News briefs

Tallinn’s newest restaurants

Town Hall Square to wrap in Christmas mood

Schlössle Hotel is a member of Virtuoso Network

Tallinn Card changes with the year

News briefs

Estonian Air will terminate direct flights from Tallinn to Berlin starting January 8, 2007. The reason for closing this route is a lack of demand. Tickets purchased for flights on this route after January 8, will be exchanged at no additional fee or refunded. Estonian Air’s only destination in Germany remains Frankfurt. Flight plan: www.estonian-air.ee.

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On October 29, Air France KLM introduced larger 103-seat planes on the Amsterdam-Tallinn route. Previously, 80-seat planes were used on this route. Starting on May 6, 2007, Air France KLM plans to start flying to Tallinn twice a day. Currently, one flight a day is made five days a week. For more information: www.airfrance.nl.

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On December 12, Lembitu Hotel, owned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs next door, will close. The hotel rooms will be rebuilt as offices to relieve the ministry’s lack of space. The clients of this reasonably priced, 33-room hotel have included civil servants and local government officials.

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Hotel Rotermanni Viiking will close from January 8, 2007. The hotel will be dismantled, because it will obstruct the construction of a residential and commercial house being built in this location. Additional information concerning the closure of the hotel can be obtained by phone +372 660 1934.

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Felicitalia, the Italian lifestyle centre, which started operations in June in the Viru Keskus, closed down on November 1. The reason for the closure was the non-fulfilment of agreements by Felicitalia and a constantly increasing rent debt.

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The international club music brand Hed Kandi has chosen Club Privé as its official representative in Estonia. The inaugural Hed Kandi event took place on October 20. The second party will take place on December 15, when DJ Fav aka Phil Faversham, one of the most important Kandi DJs, will perform. Exact program: www.clubprive.ee.

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In October, Papillon nightclub opened in Tallinn harbour district. The majority of the performers are Estonian groups and DJs, although foreign artists also perform. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, Papillon is open 10pm–4am, and admission is 75 EEK. On Fridays and Saturdays, they are open an hour longer, and admission is 125 EEK. The club is located at Ahtri 10. For additional information: papillon@papillon.com.ee and +372 666 4999 (and www.papillon.com.ee).

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The sparse selection of brand stores in Tallinn was supplemented on October 20, when the Emporio Armani shop opened at Rävala 4. In addition to clothing, jewelry, watches and eyeglasses are on sale. The owner and operator of the store is Apranga Estonia OÜ, which in addition to the Armani shop also owns the Nude clothing and accessory shop, and the Zara store in the Viru Keskus.

Tallinn’s newest restaurants

During the last few months, three new restaurants have opened in Tallinn – the family-operated Fahle Restoran & Caffe, the elite restaurant Vertigo, and the Spanish-themed restaurant Buen Provecho, which means "bon appetit".

Fahle Restoran & Caffe, which opened in June, features a 56-seat café, 64-seat restaurant, wine room, and cigar room. The restaurant’s menu includes soups (78–138 EEK), pastas and risottos (88–198 EEK), fish dishes (148–278 EEK), and meat dishes (158–333 EEK). Appetisers are priced at 88–299 EEK, and desserts cost 37–79 EEK. It is a good idea to go to Fahle when you are truly hungry, because the portions are quite large. The restaurant’s interior could be called contemporary classic, which is enriched by temporary exhibits of Estonian art. Fahle is located near the airport, at Tartu mnt 84 A. It is open 11am–11pm, on Saturdays from 11am to midnight, on Sundays from noon to 11pm. For more information: fahle@tuuleveski.ee and +372 603 0588.

Tallinn’s newest elite restaurant Vertigo started serving true gourmet dishes in August. Vertigo comprises a 70-seat fine-dining restaurant and Brasserie & Lounge of the same size. In the summer, a 130-seat roof terrace will open offering sweeping views of the city. The restaurant’s menu is always coordinated to the seasons. Dinner appetisers are between 140–350 EEK, main courses 260–360 EEK and desserts 120–200 EEK. The brasserie, where prices are approximately 200 EEK, also serves grill dishes, woks, casseroles, soups, pastas and risottos. The restaurant’s interior is coolly elegant and seems to expet the same from its customers. The brasserie seems a bit livelier, and has a more casual atmosphere. Vertigo is located at Rävala pst 4, opposite the Radisson SAS Hotel. The fine-dining restaurant is open from 6pm to midnight, on Sundays 4pm–10pm. The brasserie is open from noon to midnight, on Sundays 11am–10pm. The menus and beverage lists are available at www.vertigo.ee, additional information by phone +372 666 3456.

