Tallinn, capital of Estonia, is, quite simply, enchanting. Exploring the best-preserved medieval city in Northern Europe is like stepping into a fairytale as you stroll along cobbled alleys, gazing up at graceful Gothic spires and pointed turrets and admiring half-timbered houses with candy-colored facades.
The original city, which is remarkably intact, dates back to the 13th century, although there’s been a fortress here since 1050. Over time, Tallinn has been settled by wealthy seafaring families from Germany, Denmark, Russia, and Sweden, and for the 48 years prior to 1991, was under Soviet rule.
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tallinn has many faces: the impossibly photogenic Old Town; a thriving tech and food culture; and the brutalist-style architecture that’s a legacy of the Soviet years. You could spend days unpeeling the layers of history. Here are some of the best things to do in Tallinn.
Lose Yourself in the Old Town
Old Town
Tallinn’s Old Town, or Vanalinn in Estonian, is crammed with ancient, crooked buildings, many of which retain their original medieval names. Wander into the narrow lanes like St. Catherine’s Passage, and you’ll come across medieval marvels like old monasteries, merchants’ houses, craftsmen’s guilds, and cobbled squares, polished smooth over the centuries. Tallinn was once encircled by walls, and even these are remarkably well preserved, with large stretches intact and as high as 45 feet in some places.
Raekoja Plats, or Town Hall Square, forms the heart of Vanalinn. For centuries, it’s been the hub of city life, dominated by the magnificent Gothic Town Hall, which now contains a medieval museum. You can climb to the top of the Town Hall’s tower as high as the weathervane, which is the emblem of the city. In midsummer, when there are as many as 18 hours of daylight, the square buzzes with outdoor bars and cafés, buskers, and market stalls late into the long, sunlit evenings.
Raeapteek
Take a moment to peek into the Raeapteek, the oldest continuously operating pharmacy in Europe and once the personal pharmacy to the Russian tsars. Today, the Raepteek is like stepping through a time warp into a setting of polished wooden cabinets, bottles of mysterious colored liquid, and a small, dusty display of historical medicinal implements and potions. It’s one of the most fascinating things to do in Tallinn.
Marvel at Marzipan Art
Café Maiasmokk
Ready for a coffee break? Drop into Café Maiasmokk, the oldest in Estonia, its high-ceilinged interior reminiscent of a grand, 19th-century coffee house. Tallinn has a thriving coffee culture, and at Maiasmokk, you will struggle to resist the decadent chocolate pavlova, almond croissants, and cherry truffles.
There’s a small marzipan museum in the café, and you can watch intricate marzipan fancies being decorated while you sip your cappuccino. Estonia claims to have invented marzipan, originally (and somewhat dubiously, for medicinal purposes; at one point, it was dispensed from the Raeapteek pharmacy.
Dance With Death in St. Nicholas Church
St. Nicholas Church
Another gem of the Old Town is St. Nicholas, a church that was all but destroyed in World War II by Soviet bombs and later, fire, but rebuilt, its Gothic splendor painstakingly restored. Now, it’s deconsecrated and serves as the Niguliste Museum to house the 15th-century religious art treasures that were saved from the bombing.
The eerie, 23-foot canvas of Bernt Notke’s Danse Macabre is magnificent, all the more so when you remember that it’s just a fragment of the original, which was nearly 100 feet wide. If you’re here on a weekend, try to attend one of the hauntingly beautiful organ recitals; St. Nicholas is famous for its wonderful acoustics.
Gaze Over the Rooftops From Toompea
Toompea Castle
The gentry of Toompea, the upper section of the Old Town, would look down, literally, on the people of Vanalinn. This former stronghold gazes out over the tangle of medieval streets below, with magnificent views. At the heart of Toompea is the elaborate, rose-pink Toompea Castle, built in the 18th century and now home to the Estonian Parliament, and opposite, the magnificent, onion-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
This grand Russian Orthodox structure, built in 1900 when Estonia was still part of the Czarist empire, is rich inside with mosaics and icons, the scent of incense heavy in the air. The bell towers house 11 bells, the largest of which weighs a massive 15 tons, all brought from St. Petersburg. Arrive just before a service, and you’ll hear the magical melodies of the bells pealing.
