Tallinn is, in this TripGourmets humble opinion, one of Europe’s underrated cultural gems. Our Tallinn Itinerary was mostly spent among the pristine medieval marvels of the Estonian capital. Within the space of three days, we both managed to fall completely in love with the place.
Table of Contents
- Why should you choose Tallinn for a city break?
- How to get to Tallinn
- Where to stay in Tallinn
- Day 1 of the Tallinn Itinerary – Tallinn Sightseeing in the medieval city centre
- Day 2 of the Tallinn Itinerary – Furry feline fun and maritime history
- Day 3 of the Tallinn Itinerary – Medieval tower museums and segway adventure
- Other recommendable Tallinn Activities and Tours
- Finally
Why should you choose Tallinn for a city break?
Around a year ago, all I knew about Tallinn was that it is in Estonia, a Baltic state, formerly part of the USSR, in the freezing part of northern Europe. We decided to visit for a Tallinn city break because I had become somewhat fascinated with the place after applying for e-residency of Estonia last year.
Estonia has a long and often bloody history. Tallinn city dates back to the 13th century when crusading knights first built a castle there. Since that time, the city has stood virtually intact throughout Danish, Russian and German occupations, as well as wars, fires and the plague. What stands today is one of the oldest and best preserved medieval city centres in Europe. Since 1997, it has also been a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today, Estonia boasts the position of being the worlds most advanced digital economy and has earned the reputation of being the “Silicon Valley of Europe”. It has the highest number of startups per capita in Europe. Skype was in fact developed in Estonia, by Swedish and Danish commercial founders. Residents bank, vote, submit their tax returns and conduct much of their daily business online. Despite being on the cutting edge of the digital culture, the Estonians take a great pride in the long history of their country and its capital. Walking around the impeccably preserved Tallinn old town, it feels like you are breathing in more of the city’s medieval past than the digital culture of the present and future.
This post covers all things to do in Tallinn that we discovered during our city break.
The coastline of Tallinn in beautiful late afternoon sunshine
How to get to Tallinn
At the time we visited, cheap flights to Tallinn were less available. However, as short breaks to Tallinn have become more popular over the last year or so, flights to Tallinn are becoming cheaper and more available. Tallinn airport is located close to the city centre and takes less than 30 minutes by cab, or around 35 minutes on public transport. The main airlines are Nordica and AirBaltic. Passengers from the UK can fly from Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow or Edinburgh, and soon from Luton as well.
If you are coming from Finland, you can also take the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. The price averages at about US$18-35 and the journey time is between 1.5 to 3.5 hours. Following companies provide ferries:
Where to stay in Tallinn
Budget Choice: Old Town Hostel Alur. This great Tallinn hostel is situated directly in the heart of the city centre, only a 1-minute walk away from the Tallinn Town Hall. It offers free WiFi, free coffee/tea in the morning, a free city map and a free luggage storage. Equipped with a kitchen, a common room and a terrace. Private rooms or beds in mixed dormitories available.
Old Town Hostel Alur
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Mid-range Choice: Tallinn City Apartments – Town Hall Square. This Tallinn Accommodation offers Studios and 1-bedroom apartments in the Old Town. Rooms are equipped with free WiFi, a flat-screen TV, a sitting area, a kitchen with a fridge and a stove and a private bathroom. Close proximity to the Toompea Castle and the Aleksandr Nevsky Cathedral.
Tallinn City Apartments – Town Hall Square
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Luxurious Choice: Schlössle Hotel. This 5-star hotel in Tallinn is housed in recently renovated 13th and 14th-century buildings of the Old Town. A delicious breakfast and entrance to the sauna are included in the room price. The rooms are spacious and offer a lot of comforts. The on-site restaurant serves great food. The luxurious hotel is located close to most of the attractions of Tallinn Old Town.
