It is even colder and wetter than Helsinki and the footpaths are covered in a thin layer of ice, requiring special attention with every step taken.

Just a few hundred meters up the road, an old gate marks the entrance to the Medieval Town, which comprises an intricate set of narrow cobblestone streets, tall houses, cathedrals and an almost countless amount of pointy towers.

The Medieval town finds its boundaries in a thick wall, from where several watch towers rise in a vivid tone of red cone-shaped roofs.

It is still quiet, despite being almost midday and, following the wall, I suddenly encounter a spotless park, where children wear colourful winter clothes and queue behind their teachers in what it seems to be a school day-out, surrounded by a landscape covered in a fresh layer of overnight snow.

I climb up a large set of icy steps in order to glance a better view of Tallinn: a combination of ancient and medieval architecture predominant mainly in the Old Town and enclosed in the city walls, contrasting against a new city developed during the years, strongly influenced by the Soviet occupation, with square apartment blocks extending through miles to encounter industrial estates in a jungle of factory chimneys.

With no map available, I decide to walk around the Medieval town with no particular agenda, rambling through deserted streets, steep set of stairs and manicured sculptures.

A must see in town, I rapidly visit the Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral, which is a strong example of Orthodox architecture in the city, once again dominating the hill where it sits with its onion-shaped green domes and its elaborated architecture in different tones of red and white.

Still with a bit of motion sickness running through my body, I walk to the main square, where a typical Christmas market has been set up, covering the place with fairy lights and wooden decorations.

A perfect chance to enjoy a bit of hot glogg, this time served with berries, raisins and almonds.

My hostel is just two streets away from the Medieval town, in a neighbourhood that seems to have been almost aggressively settled outside the walls. Slightly muddy and run down, despite being almost in the heart of the city.

Once checked in and warmed up with a hot peppermint tea, I decide to venture outside again and see a bit more of the city before it gets dark, climbing up slippery steps at Freedom Square, which commemorate the Estonian War of Independence with a tall glassed cross and finishing the sightseeing with the lights of Tallinn being lit as the long night sets.

The rough ferry ride, combined with the freezing temperatures have taken its toll on my body and I surrender to exhaustion, which means I get to spend the night at the hostel chatting to fellow guests, cooking a light meal and watching streamed Family Guy episodes on the projector set in the main common room, gently sheltered from the falling snow outside.

In the morning, I leave the hostel and walk through the outskirts of the city, dodging puddles of slushy grey snow and aggressive drivers in order to make it to the coach station.

A rather abrupt lady sells me a bus ticket and checks my passport clinically. I am issued a ticket and shortly board a very comfortable bus, featuring personal television , bathrooms and onboard wifi.

A modern motorway connects the coach station with a series of neighbourhoods in which ample houses, old cars and tall pine trees are the most common sight, slowly fading through a series of roundabouts and rows of tall eucalyptus trees until we reach the snowy countryside.

An hour later, the bus stops enters the small town of Parnu, which seems to have been transported from a Siberian war tale.

Dirt roads covered in grey snow, only conquerable by old Soviet LADA cars, which seem to choke everyone’s lungs with their outdated exhausts and soulless apartment blocks with windows excessively covered in rusty metallic grids.

Minutes later, the roaming settings on my phone change once again and I spot a run down ‘LATVIJAS’ welcome sign. I have now entered Latvia.