10 Impressive Things to Do in Tallinn, Estonia for First-Timers

10 Best Things to Do in Tallinn, Estonia

1. Check Out Tallinn's Skyline at Patkuli Viewing Platform

Patkuli Viewing Platform is probably one of my favorite places in Tallinn. It is a viewpoint located on the hills of Tallinn's old town where you will be able to see an unobstructed view of the old town's skyline.

This is where the true beauty of Tallinn really shines. From this viewpoint, you will be able to see not only the beautiful vibrant roofs of Tallinn's houses but also all the old medieval stone towers, walls, and the spire of St Olaf's Church all at once, which is quite a sight to behold.

To get to the viewpoint, you can either walk up the 157 steps from the bottom of the cliff via Patkuli Stairs, or you can take the more scenic route around and through the Old Town, which should take you through some of the most beautiful attractions in Tallinn.

There is no closing time at the viewpoint, as it is simply a platform along the cobblestone street right by the cliff. Plus, there is no entrance fee whatsoever, so you can visit anytime you like.

2. Hang Out at Tallinn Town Hall Square

Tallinn Town Hall is the heart of Tallinn's Old Town, and it is one of the best places to hang out in Tallinn. Surrounding the Town Hall is a large square full of restaurants and cafes where people like to congregate.

The Town Hall itself is pretty incredible, as it is believed to be the oldest city town hall in Northern Europe. The Town Hall was constructed all the way back in the 13th Century, and it still retains its unique Gothic architectural style for over 700 years.

The town hall itself is only open for 2 months a year, in June and August. So, if you are there during the right month, you can check out the interior for around 5 EUR per person.

If not, you can also spend some time here and stroll around Town Hall Square, indulging yourself in all the restaurants and cafes, and admiring all the colorful European-style houses surrounding it.

3. Stroll Around the Bastion Passages

If you are into medieval history and ruins (who doesn't!?) then you are going to want to spend some time and stroll around the old bastion passages starting from Kiek in de Kök Museum.

The museum forms a complex of over 500 meters long, and you will have access to the 4 medieval towers, as well as the mysterious underground bastion passages that were constructed in the 17th Century. These passages were used as another line of defense for the city, connecting with the walls and towers you see around Tallinn.

To access the bastion passages, you will need to pay around 12 EUR to enter through the Kiek in de Kök Museum. This ticket will also grant you access to the towers and other sections of the museum. The museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM every day, with extended hours until 8 PM on Thursdays. Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays.

4. Admire the Beauty of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

One of the prettiest cathedrals you will see in Tallinn is Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a stunning onion-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral constructed at the top of Toompea Hill dominating the skyline of Tallinn's Old Town.

This Orthodox church was built in 1900 when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire, as a way to extend its influence over the increasingly unruly Baltic territory.

Despite its oppressive symbolism, the city never managed to demolish the structure after it gained independence, and it has since been turned into one of the most important landmarks in the city that you can visit.

The cathedral is packed with mosaics and icons, as well as a stunning golden altar at the center, despite its small interior. If you are in Tallinn's Old Town, don't forget to visit the cathedral and admire its stunning beauty. The cathedral opens from 8 AM to 6 PM every day, and it is free to enter.

5. Visit St. Nicolas' Church

Another church you should visit in Tallinn's old town is St. Nicholas' Church and Museum, an old medieval church originally constructed in the 13th century before it was bombed by the Soviets and restored again after the war.

Nowadays, it has been converted into a museum to store all the ecclesiastical art from the Middle Ages onward, which you can visit and learn a bit more about Tallinn's past.

Inside, you will find all kinds of exquisite medieval artifacts and religious artworks, including one of the most famous religious artworks of all – Danse Macabre or the Dance of Death by Bernt Notke. This artwork depicts the transience of life, the skeletal figures of Death, and the feeble ones.

St. Nicholas' Church and Museum's opening hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM every day except Monday, and the entrance fee is 8 EUR per person.

6. Go Up to Toompea Castle

Toompea Castle has been the seat of power in Estonia since the 13th century, and it is one of the most prominent structures in Tallinn. I highly recommend visiting it when you are in Estonia.

Perched off a limestone cliff towering over the city of Tallinn, Toompea Castle may look like a formidable fortress. However, if you walk up the Toompea Hill through the Old Town, you will be surprised to find a stunningly pink Baroque-style façade that is nothing like its stone medieval fortress look on the other side.

If you wish to go inside, there are free excursions running every weekday for both single and group visits, but you will have to reserve a spot in advance from here or you can just admire the beauty of the castle from the outside.

7. Hunt Down all the Accidentally-Wes-Anderson Buildings

Speaking of pink-colored buildings, Tallinn is filled with pastel-colored architecture and structures that will remind you of some of the set pieces in Wes Anderson movies.

I called these "Accidentally-Wes-Anderson Buildings", and if you are a big fan of his quirky and aesthetically satisfying movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel, you are going to love Tallinn.

Spend some time and walk around the criss-crossing cobblestone streets of Tallinn's Old Town, and keep an eye out for some of these pastel pink buildings and houses when you are in Tallinn.

