Kadriorg Palace (Tallinn)

Kadriorg Palace is a flamboyant baroque stately home originally used as an imperial summer residence by the ruling Tsar Peter the Great. Located in a leafy suburb just outside the old town, it is resplendent in grand stuccoed ceilings, elegant regency furnishings and surrounded by monumental landscaped gardens. It is regarded as the finest example of baroque architecture in the Baltic region but offers much more than just imposing architecture. On art loving short breaks in Tallinn, you will relish visiting the Art Museum of Estonia based here which exhibits a vast collection of artworks by foreign painters and sculptors. The much lauded KUMU museum of art is also sited in the palace grounds.

 

Guided tours are given of the palace and its grounds and offer a colourful insight into the sumptuous lifestyle of the Russian ruling elite of the time. On Tallinn weekend breaks, you will admire a wealth of art in situ from Dutch old masters, Italianate sculpture, ceramics and 20th century Soviet paintings. You must visit the grand banqueting hall which features spectacular tapestries and decorative mosaic tiles. The adjacent kitchen now houses the Mikkel Museum, a small exhibition space filled with colourful Russian, Chinese and Estonian artworks.

 

On cheap city breaks in Tallinn, you can also savour traditional Estonian folklore, dance and musical performances during the summer. Its elegant formal gardens, dominated a symmetrical swan lake, is the inspiring location for a number of cultural open air evenings. There is plenty of opportunity to explore its woodland and flower gardens, punctuated with Romanesque sculpture and charming follies such as an attractive 18th-century pavilion. Visitors can also enjoy raucous medieval style banquets complete with fine wine and music or bring the kids along for creative art classes and history based fun and games.