Nestled amid rolling hills next to the Baltic Sea, Tallinn, Estonia is about as picturesque as it gets. The medieval old town is ringed by its original walls and watchtowers, providing postcard-perfect vistas at nearly every turn. But quaint cobblestones and colorful architecture aside, are there enough things to do in Tallinn to keep you busy for an entire weekend? Absolutely! There are church spires to climb, museums to wander, and hidden wine cellars to unearth.
My favorite thing to do in Tallinn is walk around the old town walls. Modern artillery made such fortifications obsolete and many cities, like Riga, tore theirs down to make way for roads and apartment buildings. Tallinn’s city planners thankfully had the foresight to leave parts of theirs intact. Nearly two kilometers of thick stone walls are interspersed with 20 defensive towers, some of which you can climb for a unique perspective of jumbled rooftops and twisting lanes.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Tallinn was actually called Reval until 1918? Originally part of Denmark, Estonia joined the Hanseatic League in the 14th century, turning Tallinn into a trading port for furs, leather, salt, honey, and wine. The old town grew as German merchants immigrated and established churches and guilds. Many of these are still standing today, adding to the city’s historic charm. The Estonian History Museum is located within the Great Guild Hall and provides an interesting introduction to the country’s development.
Opposite the Great Guild is the Church of the Holy Spirit. Founded during the Middle Ages as part of an almshouse for the less fortunate, the church held the first ever sermons in the Estonian language. The interior features elaborate woodcarvings and a gilded altarpiece, while the exterior is inset with the oldest clock in Tallinn.
The German merchants traded their goods at a market in Old Town Square and built fine homes around the perimeter. At the center of the square is Town Hall. From June-August, it’s possible to see inside this landmark building on a “Cellar to Attic” tour. A separate entrance ticket is needed to climb the Town Hall Tower. If you decide to tackle the 115 incredibly steep steps, you will be rewarded with 360-degree views of the city.
St Catherine’s Passage is a narrow cobblestone alleyway topped with flying buttresses and lined with craft workshops. The artists belong to St Catherine’s Guild and use traditional methods to produce their wares. My favorite is the glassblowing studio, Koppel and Keerdu. Around the corner, the Dominican Monastery Claustrum provides a look at medieval monastic life. Visitors can enter what remains of the dormitory, library, and chapel. Note that some areas of the claustrum are dimly lit and the stairs can be treacherous.
Tallinn’s skyline is punctuated by church spires and the distinctive onion domes of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The Orthodox church was completed in 1900, when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire. Like many places of worship, it fell into ruin during the Soviet Occupation, but has since been restored.
A few blocks away, St Mary’s Cathedral stands in stark contrast to the ornate Orthodox cathedral. Don’t be fooled by its plain appearance, though. The interior is adorned with the coats-of-arms and tombstones of Estonia’s German nobility, many of who are buried on the premises.
St. Olaf’s Church, at the northern edge of the old town, provides the most staggering panoramas. Just be prepared to climb the 258 steps required to reach the viewing platform. Following a tip from Andrea of Rear View Mirror, I trudged to the top first thing in the morning to take advantage of the best light. An added benefit was that I had it nearly to myself, which made walking around the narrow wooden planks a little easier.
Once you’ve had your fill of churches, take a seat at one of the restaurant patios lining Town Hall Square and order a glass of wine. Sure, it gets chilly in the evening, but there are heat lamps and fur blankets to keep you warm. Wondering where to eat dinner? You can find my Tallinn restaurant recommendations here.
For a more intimate nightcap, head to Gloria’s Wine Cellar. This award-winning restaurant and wine bar is tucked beneath part of the old town wall and is so cozy you’ll want to linger long into the night. Romantically-lit alcoves feature plush burgundy velvet seating and witty paintings of Mona Lisa and Napoleon holding wine glasses. I suggest making a reservation to avoid disappointment.
The next day, as hard as it may be to tear yourself away from the lovely old town, hop the tram and head out to Kadriorg Palace. This one-time vacation home of Peter the Great now serves as the fabulous Kadriorg Art Museum of Estonia. It holds the country’s largest collection of foreign art, including paintings, porcelain, and fashion. Other neighborhood attractions include the Peter I House Museum, Kumu Estonian Art Museum, and the Estonian Presidential Palace.
Are you ready to spend a weekend in Tallinn?
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I’ve never been to Tallinn myself so I’m not sure if it should be listed among Europe’s prettiest cities, but from your photos I can tell that it isn’t an ugly place to visit at all, on the contrary!
