Tartu

Tartu, in Estonia’s south, feels like a cosy, creative place built on a human scale. Although it is the country’s second-largest city, nothing is too grand here, and even the more majestic buildings feel inviting — some painted in pretty pastel colours, others worn-in and homely.

We were staying among the slightly decrepit, yet utterly charming, wooden houses of Karlova district, which used to be a village outside Tartu but is now a trendy part of town known for its street art. Walking up the staircase to our apartment, it felt as if I had been transported back in time.