My first trip to Tallinn, the charming capital of Estonia, was fantastic. So many people visit Tallinn as a daytrip from nearby Helsinki, Finland, but the city truly deserves longer than just a few hours!

Heading to Tallinn? Here are 22 things you must do on a trip to Tallinn!

1) Admire the Town Hall Square

Home to perhaps some of the most beautiful buildings in Tallinn, the Town Hall Square is the focal point of the Old Town. It should definitely be your first stop on a trip to Tallinn. Besides that it’s a great way to get your bearings, you can admire the buildings ringing the square. Don’t miss the statue of Thomas, the patron/symbol of Tallinn, on top of the Town Hall building! Pro tip: come early in the morning, around 7:00am, and you’ll have the whole place to yourself!

2) Eat elk soup in Ill Draakon

One of the most popular restaurants in Tallinn (and one of the few around the Town Hall Square that isn’t overpriced!) is the medieval-themed Ill Draakon. Elk soup is definitely the main thing to order—there isn’t much else besides a selection of pastries (and beer of course!). The restaurant is meant to take you back in time, so it’s all lit by candles and there are no eating utensils. Elk soup is 3.50€!

3) Wander the streets in Old Town

The best way to enjoy Tallinn? Wander the charming, cobblestone streets of the Old Town without any sense or purpose. The streets seem to transport you to a different era, and I felt like I was walking in a fairytale!

4) Explore secret passageways

Tallinn really does make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Part of its charm are the hidden alleyways and passages sprinkled throughout the Old Town. Mark them on the map before you set off, to make sure you can find them! Don’t miss Catherine’s Passage, the Master’s Courtyard, and the White Bread Passage.

5) Discover Tallinn’s beautiful churches

Tallinn’s Old Town is full of magnificent churches. St. Olaf’s Church is the most popular, as the views from the tower are meant to be some of the best in town! Holy Spirit Church is located right behind the main square. St. Mary’s Church (the Dome Church) is Tallinn’s oldest, dating back to at least 1240. Give yourself plenty of time to wander, even if you’re not religious!

6) Marvel at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

This church is so grand, it gets its own number! A Russian Orthodox church, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was built in between 1894 and 1900, and is still a functioning church to this day. If you’ve never seen a Russian Orthodox church before, you’ll be amazed at the interior!

7) Say hello to the Prime Minister’s House and the Estonian Parliament

The house of the Estonian Prime Minister is located not far from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Toompea area. The beautiful pink Parliament building is located right across from the cathedral! Make sure to visit both as you wander around the Old Town.

8) Walk the old City Walls

Unfortunately, there is only a small section of Tallinn’s City Walls that is open to the public. However, it’s absolutely worth it for the views across the Old Town! Entrance to the walls costs 3€—don’t miss the upstairs room for a view of the covered city wall itself!

9) See Fat Margaret’s Tower

One of the largest remaining towers of the City Walls is Fat Margaret’s Tower, the entrance one end of the Old Town. Part of it formerly housed a prison, and there are plans to spruce it up to hold the Estonian Maritime Museum in 2019.

10) Discover Estonia’s history of occupation

Estonia became an independent country in 1918, but was invaded by the Soviets, the Nazis, and then the Soviets again. It remained a part of the Soviet Union until 1991. While the Occupation Museum was unfortunately closed when I visited, it’s well worth a trip to the KGB Prison Cells Museum. You can see the basement prison cells that housed those unlucky enough to be picked by the KGB, and learn about the prisoners kept there. If you have time, pre-book a tour at Hotel Viru—during the Soviet era, it was the only hotel in Tallinn for foreigners. It also housed the KGB on the 23^rd floor!

11) Visit Freedom Square

Another of Tallinn’s main squares, Freedom Square sits right on the edge of the Old Town. The monument commemorates Estonia’s independence in 1918, and those who lost their lives fighting for it. It looks very pretty at night!

12) Kiek en de Kok

Book in advance for a guided tour of Tallinn’s tunnels! Begun by the Swedes in the 16^th-century, the tour takes you back in time (and deeper underground) to learn about the function and use of the city’s bastions. The tour costs 9€ but it’s well worth it—make sure to book in advance.

13) See the city walls in the Freedom Square parking lot

Don’t have the time or money to book a tour of Tallinn’s tunnels? Head underground to the parking lots beneath Freedom Square and you can see them for free! This is probably the coolest parking lot I’ve ever been to—bits of the old fortifications stand right next to modern cars! This is one of my top insider tips from Tallinn and I was definitely impressed.

14) Admire the view over Tallinn from Toompea’s viewpoints (at sunset!)