Schlössle Hotel
CLICK HERE TO CHECK CURRENT AVAILABILITY AND PRICES
Day 1 of the Tallinn Itinerary – Tallinn Sightseeing in the medieval city centre
The first day of our Tallinn Itinerary we spent walking around, exploring the old Tallinn city centre. The old town exists in two parts. The upper town, Toompea, is the site of the castle and the cathedral. Historically, it was the seat of the rulers who looked down over the lower Old Town of Tallinn. The Old Town was the commercial and residential centre. Many of the buildings retain their original names, often indicating the purpose for which it was built as well.
One of the best ways to spend a Tallinn weekend is just to wander around the city centre. It really is so stunning. Red tiled rooftops, pristine grey cobbled streets, original preserved Medieval buildings and traditional artisanal craft shops combine to create a sparkling mix of colour and culture. If you are short on time or just prefer some guidance, we recommend you this Old Town Walking Tour from Get Your Guide. In about 2 hours time you will catch the magical essence of Tallinn with a great guide. The tour itself gets constantly raging reviews.
We started our Tallinn trip on the edge of the old town, at the Viru Gate, which forms part of the original city walls. Flower stalls lined up on our left as we approached the gate itself. (the picture below was taken later in the day, and we wanted to share this one as it looks so pretty all lit up!)
Viru gate all lit up at dusk
The city centre is mostly pedestrianised. Walking up through the cobbled streets lined with shops selling Viking and amber souvenirs, we soon ended up on the magnificent Town Hall Square, which is one of the most important things to see in Tallinn in one day. The vast open space was originally used as the marketplace, however today it is lined with open-air cafes. Although we visited outside of the festive season, the Town Hall Square is where the famous Tallinn Christmas market takes place each year in December. I cannot imagine how cold it must be to visit then!
Tallinn Town Hall
Old Thomas
On top of the Town Hall itself sits a weather vane, the figure of a medieval warrior called Old Thomas or Vana Toomas in Estonian. He was first put there in the 1500’s and today he is one of the symbols of Tallinn. The story goes that Thomas was the town guard, and all his life he had given sweets to children from his post on Tallinn Town Hall Square. After he died, all the children wanted to know “Where is Old Toomas?”. After the weather vane was erected, parents would tell their children that Old Thomas was watching over them. They would also leave sweets under the children’s pillows as a reward -“from Toomas” – for good behaviour. Vana Toomas is today also the name of one of the restaurants on the Town Hall Square.
From Town Hall Square, we walked up Pikk Jalg, the hill leading up to Toompea. The name “Pikk jalg” literally means “long boot” and refers to the fact that there are two roads up the hill to Toompea, and this is the longer one. It is thought to be one of the oldest streets in Tallinn.
Did you know that Tallinn is one of the Cities of the Hanseatic League?
Toompea Hill
At the top of the hill, the first building we came to was the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Constructed in the Russian Revival style during the late 19th century when Tallinn was under Russian occupation, it looks somewhat incongruous compared to its medieval backdrop. It is still used as a place of worship by Orthodox Russians living in Tallinn.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Walking north from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, we came to St Marys Cathedral (Toomkirik). This is the oldest church in Tallinn, dating back to the 13th century.
St Mary’s Cathedral – the oldest church in Tallinn
Continuing north, we found the Kohtuotsa viewing platform, one of the best spots for capturing panoramic views over the Old Town and the sea beyond.
The stunning vista from the Kohtuotsa viewing platform on Toompea Hill
Danish Kings Garden
We walked back down past the Alexander Nevsky cathedral into the Danish Kings Garden. There are numerous legends about this garden, many linking back to the time when Tallinn was under Danish occupation. The garden is home to three tall monk statues, who are somewhat eerie with their faceless hoods and gnarled hands.
One of the monk statues from the Danish Kings Garden
Walls of the Danish Kings Garden and Maiden Tower
We climbed up some very steep concrete stairs, in order to visit the small cafe within the walls of the garden itself. The room inside is candlelit and very dark, in traditional medieval style!
Are you brave enough to find out more about Tallinn’s ghosts and dark legends?
Then check out this spooky Tallinn Ghost and Legends walking tour!