8. Go Up Tallinn Tv Tower

For the ultimate view of Tallinn and its skyline, there is no better place to be than at the top of the Tallinn TV Tower, the highest open viewing platform in Northern Europe, standing at 314 meters high.

From this height, the view of Tallinn and its surrounding landscapes can't get any better than this. You can either enjoy the view from the open-air viewing platform or participate in the "Walk Along the Edge" activity that will allow you to see over the edge of the TV tower with a harness.

The TV Tower's opening hours are between 11 AM and 10 PM every day, and the entrance ticket fee is 15 EUR per person. You can skip the line and book the ticket for the TV Tower from here: Book Tallinn TV Tower entrance ticket.

9. Be Amazed by the Architecture of Kadriorg Art Museum

Kadriorg Art Museum is a beautiful Baroque-style palace located not too far from Tallinn city center. The palace was constructed in the 18th century by the Russian Empire, and it is currently used as a museum to display foreign art from the 16th to 20th centuries.

Like most palaces in Europe, the Kadriorg Art Museum consists of an elaborately designed garden with fountains and flowerbeds that surround the stunning pink-colored Roman-Baroque-style palace. The interior is as grand as the exterior, with intricately designed sculptures and murals that you can expect from European palaces.

You should be able to reach the palace with Tram #1, #3, and #5, all leaving near Tallinn's old town. Punch in the location on Google Maps, and you should be able to see which tram stop you should go to get to Kadriorg Art Museum.

The entrance fee to Kadriorg Art Museum is 8 EUR per person, and the museum opens from 10 AM to 6 PM on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On Wednesday, the museum opens from 10 AM to 8 PM. The museum is closed on Monday.

If you are short on time and looking for a convenient way to get to the Kadriorg Art Museum, you can also go with an organized excursion tour that includes other places as well. Additionally, you can go on a bike tour to visit the Kadriorg Art Museum among other places around Tallinn, which is another fun way to get around this beautiful city.

10. Learn More About the Baltic Sea at Lennusadam Museum

Last but not least, do not forget to visit one of the best museums in Tallinn, the Lennusadam Museum, an amazing maritime museum with a ton of things to do, like walking inside a submarine, where you can explore ships and submarines.

The museum was built inside a 500-year-old tower and is dedicated to telling the history of the Estonian Navy, its presence in the region, and what life is like for the people living off the rich Baltic Sea. It is a great interactive museum with a ton to do, so be sure to spare a few hours for your visit.

Lennusadam Museum opens from 10 AM to 5 PM every day with an extended closing time of 7 PM on weekends, and it is closed on Mondays. The entrance fee to the museum is 15 EUR per person.

When to Visit Tallinn, Estonia?

The best time to visit Tallinn, Estonia is from June to August when the weather is nice and warm, making it great for you to explore the outdoors.

This period is considered to be the high season, but since the Baltic countries don't get as many tourists as other places in Europe, you do not have to worry about big crowds ruining your trip.

Other months outside of the peak season can be extremely cold in the Baltic countries, and many of the tourist attractions you might want to visit might not be open. So, I highly recommend you stick with the summer months when planning a trip here.

How to Get to Tallinn, Estonia?

To get to Tallinn, you will have to either fly into its international airport or catch one of the many buses that run between other cities in Europe via Latvia from Western Europe or take a cruise via Finland from Northern Europe.

To find a flight to Tallinn, you are going to have to search for flights that fly into Tallinn International Airport (TLL).

From the US, unfortunately, there are no direct flights to Tallinn, but you can still fly into the city via one of the many transit flights that pass through cities like Helsinki (Finnair), Zurich (Swiss Airlines), or Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) from big cities in the US like New York, Boston, and Miami.

From Europe, you can fly from the most popular European hubs like London, Paris, or Frankfurt via local carriers such as British Airways, Air France, or Lufthansa to Tallinn. You can also go with low-cost airlines like airBaltic, Wizz, and RyanAir that often fly directly from big cities around Europe for as low as 14 USD.

From Asia, your only option is to fly into Tallinn via transit flights through big European cities like Helsinki via Finnair, or you can transit in Istanbul via Turkish Airlines, which can take anywhere from 12 to more than 16 hours, including transit time.

It's not ideal, but this is the only way to do it from Asia. A better way would be to visit Tallinn as part of your larger Europe trip, which is exactly what I did to make the long flight worthwhile.

To find a cheap flight to Tallinn, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and choose the best one.

How to Get Around Tallinn, Estonia?

By Walk: Tallinn's tourist attractions are all located within the confines of its old town, and you should be able to walk to most of the tourist attractions I listed here without using any public transportation.

By Buses & Trams: Tallinn has one of the best public transportation systems out there. If you are looking to go further, such as the TV Tower or Kadriorg Museum, you can simply punch in the location on Google Maps to find which trams and buses can take you there. It is as simple as that.

The public transportation operates by a single smart card, which you can buy from any R-Kiosks and Maxima store around the city, or you can purchase a paper ticket from the driver for a single journey. The buses and trams in Tallinn run from 6 AM to 11 PM, so be sure to plan your time carefully.

