Lunch & Dinner
The ultramodern Škola offers a lunch menu with dishes like prosciutto and rosemary risotto; it's an in-crowd favorite at night (7 Bogoviceva; 385-1-4828-197; entrées, $12–$16). A tiny sign marks Kod Žaca, where the menu, which changes daily, includes delicacies from the owner's family recipes (4 Griskoviceva; 385-1-4684-178; entrées, $15–$20).

Tip
Down mugs of beer and bowls of grah, or bean stew, at an outdoor table at Puntijarka. As you sing along with the local crowd, accompanied by accordion and tamboura players, you'll find there's no better way to spend a crisp fall weekend day (4/5 Sljemenska cesta; 385-1-458-0384; entrées, $3–$7).

Under $575 a day

Where
Tallinn, Estonia

Why
Estonia's capital since 1991, seaside Tallinn has morphed into a cyber-savvy city with cutting-edge architecture, nightlife, dining, and museums. Small and tidy, it has a fairy-tale skyline of spires, onion-dome churches, and gatehouses on the medieval walls that surround the Old Town. Get the lay of the land at the Tallinn City Museum (372-644-6553; linnamuuseum.ee), then head to the new Kumu Art Museum for Estonian modern art (372-602-6001; ekm.ee).

Room
The stylish four-year-old Three Sisters Hotel, which was created from three adjoining and beautifully renovated fourteenth-century houses, channels the city's new vibe—a smart, seamless mix of old and new (372-630-6300; threesistershotel.com; doubles, $480–$648).

Lunch & Dinner
With a center-city location, Pegasus is a 24/7 Malibu-like hangout serving sushi, pasta, and local treats such as rabbit braised with apricots and chanterelles (1 Harju; 372-631-4040; entrées, $12–$30). You'll dine amid models and high-tech tycoons at Bocca, a first-rate Italian eatery (9 Olevimägi; 372-641-2610; entrées, $10–$24).

Tip
Estonia makes some of the world's best vodka, and the preferred local brand is Stön. Surrender to its smoothness at Stereo, a lounge with an all-white decor (6 Harju; 372-631-0549), or upstairs at Club Privé, Tallinn's most happening dance spot (372-631-0545).