Snap the Perfect Instagram Shot
Kohtuotsa viewing platform
Tallinn is dotted with lookouts and viewing platforms—understandably, the locals want to show off their gorgeous city—but the most famous spot is Toompea Hill’s Kohtuotsa viewing platform. Here, you’ll get that iconic shot down over the russet rooftops and church towers, all the way to the Gulf of Finland. A simple graffito painted on the pink wall, “The Times We Had”, forms a thought-provoking backdrop to many a portrait.
Climb Fat Margaret
Fat Margaret
Some 26 of Tallinn’s original 45 stone defensive towers remain. Two of the most impressive are the chunky Coastal Gate and Fat Margaret, a former prison and gunpowder store at the top of Pikk Street, the main thoroughfare of the Old Town.
Nobody knows where the name came from. Some believe Fat Margaret was a particularly large cannon, while others say the tower is named after a portly cook who used to work here, feeding visiting sailors.
Inside Fat Margaret, there’s a branch of the Estonian Maritime Museum spanning four floors and covering everything from Neolithic fishing gear to a 700-year-old wreck, the Koge. Visiting is one of the top things to do in Tallinn for nautical enthusiasts. Head up to the top for more great views over the harbor and Old Town.
Go Underground at Kiek-in-de-Kök
Kiek in de Kök
A 15-minute stroll through the Old Town from Fat Margaret will lead you to another cannon tower, the hulking, 15th-century Kiek in de Kök, built by the Swedes but used as a bomb shelter during World War II. The name actually means “peek into the kitchen,” as you could allegedly see into the kitchens of the grander houses of the lower town from the top floor of the tower.
The upper floors today house a collection of military paraphernalia, although in a way, the nine massive cannonballs embedded in the outside, fired by the army of Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, are the most evocative aspect of the tower. Kiek in de Kök also conceals the entrance to a warren of mysterious 17th-century bastion tunnels, which you can visit on a guided tour.
Hang Out in Hipster Kalamaja
Kalamaja
A visit to the boho district of Kalamaja is one of the best things to do in Tallinn beyond the Old Town. This is a great spot for strolling, grazing, and shopping along streets lined with colorful wooden houses. Stop by Balti Jaama Turg, a covered, two-story food hall crammed with stalls selling anything from sushi to bao buns, cheeses, wild boar sausages, hand-made chocolate truffles, and fresh berries. There’s bric-a-brac here, too—it’s the perfect place to pick up vintage gear and ironic Soviet-era trinkets.
You’ll find designer stores at hipster Telliskivi Creative City, a complex of recycled warehouses adorned with spectacular street art and housing some of Estonia’s most successful tech startups, as well as some cool galleries, not least Fotografiska, the Swedish Museum of Photography.
Also worth a couple of hours in this area is the Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour, part of the Estonian Maritime Museum, housed in a Russian-built aircraft hangar. The centerpiece of the museum is the Lembit, a completely intact 1930s submarine built by the British. You can also explore a 16th-century wreck and a Finnish icebreaker.
Admire Art in Kadriorg Palace
Kadriorg Palace
To the east of the city, the opulent Kadriorg Palace sits at the heart of Kadriorg Park, Estonia’s answer to Versailles, filled with manicured lawns, formal flower gardens, splashing fountains, and tree-lined alleys. The park and the striking, red-and-white summer palace were developed by Peter the Great in the 18th century, and both are named for his wife, Catherine I. Take time to step inside the Baroque palace to admire both the extravagant interiors and the art collection, part of Estonia’s national museum, featuring European and Russian art from the 16th to the 20th centuries.
There’s a bigger collection, also in Kadriorg Park, at futuristic, award-winning Kumu Art Museum, its glass-and-stone exterior a stark contrast to the frilly confection of the palace. Inside, you’ll find a permanent collection of Estonian pieces ranging from surrealism to pop art, and changing exhibitions of international and contemporary work.
