I wanted to start my day with a 258-step climb up to the top of Oleviste Kogudus (St. Olaf’s Church, €2). On the way, I admired the view of some architecture in Old Town.

The old stone steps in the church are fairly steep and worn with age, so be careful as you’re spiraling your way up!

I circled the top of the tower three times before coming back down. The walkway is really narrow up there: I guess some visitors didn’t realize that you’re supposed to go clockwise to avoid annoying other guests.

)

There was quite the traffic jam going back down the tower, but I made it out eventually. I went in search of Katariina Käik (St. Catherine’s Passage) and was surprised to find an exhibit on the wall that showcased humongous tombstones from the medieval era that were still in relatively good shape. I am not sure why they were 1.5x the height of an adult human being, but perhaps that was the best way to celebrate a loved one’s life back when there were not so many people on the earth.

Off to Taani Kuninga Aed (Danish King’s Garden) after that. I encountered a half cobblestone, half staircase street on the way. The terraces offered an okay view of the city, and the garden area was relatively small. But there were three large bronze statues of faceless monks guarding the area.

I randomly came upon a park called Harjumägi and its plaza 20. augusti väljak with an open-air cafe and calming little fountain. I checked out the centuries-old linden trees planted in a crescent shape while passing through.

Karin had recommended that I try a local dessert called kamavaht (kama flour mousse with cowberry jam, €2.90) while in Tallinn, and The Dubliner, an Irish pub, was a place to get it. To be polite, I also ordered a cauliflower and cheese soup in a coffee cup (€3.60) that supposedly came with a turkey breast fillet, but I think their English menu mistranslated that from a handful of small turkey breast cubes. The unsmiling waitresses brought out a bread basket with unremarkable bread. Personally, I found their rendition of kamavaht much too sweet, and the mousse was grainy and heavy. Maybe other places make it more appetizing. At least they topped it with a sea buckthorn, which was the most enjoyable part.

I tried going to Kompressor for their famous pancakes, but even though I just wanted to order take-out, they said there was a 50-minute wait. So I left for my Airbnb to do some laundry, but not before encountering another split-level street on the way out of Old Town.