Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia is positioned on the northern side of the country. It covers an area of 159.2 km2 and has a population of over 440,000. The metropolis is the cultural, educational, financial and political centre of the country of Estonia.
It is referred to as the Silicon Valley of Europe since it has the highest number of start-ups per person in the region. Tallinn also holds the merit of being ranked as one of the top ten digital cities in the world.
Although the capital city of Estonia has no known red light district, adult entertainment venues do exist and are only shared to interested individuals through word of mouth. These establishments are thought to coexist with other businesses like storefronts and touristic attractions.
The sex scene in Tallinn is discrete and only a handful of escort agencies advertise their services in public. However, the city has its line of entertainment venues such as massage parlours and strip clubs. The customers of the sex business in Tallinn are mostly visitors from Sweden, Finland, and other European nations and also local Estonian and Russian men.
Street Prostitution
Try to take a leisurely hike from Viru Keskus to the center of Old town. You’ll likely see some streetwalkers. It is also worth checking out Söle Street, particularly during Friday and Saturday nights because you might likely spot prostitutes in the area.
Window Prostitution
Prostitution in Tallinn is legal but organized prostitution such as pimping and operating a brothel is deemed illegal. The minimum age for a prostitute is 18. As for the accompanying fines and penalties, a fee or up to three years of imprisonment waits to those individuals who will be caught pimping or providing premises for the purposes of prostitution. There is a fine of up to 5 years of the sentence that will be imposed for those involved in the prostitution of an individual younger than 18 years old.
Same-sex sexual activities are deemed legal in Estonia. Since the start of 2016, same-sex couples have gained acknowledgement referred to as a cohabitation agreement which postulates similar legal protections enjoyed by opposite-sex couples, excluding marriage, surrogacy, and full adoption rights. Most consider Estonia as the most liberal former Soviet nation in terms of gay rights.
Tallinn nightlife is bursting with activities all year round, with lots of events scheduled every weekend. The city has dozens of dedicated nightclubs hosting some of the finest local and international DJs. There’s a different entertainment venue on every corner, with most bars and cafes staging regular gigs on weekends. No wonder Tallinn is considered the hen and stag party capital of Europe. Whether it’s funk, dance, electro or rock music, you’ll surely find a nice place to hang out, relax and have fun in the city of Tallinn.
The gay scene in Tallinn is not large by any means, but it does not necessarily mean that those planning to play around with local queers will be left wanting. According to Helen Talalaev, a board member of Estonian Gay Youth and the director of the OMA LGBT information center, the attitude towards the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual community is increasingly becoming more caring and tolerant. However, it cannot be contradicted that there is still ignorance about homosexuality so there is still substantial discrimination. In this regard, Tallinn is a typical Eastern European city where homosexuals may still encounter prejudice and discrimination.
General Attitude Towards Gays
While gay tourists visiting Tallinn may feel a significant difference in Estonia in reference to the nation’s openness toward gays, travellers have little or nothing to fear with regard to gay-bashing. Nevertheless, prudence is a good defence and one still practiced by most of the gay-oriented nightclubs in the city.