Contents
Tallinn is a superb mix of old and new, where medieval meets trendy. Tallinn feels like a hybrid city, with the essence of other towns and cities across the continent. Tallinn shares architectural details with Tirana, Albania’s capital, and other European cities, such as Munich, which has an ever-so-slightly Bavarian feel.
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, which lies in the Baltic Sea region of eastern Europe. It has a fantastic art scene and a unique medieval centre, and is packed with history, culture, and things to see and do. Tallinn is relatively small for a capital city and the perfect size to explore over a weekend, so most activities are in the city centre or within walking distance.
Old Town District
1 | Walk Through Viru Gate
First on our list is to walk through Viru Gate. Viru Gate is synonymous with many medieval towns. Viru Gate was built in the 14th century as a former barbican – the outer defence of a walled city – but now marks the entrance to Tallinn’s Old Town. Lining the route to Viru Gate are a series of florists, so if flowers are your thing, Viru Gate is the place to buy them!
📍Viru Gate, Viru tänav, 10140, Tallinn
2 | Wander Old Town
Once you step through Viru Gate, you’re in the beating heart of Tallinn, known as Old Town (Tallinna vanalinn, in Estonian). Old Town is the oldest part of Tallinn and has wholly preserved its medieval origins, boasting Gothic spires, endless cobbled streets and charming architecture. As a result, Tallinn Old Town is now the best-preserved medieval city in Northern Europe, and its 13th-century city plan (still intact) led to its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Step inside Old Town, and you’ll realise it lives up to its reputation.
3 | Take a Free Walking Tour
Something we always aim to do in a new city is a walking tour. We usually Google’ free walking tour’ to see what’s on offer. If you’ve never done one before, understand that they are free because you don’t formally pay for the tour, but give tips at the end based on what you think it was worth. We’ve done them all over the place, and they are always fun, energetic, and filled with great information about the city you might not otherwise find. You can find free walking tours on Google or head on our recommended walk at traveller.ee to uncover Tallinn’s local life and history. Details below!
📍Tourist Information Centre, Niguliste 2, 10146, Tallinn
🕛 1200
⏳2 hours
4 | Explore With the Tallinn Card
Tallinn has an abundance of museums and attractions to explore, from the KGB Museum to the Maritime Museum, which we’ll discuss later in our list of things to do in Tallinn. If museums are your thing, consider buying the Tallinn Card. It gives you access to over 50 museums and attractions around the city, including a few things on this list, and makes visiting all these wonderful places a little lighter on your wallet.
5 | Wander Down Katariina käik
Katariina käik, also known as St. Catherine’s Passage, is one of Tallinn Old Town’s most famous and picturesque lanes. The lane itself doesn’t offer much beyond an opportunity for a photo. Still, a lovely restaurant named Restoran Controvento lines Katariina käik, where you can take a few minutes out of your day to enjoy the lane’s ambience over coffee.
📍Katariina käik, 10140, Tallinn
6 | Get Your Hangover Cure at Europe’s Oldest Pharmacy
So, I’d heard that Tallinn is popular for stag and hen parties, and I can confirm this is true. I saw no fewer than half a dozen hen parties in one evening. And with a heavy night out often comes a heavy hangover. With said hangover may come a headache, and if you’re in search of some painkillers, look no further than Raeapteek, Town Hall Pharmacy.
The significance? Town Hall Pharmacy is the oldest pharmacy in Europe that has continuously been in business in the same building. Although the exact opening date is unknown, the pharmacy has been operating since at least 1422! Inside, you’ll find a museum with artefacts of a bygone era of medicine, full of weird and wonderful things once used for medicine.
📍Raeapteek, Raekoja plats 11, 10146 Tallinn
7 | Have Coffee at Master’s Courtyard
Master’s Courtyard (Meistrite Hoov in Estonian) is one of the cutest courtyards in Tallinn. And if you didn’t know it was there, you’d walk right on past and be none the wiser. Master’s Courtyard is home to a cute cafe, arts and crafts workshops, and is worth popping in for coffee or a wander. While you’re there, look at the picture on the wall on the left-hand side as you walk in – it shows how Master’s Courtyard used to look.
📍 Master’s Courtyard, Vene 6, 10123, Tallinn
8 | Visit Tallinn Town Hall
Built in 1322, Tallinn Town Hall is the oldest surviving town hall in Northern Europe and the only one preserved in the Gothic style. Once inside, you can explore four floors of history and even climb the 115 steps up the tower to the belfry. Access to Tallinn Town Hall is included with the Tallinn Card, but only on selected dates. Check out the Tallinn Town Hall website for up-to-date information.