I’d consider visiting it for sure, even if only for its stunning architecture 🙂
Tallinn is definitely worth a visit! It has enough interesting history and beautiful architecture to keep me happy for weeks!
It looks AMAZING. So much history. I’ve heard of it looking gorgeous before but your photos truly show that! I’d love to climb to the top of the towers for that view!
We seriously could not get over how pretty Tallinn is! Even though our legs were screaming, we kept climbing church towers because we just couldn’t get enough of the view!
I would love to experience that walkway, the views are gorgeous! And so cool that they provide you with blankets for keeping warm whilst drinking wine…I LOVE that! I think places in NYC should adopt that during the long winter months!:-)
I am a HUGE fan of the blankets and heat lamps! More places definitely need to adopt this custom. It’s so funny to see tall and stylish European men wrapped up in blankets while drinking beer!
What a beautiful place!! Hope I get to visit it. Great
pictures. That camera is a great investment. Yes
it should be a UNESCO site because of how everything
has been preserved. Can’t wait!!!
I absolutely want to take you here! The hills and the stairs might be an issue, but we’ll make it work somehow!
We didn’t expect Tallinn to be so beautiful! We must go there in the future.
It was great to watch your photos 🙂
Thanks! Tallinn is even more beautiful in person!
Wow, I think you’ve convinced me. I had wanted to go to Tallinn before, but these images are gorgeous!
I know, I’d always had a general interest in going to Tallinn, but had no idea how beautiful the place actually is!
Wow, Tallinn is absolutely beautiful. It reminds me of Warsaw, so charming! I wish I was there. It’s so colorful and offers a lot of things to explore! 🙂
I really need to get to Warsaw! If it’s anything like Tallinn, I know I’ll love it! 🙂
Wow what a beautiful city! I dream of traveling Europe all the time! It is so rich in architecture and I couldn’t stop admiring the beauty St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which you have captured so beautifully!
Thanks, Rosemarie! Europe really does have the most beautiful architecture. What I loved most about Tallinn was that the building plots in the Old Town have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. Everything is crammed together around squares and churches. It’s such a special place!
Well get you, being all edumacational with this post and teaching me about the Estonian capital! I can’t guarantee that I’ll remember any of it (please don’t test me) but it just looks so pretty and charming! I’ve heard the islands in Estonia are lovely, too. Maybe a trip to the Baltic nations awaits sometime soon…
I’ve also heard good things about the Estonian islands! There’s one in particular I want to visit for its specialty dish – smoked cheese soup. I had a bowl in Tallinn and when I raved about it to the waiter, he told me it hailed from an island whose name I can’t pronounce. But I will be going there to eat ALL THE CHEESE SOUP!
I’ve not heard of this cheese soup, but sounds delicious! And – sadly – have not been to the Estonian islands, but everyone whom I know who *has* absolutely loved them.
I’ll be describing this wonderful soup in more detail in my next post, which will be all about the food we enjoyed in Tallinn!
Seriously, all of your photos look like postcards!! Soooo pretty! Tallinn is great, although my experience is a bit limited as I was only there for one day, and it was a chilly grayish time in March. (Plus, I spent part of my time drinking coffee at the Latvian embassy, which was interesting, but meant I wasn’t doing touristy stuff.) I thought that by now everyone knew that Tallinn was beautiful, but judging by readers’ comments here – it’s good that you are in the Baltics and spreading the word!!
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for our visit – vivid blue skies and just a slight chill in the air. I had a vague notion of Tallinn being pretty, but the reality was so much grander than I could have imagined! The only photos of the city I’d seen were in my Lonely Planet guidebook, and they weren’t super impressive. Maybe I should submit some of mine to them 😉
Oooh! You made me miss Tallinn so much! 🙂
I need to go through my photos again, maybe even write something?
Thank you!
I love going through my photos of past trips and remembering how much fun I had exploring 🙂
I am so in love with Eastern Europe … Tallinn is definitely on the list for my next trip … so many beautiful buildings!
The architecture in this part of the world is incredible. I love the mix of styles!
Sure, Tallinn should be counted one of the prettiest cities. But you know what, every city in Europe is so pretty and unique! At least, that’s what I have seen in the movies, blogs and magazines. The more you discover this amazing continent, the more it amazes you!
You are so right, Renuka. Every place I visit in Europe seems to be more beautiful than the last!