Song Festival Grounds
If you wander even further, you will arrive at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, an unimaginably vast amphitheater that’s home to the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration, which brings together up to 15,000 performers and 75,000 spectators every five years.
Hike Woodland Trails in Nõmme
Nõmme
If you’re wondering what to do in Tallinn on one of those uncharacteristically hot summer days, head for the cool of the pine forest. You’ll see a quieter face of the city in the sleepy quarter of Nõmme, a pine-shaded summer retreat favored by locals in the 19th century.
You’ll find colorful clapboard houses, cozy cafes, and grander, art-nouveau residences lining the leafy streets, as well as a vibrant market packed with Estonian produce, from forest berries to hand-picked mushrooms, local honey, and meat products. There are walking and cycling trails under the pine trees, too. On a hot day, Nõmme is a lovely escape from town, and an easy 15-minute train or taxi journey from the center.
Sample Local Spirits at Liviko Distillery
Food and drink play an important role in Tallinn’s culture, and no visit is complete without an insight into how the local specialties are produced. The Liviko Distillery dates back 120 years and makes gin, rum, and vodka, among other concoctions.
There’s an interactive museum, a tour of the historic factory to see the copper stills and the array of botanicals used in productions and, of course, a chance to taste the products, which include Crafter’s Gin, Viru Valge vodka, Caribba rum, and Vana Tallinn, a uniquely Estonian liqueur.
Experience Village Life at the Viimsi Open Air Museum
Viimsi Open Air Museum
Step back in time at this fascinating museum and see what life in an Estonian coastal village was like in the 1820s. The village has been cleverly preserved, and you’ll see fishing net sheds, boat hoists, and racks for drying the fish, as well as a smugglers’ cellar.
There are two fishermen’s houses, the larger of which complete with barn. If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll enjoy hanging out with the farm animals. A farmers’ market takes place every Saturday, selling authentic Estonian produce. Historical interest aside, the coast at Viimsi is lovely, green fields sloping down to the stony beaches of the Baltic Sea, the skyline of Tallinn in the distance.
Take a Trip Through the Soviet Era
KGB Prison Cells
Soviet heritage is just one of Tallinn’s many faces. Pack a sense of humor if you join one of the Soviet-era tours and prepare for some good, old-fashioned abuse at the “check-in”, where your tour leader will give you a taste of hospitality, USSR-style, when service with a snarl was the only way.
You’ll travel past Tallinn’s least attractive Soviet architectural sights—dismal, concrete apartment blocks and a former jail—and sample pickles and vodka shots as you clatter around on an ancient bus. This thoroughly entertaining experience ends with a singalong of Soviet-era songs.
Uncover the Secrets of the KGB
Hotel Viru
One of the most intriguing things to do in Tallinn is to visit the KGB Museum, so be sure to book your slot for a deeper insight into the espionage that was rife in Soviet times. The tiny museum is actually a room in the Hotel Viru, once operated by Intourist and, when it was built in 1972, Tallinn’s only tower block.
KGB agents occupied a radio center on the secret 23rd floor from which they would spy on the foreign guests who stayed here. Needless to say, some 60 rooms and several of the tables in the restaurant were bugged. The Soviet spying gear that the KGB agents left behind when they fled in 1991 is the stuff of vintage James Bond.
Spot Seals in the Malusi Islands
Malusi Islands
If you feel you’ve done Tallinn, venture out of town into the beautiful Estonian countryside to a different world of bucolic scenery and sleepy villages seemingly forgotten by time. From the pretty port of Kaberneeme, you can take a boat to the Malusi islands, the habitat of several grey seal colonies.
Bizarrely, the seals are lured by classical music; Beethoven, Debussy, and Mozart will summon them to jump off their basking rocks into the water and swim around the boat. The tour is a great introduction to the mammals and seabirds of the Baltic.
