{"id":147733,"date":"2025-06-14T01:44:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T22:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/?p=147733"},"modified":"2025-06-05T10:21:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T07:21:59","slug":"author-paavo-matsins-journey-to-tartu-a-city-of-culture-and-flavours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/balticguide.ee\/en\/author-paavo-matsins-journey-to-tartu-a-city-of-culture-and-flavours\/","title":{"rendered":"Author Paavo Matsin’s Journey to Tartu, a City of Culture and Flavours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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First of all, I would like to highlight the beer restaurant, M\u00fcnchen, located right opposite the main building of the University of Tartu. It is undoubtedly my favourite place in Tartu, because it has everything: a magnificent neoclassical university building can be seen from the window, Bavarian beer flows from the taps, and you often meet fraternity members in student caps in the main room. The restaurant also has fraternity coats of arms on the walls.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve eaten your fill, I recommend a walk to the Botanical Garden to see the palm trees and fish. A river cruise on the Emaj\u00f5e River is also an atmospheric experience. It is also worth visiting the art exhibitions and the Toy Museum in Tartu.<\/p>\n

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In the Botanical Garden of the University of Tartu, you can imagine yourself in the tropics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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What events or festivals do you recommend in Tartu in the summer?<\/b><\/p>\n

The Tartuff romance film festival in August is worth experiencing. The films are shown in an open-air theatre on the Town Hall Square. Next spring, it is worth coming to Tartu at least on May Day Eve, when the fraternity parade is held and the whole city is taken over by students.<\/p>\n

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The Love Film Festival is an outdoor event on Tartu\u2019s Town Hall Square.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Where do you like to eat?<\/b><\/p>\n

My absolute favorite is also the restaurant M\u00fcnchen, which serves Bavarian dishes with German music in the background. In the summer, you can also dine outside, and the service is the best in town.<\/p>\n

If you don’t feel like German food, you can get French delicacies at Crepp, the French caf\u00e9. I would especially highlight the Urve Caf\u00e9, located a little outside the city centre, on the other side of the Emaj\u00f5e River. The caf\u00e9, located in a former officers’ club, serves delicious and hearty dishes as well as retro-style sweets and pies according to Mrs. Urve’s recipes.<\/p>\n

The cultural crowd has also found its way to the Urve Caf\u00e9. It has organised numerous literary events, and even masquerades. The caf\u00e9 is located in a decadent urban landscape in a high-ceilinged room decorated with magnificent columns. I especially recommend lunch at Urve. You can enjoy schnapps and vodka with your meal, and then happily return to the city.<\/p>\n

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How would you describe the city of Tartu and its spirit?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tartu is above all a city of culture and academia. Every autumn, many young people come here to spend the best years of their lives. Unlike Tallinn, Tartu is pleasantly compact and cozy. The city has many outdoor caf\u00e9s, a river flows through it, and the general appearance is neoclassical. You can get everywhere in Tartu on foot. The spirit of Tartu is the spirit of culture and youth!<\/p>\n

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Paavo Matsin<\/h2>\n

Paavo Matsin is an Estonian writer, literary critic, and theologian. He has published seven novels, of which \u201cGogol’s Disco\u201d and \u201cLenin’s Waltz\u201d have been published in Finnish. Matsin is known for his original style and works that combine historical elements. In his free time, he enjoys good food, beer, and the company of his cat, Holms.<\/p>\n

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Adults also like the Tartu Toy Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Paavo’s tips for Tartu<\/h2>\n