There are two exceptional viewpoints of Tallinn in Toompea. My favorite is Kohtu, although I definitely recommend seeing both. Come at sunset for a simply stunning scene in this fairytale city! Seeing the sunset here was one of my favorite things I did in Tallinn.

15) Explore the Linnehalla complex

Get out of Tallinn’s Old Town and walk to see Linnehalla. This giant concrete structure was built for the 1980 Soviet Olympics and was also used as a concert venue. It was meant to provide defense if the Finns attacked the Soviet Union by sea. Today, it’s a gritty reminder of the brutalist architecture the Soviets brought with them. Be careful for broken glass—lots of locals will come up here to drink before hitting the clubs! This was definitely one of my favorite places in the city.

16) Visit Kadriorg Park

If you’re looking for Peter the Great’s imperial palace in Tallinn, Kadriorg Park is where you need to go! You can see the beautiful Baroque palace, but Peter the Great actually spent most of his time in Tallinn and Kadriorg in a smaller, white house behind the palace. It’s called the Majamuseum, which I think is pretty cool—my name (Maja) apparently means “house” in Estonian! KUMU Art Museum is located in Kadriorg and is the top art museum in the city.

17) Find the Pervert Statue in Tallinn’s Old Town

If you’re looking for random sculptures, this is just about as funny and creepy as they come! Dubbed the Pervert Statue, head to Pikk street (at the intersection of Hobusepea street) to find this small statue. As the legend goes, the old man was caught looking over his opera glasses into the building next door, as the merchant’s wife undressed. To get back at the peeper, the merchant had a sculpture made of the man—so that every time he looked over, he was reminded of his own lechery. Make sure to look up otherwise you’ll miss it!

18) See the Linda Statue in Hirve Park

This statue, called Linda, is located in the center of Hirve park, in Toompea. During the Soviet era, it became an unofficial memorial to those who had been exiled to Siberia. People would lay flowers here to commemorate their loved ones, often at great personal risk. The plaque next to it reads: “To remember those who were taken away. Their oppression is screaming towards the sky” in Estonian.

19) Stroll through Balti Jaam

If you want to visit Tallinn’s up-and-coming area, head to the train station and explore the market! Balti Jaam is meant to be Tallinn’s biggest market, with lots of nice places to eat. Definitely come hungry to this!

20) Page through the beer menu at Porgu

I didn’t have much time for Tallinn’s nightlife during my trip unfortunately. However, I spent a night at Porgu, a great little bar in the Old Town, tucked away in an alley and down a set of stairs. The beer menu is about 6 pages long, so you’ll have plenty of options!

21) Eat gelato from the Gelato Ladies

I’m a sucker for good ice cream, and stumbling across this place in Tallinn’s Old Town was a real treat! Soft, creamy, and delicious, they’ve got loads of flavors to choose from. They make their own waffle cones, and I couldn’t recommend them enough! A scoop and a waffle cone is just 2.50€.

22) Check out the trendy Telliskivi Creative City

Located in an old factory complex outside the Old Town, Telliskivi is the hipster center of Tallinn. Come here for cool shops, hip cafes, bars, and restaurants, events and exhibitions, and more. I didn’t get here on my trip to Tallinn and I’m kicking myself about it! Don’t miss this area.

There’s loads more to do in Tallinn if you have the time: explore the up-and-coming neighborhood of Kalamaja, see the Seaplane Harbor Museum, and head outside the center to Pirita or the Estonian Open Air Museum.

Have more time in Tallinn? Take a daytrip to Helsinki! I took the Tallink ferry to Helsinki for the day and had a blast. So many people visit Tallinn as a daytrip from Helsinki, but there really is more to merit a longer visit!

The Basics

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia and has a population of about 450,000 people. Estonia as a whole has a population of roughly 1.3 million people. Estonia is a member of the European Union, and is part of the Schengen Zone. The country uses Euros for their currency. The official language is Estonian, which is related to Finnish. You’ll find that many people speak Russian, as Estonia has a large population of ethnic Russians that moved to Estonia during the Soviet period. Nearly everyone in Tallinn’s Old Town will speak English.

Getting Around

Nearly everything in the Old Town of Tallinn is within walking distance. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end of the Old Town to the other. Tallinn has a good tram system that connects the other neighborhoods. There’s also a city bus system. I didn’t use either the trams or the buses, as I stayed in the Old Town and walked everywhere! The ferry terminal and coach bus station are about a 20-30 minute walk from the Old Town. The airport is accessible by public transport with trams.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at Knight House Hostel in Tallinn, which I really enjoyed. The hostel had a great location in the heart of the Old Town, excellent value for money, and a free breakfast in the morning—that included pancakes! I would absolutely stay here again—you can check out my full review here!

Have you ever been to Tallinn? What were your favorite things in the city?

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