If you don’t fancy the stairs and have some euros to spend, then you can go into the far more swanky cafe inside the Maidens Tower (Neitsitorn) the medieval defence tower adjoining the walls of the Kings Garden. There is also a museum inside.
St Catherine’s Passage and Hellemann Tower
We wandered down the hill from the garden back into the Old Town. We made our way to St Catherines Passage (Katariina käik). The small workshops along this hidden lane are occupied by members of the St Catherines Guild, a collection of artists and craftspeople who make and sell jewellery, textiles and glassware using traditional techniques. They are set up in an open style, so you can watch the artists at work. If you are looking to spend some cash, then St Catherine’s passage is one of the loveliest locations for Tallinn shopping.
St Catherine’s Passage, home to the St Catherine’s Guild
At the end of the passage, we came to a section of the Old City Walls. We paid €4 each to access the Hellemann Tower and to walk along a section of the 14th-century walls. The tower has been used in the past as a weapons store and a prison. Below the walkway of the walls is a market, where you can buy fisherman-style knitwear. Another great opportunity for traditional shopping in Tallinn, Estonia.
(If you prefer to buy high street, then you can do so but the main shopping area is outside of the old city walls).
On the city walls of Tallinn
Helleman Tower and city walls, lit up at dusk
Do you like romantic cities in winter?
Annecy, the Venice of the Alps.
Then have a look at Annecy, the Venice of the Alps.
Ill Draakon
Finally, feeling very hungry after all that walking, we headed back to the Town Hall Square and a very heavily medieval-themed cafe/pub called Ill Draakon. Housed in the Old Town Hall building itself, this place is as much a Tallinn tourist attraction as a restaurant, but it is all good fun. All the staff are dressed and act/speak in a medieval style. The place has no windows and lit only by candlelight, so it is very dark.
Of course she is not really 500 years old
Medieval beer tastes just like modern beer
The menu is basic, comprising pasties, sausages and elk meat soup. The soup came in a terracotta bowl with no spoon – to be slurped directly from the bowl. It was absolutely delicious – hearty and with a deeply beefy flavour. We ordered two beers, which also came served in terracotta jugs. The place is definitely not to be taken too seriously, but I do seriously recommend that elk soup!
You love food as much as we do?
Then we bet you’re going to like this Tallinn 3-Hour Estonian Food Tour!
We did find in general that Tallinn prices for eating out were in general very reasonable for a European capital. Even around the Old Town Square, there were plenty of places to eat out without breaking the bank.
Elk may have died during the making of this soup (but it was definitely worth it)
So ended a very busy first day of our weekend in Tallinn.
Day 2 of the Tallinn Itinerary – Furry feline fun and maritime history
Cat Cafe Nurri
The Airbnb we rented for our weekend in Tallinn was in the Maakri neighbourhood, and less than a five minute walk away was the Cat Cafe Nurri (Kassikohvik Nurri). This family-run enterprise is the only one of its kind in Tallinn, and if you are a cat lover, then this answers your question of what to do in Tallinn Estonia! They adopt around ten cats from shelters and have customised the interior of the cafe to be totally cat-friendly, with overhead walkways and human-free areas for the cats to retreat if they wish.
Cat Cafe Nurri
This handsome ginger fella is called Urr, and he is the youngest of the Nurri cats
This pretty little kitty is named Lovely, because that’s obviously what she is!
After the cats had enough of us, we walked back through the old town towards the coast.
Seaplane Harbour Museum
We found the Seaplane Harbour Museum on the very north edge of the city, by the sea. We chose this visit based on reading a number of Tallinn reviews that raved about the extensive interactive displays. The building itself is actually an old hangar, that was used for seaplanes until the Second World War. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this so much but the Seaplane Harbour Museum is a really fun experience with a lot of interactivity. It ended up being one of the highlights of our Tallinn city break!
We started outside, where there are a number of exhibits to see in the working harbour. The highlight is a 100-year-old steam-powered icebreaker ship that you can explore inside and out, including the engine room and the crew living quarters.
