Hostels: Tallinn/St. Petersburg?

Thinking about travelling here early next year, has anyone been
backpacking around in this area? Recommend some places/hostels in
these cities?

st wrote:
Thinking about travelling here early next year, has anyone been
backpacking around in this area? Recommend some places/hostels in
these cities?

Check the www.inyourpocket.com -guide. A paper version of this guide
should be your first investment when you arrive in eastern european
countries.

Btw. 'early next year' hmm... hopefully you are not travelling to
Russia in the midst of winter. It is horrifyingly cold and generally
unpleasant time to travel there. Spring - in Russia that's May -
summer and early autumn are much much better.

# mb

in article , mblomqvist at
lid wrote on 6/22/04 2:54 PM:

st wrote:
Thinking about travelling here early next year, has anyone been
backpacking around in this area? Recommend some places/hostels in
these cities?

Check the www.inyourpocket.com -guide. A paper version of this guide
should be your first investment when you arrive in eastern european
countries.

Btw. 'early next year' hmm... hopefully you are not travelling to
Russia in the midst of winter. It is horrifyingly cold and generally
unpleasant time to travel there. Spring - in Russia that's May -
summer and early autumn are much much better.

# mb

Tallinn is not in Russia.

Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:


Tallinn is not in Russia.

Oh clever! where's St. Petersburg then?

# mb

in article , mblomqvist at
lid wrote on 6/23/04 11:18 AM:

Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:


Tallinn is not in Russia.

Oh clever! where's St. Petersburg then?

# mb


Florida? 8-)

My point was a poster hoped the OP wasn't "going to Russia" in midwinter,
when one of the questioned destinations, in fact, was not....

st wrote in message . ..
Thinking about travelling here early next year, has anyone been
backpacking around in this area? Recommend some places/hostels in
these cities?

Your posting does not say if this is your first visit and what you
know about the nececary preperations. You need to read the visa rules
very carefully (including the single entry / multiple entry and the
need for booking accomondation in advnce sections) and you need to
learn the cyrillic alphabet when it comes to Russia / St. Petersburg.
Estonia is member of the European Union since 1st of May this year and
the follows the ordinary Schengen rules.

Jan

st wrote:

Thinking about travelling here early next year, has anyone been
backpacking around in this area? Recommend some places/hostels in
these cities?

For Estonia look at:
http://www.visitestonia.com/
http://www.welcometoestonia.com/

Tallinn, the capital, is very tourist friendly, but you will find
(as backpacker) the two bigger islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, more
interesting. Inland has also some interesting places and tracks, but
it's hard to say in what you are specifically interested. Bigger
cities always have information points and younger people usually
speak a word or two english, too. In the rural areas you are limited
to local language. Weather is unpredictable because of the Baltic
Sea nearby. Also, because of the 60° latitude, winters can be harsh.
Early in the year means January-February, which are the coldest
months. Expect weeks of -15°C to -23°C, mixed with more usual
periods of 0°C to -15°C of cold. The colder periods are actually
more pleasant because of sunshine and dry cold. For summer bring
your raingear. If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
--
Vallo Kallaste

st wrote:

Thinking about travelling here early next year, has anyone been
backpacking around in this area? Recommend some places/hostels in
these cities?

For Estonia look at:
http://www.visitestonia.com/
http://www.welcometoestonia.com/

Tallinn, the capital, is very tourist friendly, but you will find
(as backpacker) the two bigger islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, more
interesting. Inland has also some interesting places and tracks, but
it's hard to say in what you are specifically interested. Bigger
cities always have information points and younger people usually
speak a word or two english, too. In the rural areas you are limited
to local language. Weather is unpredictable because of the Baltic
Sea nearby. Also, because of the 60° latitude, winters can be harsh.
Early in the year means January-February, which are the coldest
months. Expect weeks of -15°C to -23°C, mixed with more usual
periods of 0°C to -15°C of cold. The colder periods are actually
more pleasant because of sunshine and dry cold. For summer bring
your raingear. If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
--
Vallo Kallaste