With its fairytale UNESCO-listed Old Town, Baltic Sea waterfront, and history round every corner, Tallinn is one of Europe’s most atmospheric small capitals. Whether you visit for a day or a week, this is a great place for history lovers, culture seekers, and anyone who enjoys exploring a city where you can find something unexpected wherever you go. Here are a few of the best things to do in Tallinn.
Contents
Why Visit Tallinn?
Tallinn is a place where old and new sit comfortably side by side. Its historic Old Town is one of the best‑preserved in Europe, a maze of cobbled streets, merchant houses, and medieval towers. Yet Estonia’s capital is also a vibrant post-Soviet city with modern architecture, cutting‑edge art spaces and contemporary museums.
Then there is the long Baltic waterfront, an amenity in its own right, and landing point for those arriving by ferry from Helsinki. The city is compact: you can wander from the upper town to the harbour in less than half an hour, stopping at viewpoints, cafés and museums along the way.
Old Town Of Tallinn
Tallinn’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for its remarkably intact medieval layout and architecture. It has two parts: the lower town, with its shops and restaurants, and the upper town on Toompea Hill, home to palaces, churches, and government buildings.
The lower town is centred around the Town Hall Square. This is the lively heart of the city, especially in the winter when it hosts a Christmas market, complete with wooden stalls, mulled wine, and a towering Christmas tree. Historically Tallinn was surrounded by a defensive wall with a series of lookout towers, and you can still explore large parts of the walls today.
Don’t forget to climb up Toompea Hill. Here you can see Toompea Castle and the very ornate Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, or stand on a viewing platform to look out over the lower town and across the Baltic Sea.
Read more:
The Harbour And The Seafront
Tallinn’s waterfront has undergone major redevelopment, but it still retains some of its former industrial character, and there are sections where you can enjoy a solitary walk beside the sea.
One of the main attractions here is the impressive Seaplane Harbour Museum (Lennusadam), housed in three vast concrete hangars. The interior is immersive and imaginatively laid out, with the upper area designed to feel as though you are walking on water, looking down onto the seabed.
The museum has extensive displays on maritime history and exploration, and underwater archaeology. Exhibits include a dugout canoe, a reconstructed minefield, and vessels typical of the region, including an iceboat. A number of cranes and historic ships are on show outside the museum.
A little further along the waterfront is Noblessner, a mixed cultural, entertainment and residential district. Here you will find an art centre, theme park, restaurants and cafés.
Kadrioru Park
Kadrioru Park was created as a summer home for the Russian emperor Peter the Great in the 18th century. Today it is a peaceful green space with woodland, ponds, formal gardens and museums.
At the centre of the park is Kadriorg Palace, a Baroque masterpiece with a small formal garden inspired by Versailles. Inside, the palace houses the Kadriorg Art Museum, with a collection of Flemish paintings and a rotating programme of special exhibitions. The entrance hall is particularly ornate, and another room features beautiful wooden walls and marquetry panels.
The park is also home to the Kumu Art Museum, which showcases modern Estonian art, and to the interactive Children’s Museum Miiamilla.
Telliskivi Creative City
Just outside the Old Town, Telliskivi Creative City is a reminder that Tallinn is a city that looks as much to the future as it does to the past. Telliskivi is a former industrial area that has been transformed into a buzzing hub of studios, cafés, galleries, and independent shops. Visit to browse local design, enjoy the street art, or just to stop for a drink.
The area is also home to the Fotografiska photography museum, with guided tours, exhibitions and special events.
Museums And Galleries In Tallinn
Beyond those mentioned above, Tallinn has an impressive range of museums and galleries. These include:
- The Estonian History Museum, housed in a number of locations including the Great Guild Hall in the historic centre. It tells the story of Estonia’s history and includes a number of recreated domestic interiors.
- The Estonian Maritime Museum, situated inside the Fat Margaret Tower, part of the ancient defences of the Old Town. Exhibits include a medieval shipwreck, models of ships, and several interactive features.
- The Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom, focusing on the Soviet and Nazi eras. The main building is on Toompea Hill, but you can also visit the KGB Prison Cells in the lower town.
- The Niguliste Museum, located in the former St Nicholas Church. The museum has displays of medieval art.
Day Trips From Tallinn
Tallinn is surrounded by countryside and forests (around 50% of Estonia is forested). To explore you may find it easier either to hire a car or to take a guided tour. Popular destinations include the Jägala Waterfall, the Bronze Age graves of the Rebala Heritage Reserve, or Lahemaa National Park, an area of forests, beaches and wetlands.
Another possibility is to take a day trip to Helsinki. Regular ferries run across the Baltic Sea, and the journey takes around two hours in each direction. In Helsinki you can explore the harbour area, visit the Cathedral and the Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church), or take a short ferry ride to the UNESCO-listed Suomenlinna Fortress. And try some of the distinctive Finnish cuisine…
Eating And Drinking In Tallinn
Traditional Estonian food is a blend of Nordic and Russian influences, based on seasonal local ingredients such as herring, potatoes, berries and wild mushrooms. But you’ll find contemporary creativity alongside the black bread and the hearty soups, especially in the Old Town where there are restaurants and cafés to suit every taste and budget.
Olde Hansa is a medieval‑themed restaurant serving hearty dishes inspired by the Hanseatic era (don’t be put off by the touristy approach – the food is very good). And you can get a wide range of street food at Balti Jaama Turg, a large market close to the Telliskivi Creative City.
How To Visit Tallinn
- Tallinn is well connected by air, with regular flights from across Europe. Buses connect the airport to the city centre.
- You can arrive by ferry from Helsinki (2 hours) and Stockholm (overnight sailing).
- Most places in the city are within easy walking distance. Buses and trams are available for longer journeys.
- There is a wide range of accommodation, from boutique hotels to modern properties within easy reach of the Old Town.
This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Tallinn.