Suur Töll, the icebreaker ship exhibit at the Seaplane Harbour Museum in Tallinn
The captains quarters aboard the Suur Töll
Engine room of the Suur Töll
Inside the hangar, there is much more to see and explore, including the skeletal remains of a shipwrecked Viking vessel from the 1500’s, and a real-life submarine from the 1930’s that you can walk around and explore.
Shipwrecked remains of a wooden Viking vessel
A rescue helicopter in the Seaplane Harbour Museum
Exploring the Lembit submarine
We loved the Seaplane Harbour so much that we made a video of it! We would really recommend this place to anyone who is wondering what to do in Tallinn.
Golden Piglet Restaurant
During the evening, we ate at a traditional Estonian restaurant called the Golden Piglet (Kuldse Notsu). In contrast to the medieval-themed tourist attraction Tallinn restaurants, this place was a far more refined offering. Serving up traditional Estonian country-style food freshly prepared from local produce, we can recommend this as a place to eat in Tallinn. Their specialities include home-made cheese and Estonian sausages.
Game in juniper berry sauce
Day 3 of the Tallinn Itinerary – Medieval tower museums and segway adventure
Kiek in di Koek
As we had run out of time to do any of the historical museums on our first day, we decided on our last day to visit the Kiek in de Kök. Although the name sounds something like a painful accident for men, it actually means “a peek in the kitchen” in old Low German. It got the name from the fact that those who looked out from the tower could see directly into the kitchens of the lower houses. It was originally used as an artillery tower, built with walls 4 metres thick. Today, it houses a museum about the military history of Tallinn. The views from the windows of the tower became progressively more spectacular the higher we climbed.
It is possible to also do a guided tour of the Bastion tunnels however we didn’t do it. TripGourmets top tip: during the weekend Tallinn gets busy so book in advance if you want to tour the Bastion tunnels!
Kiek in de Kök from the outside
View out over St Nicholas Church from the Kiek in de Kök tower
Segway to heaven
After we finished at the Kiek in de Kök, we went to Segway Tallinn to rent a couple of Segways. This was not unreasonably expensive, you pay either €20 for 30 minutes or €30 for an hour, per person. We have ridden Segways before but as a guided tour. Here, they let us take out the Segways by ourselves. It is fantastic fun to zip about the streets of Tallinn old town on a Segway. We can seriously recommend this as a great idea for your list of Tallinn travel activities.
Do you rather want a guided Segway tour?
Then check out this amazing Tallinn Segway and Food Tour!
Sarah on a Segway, trying to get Periscope to work and totally ignoring the view of Freedom Square below her
Out and about in Tallinn
Segways were also so much fun that we made yet another video about it! Seriously, this is something that you have to see to experience it.
Peppersack Restaurant
After we had finished zipping through the city streets on two wheels, we were quite hungry. We visited the Peppersack restaurant, which is another fairly traditional but not-too-over-the-top restaurant located a stone’s throw from the Town Hall Square. They have a great menu of Estonian food, however, we do recommend the local cheese platter as an excellent appetiser for sharing. We think the Peppersack Restaurant is one of the best places to eat in Tallinn.
Horisont
At the end of our third day of our Tallinn Itinerary in Estonia, we decided to visit the Horisont bar at the Swissotel Tallinn, which was right next door to our Airbnb apartment. The bar is at the top of the 28-story hotel, which is one of a pair of towers that are the tallest buildings in Tallinn. The views out over the city are just fabulous. I had a mango, chilli and coriander martini, which was the perfect tipple to warm up after a cold weekend in Tallinn!
Cheers!
Other recommendable Tallinn Activities and Tours
- Visit the Tallinn TV Tower: With its 313-meters, the Tallinn TV Tower is both Tallin’s and Northern Europe’s tallest building. It is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. There is a restaurant on the 22nd floor which opens every day from 10 am to 9 pm and from Thu-Sun until 11 pm. During the daytime, the restaurant entrance is included in the tower ticket (US$15), but after 6 pm you have to pay an additional US$3.5. If you feel daring, you can book a 30-minute walk on the edge of the tower. Tower entrance and digital photos of you walking at the edge are included in the price!
