Catalans Abroad
Pere Agustí
Tallinn (Estonia)
Tallinn, the Baltic cruise hub
Pere Agustí is 38 years old, and is from Sabadell. Since 2005, he has lived in the capital of Estonia. He works for a cruise line that carries tourists from all over the world.
Why did you leave Catalonia?
I started working for a cruise line that has a base in Barcelona. I travelled a lot and visited almost every port in the Mediterranean and in the north of Europe. Basically, I left Catalonia to live by the sea!
Why did you choose Tallinn to settle down?
The oldest reason in the world: love. I met my wife here and decided that I had already travelled enough. At that point I would have settled down in any other city, but after a few years I've grown accustomed to Tallinn and now I feel at home.
How long have you lived there?
Since 2005. In 2009, I spent a year in Livorno, and then I came back to Tallinn.
What do you think is the best thing about living there?
On one hand, Tallinn is a big city, with 500,000 inhabitants, but keeps the look and feel of an old fairy-tale, medieval town. On the other hand, Estonia is one of the most advanced countries in terms of technology and connectivity. So you can have the best of both worlds.
What would you most like to change?
Winter, without a doubt! It is really cold out there. And my job, receiving tourists from big cruises, is better when the weather is warm and sunny.
What do you miss most from home?
It is difficult to say since I've made Tallinn my home now, but of course I miss my family and friends. And the food, too!
What do you consider the highlights for any brief visit for the first time?
I'd suggest buying a Tallinn Card and jumping the buses, trolleys or trams that cover the whole city. Get lost in the medieval town and, of course, visit Saint Olav cathedral, whose spire was once the tallest in the world.
And if visitors have more time or make a return visit?
Then you must visit Rocca-al-Mare Open Air Museum's typical rural Estonian taverns, windmills and watermills.
Do you plan to go back to Catalonia?
I don't think so.
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