📍Raekoja plats 1, Old Town, 10146, Tallinn
💶 €5, free with Tallinn Card
9 | Enjoy a Drink in the Town Square
A town square is the undisputed hub of many European towns and cities, and it’s no different in Tallinn Old Town. Tallinn Town Hall Square is the city’s centrepiece and a magnet for tourists. Why? Because it’s vibrant, it offers a place to sit, relax, grab a drink and a bite to eat, and watch the world go by in one of Tallinn’s most beautiful settings.
Be aware that restaurants around Town Square can be a bit pricey. It may be worth avoiding here if you’re on a budget. However, if you’re not, it’s a great place to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the ambience of Old Town.
📍Town Hall Square, Raekoja plats 1, 10114, Tallinn
10 | Visit Freedom Square
Freedom Square is a symbol of national identity and civic pride in Tallinn. During Estonia’s first period of independence, Freedom Square was a location for parades and fanfare. Once the country fell back into Soviet rule, the square fell into neglect. Freedom Square has returned to its former glory, featuring cafes, art galleries, and places to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. Freedom Square is a stark contrast to Tallinn Old Town – it’s a vast, open space with a different feel to the cobbled streets of Old Town and is also home to St. John’s Church – an unmissable, dominating bright-yellow church that sits on the edge of the square.
📍Freedom Square, Vabaduse väljak 9, 10142, Tallinn
Toompea Hill District
11 | Visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built in 1900 when Estonia was part of the Tsarist Russian Empire, is the most lavish Orthodox church in Tallinn. It is Estonia’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral and resembles the Kremlin with its onion-domed structures. You can wander inside, where you’ll find a little gift shop. Be aware – the inside isn’t as remarkable as the outside, so don’t be disappointed!
📍Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Lossi plats 10, Kesklinna linnaosa, Tallinn
12 | Visit the Domed Church
Not far from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Toompea Hill sits St Mary’s Cathedral, which was constructed sometime before 1233. Access is through a small, unassuming door that leads into a church unlike any I’ve ever seen. There are numerous coats of armour on the walls, and some unusual wooden structures near the altar, which offer an alternative, interesting church interior you wouldn’t usually see. Inside, you can also climb the 69-metre climb the 69-metre Baroque bell tower for some decent views over Tallinn.
📍St Mary’s Cathedral, Toom-Kooli 6, 10130, Tallinn
💶 €2
13 | Admire the Views From the Viewing Platforms
If you venture outside Tallinn, you will notice that Estonia is a flat country. The highest point in the country is just over 300 metres. That’s pretty small compared to the mountains back in the UK, like Ben Nevis. Anyway, the point I am making is that it’s hard to get good views, so head up to Toompea Hill for some of the best views of Tallinn. The Patkuli viewing platform offers views north, towards the sea, and the Kohtuotsa viewing platform offers views into Tallinn Old Town.
📍Patkuli viewing platform, Rahukohtu, 10130, Tallinn
📍Kohtuotsa viewing platform, Kohtu 12, 10130, Tallinn
14 | Visit Kiek in de Kök
Built in 1470, Kiek in de Kök was the mightiest artillery tower in the Baltics. Today, Kiek in de Kök serves as a museum for Tallinn’s fortifications. It’s split into three parts – the Kiek in de Kök artillery tower, Maiden’s Tower, the underground passages, and the Carved Stone Museum.
If you’re not interested in going inside Kiek in de Kök, visit the grounds on either side of the wall. There is a beautiful garden, Komandandi Garden, on the western side of the large round tower. On the opposite side of the main wall, you’ll find the Danish King’s Garden, which was the birthplace of the Danish flag. Access to Kiek in de Kök is available with the Tallinn Card.
📍Kiek in de Kök, Komandandi tee 2, 10130, Tallinn
Telliskivi District
15 | Explore Balti Jaama Turg Market
It’s time to step outside Tallinn Old Town and into the hip Telliskivi District, also known as the Cultural Kilometre. The first stop on our journey outside Old Town is Balti Jaama Turg Market. If vintage is your thing, Balti Jaama Turg Market is the place to go! It’s full of vintage clothes shops and antique centres where you can get lost for hours in the treasure trove of items on offer. You’ll also find food stalls selling groceries and hot food, and if organic is your thing, head to Biomarket – it sells only organic food, cosmetics and natural cleaning products.
