Dubrovnik/Tallinn Trip: Recap

It's always tough to do recaps since the trip must be over!  It was another amazing trip overall; the weather was perfect in each location and we were able to walk or use public transportation with little difficulty.  Climbing the walls is special in Dubrovnik (and if you're a Game of Thrones fan it's fun to find film spots).  I still believe there is nothing like a tiered, walled city to take you back in time.

The food options we explored were also excellent - I highly recommend both Leib and Farm if you're visiting Tallinn.  Each city had a wide selection of choices and I believe they have expanded in the last few years.

For 2020 I'm still doing research on points required, and am hopeful that a return trip to the Maldives might be in store.  It's a bit of a jaunt though worth it if you have the points to fly in business.  If everything works out, a stopover or two may also be possible.  Next trip up: Singapore!

Dubrovnik/Tallinn Trip: Daytrip to Helsinki

On my first trip to Tallinn I had some regrets about not taking advantage of the excellent cruise/ferry options to visit nearby cities.  The Tallink/Silja Lines operate a variety of connection opportunities including Stockholm, Helsinki, and Turku.  We were in luck to find that a day trip to Helsinki would only cost 64 euro for two...not bad!  From D-Terminal in Tallinn, it's only a 2 hour trip to get to Finland.

We got up early and took an Uber down to the Terminal and boarding started shortly after we walked in.  The main sitting area of the boat is open for anyone with no reserved seating; we found a table by a window that also had outlets.

Helsinki is a very easy city to visit.  The city tram line runs right to the arrival terminal and in about 20 minutes you're in the central city - use the app and purchase a day pass for only 8 euro.  Our first stop was Helsinki Cathedral - statues of Martin Luther and Melancton are inside:

The City Museum is just a short walk away from the Cathedral though was not very impressive.  Turning left down the street, though, we came to the Market Square with many outdoor vendors and food choices.

After lunch we decided to take a tram ride northeast of the square to find the Sibelius Monument.  Created with some controversy, this was an interesting creation in a nearby park:

We also chose to stop and see another well-known landmark, the Temppeliaukion Church. Built into the surrounding rockface, the acoustics in the sanctuary are impressive and we were lucky to have a pianist playing when we stopped.

Soon it was time to head back to the ship and transit back.  Our ferry back was uneventful and the main seating area was fairly full. Arriving back in Tallinn, we stopped in at Restauran Contravento just off of the Pile Gate for dinner.  Excellent wine and entrees!

Dubrovnik/Tallinn Trip: First Day in Tallinn

Exploring Tallinn is very easy.  There is a tram service that takes you around the Old City and much if not all of the area is walkable.  I would encourage the use of public transportation and walking to anyone visiting to get a complete picture and flavor of the culture:

We were able to visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral along with St. Mary's Cathedral a short distance away.  Plus walking the wall sections is really special (and similar to Dubrovnik in stature).  Our walk also took us to the main Town Hall Square where we stopped in at numerous market shops.

For lunch I was excited we could visit Leib Restaurant - it boasts a specialized Estonian menu with many organic ingredients.  Make a reservation if you can in advance to secure a seat.

Dubrovnik/Tallinn Trip: Transit via Istanbul to Tallinn

Our departure was an 8am scheduled flight via Turkish Airlines through the new Istanbul Airport to Tallinn.  The sun was already shining when we departed Rooms Megi and caught an Uber from the Buza Gate to Dubrovnik Airport.

The new Istanbul airport is located quite a distance outside of the city though boasts infrastructure to accommodate a significant increase in passenger traffic.  We landed early and a 20+ minute taxi time gave us an ontime arrival.  Why the airport planners built the runways only to one side of the property is a mystery.

No passport control was required after deplaning - the terminal layout means you may have a bit of a walk to get to your connection so allowing for plenty of time is essential.  We had enough time to visit the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge for lunch.  They spared no expense with the layout, food options, and amenities:

We had an on-time departure and landing into Tallinn was smooth.  After checking into the Hilton Tallinn Park (points for the stay) we made our way into the city for dinner at Farm.  Can't recommend this place enough for Estonian cuisine (and rhubarb wine!).