Slow Down in a Sauna
Sauna in Tallinn
Estonians and their Finnish friends aren’t only connected by a short ferry across the Gulf of Finland; the two countries have plenty in common, perhaps even more so than Finland and her neighboring Nordic nations.
With a shared linguistic and cultural heritage, it’s unsurprising that many pastimes are popular in both nations, and none is more important than the sauna.
Invented by the Finns, yet equally claimed by Estonians, records of dry heat therapy in Tallinn date back to the 13th century. Taking a break from exploring pretty cobbled streets to relax your muscles is one of the top things to do in Tallinn to experience the country’s heritage.
The oldest public sauna in the city is the aptly named Tallinn Sauna, or Tartu Road Sauna, which opened in 1882. It’s a charmingly old-world space, with exposed brickwork and vintage touches dotted throughout the separate men’s and women’s areas.
Across the city, there’s a handful of other options. Some saunas are gender-neutral, allowing couples to enjoy the experience together. Unlike other countries where nudity is mandatory, Estonian sauna culture is more relaxed, meaning you may enter with swimwear or undressed.
Discover Estonia’s Contemporary Art Scene
Estonia’s art scene is as much about the country’s present as its past and an ever-growing array of local artists are keen to capture current social and political sentiment on canvases or in thought-provoking art installations. To witness this new era of creativity, spend some time in the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM).
Behind the pastel-striped brick building’s facade, you’ll find a space unapologetic for its stripped-back, industrial-style interior. This gallery started as something of an artistic commune, after all.
Kumu Art Museum
With the aim of giving voices to ideas and artistic styles that are often overlooked, the changing exhibitions are eclectic, and even the gallery’s curators fail to define any niche. Still, if you want to take a peek inside the mind of a modern Estonian artist, this is very much the alternative to the city’s acclaimed Kumu Art Museum.
Try Traditional Estonian Dishes
Restaurant in Tallinn
Estonian cuisine has always been hyper-local. Simple pork and potato recipes were common in the countryside, while coastal communities relied on fish.
However, over the centuries, and following many other countries invading and ruling the land, influences from other nations became more prevalent. Still, Estonians have fiercely clung to many of their most traditional dishes and remain passionate about farm-to-fork dining, seasonal foraging, and local produce.
One of the best things to do in Tallinn to learn more about the country’s culinary history is to take a foodie tour. From affordable, local cafés and piled-high pastry shops to the Baltic State’s first clutch of Michelin-starred restaurants, this European capital city has something for all tastes.
Dark rye black bread
Be sure to sample Estonia’s many beloved breads. There are more than a few words for this favorite food in the local language with dark rye black bread ubiquitous. Pork remains very common, with verivorst, or blood sausage, being the national dish and sült, a jelly traditionally made from pork, being another long-standing staple.
Tallinn’s seaside location also ensures fish is prevalent. Smoked sprats, a marinated Baltic sea fish from the herring family, and marineeritud angerjas, or marinated eel, are popular local delicacies.
Cloudberries
Wild berries, such as bilberries (similar to blueberries), rare amber-tinted cloudberries, and strawberries, are gold in food form. While most can only be tasted fresh when in season, you can sample them year-round in Estonian wine, which is fermented from berries rather than grapes.
Retreat for a Baltic Dip
Stroomi Beach
Come rain or shine, summer or winter, little can keep Estonians out of the water. Diving into the iced-over Baltic Sea in the colder months is regarded as a mood- and immunity-boosting delight, especially with a warm sauna waiting on the other side.
But there’s no need to be brave to enjoy one of Estonia’s beaches on a summer’s day. Even if the Baltic Sea rarely edges above 67°F, the gorgeous swathes of undeveloped sands are a real treat and you don’t need to stray far from Tallinn for a swim.
Pikakari Beach
Stroomi Beach, a short hop from the city center, is a somewhat protected arc of soft sands with fairly shallow waters, making it a fantastic bathing spot for all ages. Stay a little further to the overgrown Paljassaare peninsula, and you’ll have your pick of coastal hiking trails weaving between pocket-sized beaches such as Pikakari and Paljassaare.
