15 Top Things To Do In Tallinn: Fairytale Old Town to Hip Cafes!

So, you’re thinking about heading to Tallinn one of Europe’s most enhancing cities! Or maybe you’ve already booked? If you’re wondering about top things to do in Tallinn, here’s out detailed guide to 15 memorable activities from our visits.

Wander through the fairytale UNESCO old town, explore historic underground passages and sample delicious local produce in bustling markets. Tallinn is compact, easy to explore and bursting with character.

Stroll along cobbled streets and lanes, climb medieval towers and city walls with panoramic views. I loved the quirky art district of Telliskivi with fabulous places to eat! And if it’s the beach you’re after, you won’t be disappointed.

15 Top Things To Do In Tallinn

To help you navigate and plan, we’ve grouped our things to do in Tallinn into 3 areas – 

• Exploring within the Old Town and city walls; 
• Exploring beyond the Old Town
• A day trip to Finland’s capital city – Helsinki.

All the things we list can be done without a car. 

We’ve shared prices for activities. Although Tallinn is more expensive than its Baltic neighbours Vilnius or Riga, it’s cheaper than many other European capitals like London, Amsterdam, Paris or nearby Helsinki.  

Some museums and sights are closed on Mondays or public holidays. Check your dates carefully to make sure it works for you.  Book the card in advance and then activate it at the Tourist Office.

🔍 Check Prices and Book Tallinn Tourist Card

Tallinn Map

Click Our Tallinn Google Map to show all the places we mention in this post. You’ll see they are all close together and very walkable. To help you further, we’ve grouped them into two sections.

• Within Old Town Area
• Beyond the Old Town including the Ferry Port Terminal

A 3 Day Plan for Tallinn Activities

Here’s a quick look at how you can organise these top Tallinn activities over 3 days. Mix and match to suit your own interests.

• Day 1: Explore Tallinn Old Town – Old Town Square, Walking Tour, Toompea Hill, Kiek in de Kok & Bastion Passages
• Day 2: Explore Beyond the Old Town – Balti Jaama Market, Telliskivi, Walk to Noblesse via Kalamaja, Seafront promenade,
• Day 3: Explore Tallinn Old Town – Freedom and KGB Museums, Walk City Walls, St Catherine’s Passage, Viru Gate, Niguliste or St Olaf’s Church, tea at Cafe Maissmokk.

If you stay an extra day and the weather for sea crossing is good, we would recommend a day trip to Helsinki.

Tallinn Old Town Attractions

Here are 10 things to do in the Old Town. All are close together.

1. Enjoy Tallinn’s Old Town Square

Also known as Raekoja Plats, the old town UNESCO square is at the heart of Tallinn and the best place to start your exploring.  Surrounded by colourful merchant houses, and overlooked by the magnificent gothic Town Hall and Tower, this fairytale setting is breathtaking. 

There’s lots of restaurants around here; it’s also a wonderful place to have a drink or a bite to eat. Casual seated areas are also popular spots to drink your takeaway coffee.  

In warmer months, dining is al fresco and in winter, the square is home to one of Europe’s popular Christmas markets.  (More on that later).

Discover Europe’s Oldest Pharmacy

Also on the square, you’ll find Europe’s oldest operating pharmacy, known as Raeapteek,  dating back to the 15th century. It’s worth popping in to visit their museum room to check out medieval medical tools and historic remedies! 

Let’s just say that we’re glad times have moved on! It’s free to visit. 

Visit the Town Hall and Bell Tower

If you want to go inside the Town Hall building, you can but opening times vary and are seasonal. 

From June to August, the Town Hall is open from cellar to attic every day so you can explore all 4 floors. From September to June, not all floors are open but it can be visited by appointment on a Monday to Friday.

For general enquiries and bookings, email raekoda@tallinnlv.ee or refer to Visit Tallinn Town Hall information page.  

The Bell Tower is only open in the summer months.  Climb 115 narrow spiral steps to a height of about 34 metres.  Your reward is beautiful views of the Old Town Square.

2. Join a Tallinn Walking Tour

We always recommend joining a walking tour.  These tours offer a great introduction to a city and we do these ourselves whenever we arrive at a new place.

We booked our Tallinn in a Nutshell Free Tour online in advance.  Guides meet you outside the Tourist Information Centre, only steps away from the  Old Town Square. 

Lasting about 2 hours, the tour starts by taking you into Freedom Square. You then move up to Toompea Castle, past Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral to spectacular viewing platforms and Danish King’s Garden.

