After Riga, Estonia’s capital was probably the city I most enjoyed visiting on my roadtrip through the Baltic countries. Tallinn, despite being quite small, is very charming and well worth a visit! So, keep reading to find out what you can visit in Tallinn.
Tallinn’s historic centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, so it will be hard not to be surprised by what you will visit!!! 😊
However, this guide also includes other places to visit around Tallinn (see end of post), such as Helsinki, Viru Bog, Rummu Underwater Prison, among others.
What is the best time of year to visit Tallinn?
Being a city in Northern Europe, you can expect very harsh winters with lots of snow. That’s why it’s best to visit Tallinn when temperatures are more inviting, such as from May to October. These will also be the busiest times, but if you go on May or October you can slightly avoid the crowds.
Given Tallinn’s longitude, June is one of the best months to explore the city as the days are very long and you can visit more sights in one day. On the longest day of the year, the sun rises at 04:03 am and sets at 10:42 pm. On the other hand, in winter, the days are much shorter, with the sun setting as early as 3:19 pm.
Moreover, although it is already quite cold (on average, lows of -5°C and highs of 1°C), I also suggest visiting Tallinn between the end of November and December as the city is also known for its annual Christmas Market.
How many days does it take to visit Tallinn?
Like the other capitals of the Baltic countries (Riga, Vilnius), Tallinn is a small city. We easily walk through its streets and manage to visit the city in just one day.
However, if you have more time available, 2 days is the ideal length to enjoy the city more calmly or even, who knows, to visit other points of interest located less than 1 hour from Tallinn (more information at the end of the post).
How to get to Tallinn?
Here is a list of European cities with direct flights to Tallinn (as of november 2022):
- Austria (Vienna, Salzburg)
- Denmark (Billund, Copenhagen)
- Italy (Milan, Rome, Naples, Venice)
- United Kingdom (Liverpool, London, Edinburgh)
- Germany (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Munich, Frankfurt)
- France (Paris)
- Spain (Barcelona, Malaga)
- Belgium (Brussels)
- Netherlands (Amsterdam)
Accommodation in Tallinn
When I visited Tallinn, I chose to stay 3 nights in an Airbnb in the Kalamaja district (not available anymore). The price was quite nice (108€ for 2 people, 3 nights) and the flat was cosy. However, the flat was located in a typical wooden house, quite old and the entrance was a bit scary.
Anyway, there are other quite interesting options in Tallinn:
💼 TRAVEL INSURANCE: Unexpected events happen anywhere in the world, so I always recommend getting travel insurance. I regularly use Heymondo, which offers some of the highest coverages on the market at very competitive prices. As well as covering medical expenses, Heymondo’s insurance also covers the loss or theft of luggage, electronic equipment and more. They also have a 24/7 customer service through their App. As A Ticket to Take Off reader, you get a 5% discount when purchasing Heymondo insurance. The purchase must be made using this link, and the price shown on the website already includes the discount.
What to visit in Tallinn?
To start off, here is a map version of what to visit in Tallinn:
» Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats)
We start this itinerary with one of the most charismatic places in the city. The Town Hall Square is located right in the heart of the Old Town and, as the name suggests, here we can find the Town Hall – built in 1322.
I recommend stopping for a moment to appreciate the beautiful tones of the facades of the various buildings or even to have a drink or a snack at one of the many terraces available there. However, for more complete meals, try to avoid this square as the prices are quite inflated since it is one of Tallinn’s main tourist attractions.
If you visit in summer, you will probably find that this is a square that is full of life all day long. If you visit in winter, you will certainly find the square emptier, but still charming! Special mention also goes to the Christmas Market that is held at the Town Hall Square every year.
» Toompea Hill and Castle
It is from Toompea Hill that we find some of the best views of Tallinn’s historic centre. Here you can also visit Toompea Castle, which was built in the 18th century on what remained of the city fort.
Today Toompea Castle also serves as the Estonian Parliament building.
💡 EXTRA TIP: It is possible to visit the Castle through guided tours, which are free of charge. Visits must be booked in advance and are available from Monday to Friday. You can consult all the updated information here.
» Kohtuotsa Viewpoint
Whether it’s sunny or snowing, one of the best viewpoints in the city is the Kohtuotsa viewpoint. It is one of the most Instagrammable places in the city (this is where the famous wall with the phrase “The Times We Had” is located).
Furthermore, from here we can see the top of some of the most important buildings in the city, with special attention to St. Olaf’s Church.
» Patkuli Viewpoint
A few metres from the previous viewpoint, we have another platform that also offers some of the best views of the city of Tallinn. Get ready for a few more photos of the Old Town, including its wall and towers.
» Piiskopi Viewpoint
And because there is no shortage of viewpoints in Tallinn, I also recommend a stop at the Piiskopi viewpoint, with views over Pelgullin and Kalamaja.
» St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The Orthodox Cathedral St. Alexander Nevsky is probably one of the most beautiful churches in Tallinn. It was built in the early twentieth century when Tallinn still belonged to the Russian Empire.
It was even considered to be demolished in 1924, as it was considered by many to be a symbol of the oppression of the Estonian people. However, this did not happen and this is one of the monuments that you really must visit in Tallinn.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Entrance to the Cathedral is free and its interior can be visited from 8 am to 6 pm (7 pm on Saturdays).
» St. Nicholas Church
Another church worth visiting in Tallinn, is the church dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen and sailors – St. Nicholas.
