Ye Olde Taverns and a Pasta Pot for Five: A University Student's Guide to the Baltics

What else would you rather be doing with your summer than reuniting with your old friend group and gallivanting around the cities of Europe with 10 euros in your pocket and a dream? This time around we chose the Baltics, having already seen much of the rest of Europe two summers ago. If pretending to be a medieval knight drinking ale in a tavern after a busy day slaying dragons is your ideal week, then the Baltics is the place for you.

I arrived in Tallinn, Estonia, a couple of days after the group. Sleep-deprived and wondering how the reunion would be after a few months apart, I dragged myself through the quiet streets. Travelling further from the airport, tall, glass buildings that were cluttering my view slowly faded, as they became wooden and delightfully worn— something I certainly wasn't going to complain about due to my preference for older architecture. I arrived at the hostel ready to pass out on my bed, but my friends had taken over the room to watch Obsession. After greeting everyone, the familiarity of friendship took over, and it felt good to laugh after two plane rides in silence. I forwent the creepy movie and tried to sleep through the screams from the laptop… and my companions.

Tallinn, Estonia

When travelling around the old town of Tallinn, an itinerary isn't needed. All you need to do is walk along the cobbled streets and soak in the atmosphere of the 13th-16th centuries, which is when most of the buildings were built. One of the most fun activities was visiting Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum. We were able to explore the city's tallest defensive tower, spanning over six floors. What made it so memorable wasn't just the history but how interactive it was.

We donned some chainmail and helmets, which were much heavier yet also more fashionable than you would imagine, and messed around with some building blocks to build towers. Hark! It was time for dinner. We headed to Olde Hansa, a medieval restaurant where the waiters were dressed as peasants, and in the bathroom I had to pull a rope to open the door and tilt a jug of water over my hands to wash them. Estonia really did feel as though we were travelling through an ancient kingdom, and an army was about to lay siege at any minute. It was a delightfully walkable place, with the Old Town erupting with cobbled towers and roofs of rusty-red and terracotta that cut through the skyline.

Riga, Latvia

Reluctant to leave but curious about our next destination, we caught the bus to Riga, Latvia. We all felt that nothing could top Estonia, but that was before the cathedrals, parks and the Art Nouveau district. It took us about an hour to find the Airbnb, which was, as usual, up a ridiculous amount of stairs. However, it is worth it if you are a big group, as it can turn out to be cheaper than a hostel and much more comfortable. We did have to cover the windows with towels as curtains, but hey, you can't expect the Four Seasons in your twenties. Riga was where the fated pasta incident occurred. In our blind hunger we took to making a large pot and neglected any plates. When one of my friends was on his fourth dinner of the evening, I was reminded of how baffling a man’s appetite is. Riga had a lot of greenery, with parks that ran through the city and rivers where you could take boat rides. The parks weren't just a good place to walk, as we chose a different mode of transportation: the electric scooter. However, be warned of these death traps. While they offer quick transportation across the cities and give ample drag racing opportunities, it truly is terrifying flying past moving traffic on cobbled streets. My final note for Riga would be to check out the Latvian National Museum of Art, as it boasted a beautiful collection of Latvian paintings spanning from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century.

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Vilnius, Lithuania

The last city we visited was Vilnius, Lithuania, the larger of the three. We managed to catch a bit of a parade, with music played by children and adults in traditional wear, bringing more life into an already lively city. Touring the crypts of the Vilnius Cathedral was great for some juicy history and the classic beautiful architecture. It’s a common occurrence to get church and cathedral fatigue when travelling through Europe, but some are unique enough to be worthy of an afternoon— this being one of them. We stayed in the hostel Bed and Blues, located in a courtyard home to many cats. It was cosy, yet featured some elaborate decor, especially in the dining room, which we took over for yet another round of shitty pasta and some card games.

There were also many tucked-away bits of beauty in Vilnius, like statues or just somebody's house enveloped by the many trees, that made me feel like there was always much more to discover. The grandeur of the churches and the development of the city were tempered by the street performers and cosy corners dotted throughout.

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There truly is no experience like travelling at this point in your lives. You're broke, have no commitments, and you have to be scrappy, resilient, and willing to cram an organ concert and card games in a park all into one day. It can also be odd when friendship dynamics are shifting as university is a catalyst for our growth as people. But if you are with the right people, change will become familiar, and you’ll find comfort in the familiarity of their companionship with new things to appreciate about them. And who doesn’t enjoy a bit of undercooked pot pasta with a side of hear ye, hear ye?