In September, Buen Provecho, the first restaurant featuring Spanish cuisine, opened in Tallinn – if not counting Tapas & Vino wine bar. The restaurant has two dining rooms and a bar. The menu includes a large selection of tapas (10–150 EEK), salads, soups, stews, fish and meat dishes, desserts, and a special menu for children (25–45 EEK). Starters and desserts cost 35–75 EEK, while prices for main courses are 85–240 EEK. Group menus (150–230 EEK) are also available, and imminent end of the year is heralded by Christmas menus (280–450 EEK). Both salsa evenings and performances by flamenco studios take place twice a month on the second floor of the restaurant. The homey Buen Provecho, furnished in warm colours, is located in the city centre at Pärnu mnt 37, close to Kosmos Cinema. The restaurant is open 1pm–1am and the bar 11am–1pm, on Sundays respectively 1pm–11pm and 11am–11pm. Photos of the restaurant can be seen at www.buenprovecho.ee. For additional information: info@buenprovecho.ee, +372 642 0546.

More Tallinn restaurants:
www.tourism.tallinn.ee

Town Hall Square to wrap in Christmas mood

The obvious signs of Christmas already came to the Town Hall Square in the second half of November, and in December they will extend to the edges of the square.

The traditional Christmas Market on the Town Hall Square will continue until December 24. In December, the Christmas mood will filter into the Town Hall itself as well as the Town Hall Pharmacy, not to mention the restaurants that line the square.

The annual Christmas Cellar in Town Hall is open 10am–6pm daily until December 23. Sweets, oriental spices, herbs and many other ingredients necessary for preparing healing drinks, along with socks, mittens and the most common Christmas accessories such as candles and decorations are available at the small market named Marzipan & Honey. On Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm, the ensemble Olde Hansa Musicus will play medieval music in the Cellar.

Town Hall Pharmacy is celebrating Christmas by offering once again its medieval healing beverage claret, consisting of hock, different spices and ethereal oils. The claret has been prepared at Town Hall Pharmacy since 1467. This time, the pharmacy is co-operating with local wine manufacturer Valtu Vein AS. The claret is prepacked in ceramic, handcrafted bottles. It can be purchased in the pharmacy from December 20. In fact, the claret will also remain on offer after Christmas and New Year's Eve and maybe even longer. The pharmacy is open for people who need healing or energising from Monday to Friday 9am–7pm and Saturdays 9am–5pm.

The marzipan and honey scented Town Hall can be found at Raekoja plats 1, and Town Hall Pharmacy, the only place for a bottle of healing claret, is located right across the square, at number 11. If additional information is required, e-mail addresses of the Town Hall and the pharmacy are raekoda@tallinnlv.ee and raeapt@hot.ee respectively.

Schlössle Hotel is a member of Virtuoso Network

On November 1, Schlössle Hotel became a member of the Virtuoso Luxury Travel Network, a renowned organisation of tourism specialists.

Virtuoso is an exclusive, by-invitation-only network of travel specialists. Over 6,000 elite travel agents from 22 countries (countries of North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand) belong in the network. Its members include more than 1,000 of the world’s best travel providers and prestigious destinations.

Schlössle is the first Estonian hotel to be approved for membership in the Virtuoso Network. "We are happy to include the Schlössle Hotel on our exclusive list of unique destinations," said Albert Herrera, Vice-President for the Virtuoso Hotel and Resort Program. "Estonia is one of those rare destinations which is ready to start an upswing, and the Schlössle Hotel, with its rich history and outstanding service, provides the authentic luxury experience that our customers expect."

This fall, Schlössle Hotel also received another acknowledgement. Schlössle, which competed in the Leading Hotel at the Destination category of the World Travel Awards, won as the best hotel in Estonia. The hotel was awarded the same prize in 2004. The organisers of the World Travel Market award the reputable prize. Tourism specialists and ordinary tourists participate in choosing the award winners.

Additional information about the Schlössle Hotel:
www.schlossle-hotels.com

Tallinn Card changes with the year

Tallinn Card will apply new package of products from January 1, 2007. Until now, Tallinn Card has renewed its package on April 1 every year, but from now on it will be updated with the passing of the calendar year.

Tallinn Cards that have already been purchased, but haven’t been used, are also valid when the new conditions commence, and the prices will remain the same. However, the catalogues introducing the product will become out of date on New Year’s Eve. New catalogues will be published in December. As in the previous year, one catalogue contains information in English, Finnish, German and Swedish, and the other in English, Estonian, Russian and French.

Regarding partners of the Tallinn Card there are few changes; the number of partners remains the same. Completely new partners include Kalev SPA Water Park, Premia Icehall, the restaurants Villa Thai and Cantina Carramba and the cafe Vana Tallinn. The new package no longer includes Estonian Fire-Fighting Museum, Andres Särev Museum, Town Hall Pharmacy, restaurant Cathedral and casino Metropol. Among the main changes, it should also be mentioned that the Audioguide will now offer its services in Tallinn City Museum and that Reisiekspert has stopped organising excursions to Rocca al Mare.

Minor changes concern opening hours and the prices for services offered by the Tallinn Card partners. All details of the new package can be obtained from Tallinn Card website in the last week of the year.

Additional information:
Annika Prangli, Tallinn Card Manager
Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau
annika.prangli@tallinnlv.ee, phone +372 640 4758