[mikecolley]

Located only 80 km (50 miles) apart, Tallinn and Helsinki are like sisters who have led very different lives. Founded in 13th century as Reval, Tallinn is the older of the two cities. Helsinki was founded by the Swedish in the 16th century in order to provide a rival trading port to Tallinn. The settlement didn't do well at first, but today it is much bigger than its older sister to the south.

Tallinn has one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Being a more modern city, Helsinki has a lot of sprawl by European standards, but its downtown core is quite charming and compact.

Tallinn, Estonia





















































Helsinki, Finland