- Enjoy a Food Tour: Estonian food is very unique. It’s generally very northern European, but also has some Russian and German influences. With this Tallinn Food Tour, you will have 6 to 7 food and wine stops during a cosy stroll through Tallinn.
- Survive a sinking ship: No no no, of course not a real one! There is an amazing Escape Room in Tallinn, where the scenario is, that you have to escape a sinking ship. Up to four people can participate for a very reasonable price. We sure love Escape Rooms!
- Get off the beaten path: Estonia has some picturesque places near Tallinn, like for example the Jägala Waterfall. Explore more of Estonia’s nature and culture (for example the mystical Bronze Age graves in Rebala) on this 5-hour tour. Perfect if you want to see beyond Tallinn City.
Finally
Tallinn is really a perfect place for a long weekend getaway. The city is small enough that you can see and do a lot in a few days. At the same time, Tallinn holidays make for great experiences in historical culture and maritime adventures.
If you are looking for somewhere a little bit further from the well-beaten tourist trails in Europe, then a weekend in Tallinn should be on your list. Given the increasing numbers of stag and hen parties looking for new stomping grounds in the form of cheap city breaks to Tallinn, as well as the Baltic cruise ships bringing in their passengers for holidays in Tallinn, you’d be wise to get there before the crowds do. Trust us, short breaks to Tallinn will not be peaceful forever!
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30 comments
[…] and locals and tourists indulge in 24 hour parties and activities.The city is small enough that a Tallinn city break can be squeezed into a single weekend. Tallinn also manages to remain such a purse-friendly […]
Hi Sarah & Tom, I came across your site while researching Tallinn where my 4 sisters and I will be visiting next October. Luckily we can fly direct from Dublin with Ryanair and we have booked a place to stay in the Old Town. It was my choice of city inspired by a friendship with an Estonian woman who lives in Ireland and who discovered links between her family’s earlier generations with Dublin through shipping. Your tour – especielly the segway tour – really gives a feel for the city and I can’t wait to go. Thank you for all those tips and inspiration.
Hi Bernie, thank you very much for your nice comment. It’s quite awesome that you booked a place in the old city, so you’re in the middle of the action. I really love the reason why you visit this wonderful city and I’m sure you will love it. It’s great that you have a direct flight as well! Make sure to try the Elk Soup in Ill Draakon, it’s the best soup I ever had in my whole life and, except if you’re a vegetarian, you’ll not regret it 😀
Have a fantastic day
Thomas
What a great overview of Tallin! This will be very helpful when we stop in Tallin in September. We have only one day and it doesn’t look like it will be enough!
Hi Linda, if you have only one day, make sure to get a Segway as you can cover so much space in short time with it 😀 One day is definitely not enough, but if you like it, you can always come back, right? 😀
Have a fantastic day
OMG! This is so so amazing. I had never heard about Tallinn earlier and your pictures and this place has surely won my heart. Tallinn looks like a fairyland. Everything is so picturesque. I am gonna add this to my bucket list. Thanks for sharing.
We never really heard about Tallinn before either, but we were so pleasantly surprised. We were absolutely charmed by its old town and all the pretty houses. It’s absolutely worth a visit! Make sure you’ll have a elk soup in Ill Draakon as well 😀
Have a fantastic day
I would love to visit Tallin – I agree, I think it’s one of the most underrated European cities (from what I’ve seen), and I hope I have the chance to visit before the tourism flood gates open and people realize what they’re missing! Exploring the Medieval city / Old Town of Tallinn would be at the top of my list – so much well preserved history! I love that the city centre is mostly pedestrianised – Alexander Nevsky cathedral looks stunning, and the view from the Kohtuotsa viewing platform over the rooftops is incredible!
Hi Megan, thang you for your comment. Tallinn is truly a fantastic city with a lot to discover. The tourism flood gates might open soon as the digital residency is starting to boom and people start to realise that there is a beautiful city called Tallinn. You might like to take a Segway through the old town as well, it is loads of fun and you can drive them by yourself as well 😀 I hope you’ll be able to visit this beautiful city one day!
