Best places to do business in the wired world

The home of Skype has been called "Silicon Valley on the Baltic," and foreigners are prowling for the next hot startup.

How to get around: Taxis are cheap, but agree on a price before setting out, as drivers notoriously overcharge.

Where to find free Wi-Fi: Have a drink and enjoy the views at Restaurant Vertigo (Ninth Floor, 4 Ravala Road; 372-666-3456).

Where to get a trim: Haircuts at Absolu (7 Lembitu; 372-644-5807; www.desiree.ee) are $20 to $30, but the place is known best as a spa. Try a white tea and mint foot treatment.

Best place to get down to business: Ö (6E Mere Puiestee; 372-661-6150; www.restoran-o.ee) has the right atmosphere for the formal tech community and excellent (if pricey) food.

Best place to celebrate closing the deal: It seems odd to eat French food here, but Gloria (I-2, 2 Müürivahe, Old City; 372-644-6950; www.gloria.ee) merits a culinary detour.

What you might not know: Residents pay for parking with cell phones, gas stations have Wi-Fi, and citizens can vote with laptops via state-issued digital identification cards.