Explore One of Europe's Coolest Capitals: Tallinn

AFTER EMERGING FROM the intense heat of the sauna, I ran across a wooden deck and plunged into the brisk Baltic Sea. The cold pierced my skin from the soles of my feet upward, like ice water blanching a steamed vegetable. When I surfaced, my travel companions, who'd just done the same, were laughing so hard they could barely stay afloat.

- Nina Ruggiero

Back in my home city of L.A., cold plunges and saunas are trending, but in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, this tradition goes back centuries. Experiencing it firsthand was one reason I decided to visit this underrated city. I found Tallinn to be a relaxed alternative to some of the Continent's more popular destinations, with all of the impressive art, fine dining, and storybook charm that make summer in Europe so appealing.

Explore the Past