Have a fantastic day
As a big fan of architecture, these structures in Tallinn are quite surprising! And it’s very diverse! Now Im regretting I didn’t take that ferry going to Tallinn from Helsinki ?
We know exactly what you mean, we didn’t take the ferry to Helsinki either, but there can always be a second time 🙂
Have a fantastic day
I’ve honestly only heard about Tallinn recently this year from the Instagram-famous Tara Milk Tea. And what did you order at Golden Piglet???? The food in the photo looks absolutely to die for and even just reading about the home-made cheese and Estonian sausages is making me drool!!!
Hi Jas, Tallinn is really underrated. I had some delicious game in juniper berry sauce with honeyed vegetables and oven potatoes and Sarah had the oven baked pearl barley with smoked bacon and onion. The food was amazing, especially for northern European food! Thank you for visiting our page.
Have a fantastic day
I knew almost nothing about Tallinn, so this was a very enlightening post. We have no current plans to revisit Europe but I wouldn’t mind giving it a try if and when we go back.
Hi Rhonda, thank you for your comment. Tallinn is truly a jewel and definitely worth a visit, especially if you visit Europe anyway. Save this article somewhere and you’ll have it handy if you come and revisit Europe 😀
Have a fantastic day
I understand why you fell in love with Tallinn, looking at the pictures of medieval buildings and reading about the history I find it fascinating that Estonia has one of the most advanced digital economies in the world. What a city and what a country.
Estonia is indeed a fascinating and underrated country Linda! The people are also very friendly and willing to chat about their country and its culture. If we go back we will also plan to explore some of the national parks, and try and visit in summer during the “white nights”. Thanks for reading and for your comment, have a great weekend!
I never knew that Tallinn is the Silicon Valley of Europe. It looks amazing especially the old town. I love when places have a pedestrian area it’s great for exploring without worrying about cars. Your photos are really good and they really make me want to go there soon. It’s good to know that there are lots of nice restaurants and cafes too. I wish we lived closer as you are right it does look like a perfect weekend getaway.
Thanks for reading our post Cindy! Pedestrianised cities are the best, we love to walk everywhere. Although Tallinn does have an international airport, it is not the most well-connected and we had to take a connecting flight from Basel via Frankfurt. That said, the more people who visit, the better connected it will get 😉 Thanks for your comment and the compliment on the photos – Tom is our photographer so he will be pleased! Wish you a great weekend.
Tallinn looks amazing! I had no idea that Estonia was considered to be the “Silicon Valley of Europe” – that’s pretty cool and yet it’s a place that we don’t hear too much about over here in Ireland. I love that they’ve kept the old town preserved. It’s so important to look after our history.
Thanks for reading 🙂 I had not heard much about Estonia before I had applied for the e-residency programme but it is really a fascinating country. I can recommend a visit if you are ever thinking about visiting the Baltics. Thanks for your comment and wish you a great weekend!
What a fascinating place, the photos show it off beautifully. I love finding little cafes and restaurants that don’t look up to much from the outside but the food is to die for, my favourite kind of hidden gem.
Thanks for reading Nicola, Tom will be happy you liked the photos! Tallinn is fascinating, so much history and so beautifully preserved. If you go, then don’t miss that elk soup – best soup we ever had! Have a great weekend and thanks for the comment
Looks like an awesome city! I’ve never been but planning on exploring more of this area when we are in Europe next year.
Tallinn is really beautiful Anna, can recommend a visit. We plan to go back at some point in during the summer months when the Baltic countries have their “white nights” – it never gets dark! Thanks for reading and for your comment 🙂
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[…] City of Medieval Marvels – A Weekend in Tallinn […]
[…] City of Medieval Marvels – A Weekend in Tallinn […]
Great article about a less known (and surely underrated) city ! What still surprises me after years of travelling is how many places you can fall in love with at the same time… Exploring the world is a beautiful thing 🙂
It’s so true Gloria, and you can fall in love with places for totally different and reasons too 🙂 Thanks for reading!