Dubrovnik: Day 2

One of most memorable experiences you can do when visiting Dubrovnik is to walk the city walls.  We were up early and out the door to make the trek and beat the heat:

The Dubrovnik card really helps save money while giving access to all of the major sites in the city.  For lunch today we stopped in at a local pizzeria, Oliva. One of the best thin-crust options!

In the afternoon we visited the Franciscan Monastery that is close to the Pile Gate.  Inside contains a variety of local artifacts along with a pharmacy that claims to the 3rd oldest in the world:

Our walk also took us to the Rector's Palace where there was a special exhibit of Roman coins dating back to Octavius:

For dinner we chose a new, local establishment called Fat Cats.  Along with Croatian wine choices they have a reduced tapas-style menu that had excellent small plate options.  Don't miss out on the fish tacos!

Dubrovnik: Day 1

We were in no hurry to start the day due to our prior evening late arrival.  In the later morning we were out the door for lunch and decided on one of our favorite, affordable stops: Presa

The menu is simple and straightforward - the burgers are out of this world and it's not uncommon to have more than you can finish.

After lunch we walked the main street and square stopping in at the Dubrovnik Cathedral:

We also walked by the eastern edge of the city near the water:

The old city has many levels to explore and there is plenty of walking and stairs:

We also decided to enjoy some time on the cliff overlooking the sea with many boats and kayakers by stopping in at Buza Bar - finding it can be a bit of a trick but it's worth it:

Where to go for dinner?  There are so many great choices and we decided on one near the main square called Buffet Kamenice. We followed up our meal with some dessert at Zuzori where I had to try the strawberry and apple pie:

Walking the streets in the evening is quite an experience - can't put it into words:

Dubrovnik/Tallinn Vacation: DBV Arrival

Vacation is here!

I've learned over the years that constructing trips on multiple tickets can be tricky, especially in the summertime.  Many people are traveling and flight options are not always uniformly available.  For this trip, since we decided to use points, I had the additional challenge of an itinerary with a middle transition flight.  I decided it was best to use points for that rather than try to match the entire thing. So our plan was EWR-FRA-DBV; followed by TLL-BRU-EWR.  To get from Dubrovnik to Tallinn we booked a separate award ticket using United miles via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines (new Star Alliance carrier!): DBV-IST-TLL.  This would also mean we would get to visit the brand new Istanbul Airport and lounges.  The map looks like this (you can click on all pictures to make them larger):

The Frankfurt to Dubrovnik segment included a 9+ hour layover in Frankfurt airport.  We took advantage of the Lufthansa lounge (food, drink, nap):

Arrival to Dubrovnik was in the evening.  Flying into smaller airports is certainly a plus since there are no wait times and passport control is quick.  This view was particularly nice:

We didn't have a bus option to get into the city given the late arrival time, so we decided on an Uber (which was really a taxi but requested through the app) for the 30 minute ride.  The Buza Gate was busy when we got into town, and our lodging, Rooms Megi, was only a 5 minute walk.  Time to crash.

Upcoming vacation: Dubrovnik and Tallinn!

July is here and I'm excited about travel planned later in the month.  Using a combination of points and dollars, we'll be heading back to Dubrovnik for a summer visit and also flying to Tallinn.  I'm looking forward to seeing Dubrovnik in the summertime, since our last visit occurred in the off-season when many places were closed.  Along the way we'll also get a chance to transit the new Istanbul airport which I suspect will be a bit grander than Ataturk. 

The countdown is on...

End of trip - Zurich

I thought a stopover in Zurich might be nice to do on the way back - I was not disappointed, since most of the city is already decked out with Christmas decorations.   Plus, I could take advantage of using Hyatt points again to stay at the Park Hyatt Zurich.

As these pictures show, I really enjoyed the Christmas season atmosphere:

I was also able to get a bunch of Christmas shopping taken care of - prices were good!  The flight home on Swiss Airlines would be on the last day after one final stop in the Star Alliance Lounge (won't have Star Gold status starting January 1st for the first time in years).  Alas vacation was winding down...another successful adventure!