Tallinn's Town Hall Square — Raekoja plats in Estonian — is the beating heart of one of Europe's best-preserved medieval old towns, and it earns that status without trying too hard. Ringed by pastel merchant houses dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries, anchored by a Gothic town hall that has stood since 1404, and watched over by the weathervane figure of Old Thomas up on the spire, this is a square that layers seven centuries of history without making you feel like you're in a museum. In summer it fills with café terraces and the low hum of tourist activity; in December it transforms into one of the most atmospheric Christmas markets in northern Europe, with mulled wine stalls, fir trees, and fairy lights bouncing off the limestone facades.
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