Closer to the city center, urban swimming at Noblessner offers the chance to take a dip, enjoy some watersports, and relish that all-important post-bathing sauna.
Uncover Estonia’s History
Great Guild Hall
One of the top things to do in Tallinn to learn more about this Baltic state is to dive deeper into the country’s history beyond the Soviet occupation, which often overshadows the nation’s proud roots and Livonian history.
Start your educational tour at the Great Guild Hall. Constructed in the early 15th century, this grand, Gothic-style building has served as the Estonian History Museum’s Chamber of Legends since 1952, housing rare artifacts and Baltic German treasures.
Maarjamäe Palace
East of the city, the early 19th-century Maarjamäe Palace houses the second part of the collection. The estate’s grounds spotlight numerous Soviet sculptures, while the interior halls are dedicated to over a century of Estonia’s history, tracing events since the declaration of independence in 1918.
For a more immersive look at the country’s ethnohistory beyond Tallinn, visit the Estonian Open Air Museum, the big brother to Viimsi Open Air Museum. Here, over 70 different traditional buildings from across the country are on display, such as windmills from southern Estonia and thatched-roof farmhouses from the west. A walk through the expansive park will take you on a tour of rural Estonian life through the ages.
Find One of Tallinn’s Haunted Spaces
Danish King’s Garden
Set on Toompea’s slope, the compact Danish King’s Garden—some would say more a courtyard than a garden—is overlooked by Neitsitorn, or the Maiden’s Tower, part of the Kiek in de Kök Museum.
Named for when Estonia was part of the Kingdom of Denmark during the 13th and 14th centuries, the museum still hoists the Danish flag in the garden every June.
While it’s a relatively diminutive space, the garden’s historical importance ensures it remains atmospheric. You’ll often find medieval-outfitted performers and rickety street food carts alongside the lavender flower beds.
The garden is said to be one of Tallinn’s most haunted spots, and the three bronze monk sculptures add to the eerie atmosphere. Not that it’s the only haunted site in the medieval city; but you’d have to take a ghost tour to discover the rest.
Understand Estonia’s Occupations
Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom Photo by Anthony G. Reyes on Flickr, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
The glass-fronted, futuristic exterior of the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom gives little away about the historical displays beyond. But once inside, you’ll be taken back in time via reconstructions of vintage interiors, walls of black and white photos, and the stories of those who lived through Estonia’s occupations.
Taking a self-guided audio tour around the museum is one of the best things to do in Tallinn to learn about both the Soviet and Nazi occupations. The tour balances informative and interactive elements with the personal memories of Estonia’s citizens and you’ll leave with a far greater understanding of the major events that have shaped the nation. The KGB Prison Cells, located in the Old Town, house a second part of the Vabamu Museum.
Tour Tallinn’s Other Museums
Tallinn City Life Museum Photo by Vamps on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
If you’d prefer a lighter look at what makes Tallinn tick, there are plenty of other museums in and around Vanalinn, ranging from the expected to more curious.
For an overview of this Eastern European city, head to the Tallinn City Life Museum, located in a medieval merchant’s house, where you can track nearly a millennium of the city’s evolution. The Estonian Applied Art and Design Museum affords more modern insights with an extensive collection of contemporary designs spanning everything from furniture to fashion.
Alternatively, pick one of Tallinn’s obscure museums to while away an hour or two. The small but fascinating Banned Books Museum shares the stories behind the stories of why certain books came off the shelves. The Estonian Health Museum, meanwhile, provides an in-depth and interactive exploration of the human body.
See Soviet Linnahall
Linnahall
Tallinn’s former City Hall is a hulking, harborside slab of Soviet-era concrete. Constructed for Moscow’s 1980 Summer Olympics, the overbearing, dreary building is a stark contrast to the pretty Old Town and Tallinn’s more trendy quarters.
