Things to do · Tallinn · Estonia
19 best things to do in Tallinn
19 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ben Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Tallinn are Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall, Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage and Toompea hill and viewing platforms. Of the 19 picks below, 8 are free, 5 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall | Old Town | 1 hour | Free |
| Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage | Old Town | Half a day | Free |
| Toompea hill and viewing platforms | Toompea | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Alexander Nevsky Cathedral | Toompea | 20–30 minutes | Free |
| St Olaf's Church | Old Town | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| City walls and Towers Square | Old Town | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels | Toompea | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Kadriorg Palace and Park | Kadriorg | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Kumu Art Museum | Kadriorg | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) | Kalamaja | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Telliskivi Creative City | Kalamaja | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Kalamaja wooden-house district | Kalamaja | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Balti Jaama market | Kalamaja | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Rotermann Quarter | City Centre | 45 minutes | Free |
| Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom | Toompea | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Tallinn TV Tower | Pirita | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Pirita Convent ruins and beach | Pirita | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Estonian Open Air Museum | Rocca al Mare | 3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Song Festival Grounds | Kadriorg | 30–45 minutes | Free |
The 19 best things to do
Landmark · Old Town
1.Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall
The cobbled Raekoja plats has been Tallinn's marketplace since the Middle Ages. 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.
Climb the Town Hall tower in summer for a close view over the roofs, and step into the old pharmacy's small museum room.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Old Town
2.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. 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.
Explore early in the morning before cruise groups arrive, and duck into side lanes such as Saiakang and Raekoja tänav.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Toompea
3.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. The Kohtuotsa and Patkuli viewing platforms look over the Lower Town's spires and the harbour beyond.
Walk up the steep Pikk jalg lane and back down via the Patkuli steps to make a loop; go at sunrise or late evening for the emptiest platforms.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
Religious site · Toompea
4.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. Its interior is filled with icons and mosaics, and its bells are the largest in Tallinn. Entry is free outside services.
Dress modestly and keep voices low; services take place inside most days.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Religious site · Old Town
5.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. In the warmer months a narrow spiral staircase climbs the tower to a viewing gallery above the Old Town and the harbour.
The stairs are steep and tight; go on a clear day and avoid the climb if you dislike enclosed spaces.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Active
- Architecture
Historic site · Old Town
6.City walls and Towers Square
About 1.85 km of Tallinn's medieval wall survives, with 26 of its original 46 towers. 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.
Walk the outside of the walls from Towers Square to Fat Margaret's tower near the harbour for the best views of the fortifications.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Photo spot
- Views
- Outdoors
Museum · Toompea
7.Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels
Kiek in de Kök, Low German for 'peek into the kitchen', is a 15th-century artillery tower whose gunners could see into the kitchens below. 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.
Book the tunnel tour, which runs at set times, and combine it with the Maiden Tower café on the walls next door.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tunnel tours have limited places; reserve a time online in summer.
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Palace · Kadriorg
8.Kadriorg Palace and Park
Peter the Great commissioned this baroque palace for his wife Catherine I in 1718, and its main hall is one of the finest baroque interiors in the Baltics. 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.
Take tram 1 or 3 to Kadriorg, walk through the park to the palace and continue up the hill to Kumu.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Architecture
Gallery · Kadriorg
1.Kumu Art Museum
Estonia's national art museum opened in 2006 in a curved limestone and copper building cut into the Lasnamäe bank above Kadriorg park, and was named European Museum of the Year in 2008. Its permanent collection traces Estonian art from the 18th century through national romanticism and the Soviet period to today.
Allow time for the Soviet-era galleries, which show how artists worked under censorship.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- History
Museum · Kalamaja
2.Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam)
The Estonian Maritime Museum fills three concrete-domed seaplane hangars built in 1916–17. You can walk through the submarine Lembit, built in Britain in 1936, see a replica seaplane and old fishing boats, try flight simulators, and board the steam icebreaker Suur Tõll moored outside.
Combine it with a seaside walk to Noblessner for lunch, and allow extra time with children for the simulators and play areas.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Neighbourhood · Kalamaja
3.Telliskivi Creative City
A cluster of brick buildings that once housed a railway factory, Telliskivi now holds studios, galleries, design and vintage shops, street art, a theatre and some of Tallinn's most popular restaurants and bars. It is a 5-minute walk from the Baltic Station and the Old Town's north-west gate.
Visit late afternoon to browse the shops, then stay for dinner and drinks as the courtyards fill.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Art
- After dark
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Neighbourhood · Kalamaja
4.Kalamaja wooden-house district
Kalamaja's streets of late 19th- and early 20th-century wooden houses, many painted in pastel colours and built in the local 'Tallinn house' style with a stone stairwell between wooden wings, make a quiet walk between Telliskivi and the sea. Kalamaja Park, a former cemetery, and small cafés make good stops.