By Train: You can also take a train to other cities like Tartu if you want to do a day trip there. Simply go to Tallinn Railway Station and catch one of the trains from there. You can find Tallinn's train schedule here.

By Tours: If you want to dive deeper into the culture and history of Tallinn, you can also opt for walking tours or day trips to travel further into the countryside of Estonia from Tallinn. You can find tours to join in Tallinn with the link below:

Book Day Trips from Tallinn

How Many Days To Spend in Tallinn, Estonia?

One full day (2 nights) should be enough to see everything in Tallinn. Yup, it's that small, and it helps a lot that all the tourist attractions are conveniently concentrated in one area. Below is a rough 1-day itinerary for Tallinn, Estonia.

Day 1: Visit all the tourist attractions within Tallinn, such as the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Mary's Cathedral, stroll around Toompea, and hang out at Tallinn Town Hall, etc.

How Much Money Do I Need For Tallinn, Estonia?

With the rough itinerary above, we can calculate approximately how much you will be spending in Tallinn, Estonia as follows:

Accommodation: For 2 nights in Tallinn, you can expect to pay around 26 USD (21.88 EUR) for accommodation.

Food: Food costs about 10 EUR on average per meal, so for one day, you can expect to pay around 30 EUR per person for food.

Transportation: For transportation, you will have to take a tram to the TV Tower and Kadriorg Museum, which should cost around 4 EUR in total.

Activities: For activities, you will have to pay the entrance fee to St. Nicholas' Church and Museum (8 EUR), access to Tallinn TV Tower (15 EUR), the entrance to Kadriorg Art Museum (8 EUR), and Lennusadam Museum (15 EUR), so in total, you will pay around 46 EUR for activities in Tallinn.

Total Budget for 1 day in Tallinn: 101.88.54 EUR (121 USD)

Is it Safe in Tallinn, Estonia?

Estonia is a very safe country to travel around. You won't find many problems here, especially if you compare it with bigger cities like Paris and Barcelona, where pickpockets and thieves run rampant. I'm not saying it never happens in Estonia, but it is rare and not as prevalent as in Western Europe.

That said, it is always a good idea to take precautions and be aware of your belongings and surroundings when you are traveling. Anything can happen, especially if you are in a crowded area, so don't forget to keep your belongings near you when you are out and about at all times.

Which tourist SIM card is best for Estonia?

Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Tallinn, Estonia without having to switch out your physical SIM card.

Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Tallinn, Estonia:

There are 3 major carriers in Estonia: Telia, Tele2, and Elisa. All of them offer pretty similar 4G/LTE coverage, so picking one over another shouldn't make that much of a difference.

That said, Telia is the most popular one, and they have a pretty great selection of data packages you can purchase. The SIM cards are available at most newsstands, kiosks, supermarkets, and other outlets in the city for only 1 EUR.

With the sim in hand, you can then top it up with a data package, which can cost between 1 EUR (250 MB) to 8 EUR (10 GB), depending on the amount of data you want. All packages come with a 30-day duration, which should be more than enough for most travelers.

For more information about Estonia's local SIM card: Estonia's Prepaid Data SIM Card.

Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

What to Pack for Tallinn, Estonia?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Tallinn, Estonia:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.

Looking for a more comprehensive packing list for Europe? Check out:What to Pack For Europe: The Essential Packing List

Further Reading for the Baltic Countries and its Neighbors

I hope you found this Baltic travel guide useful. If you want to read more about the Baltic Countries and their neighbors, here are a selection of articles you might like:

• For a complete itinerary for the Baltic Countries, check out: One Week Itinerary for the Baltic Countries.
• Planning a trip to Vilnius, Lithuania, and looking for awesome things to do? Check out: 10 Best Things to Do in Vilnius, Lithuania.
• You can't travel to the Baltics without visiting Riga, the capital city of Latvia. Here is a complete travel guide and the 10 Best Things to Do in Riga, Latvia.
• Helsinki is a great place to travel to from Estonia. If you are heading that way, be sure to visit our 9 Best Things To Do In Helsinki as well.
• Stockholm is a beautiful city with a ton of things to do and places to see that can be quite overwhelming. Here's a travel guide and 3-day itinerary on things to do in Stockholm, Sweden.
• Poland is also a great country to visit after Lithuania. If you are heading south, be sure to check out our 2-week backpacking itinerary for Poland.
• Are you traveling to Sweden as part of a bigger Europe trip? Be sure to check out my 3-month itinerary for Europe from Portugal all the way to Sweden.
• Packing for a trip to visit a region as big as Europe is extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe - The Essential Packing List.
• Want to visit Europe in winter? Better prepare for the cold. Here's a winter packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe in Winter - The Essential Packing List.
• Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
• You can also watch my Baltic Countries travel video here: "Go with the Baltic Flow" travel video.
• To see all the articles about Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, visit Lithuania Travel Guide page, Latvia Travel Guide page, and Estonia Travel Guide page.
• Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
• Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
• Or if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Eastern Europe Travel Guide page.
• For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.