Then you weave your way back through the town square and into the lower part of the old town.

 

Our guide, Kadri, was brilliant and incredibly knowledgeable.  As we walked, she shared really interesting information on Estonia’s history and challenges the country faced to gaining independence. 

Her tourist and restaurant tips were great and although English is widely spoken, she even taught us a few Estonian words. 

If you enjoy walking tours, here are two more to choose from.

🔍 Check Cost/Availability for Food, Drink & History Tour

🔍 Check Prices/Dates for Stories & Views Walking Tour

3. Explore Toompea Hill

Although you cover Toompea Hill as part of the walking tour, return to this area and take more time to explore it independently.  You can easily spend 2-3 hours around here.

It’s in the upper part of the town so it’s the best place for incredible views over the city.  From the Old Town Square, it’s about an 8 minute walk. 

There are various routes you can take which are all well signposted.

  We’ve listed 5 main things to see as you explore Toompea. To help you, they are all shown as YELLOW pinpoints on our google map.

Toompea Castle and Pikk Hermann Tower

Toompea Castle houses Estonia’s Parliament and is recognisable from its pink exterior and tall towers.  You can book a FREE 45 minute guided tour of the castle .

However, because it is a government building, there are some restrictions as to when these happen and how many people you are booking for.  

Pikk Hermann Tower flies the Estonian flag but is only open to the public 3 times a year. These are an Open House Day in April, 4th June and 20th August.  

Visitors can however witness the daily flag-raising ceremony at sunrise to the tune of the national anthem. 

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Across from the parliament building, this Russian Orthodox cathedral dominates the skyline of Toompea Hill.   With its onion domes and intricate facade, it is one of Tallinn’s most photographed buildings.  

Step inside and you’ll find beautifully decorated icons and a golden interior. 

St Mary’s Cathedral 

Only a few steps on from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, you’ll find St Mary’s Cathedral also known as the Dome Church.  It is a large, white building and the oldest church in Tallinn. You can enter for a small donation if there are no services on.  

Kohtuotsa and Patkuli Viewing Platforms

There are several viewing points from Toompea Hill but Kohtuotsa is the most famous one and it’s here where you’ll get fantastic panoramic views.  The other viewing point is Patkuli Platform but we recommend you go to both. 

There are a couple of cafes and several souvenir shops located here too.  Look out for the seagulls on the wall – they love to be in the photos! 

Danish King’s Garden

This is a peaceful area in Toompea Hill near the medieval wall where huge sculptures of three monks stand in the garden.

There are many legends about this garden, the main one being that this was the location where Denmark’s national flag fell from the sky during a battle in 1219!

Today it’s a great photo spot especially with the views to the town from the terrace. There’s access to Kiek in de Kok Museum here which we cover in more detail next.   

As you walk back to Old Town Square, descend via Luhike Jaig, a narrow medieval lane.  It’s a little steep but full of character and lined with craft shops and old houses. There’s a great ice-cream shop towards the bottom!

Alternatively head straight down by the city walls and you may find local artists painting.  Whatever path you choose, it’s delightful.  Enjoy a relax back in the Old Town Square.  

4. Explore Kiek in de Kok & Bastion Passages

Kiek in de Kok Museum

To gain a greater understanding on how Tallinn survived centuries of conflict, visit Kiek in De Kok Fortifications Museum.  This 15th century restored cannon tower forms part of Tallinn City Museum and houses 4 medieval towers and underground tunnels. 

Even if you’re not a military history enthusiast, you’ll find this a really interesting place to visit.  We certainly did!  The towers have stairs but you can climb at your own pace and the tunnels are mostly flat. 

The tower Kiek in de Kok, translates as ‘Peek into the Kitchen’. Guards joked the tower was so tall they that could look down into nearby kitchens below. The other three towers are Maiden’s Tower, Marsta Tower and the Short Leg  Gate Tower.  

Within these towers, are engaging exhibitions providing an overview of Tallinn’s defensive history, with medieval weaponry and artefacts, an artist studio and a cafe. 

It’s fun to take the walk along the upper area, read the information boards and look out to the old town.   Photographs, maps and interactive screens bring the past to life. 

Go underground in the Bastion Tunnels

These passageways, which are part of the museum complex, are incredible.  Built in the 17th century to protect the city from attack, the Bastion Tunnels share a fascinating timeline on how they were used during wars.   

You enter the tunnels at Kiek in de Kok but emerge at Freedom Square. We couldn’t believe how long they are. It took us around half an hour to get from the start to the end.    

