History · Tallinn · Estonia
8 historic sites to see in Tallinn
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall, Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage and Toompea hill and viewing platforms. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–13 hours across 3 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 11–13 hours
- Areas
- Old Town, Toompea and Kadriorg
Historic sites in Tallinn
Landmark · Old Town
1.Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall
Its Gothic Town Hall, completed in 1404, carries the Old Thomas weathervane on its spire, and the Town Hall Pharmacy in the corner has been dispensing medicine since at least 1422. In winter the square holds the city's Christmas market; in summer it fills with café terraces.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
.jpg){kind=link}
Neighbourhood · Old Town
2.Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage
St Catherine's Passage, a narrow lane beside the ruined Dominican monastery, has glassblowers, potters and textile workshops where you can watch artisans at work.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Toompea
3.Toompea hill and viewing platforms
The Kohtuotsa and Patkuli viewing platforms look over the Lower Town's spires and the harbour beyond.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
Religious site · Toompea
4.Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Its interior is filled with icons and mosaics, and its bells are the largest in Tallinn. Entry is free outside services.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Religious site · Old Town
5.St Olaf's Church
In the warmer months a narrow spiral staircase climbs the tower to a viewing gallery above the Old Town and the harbour.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Active
- Architecture
Historic site · Old Town
6.City walls and Towers Square
A short stretch can be walked from the Hellemann Tower on Müürivahe street, where knitwear sellers line the wall below, and Towers Square park outside the north-west walls gives the classic view of a row of red-capped towers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Photo spot
- Views
- Outdoors
Museum · Toompea
7.Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels
It holds a museum of the city's fortifications, and guided tours lead into the 17th- and 18th-century bastion tunnels dug beneath Toompea, later used as air-raid shelters.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Palace · Kadriorg
8.Kadriorg Palace and Park
It houses the Kadriorg Art Museum's collection of Western European and Russian art. The surrounding park, free to walk, has a formal flower garden, the Swan Pond and a Japanese garden.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Architecture
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall, Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage, St Olaf's Church and City walls and Towers Square | 1 hour + Half a day + 45 minutes + 1 hour |
| Toompea | Toompea hill and viewing platforms, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels | 1–1.5 hours + 20–30 minutes + 1.5–2 hours |
| Kadriorg | Kadriorg Palace and Park | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 3 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels. The longest visit is Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels: Tunnel tours have limited places; reserve a time online in summer.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Old Town): Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall → Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Old Town and Toompea): St Olaf's Church → City walls and Towers Square → Toompea hill and viewing platforms → Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Toompea and Kadriorg): Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels → Kadriorg Palace and Park, at least 4 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of -1°C (30°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Often the coldest month, with frozen bays and crisp sunny days; the quietest time of year for sightseeing.
- April: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 7 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and fresh, with the first café terraces and the city's spring cultural season.
- March: highs of 3°C (37°F), about 8 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still wintry, with snow giving way to slush; days lengthen fast.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Old Town (Lower Town) — Cobbled Hanseatic streets, guild halls and Town Hall Square inside the medieval walls
- Toompea — The quiet hilltop upper town of the castle, Parliament, cathedrals and viewpoints
- Kadriorg — Leafy park district around Peter the Great's palace, with Kumu and the sea promenade
More of Tallinn
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Tallinn?
Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall. The cobbled Raekoja plats has been Tallinn's marketplace since the Middle Ages.
+Which of these are free in Tallinn?
Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall, Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage, Toompea hill and viewing platforms and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.