📍Balti Jaama Turg Market, Kopli 1, 10412, Tallinn
16 | Get Hipster at Creative City
Before I visited Tallinn, I’d read a little bit about Creative City. I wasn’t particularly sold but decided to take a punt and see the place, and I’m glad I did. Creative City is a vibrant part of Tallinn that’s home to some hipster stuff, like bars and restaurants and the fine-art photography centre, Fotografiska. If you’re looking for a trendy place to visit for a drink, consider heading to Nudist Winery. A creative location wouldn’t be complete without the next thing on our list of things to do in Tallinn – street art.
📍Telliskivi Creative City, Telliskivi 60a, 10412, Tallinn
17 | Wonder at Tallinn’s Art Scene
Street art is a growing part of Tallinn and Estonia’s identity and stands in stark contrast to the communist era. It’s colourful, creative and a feast for your eyes. A formal street art programme was established in Tallinn in 2016, which helped position Estonia from medieval to modern on the global street art map. Street art always makes for interesting travel pictures and is one of my favourite things to photograph while travelling.
Tallinn Port District
18 | Visit Port Noblessner
Port Noblessner is a former submarine shipyard and one of Tallinn’s fastest-developing areas. It’s a trendy little spot with a mix of interesting architecture, open spaces and cafes. There’s also the former foundry, which is now home to Proto Invention Factory – a place where you can immerse yourself in a virtual reality world.
📍Port Noblessner, Tööstuse 48, 10416, Tallinn
19 | Visit Lennusadam Maritime Museum
Lennusadam Maritime Museum is one of the most popular museums in Estonia and sits in the notable Seaplane Hangar – an impressive structure with its dominating hangar doors. For history and maritime buffs, Lennusadam Maritime Museum is the place for you. It’s a place for the collection, preservation, and presentation of Estonian maritime culture, a little like the Maritiman in Gothenburg. You can see the 1930s submarine EML Lembit, the pride of the Estonian Navy and one of only two submarines in Estonia’s naval history. Access to the Lennusadam Maritime Museum is available with the Tallinn Card.
📍Lennusadam, Vesilennuki 6, 10145, Tallinn
20 | Climb the Crumbling Tallinna Linnahall
Next on our list is a visit to Tallinna Linnahall. Built in the Soviet era for the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics, Tallinna Linnahall is a 5,000-seat concrete amphitheatre that is now just a crumbling relic of the communist era in Estonia. Located just a few hundred metres from Old Town, Tallinna Linnahall is a stark contrast to the beauty of endless cobbled streets in Tallinn and reminded me of my time in Tirana, Albania, with similar crumbling buildings such as the Pyramid of Tirana.
📍Tallinna Linnahall, Sadama 1, 10415, Tallinn
21 | Explore Kadriorg Park
The last thing to do is to explore Kadriorg Park. It’s last but certainly not least because it’s terrific. Located just a short distance from the city centre (a 30-minute walk from Old Town), Kadriorg Park is an unmissable part of Tallinn. The park is beautifully landscaped, featuring expansive green lawns, winding paths, and stately trees. It’s also home to a few surprising things – the Office of the President of the Republic of Estonia, the stunning Kadriorg Palace, which now houses the Estonian Art Museum, and the wonderfully peaceful Japanese Garden, where you might even catch sight of a red squirrel!
If you’re visiting Tallinn and have time, a visit to Kadriorg Park is definitely worth it. If walking isn’t your thing, you can get to the park via bus or tram from Viru Gate.
📍Kadriorg Park, A. Weizenbergi 26, 10127 Tallinn, Estonia
Is Tallinn worth visiting?
Absolutely, yes! Tallinn is a fantastic city that is worth visiting. It’s rich in history and culture and offers plenty to see and do to keep you occupied. Tallinn is relatively small for a capital city, so you can explore the whole city in a weekend without missing too much.
Are two days in Tallinn enough?
Two days in Tallinn is a suitable length of time to visit. You’ll be able to explore the old cobbled streets and see the top attractions on your list of things to do in Tallinn. But be under no illusion – despite its size, Tallinn packs a punch with its exhaustive amount of things to do. So, allow an extra day to explore Tallinn if you want to scratch beneath the surface of what this wonderful city has to offer.
Is one day in Tallinn enough?
No. Ha. One day in Tallinn is not enough. Despite the size of the city (it’s relatively small for a European capital city!) Tallinn offers a wealth of activities. Allow for at least two days to explore the city. If you like to scratch beneath the surface (like us!), you’ll need two nights / three days.
Map
To keep up with our travels, please subscribe to our mailing list. We won’t spam you; we’ll only contact you with exciting news and new stuff! Enter your email in the box below and hit subscribe!