Wander Kotzebue, Salme and Vabriku streets for the best-restored houses.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Market · Kalamaja
5.Balti Jaama market
Rebuilt in 2017 beside the Baltic Station, this market combines fresh produce, meat and smoked fish counters with a food hall of street-food stalls, while the upper floor sells antiques, Soviet-era memorabilia and secondhand clothes. It is a good place for an inexpensive lunch.
Head upstairs for old badges, cameras and enamel signs, then eat downstairs at the street-food stalls.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Architecture · City Centre
6.Rotermann Quarter
Between the Old Town and the port, the former Rotermann factory complex of 19th-century limestone mills and warehouses has been reworked with striking contemporary buildings by Estonian architects. Its lanes hold restaurants, shops and offices, and it makes a short detour on the walk to the ferry terminals.
Look up: the most interesting architecture is in the rooflines, where new structures sit on top of the old warehouses.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Food
- Shopping
Museum · Toompea
7.Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom
At the foot of Toompea, Vabamu tells the story of Estonia under Soviet and Nazi occupation between 1940 and 1991 and the peaceful 'Singing Revolution' that restored independence, using personal stories, objects and interactive displays. It is the best single introduction to modern Estonian history.
Visit early in a trip; it gives useful context for the Song Festival Grounds and the TV Tower.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Viewpoint · Pirita
8.Tallinn TV Tower
The 314-metre tower was built for the sailing regatta of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, which was held in Tallinn, and was a focal point of resistance during the August 1991 coup attempt. Its observation deck at about 170 metres gives views over the forests, the city and, on clear days, towards Finland. An outdoor 'edge walk' on the roof is available for those with a head for heights.
Go on a clear day and combine it with the botanic garden next door and Pirita beach.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- History
- Active
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Historic site · Pirita
9.Pirita Convent ruins and beach
The tall gable walls of St Bridget's Convent, consecrated in the 15th century and destroyed in the Livonian War in 1577, stand by the Pirita river mouth. The ruins are open to visitors in the warmer months, and Tallinn's largest sandy beach is a few minutes' walk away along the pine-backed shore.
Cycle or walk the seaside promenade from Kadriorg to Pirita, about 4 km, and finish with a swim in summer.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Museum · Rocca al Mare
10.Estonian Open Air Museum
On a wooded shore west of the centre at Rocca al Mare, this open-air museum gathers farmsteads, windmills, a wooden chapel, a village school and a tavern from across Estonia, dating from the 18th to the 20th century. In summer, crafts, farm animals and folk dancing bring it to life; in winter the tavern serves warming Estonian food.
Eat pea soup or blood sausage at the Kolu tavern inside the museum, and visit at Midsummer for bonfires and dancing.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Architecture
Historic site · Kadriorg
11.Song Festival Grounds
The great concrete arch of the Lauluväljak, built in 1960, shelters a massed choir of thousands of singers during the national Song Festival, held about every five years. In 1988, mass night-time singing here gave the 'Singing Revolution' its name. The grassy slope is free to walk at other times and looks across the bay to the Old Town.
Walk up the slope from Narva maantee for a view back over the city, then walk down through Kadriorg park.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels, Kadriorg Palace and Park, Kumu Art Museum and Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) |
| History | Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall, Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage, Toompea hill and viewing platforms and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral |
| Views | Toompea hill and viewing platforms, St Olaf's Church, City walls and Towers Square and Tallinn TV Tower |
| Outdoors and nature | City walls and Towers Square, Kadriorg Palace and Park, Pirita Convent ruins and beach and Estonian Open Air Museum |
| Food and markets | Telliskivi Creative City, Balti Jaama market and Rotermann Quarter |
| After dark | Telliskivi Creative City |
| With children | Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels, Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam), Tallinn TV Tower and Estonian Open Air Museum |
| On a rainy day | Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels, Kumu Art Museum, Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) and Balti Jaama market |
What to book ahead
- Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels: Tunnel tours have limited places; reserve a time online in summer.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Tallinn?
Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall. The cobbled Raekoja plats has been Tallinn's marketplace since the Middle Ages.
+What can you do for free in Tallinn?
Town Hall Square and Tallinn Town Hall, Lower Town streets and St Catherine's Passage, Toompea hill and viewing platforms, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Telliskivi Creative City. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Tallinn when it rains?
Head indoors to Kiek in de Kök and the Bastion Tunnels, Kumu Art Museum, Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) and Balti Jaama market.
+What is there to do in Tallinn at night?
Telliskivi Creative City are best after dark.