earliest version in Finland dating back to 7000BC.
It is estimated there are now three million saunas in the country – not bad going as the population is just 5.5 million.
Just a mile out of Helsinki city centre is Loyly Sauna. With its seriously chic appearance, with interiors made with black concrete, light Scandinavian birch wood, blackened steel and wool, it slots in nicely with Helsinki’s reputation as one of the design capitals of the world.
Inside there are two public saunas, a traditional smoke sauna, a wood-burning sauna and a glass-walled restaurant that looks out to sea.
After a session in one of the public saunas, I can certainly see the appeal of shutting yourself inside a hot box and letting the stresses of the day melt away.
But beware, temperatures can reach up to a sweltering 90C, and just as I was about to get my breath back someone poured water into the furnace and the heat cranked right back up again.
Once I’d sweated out toxins and other excesses of modern life, it was time for the really fun part of the whole enterprise – jumping into the spine-chilling Baltic Sea.
The sauna is attached to a jetty that leads straight to the water which was dipping to 7C at the time of my visit.
Despite night having already set in, looking out to sea in the darkness, the light flickering off the gentle waves, actually felt inviting.
So I took a deep breath, braced myself and concentrated on swiftly entering and exiting the sea without my vital organs shutting down.
Wow! What a wake-up call. Determination is the key to this process. Your reward at the end is feeling completely refreshed, amazingly alert and an overwhelming sense of “I can do anything now”.
The food
For a meat lover such as myself it would have been remiss of me not to enjoy a taste of reindeer.
While this may evoke uncomfortable images of chowing down on Santa’s trusty steeds, to Finns and people in other Nordic countries it is a popular meat all year around.
I thoroughly enjoyed a reindeer burger in Finnair’s Platinum Wing lounge, which now features the inevitable sauna for travellers to relax in.
The meat was very lean, beautifully cooked, and felt like a real treat.
Where to stay
Accommodation was at the Scandic Helsinki Hub hotel, which enjoyed its grand opening in September last year.
Located half an hour from the city airport it is housed in a 1920s printing house close to downtown Helsinki.
The 352 loft-style rooms are styled in muted grey and pinks. Its restaurant, Trattoria Il Centro, serves an excellent selection of antipasti and you can indulge in Neapolitan-style pizzas and pasta with lots of good wine.
Rooms from £100 a night B&B. scandichotels.com
TALLINN
What to do
To experience the highlights of medieval Tallinn I booked on to the Tales of Reval tour.
This interactive Old Town tour was led by an eccentric guide who, while dressed head-to-toe in traditional clobber of the time, told many enthralling tales of life back then.
Tallinn was known by variants of its historical name, Reval, from the 13th century until as recently as the 20th century.
The city got its modern name after Estonia declared independence at the end of the First World War, and the tiny nation again declared its sovereignty after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The Old Town became a UNESCO world heritage site soon afterwards and Tallinn is now one of Europe’s most thriving cities with the highest rate of start-ups per population.
After experiencing the old Tallinn I was jolted back to the present, visiting Telliskivi Creative City, located in the former industrial complex of Tallinn.
Housing galleries, small shops, various creative companies, start-ups and restaurants, it is one of the most colourful places in the capital and is a superb example of rejuvenation without gentrification.
The excellent guide pointed out some of the most beautiful art, crafts, style and photography – and I discovered that Estonia has even got its own version of Banksy.
Next was the Balti Jaam Market, a place where you can take your time mooching through fashion boutiques, Estonian crafts and design work, household goods and antiques, then take your pick from the wide selection of street food.
The market encompasses nearly 300 traders across three floors so there are plenty of options for your one-off souvenirs.
To round things off I headed to the Junimperium Distillery and Bar to taste the nation’s first craft gin and quench my thirst after a long day of sightseeing.
With the barman proudly boasting a number of gongs scooped at the recent World Gin Awards, I sampled the best the distillery had to offer, including spirits infused with rhubarb and cherries, as well as some incredible cocktails.
The perfect way to toast a most wonderful day getting to know this fascinating city.
The food
If you are conscious about the environment and what you eat but love good food, Kivi Paber Käärid is your place, which proves that gluten-free clean-eating can be exciting.
Its seafood risotto with salmon and shrimps was so fresh and absolutely packed with flavour.
For dinner I visited the fabulous Mon Repos restaurant, which was Michelin selected last year.
The origins of some of the restaurant’s recipes date back centuries.
I tried mouth-watering roasted duck fillet with potato gratin, red cabbage and demi glace, and traditional Estonian meat and carbs couldn’t have been lovelier.
Book the holiday
If you want beautiful newness on your break, check into the Radisson Collection Tallinn, which opened its doors after a £25million refurb in May last year.
Located on Ravala boulevard and within walking distance of Tallinn’s main square, it has 287 elegant rooms, a spa, plus a Japanese and Peruvian fusion restaurant up on the 24th floor.
Its stunning rooftop bar, which is Tallinn’s highest, opens during the summer season.
Rooms from £101 a night B&B. Find out more at radissonhotels.com.
Get there: Finnair flies from Heathrow to Helsinki up to four times a day from £216 return; up to nine flights daily between Helsinki and Tallinn from £112 return. Find out more at finnair.com.
More information: Head to visitestonia.com and visitfinland.com.
