Soviet Tallinn

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The buildings and monuments of the Soviet period provide a fascinating insight into the communist occupation in the city. This time in history completely altered the look of this city. On this Tallinn tour you will go beyond the Old Town walls to hear incredible stories from this era and to see some extraordinary Soviet monuments that are rarely seen today.

Highlights:

Visit the infamous KGB Headquarters
Take in panoramic views from Linnahall
Stop by the only surviving hotel from the Soviet era
Take a trip out to the war memorial at Maarjamäe
Discover Soviet statues rarely seen on this Tallinn tour
Get informed at the Museum of Occupations

Tour style:History & Heritage, Walking, Local Life & Culture
Inclusion:

Guide, Entry to Museum of Occupations.

Exclusion:

Items of a personal nature, tips & gratuities for your guide.

Group size:Maximum 12
Schedule details:

Duration: 3-4 hours
Meeting point:
In front of Sõprus Cinema in Vana-Posti Street.
Start time: 2.00 PM
Finish point:
Museum of Occupations.

Additional information :

Voucher exchange details:
Please present your voucher to the local guide at the beginning of the trip.
Confirmation of booking:
Please contact Tallinn Urban Adventures to confirm your trip 24 hours prior to departure.
Dress standard:
In general, there are few dress restrictions in Europe and dress codes are similar to those you are used to at home. Please note though that in many churches modest dress is required; no shorts or skimpy tops are permitted.
Child policy:
Children must be 6 years of age to 11 years inclusively.
Language: English

Itinerary:

Meet your Tallinn guide in front of the Soprus Cinema to begin this fascinating look into Soviet Tallinn. On this Tallinn tour you will visit Soviet buildings and sights that played a major role in the history of not only Tallinn but the whole of the country. We begin the tour in a section of the Tallinn Old Town that was destroyed by a Soviet bombing raid, and will see the different styles of building that emerged in the early part of the occupation.

On our way out of the Old Town you will visit the KGB Headquarters with your local Tallinn guide, and learn about the horrific deeds that were performed here. Continuing on we come to Linnahall, the former V.I Lenin Palace of Sport and Culture, where we’ll enjoy great views of Tallinn Bay and catch a glimpse of some of the other sights we will see later in the tour.

The next stop is the Viru Hotel, which was the only hotel in Tallinn during Soviet times. Take the opportunity to learn about some of the amazing events that occurred in this hotel. We then board a local bus and travel out to Marjamae to see the Soviet War Memorial located here. We’ll also get to see some Soviet statues that have been stashed away out of sight.

Returning by bus to the centre of the city we will see the building that once housed Tallinn’s foreign tourist shop, where visitors could buy all kinds of western products that were completely unavailable to locals. You will also visit the former location of the Bronze Soldier, a Soviet statue that prompted riots when it was removed only a few years ago.

Finally we finish our Tallinn tour at the Museum of Occupations, where you will have a chance to cement the knowledge you have gained on this amazing Tallinn travel experience.

Your trip:

This trip is offered on a "join-in" basis. Maximum group size is 12.

Tipping:

If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides and drivers a tip - though not compulsory - is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many Intrepid Urban Adventures destinations. Please consider this when budgeting for your extra expenses on this trip.

Cancellations made more than 2 days prior to travel receive a full refund
Cancellations made 2 days or less prior to travel attract a 100% cancellation fee.

Welcome to Tallinn

The Tallinn Urban Adventures team is headed up by an Aussie expat and rounded out by a passionate, fun and knowledgeable group of locals. We feel this mix means we know a great deal about Tallinn, and that we also know how to explain the city to a visitor.

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Clear. Frigid.

Responsible Travel with Urban Adventures

Wherever we go in the world, we take a responsible attitude with us. That means travelling in a way which both respects and benefits local people, their culture, their economy, and their environment. Please read on for more information on our Responsible Travel policy and how you can be a responsible traveller for your entire journey.

Top 12 Responsible Travel Tips

The following tips are for your overall travel plans, not just for your time spent on an Urban Adventures tour.

Before leaving home, learn as much as possible about the countries you are visiting - the religion and culture, the local rules and values.
Learn some of the local language and don't be afraid to use it - simple pleasantries will help break the ice. Keep practicing.
Learn what's appropriate behaviour and body language. Like the concept of "saving face" in Asia or giving the thumbs up in western or central Europe.
Support locally owned businesses, hotels, restaurants, and other services. Eat local food and drink local brands and brews. Use public transport, hire a bike or walk where convenient - you'll meet local people and get to know the place. Use our local travel practices as a guideline.
Think first. It's best not to eat in restaurants, shop in stores or visit local shows, markets or zoos that promote cruelty or exploitation of endangered species.
Shop from traditional artisans and for locally made products, helping keep traditional crafts alive and favour local products over imported items. Bargain if that is a local practice, but bear in mind that a small amount to you could be extremely important to the seller.
Dress respectfully with an awareness of local standards. Dress modestly at religious sites and check what swim wear is suitable for pools and the beach.
Always ask first before photographing or videoing people. Send them back copies of photos to help make it a two-way exchange.
Be wary of giving gifts or money to beggars, children and people you have just met. Supporting the community through a local school, clinic, or development project may be more constructive.
Leave only footprints...take care of the environment as you would your own home. Take out all you take in, to areas away from the cities. Use alternatives to plastic and say 'no' to plastic bags. For cigarette butts, an empty film container makes a perfect portable container.
After returning home think how you can support programmes and organisations that are working to protect the welfare, culture and environment of where you've been lucky to visit.
Smile - The traveller who wishes to have a happy and successful trip should keep as calm, cheerful and friendly as humanly possible. And have fun!

Responsible Travel Code of Conduct

The following are Urban Adventures's key principles for operating responsible tours.

We aim to:

Use locally owned infrastructure on our tours where possible.
Spread the financial benefits amongst local people and operators.
Provide employment and leadership opportunities for local people.
Respect local customs and culture.
Provide safe tours for Urban Adventure partners, staff, and travellers.
Educate travellers and our partners about how and why we choose to travel this way.
Limit the negative impacts to daily lifestyles of local people not involved with Urban Adventures groups.
Limit the physical impact of trips in all destination communities-particularly sensitive natural and cultural environments.
Provide support to organisations and local communities visited by Urban Adventures groups.
Provide fun enjoyable trips to Urban Adventures travellers.
Provide opportunities for travellers to interact with local people.
Actively ban partners, staff and passenger participation in or endorsement of commercial sexual activities or illegal drug use on Urban Adventures tours.
Actively discourage the participation of Urban Adventures groups in activities which exploit animals - wild or domestic.
Use local partners that adhere to Urban Adventures' Responsible Travel and Local Travel principles and provide the best possible service to Urban Adventures travellers and staff.
Work to prevent the exploitation of children in tourism.
Support and encourage fair employment practices.
Give our travellers the best possible value.

For more information on how to be a responsible traveller, region-specific guidelines, and voluntourism, check out what our friends at Intrepid have to say.

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