The interior event space was decommissioned in 2009, and there are ongoing discussions about how best to repurpose the abandoned complex. For now, it is usually only visitable from outside, though on rare occasions, the interior re-opens for temporary exhibitions. Still, it’s worth taking a stroll up onto the roof of this unmissable landmark to enjoy some unique city views and striking graffiti, and to see some of the city’s last central Soviet remnants.
Relax in Gardens & Green Spaces
Toompark
As you explore Tallinn, you’ll quickly understand why the city earned a European Green Capital title. There is no shortage of central green spaces, a testament to the Estonians’ love of the great outdoors,
One of the most soothing things to do in Tallinn is to find a leafy spot to relax, such as in well-manicured Kadriorg Park. The Japanese Garden, with its exotic plants and ponds, is particularly tranquil.
Another locally loved green lung is Toompark, or Šnelli Park, which covers a section of the Old Town’s historic bastions. The pond here is part of the city’s original defensive moat.
Summit the TV Tower
TV Tower
Inaugurated in 1980, the 1,030-foot-tall Tallinn TV Tower is the city’s highest structure and boasts the highest outside viewing platform in Northern Europe. Thankfully, there’s no need to climb the stairs to the top; a high-speed elevator will whisk you high above the city.
On the 22nd floor, alongside the outdoor deck, you can pause for a coffee, cake, or snack in the café, where wide glass windows provide a 360-degree panoramic view. If you dare step outside onto the breezy platform, you’ll be treated to far-reaching views across the Gulf of Finland, Estonia’s lush countryside, and cityscapes in the foreground.
Soak Up Freedom Square
Freedom Square
Tallinn’s expansive Freedom Square is an important pedestrianized space flanked by two important monuments. On the Harjumägi Park side of the square, the glass-paneled War of Independence Victory Column has stood proud since 2009, commemorating all those who have fought for Estonia’s independence.
Opposite, the neo-Gothic, mustard-hued St John’s Church has overlooked the square since 1867. Take a peek inside to admire the fantastic stained glass windows and the extravagant chandeliers.
Peek in Churches & Cathedrals
St Mary’s Cathedral
From the onion domes of the Eastern Orthodox St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral to the contemporary facade of Tallinn Synagogue, Tallinn has a fascinating mix of religious monuments and architectural styles, testament to the city’s history and location.
While exploring the city, be sure to take a glimpse inside those that are open to the public. Paper-white St Mary’s Cathedral, constructed in the 13th century, is the city’s oldest. However, for some of the best sweeping city views, climb the 232 steps of medieval St Olaf’s Church’s soaring tower.
Walk Atop & Through the Old Town Walls
Old Town Walls
Admiring Tallinn’s Old Town walls and gates is one of the best things to do in Tallinn, but walking atop them is even better. To do so, head to the small section of the former defenses between the Nunne, Sauna, and Kuldjala towers, where you can get a closer look at these sturdy defenses.
Across the other side of the Old Town, the Viru Gate is arguably Tallinn’s most impressive entranceway that’s still standing. Stroll between the two towers, which once flanked the pathway of horse-drawn carriages, and you’ll reach Musumägi Park’s pretty sculpture garden.
Visit Pirita’s Convent & Coastline
Bridgettine Convent, Pirita
Just northeast of Tallinn’s Old Town, the Pirita district, with its pine forests, sweeping sandy bay, and cyclist-friendly promenade, is a popular local spot, especially for a seaside pub lunch on a sunny day. Strolling along the waterfront or hiring a canoe on the banks of the Pirita River are two of the most relaxing things to do in Tallinn.
You’ll also find the ruins of the 15th-century Bridgettine Convent here. Once home to the largest number of nuns in Estonia and Latvia, the building was attacked and nearly destroyed in 1577 by Ivan the Terrible. Impressively, the walls remain well-preserved, and the grounds regularly host live music and entertainment in the summer months.
Read: Best Summer Destinations in Europe
Town Hall Square
Browse our wide range of cruises to Tallin to find the perfect voyage to this beguiling place.
