GLBT Travelers - Balticness: Helsinki and Tallinn

Snagged a ticket to HEL, and will be spending a smidge more than a week, so also planning to take a ferry over to the Estonian capital Tallinn....

any recommendations for where to meet local men?

Welcome to Helsinki! Summer surely is the best time to visit this town. The centrum is not that spread and lots of bars and terraces within short distance. Hugo's Room is a nice gay lounge bar to start your evening. Later in the evening I would recommend Jenny Woo club which attracts a mixed crowd or Hercules bar with slightly more mature gay clientele. The famous DTM still gets crowded especially during summer weekends, but the clientele is quite young and includes increasinly more female party groups.
Old and a bit shabby Lost and Found is ever popular place with mixed crowd and heats up later in the evening. It is a place worth of visit if you don't mind waiting in a line for a while to get in.
That's what comes to my mind right now. Of course all the bars gets good portion of handsome locals and tourist as well. Hope you enjoy your stay!

Ooo, I'm envious! I did the exact same itinerary several years ago, exact same time period. Days in mid-June are about 20 hours long. Helsinki is modern and fun. Tallinn is beautiful and quaint, and very walkable.

Teme's bar suggestions are the way to go - I've been to DTM and Lost & Found.

As I recall, there is a little island, kind of like Fire Island, where gay people go and sunbathe or picnic. Let me see if I can find out the name, details and get back to you here.

Thanks for the suggestions...I'm not exactly going in the summertime, but rather in October (that's why the ticket was cheap! ;) )

what about the tourist stuff...now that we have the gay stuff identified...and what about Tallinn??

Thanks for the suggestions...I'm not exactly going in the summertime, but rather in October (that's why the ticket was cheap! ;) )

what about the tourist stuff...now that we have the gay stuff identified...and what about Tallinn??

October is a tricky time weather wise. Summer is over, and winter is still ahead. If you are lucky you will have nice, clear brisck autumn days when outdoor activities are in place. As the distances are short your are able to see all the main tourist stuff by walking or by taking a tram. It of course depends what your interests are, but there are three distinguishably different churches in architecture (Helsinki Cathedral, Uspenski Cathedral and Temppeliaukio Church) worth of visit (recommending although I am not a religious person at all). Suomelinna Sea Fortress is a short boat trip away from the market place.

Personally, I would visit some of the museums, i.e. design museum. If you are a food person there are a variety of good quality restaurants, currently a few have one Michelin star and one has two (Chez Dominique). I would recommend some of the russian ones which have some interesting, albeit quite expensive menus. In general, eating out in Finland is not that cheap, especially wines tend to be on an expensive side. Still restaurants fill up especially during the weekend and reservation in advance is recommended.

Unfortenately, I cannot tell you much about Tallinn, other than you can easily spend one day just walking around in the beatiful old city. Lots of fast ferries going between the two cities.



As I recall, there is a little island, kind of like Fire Island, where gay people go and sunbathe or picnic. Let me see if I can find out the name, details and get back to you here.

You probably mean Pihlajasaari which is popular place during the summer for gays and straight people to visit.

Clubbing in summer in HEL is strange because when you come out of clubs, the sun is coming out or fully out! Remember to bring your sunglasses!

Should be sensible balance of day and night in Oct. Just keep in mind how expensive HEL is for everything.

If the weather is bad, you have to visit a Finish sauna. There is just one gay sauna but a visit to traditional Finish sauna is especially interesting especially seeing what the locals do with the birches left in the saunas.

You probably mean Pihlajasaari which is popular place during the summer for gays and straight people to visit.

Ah right! ^