5. Walk the Medieval City Walls

After being in the Bastion passageways, why not continue your medieval adventure above ground?  A fun activity is to walk the city walls. There are several short stretches of the wall open to visitors. 

 At one time, the walls stretched nearly 2km and were protected by 46 towers.  Today about half of those still stand which makes Tallinn one of the best preserved fortified cities in Europe. 

As you walk along the battlements, depending on which section you enter, you’ll have stunning views of old town and the modern city.  

Each wall section is fairly short, taking about 15-20 minutes to walk. So even if you’re on a busy schedule, it’s easy to fit in.  Aside from the views, there isn’t much else to this activity. But in our experience, for just a few euros you get city views from a different angle, it’s fun. 

Stairs can be narrow as you would expect in a medieval structure but once you’re on the wall section, you walk on one level . 

We enjoyed the Hellemann Tower Walk which gave us access to 200 metres of the defence wall and of course, more great views! 

6. St Catherine’s Passageway – a Tallinn hidden gem

Tucked away off Vene Street in the Old Town, you’ll find the cobblestones of St Catherine’s Passage. Honestly, you’ll wander down this alleyway and wonder if you have stepped back in time. 

This narrow lane is home to medieval arches, stone tombstones, and artisan workshops run by locals selling authentic Estonian souvenirs.   It won’t take you long to walk along but it’s right at the top of my list for medieval atmosphere, and another great photo spot. 

If you’re a fan of Lord of The Rings, step into the tavern here called Peata Kan (the Headless Chicken!) and try some local beer.  The music, lighting and decor make you feel like you’re on some sort of Tolkien mission.  

7. View Tallinn Old Town from St Olaf’s and Niguliste Church Towers

Aside from the viewing points on Toompea Hill, you can also get amazing views of Tallinn from these two churches.  With St Olaf’s you will need to climb the steps but Niguliste has a lift.

St Olaf’s Church

St Olaf’s is a 12th century gothic style church and also the largest medieval building in Tallinn. Its tower is reached by climbing 232 narrow winding steps to the 60 metre high viewing platform.

Even with the rope banisters, it’s quite a challenging climb as it’s steep but there are a couple of seats on the way up should you need a rest!  There are further wooden steps right at the top to get onto the viewing platform.

Niguliste Church

Niguliste Church is a 13th century church which was restored after being bombed in WW2. As well as being a church, it hosts the Niguliste Museum showcasing many artifacts including ecclesiastical art, and medieval tombstones.

No climbing steps here for views – instead hop into the glass lift which takes you up three floors to a 360° skydeck and view of the Old Town.  

There are lots of events at the museum including exhibition tours and concerts so take a look at Niguliste Church ‘What’s On’ page for more information to suit your dates.

Just round the corner from the church, you’ll find the cobbled land of Luhike Jaig which leads on up to Toompea Hill.

8. Visit Vabamu  Museum of Occupations and Freedom & KGB Prison Cells

There’s so much history in Tallinn but if you want to understand the city beyond its medieval streets and learn more about how Estonia battled under both Soviet and Nazi rule for freedom, then visits to Vabamu and the KGB Prison Cells Museum are both worthwhile. 

Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom

Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom shares an excellent  permanent exhibition over 5 different rooms. Titled ‘Freedom without Borders’ absorb personal stories, letters and photographs here from Estonians who have lived through turbulent times. 

The museum offers an e-guide and has good accessibility for all ages. 

KGB Prison Cells

KGB Prison Cells are accessed through the basement of a building in Pagari Street which served as the KGB headquarters during Soviet Times.  It also has a permanent exhibition called ‘Locked Up Stories’ which explores how the KGB operated here.

Moving through the prison corridors and cells is emotional and highlights the suffering but also bravery and resilience of the Estonian people. 

9. Enjoy Sweet Treats at Tallinn’s Oldest Cafe

There are lots of cafes in Tallinn. If you want to try the oldest one in town, head to Cafe Maiasmokk in Pikk Street, which dates back to 1864!

The interior on the ground floor has remained unchanged for more than a century so it’s an historic place to have tea, coffee and of course fresh pastries, cakes or chocolate.

Their speciality and history of the cafe is devoted to marzipan.  You can watch marzipan figures being painted in the entrance by the very talented artist.

Or visit the marzipan workshop room where you can learn more about the history of this sweet treat and even paint your own marzipan figure.

If you haven’t time for the workshop, there are plenty of treats, which are beautifully packaged, ready to buy! 