Although it was built in the 13th century, St. Nicholas Church was destroyed during the Second World War, and was subsequently rebuilt in the 1980s. Currently, it also functions as a sacred art museum.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The entrance ticket costs 8€ (free with Tallinn Card). Its opening hours vary depending on the time of year and can be found here.
» St. Mary’s Cathedral
Located in the centre of the Toompea hill, St. Mary’s Cathedral is a medieval church with various architectural styles. In addition to visiting its interior, you can also climb to the top of its tower.
» St. Catherine’s Passage (Katariina Käik)
St. Catherine’s Passage is clearly one of the most magical places in Tallinn. Located next to the old Church of St. Catherine, this passage connects Vene Street to Müürivahe Street.
In the summer, we find several terraces and many tourists all along the street. In addition, we can also find handicraft shops, where there are usually workshops of the most varied arts and crafts.
» St. Olaf’s Church
We head to yet another church, this time dedicated to King Olav II of Norway (also known as Saint Olav). Besides visiting the church, it’s also possible to climb to the top of its 124 meters high tower 😊 From there we’ll have another superb view of Tallinn’s historical centre.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The visit to the church is free, but to climb the tower you have to pay a symbolic fee of 3€. If you have a Tallinn Card, you can go up for free.
» Town Wall of Tallinn
Tallinn’s town wall currently stretches for almost 2 km, has over 26 towers and 2 gates (the most famous being Viru Gate)!!! It is a real trip into the past with some parts of the wall dating back to the 13th century.
One of the best places to view what is one of the best preserved walls in Europe is at the Patkuli viewpoint, mentioned earlier.
In addition, we can also walk on the wall and climb the Hellemann Tower, built in the 14th century. Entrance costs 4€, but is free for Tallinn Card holders.
» Telliskivi Creative City
Slightly outside the historic city centre, we find the creative town of Telliskivi. Located in a former industrial complex, here we find a bit of everything: from local shops, to companies or even restaurants, bars and cafés.
There, you can also find the Tallinn Museum of Photography and many walls filled with street art.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Take the opportunity to get to know the Kalamaja district better (where Telliskivi Creative City is located). Considered one of the coolest areas of Tallinn, here you can see the traditional Estonian wooden houses.
Other things to visit in Tallinn
If you have a few extra hours in your itinerary, you can also include one or more of these other points of interest in the city:
- Kadriorg Museum of Art and Park
- Lennusadam – Maritime Museum
- Estonian Open Air Museum
- KGB Museum
- Tallinn’s Botanical Garden
- Pirita Convent Ruins
What to visit near Tallinn?
» Helsinki
One of the best options for those with a few extra days available in Tallinn is to visit Helsinki.
The Finnish capital is merely a 2 hour ferry ride from Tallinn, so it’s entirely possible to go and return in the same day. This is exactly what I did in 2019 when I visited Tallinn 😊
Find out everything you can visit in Helsinki with this 1-day city itinerary! In the post, you will also find all the necessary information about the available ferry services.
» Viru bog (Lahemaa National Park)
Visiting Estonia should always include a trail in one of its famous bogs. Many of these bogs were formed thousands of years ago. Some say 1/5 of Estonia is covered in bogs and Viru Bog is one of them 😊
Located in the Lahemaa National Park, Viru Bog is one of the most accessible bogs in the region. Next to the bogs it is possible to walk a trail on a kind of wooden planks. The trail is 3,5km (one way) and takes about 1h30 to 2 hours to complete (both ways).
💡 EXTRA TIP: For those who do not wish to walk the entire route from start to finish, it is possible to walk to the observation tower and back. In this case, the total route is shortened to 2,8 km.
This is certainly a very different activity from what we find in the historical centre of Tallinn and it is only 40 minutes away by car or 1h20 by public transport.
» Jägala Waterfall
Located just a 30-minute drive from Tallinn’s historic centre, the Jägala waterfall is the largest waterfall in Estonia at 8 metres high. Whether in summer or in winter with the waterfall completely frozen, it is truly worth a visit.
It is also possible to get here by public transport, however the journey takes about 1 hour (see Google Maps for available routes).
» Rummu Underwater Prison
Although a less touristy place, the underwater Rummu prison is another interesting spot we can visit near Tallinn (about 50 minutes by car).
What was once a Soviet Union prison and a limestone quarry is now a place that attracts a few people. Abandoned since the end of the Soviet occupation of Estonia in the early 1990s, today it is possible to do various activities (such as snorkeling, paddle or canoeing) in these crystal blue waters.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: You must pay 5€ to visit the place, which is only open from June to August from 10 am to 8 pm.
» Hara – Abandoned Submarine Base
Located 55 minutes drive from Tallinn, we have yet another abandoned place to visit that takes us back in time.
Built in the 1950s by the Soviet Union, this underwater station was used until the early 1990s when Estonia regained its independence.
It is a sui generis space, to say the least, often used for urban art, such as graffiti, and currently you have to pay 6€ to visit.
Disclaimer: this post may contain some affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something through my links. This doesn’t represent any additional cost to you and you’ll be supporting my work here on the blog😊
[…] I visited on my roadtrip through the Baltics and my favourite of the 3 capitals (Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn). Riga is a small city (although the most populous of the 3 Baltic capitals), but very […]
[…] very common option to reach Helsinki is by ferry from Tallinn, Estonia. In fact, this is how I visited Helsinki on a day trip on my first visit to the city. In the next […]