Travel guide · Estonia
Tallinn travel guide
Walled medieval Old Town, creative factory districts and the Baltic shore
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Tallinn's UNESCO-listed Old Town is one of the most complete medieval Hanseatic towns in Europe: a Lower Town of merchants' houses, guild halls and Town Hall Square inside nearly 2 km of walls, below the hilltop Toompea with its castle and cathedrals. Beyond the walls, the city is young and digital, with former factories turned into the Telliskivi and Noblessner districts, the Kumu art museum in Kadriorg park and seaplane hangars converted into a maritime museum. Helsinki is two hours away by ferry, and the airport is a 15-minute tram ride from the centre. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are May–September.
Key facts
- Country
- Estonia
- Best time to visit
- May–September
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- TLL
- Mid-range daily budget
- $130–$220 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Medieval Old Town, Town Hall Square, City walls and towers and Toompea viewpoints
Why visit Tallinn
- About 1.85 km of the medieval city wall and 26 of its towers still stand, enclosing a compact Old Town that you can cross on foot in 15 minutes.
- The Kohtuotsa and Patkuli viewing platforms on Toompea look straight down over the red roofs and spires of the Lower Town.
- Telliskivi Creative City and the Kalamaja wooden-house district offer cafés, design shops and a local scene a 10-minute walk from the walls.
- The Seaplane Harbour museum lets you walk through a 1930s submarine inside 1917 concrete-domed hangars.
- Restaurants, museums and hotels cost noticeably less than in Helsinki or Stockholm across the water.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 19 things to do.
Landmark · Old Town
Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall
The cobbled Raekoja plats has been Tallinn's marketplace since the Middle Ages.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
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Neighbourhood · Old Town
Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage
A walk from the 14th-century Viru Gate along Viru street, then up Pikk street past the Great Guild Hall and the ornate House of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, shows the merchant city at its best.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Toompea
Toompea hill and viewing platforms
The upper town on Toompea hill has the pink baroque Toompea Castle, where Parliament sits beneath the Tall Hermann tower, and St Mary's Cathedral, its walls hung with the coats of arms of Baltic German noble families.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
Religious site · Toompea
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
This onion-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral, completed in 1900 opposite Toompea Castle, was built when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Religious site · Old Town
St Olaf's Church
St Olaf's Gothic spire, now 124 metres tall, made it one of the tallest buildings in the world in the 16th century, when it reached an estimated 159 metres.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Active
- Architecture
Historic site · Old Town
City walls and Towers Square
About 1.85 km of Tallinn's medieval wall survives, with 26 of its original 46 towers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Photo spot
- Views
- Outdoors
Where to stay
Old Town (Lower Town) is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Old Town (Lower Town)
Cobbled Hanseatic streets, guild halls and Town Hall Square inside the medieval walls
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and culture
Toompea
The quiet hilltop upper town of the castle, Parliament, cathedrals and viewpoints
$$ · Best for food lovers, solo travellers, budget and nightlife
Kalamaja and Telliskivi
Wooden houses, converted factories, cafés and the city's creative scene
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
City Centre and Rotermann
Modern hotels, shopping malls and an old industrial quarter rebuilt with bold architecture
What to eat
- Black rye bread — Dense, slightly sweet and sour rye bread is the base of Estonian eating, served with every meal and toasted with garlic as a beer snack (küüslauguleib).
- Sprat sandwich — Black rye bread with butter, spiced Baltic sprats, slices of boiled egg and chopped herbs: the classic Estonian open sandwich and a traditional accompaniment to vodka.
- Blood sausage — Sausage of pig's blood and barley, roasted and served with sauerkraut, roast potatoes and lingonberry jam.
- Potato and barley mash — A thick mash of potatoes and pearl barley from the Mulgimaa region, topped with a sauce of fried pork and onions.
- Kama — A finely milled mix of roasted barley, rye, oat and pea flour stirred into kefir or buttermilk, sometimes with berries and honey.
- Curd snack — A small bar of sweetened curd cheese coated in chocolate, sold chilled in dozens of flavours and eaten as a quick snack.
When to go
The best time to visit Tallinn is May to September, when days are long, terraces are open and the sea is warm enough for a swim in July and August. June has the longest evenings and Midsummer festivities. December is a popular second season for the Christmas market on Town Hall Square, while January to March is cold but quiet and good value.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Wintry in March, then a fast thaw; May is bright, often dry and quieter than summer. |
| Summer | June–August | White nights, Midsummer bonfires, beaches and festivals; the busiest season, with cruise passengers filling the Old Town by day. |
| Autumn | September–November | Mild September, colourful parks in early October, then grey, rainy and dark into November. |
| Winter | December–February | Snow-covered Old Town and the Christmas market in December; very cold, quiet and inexpensive after New Year. |
Getting there and around
Tallinn Airport is about 4 km from the centre. Tram line 4 runs from the terminal to the city centre in about 15–20 minutes, and taxis or ride-hailing cars take around 10–15 minutes to the Old Town.
The Old Town is entirely walkable and largely car-free, and Kalamaja, Telliskivi and the Rotermann Quarter are within 10–15 minutes on foot. Trams and buses cover Kadriorg, Pirita, the airport and the Open Air Museum.
Plan your days
Two days covers the Old Town, Toompea, the walls and Kalamaja with Telliskivi. A third day adds Kadriorg and Kumu, the Seaplane Harbour or the Open Air Museum; with four or five you can visit Lahemaa National Park or Tartu.
Practical information
- Currency
- EUR
- Language
- Estonian
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink, though some visitors notice a mineral taste; bottled water is inexpensive.
- Emergency number
- 112 (all emergencies)
- Tipping
- Tipping around 10% for good table service is common in Tallinn restaurants but not mandatory; check the bill, as some add a service charge.
Tallinn is generally low-risk, but pickpocketing occurs in the Old Town on busy summer days and around the port. At night, stay alert around bars frequented by stag groups, and use ride-hailing apps instead of unmarked taxis.
Flights to Tallinn
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Tallinn?
Two days covers the Old Town, Toompea, the walls and Kalamaja with Telliskivi. A third day adds Kadriorg and Kumu, the Seaplane Harbour or the Open Air Museum; with four or five you can visit Lahemaa National Park or Tartu. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Tallinn?
The best time to visit Tallinn is May to September, when days are long, terraces are open and the sea is warm enough for a swim in July and August. June has the longest evenings and Midsummer festivities. December is a popular second season for the Christmas market on Town Hall Square, while January to March is cold but quiet and good value.
+What is Tallinn known for?
Medieval Old Town, Town Hall Square, City walls and towers, Toompea viewpoints, Christmas market, Telliskivi Creative City and Digital society. About 1.85 km of the medieval city wall and 26 of its towers still stand, enclosing a compact Old Town that you can cross on foot in 15 minutes.
+Is Tallinn expensive?
Tallinn is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $130–$220 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Tallinn?
No. The centre is compact and walkable, and trams and buses cover outer sights. A car is useful only for Lahemaa National Park and rural Estonia.