Just opposite the tearoom, is The Path of History a narrow street where the ground becomes a time tunnel. The paved path provides an overview of the history of Estonia with significant dates.

It won’t take you long to walk through it so you can do it at any time but as it’s next to the cafe, we’ve included it here.  It’s free to walk through and open all hours.  

10. Enjoy Tallinn’s Christmas Market

You might not be visiting Tallinn in winter but if you do plan a late November or December trip, you’ll have the delight of a magical Christmas market.

It is held every year in the Old Town with a range of wooden huts selling traditional handcrafted gifts, delicious warming food and mulled wines.

With music, choirs, folk dancers and twinkling lights, the atmosphere and setting is even more fairytale-like. Their Christmas tree is the centre piece, a tradition that dates back to the 14th century so wrap up and enjoy the festive spirit.  

🔍 Check Prices and Availability of Gingerbread Workshop

There are seasonal festive classes around this time. We thought the Gingerbread Making Workshop sounded a lot of fun!

Things to do in Tallinn beyond The Old Town

If you are staying in Tallinn for more than 2 days, make time to explore outside the Old Town.  From Baltic markets, to trendy neighbourhoods, hip cafes, traditional colourful houses and coastal waterfronts, there’s some great places to check out.  

So to add to our 10 Old Town Tallinn activities, here are 5 more things that we did and really enjoyed.

11. Sample local flavours at Balti Jaama Market

Less than 10 minutes from the Old Town Square, you will find Balti Jaama Market or if you want a translation, it’s ‘Baltic Station Market. Set over three levels, this modern, vibrant market hall has something for everyone.

Whether you browse or buy, with around 300 vendors, there is so much to enjoy.  There are both indoor and covered outdoor areas.

The ground floor is full of fresh food, from traditional jams and honey to fresh bread, pastries, nuts, cheeses, meats, seafood and delicious fruits and vegetables. It’s all beautifully presented and if you want to eat there, there’s several places to do this. 

On the upper levels, you’ll find crafts, vintage clothing and antiques. 

12. Check Out Lively Telliskivi District

If you enjoy street art, wall murals, unique shops, restaurants, theatre, photography and music, head to Telliskivi district. 

Established in 2009, this former industrial area, next to Balti Jaama and the railway line,  has been transformed into a trendy, cultural hub where you can easily spend half a day exploring at your leisure. 

There are dozens of small design shops selling Estonian handcrafted gifts and studios where you can meet local craftsfolk.  

You might also want to visit Fotofrafiska here, a photography museum which hosts many exhibitions. It’s open every day from 9am till late.

Prices vary depending upon the day and exhibition, But it’s free to go to the 6th floor of the museum for super views over the city. 

Aside from the museum exhibitions, there are regular events in Telliskivi going on throughout the year so check out their calendar to see what works with your dates. 

For eating, choose from cosy cafes to modern fusion food.  F-Hoone is very popular but in high season, reserve in advance.  It has a very reasonably priced all day breakfast and some amazing shared platters on the menu! 

13. Find Colourful Houses and Beautiful Old Doors in Kalamaja District

If you’re in Telliskivi or Balti Jaama, then you might like to keep walking and head to Kalamaja neighbourhood which is nearby.  This area is famous for its early 20th century wooden architecture, quiet leafy streets, small cafes and beautiful old doors.

And if you like photography, you’ll love taking photos of these colourful houses. Their old ornate entrances are brightly painted in deep reds, mustard yellows, rich greens and shades of blue.

14. Explore Noblessner Harbour Area and Kalaranna Promenade.

A short walk from Kalamaja’s wooden houses, is Noblessner. This is another spot that has been transformed from a disused shipyard into a modern neighbourhood.

The area has a coastal feel to it with inviting waterfront restaurants, cafes, wine bars, shops and a lovely harbour.

It’s also the location for sports events and the start of their annual marathon event.  Or if you just fancy a 5km run, it’s a fun route! We know because we did it!

From Noblessner, there’s a pleasant walk you can take along Kalaranna promenade back towards the Old Town city walls. If you are here in summer, there is a small sandy beach area to enjoy. 

15. Day Trip By Ferry From Tallinn To Helsinki

Taking a day trip to Finland’s capital city is a great experience and very easy to do from Tallinn.  With careful planning, it is possible to have 6 hours in Helsinki which is plenty of time to take in the city highlights. 

In this section we give you an outline for a day in Helsinki and then share tips on how to plan your trip to give you a memorable and fun day out.

