Tallinn

Upon emerging from half a century under Russian control in 1991, the Estonians wasted no time bringing their medieval capital bang up to date. Today, the ancient mossy walls lining the streets house art galleries and design showrooms, minimalist cafés and über-chic restaurants.

Despite the modern fizz, evidence of Tallinn's seven centuries of history is never in short supply, particularly in the two sections of the Old Town: Toompea Hill, the landed gentry's old ¿hood, and Lower Town. Elongated spires and bulbous Soviet-style domes play havoc with an otherwise harmonious umbrella of terracotta roofs, and the alleyways that fan out from cobbled squares mock any conventional sense of direction.

For sheer pomp and grandeur, the Russian Orthodox Alexandr Nevsky Cathedral rivals its counterparts in Moscow. More sublime is the Kadriorg Palace - home to the Museum of Foreign Art - which is a short tram or bus ride east of the Old Town. It's a splendid baroque creation, built for the tsar Peter the Great, and surrounded by richly-hued manicured grounds.

The square at the heart of Tallinn - the Raekoja Plats - is where business and conversation is conducted over cinnamon pastries and cups of espresso. It's also a charming setting for the Christmas fair that runs from late November to the New Year.

For all its compactness, Tallinn stands its ground as a capital city, encompassing an eclectic range of activities. There is no shortage of bars and clubs, casinos, cigar lounges, theatres, boutiques and museums (including the truly peculiar Firefighters' Museum).

Alongside dubious Estonian delicacies like vere pannkoogid - blood pancakes - is the full gamut of global cuisine, from sushi to sun-dried everything, and there are plenty of funky cocktail bars to cater to those that don't find a glass of pilsner in the local microbrewery glamorous enough.