Brief Outline of Day Trip to Helsinki

Here’s a quick outline of what we did:

• Boarded the 07:30 am ferry in Tallinn, arriving in Helsinki at 09:30am.
• Caught the Tram into city centre and arrived here by 10am.
• Enjoyed Walking tour of Helsinki Highlights from 10:30am – 1pm.
• Time for lunch and to visit more sights independently.
• Tram back to Helsinki Port at 3pm.
• 4:30pm crossing back to Tallinn arriving at 6:30pm.

How to Plan your Day Trip to Helsinki

Choose and book your Ferry Crossing in Advance

There are three companies who operate the ferry route from Tallinn to Helsinki. The quickest and most frequent operator is Tallink Silja (Megastar/My Star). It has a fast crossing time of 2 hours and up to 6 departures a day.

This is the company that we chose to use and they were excellent. The other companies are Viking Line (1-2 departures a day) and Eckero Line (2-3 departures a day). 

Fares are similar for each operator. Expect to pay around €36 for an adult return day ticket if you book in advance. Prices will be higher and availability less if you leave it until you arrive in Tallinn.  

🔍 Check Prices and Availability for Ferry

Leaving from Tallinn Ferry Terminal

Tallinn Port is about a 20 minute walk from the Old Town. The Talllink Silja ferry leaves from from Tallinn Port at D-Terminal. 

Check in online the day before and then arrive at the terminal no later than 30 minutes before departure time.  Boarding for us started at 7am and we were already at sea by 0725! 

On board, you’ll find cafes, restaurants, duty free shops and comfortable lounges. Their sandwiches are delicious! 

Arriving in Helsinki From Tallinn

You arrive into Helsinki port at West Terminal 2.  From here catch Tram 7 or 9 outside the terminal into the city centre.

Get off at the stop called Paarautatie. This is in front of the main railway station and the journey takes around 20 minutes. 

Buy your tram ticket at the ticket machine by the tram stop, or download the HSL mobile app in advance.   A standard single ride will cost around €3.

Choose the ticket option to cover zones A and B. You will need to validate all tickets on the tram using their QR code machine.  

Book a Walking Tour of Helsinki

To max out your time in Helsinki, pre-book a walking tour. The one we chose started at 10:30am.

🔍 Check Prices and Availability of Walking Tour

Our walking tour with Fantastic Tours was fantastic. Starting from Senate Square (around 10 minutes from Central Station), you visit many places including Helsinki Cathedral, Market Square and the colourful waterfront.  

You’ll get a fascinating insight into the Finnish love of saunas and their incredible community library which is much more than just books!   It’s a great tour and our guide Matti was ‘Finntastic!’.  

After the tour, spend the next couple of hours at your leisure. We enjoyed lunch and then returned to the market area. 

Returning to Tallinn

Catch your return tram back  to West Terminal making sure you arrive there an hour before sailing.

We chose the 4:30pm sailing back arriving into Tallinn port at 6:30pm. There are later crossings if you want more time in Helsinki.  

Where To Eat In Tallinn

There’s loads of restaurants, cafes and bars in Tallinn.  From traditional menus to more modern cuisine, you won’t be short of great places to dine in the Old Town and beyond the city walls.

Many offer outdoor seating year round and with heaters if you come in cooler weather.  

Restaurants we particularly enjoyed but require advance reservations were Restaurant Rataskaevu 16, and the Tbilisi Tavern.

Food in the Old Town Square was good and we also ate at Restaurant Rae which was excellent.

For great coffee and croissants head to Kofeman Cafe, just off the Old Town Square.

Where To Stay In Tallinn

Our picks are based on easy to get around locations, safe links to transport hubs and overall value for money.

For more choices, including B&B, boutique inns, self catering, booking.com has an easy 1-click reservation.

FAQs

Tallinn – Making It Happen!

If it’s helpful to planning your trip to Tallinn, here are our TPOP recommended resources. We use all the time otherwise we wouldn’t suggest them to you!

Extend Your Visit to More Baltic States!

Hopefully, in this guide, we’ve shown you that Estonia’s capital city is an incredible place to visit and that there are so many fun things to do in Tallinn.

We’ve also written a detailed guide to Lithuania’s capital Vilnius which is another wonderful city to explore.

And, if you’re up for it, why not plan a trip to cover all 3 Baltic States (Vilnius, Tallinn, and Riga)? Read our Baltic States Guide for great insights, tips, and a fabulous week itinerary.