I found Tallinn to be every bit as breathtaking as your photos. I wasn’t looking for, but also found a wife while touring. We have been very happily married for over 5 years and live in Louisiana. It’s nice to know someone who is familiar with the beauty of the Baltic that is off the beaten path. I have traveled and toured much of Europe and in my opinion Florence Italy is the only city that comes close to Tallinn’s beauty, culture and history.
What a sweet story, Don! How lucky you to have found love with someone from such a special part of the world!
I agree with you about Florence, it’s one of the prettiest places I’ve seen as well. I look forward to scouring Europe to see what other beautiful places I can find 🙂
Great post! So glad you loved Tallinn as much as I did. I’m so in love with that place I’m hoping to go back later in the year for the Christmas markets. You got some amazing photos!
Thanks, Andrea! Tallinn really is an amazing place! I definitely want to experience its Christmas market – maybe I’ll see you there!
Thanks for sharing this precious experience, Heather 🙂 If only I could make such beautiful trips as you do…
Thanks so much for your comment, Lily!
I so enjoyed your lovely pictures and great descriptions of your adventure- what a beautiful place to experience! Keep them coming!
Thanks, Lori! We have lots more trips on the horizon 🙂
Beautiful photos, Heather! The historic heart of Tallinn looks like the setting of a fairytale–worthy indeed of its World Heritage Site designation.
Thanks, Lesley! Tallinn is indeed the stuff of fairytales. I really want to go back and experience it at Christmas!
Just found your blog today. The photos in this post make me want to pack my bags right now! 🙂
Hi Christine, thanks for stopping by!
Tallinn is just four hours away from me by bus, and I’m constantly thinking about when I can make my next trip. I’m thinking it will look lovely at Christmas… 🙂
Just catching up on some more ideas for Tallinn… heading there on Wednesday morning! 🙂
I hope you love it as much as I did! 🙂
Wow beautiful! Adding Tallinn to my long bucket list!
I hope it’s near the top of the list, it’s even more magical in person! I’m going back for a second visit next month. Stay tuned for a Christmas in Tallinn post!
I can’t wait to head to Tallinn this May. The city views are gorgeous and I can’t wait to check out Gloria’s wine bar!
Tallinn really is heart-achingly charming. I’ve been up twice now and know I’ll go back. And Gloria’s will definitely be on the agenda! 🙂
Have a fantastic trip!
I’m always so happy to see foreigners being thrilled about my home! I’m actually not from Tallinn (I’m from the islands and yes, they are paradise on earth, I wish I could spend more time there), but as a small country, every city is kind of like home, especially looking from far away. To be honest, I’ve always loved Riga better than Tallinn and I’ve never been shy about it. But your post made me feel like I might not do Tallinn justice and should appreciate it more. 🙂
By the way, another place I reccomend is Tartu (also a short bus trip from Riga!). The amazing student vibe (1/5 of the people are students!) makes it the only place in Estonia that’s better to visit outside the summer season.
All the best to you and enjoy the spring in the Baltics! 🙂
Hi Piret, thank you so much for your comment! I enjoyed my time in Tallinn very much and am already thinking about making a third trip up. I’ve only explored the old town and need to see what else the city has to offer! I would also love to visit the islands this summer, but I think it might be difficult to get there from Riga without a car. If you have any transportation tips, I’d love to hear them! Tartu, Parnu and Viljandi are on my travel wish list as well. Now that the days are getting longer and the weather warmer, I’m ready to explore! 🙂
Hey!
You’re right, travelling to the islands is kind of hard witout a car as most of the sights are out of Kuressaare (the capital of the island), although the town itself is beautiful too. You might wanna look into rental cars (if not from Riga, maybe from Pärnu?) or well … friends with cars, haha. Otherwise you’d have to take the bus to Pärnu and then from there another bus to Kuressaare. Estonian buses are all on http://www.tpilet.ee, as for Riga-Pärnu just try Ecolines or LuxExpress or whatever they are. 😀 Hope this helps, you can always ask me if you need any more help. If you plan a trip in August or from then on, drop me an email, we can meet up for coffee if you like! 😀
I just took a ton of notes from your blog for my upcoming trip. Thank you so much for sharing this article!
My pleasure! I hope you love Tallinn as much as I did (do)!
I’ll be coming to you for recommendations before my first trip to Vilnius 🙂
Great! I’d be happy to help in any way!
Tallinn would definitely make my top-5, especially in winter when there’s snow on the ground and no-one around. And those chocolate cafes are amazing!
Richard, I completely agree! I went back to Tallinn in the winter and found it to be even more enjoyable. My third trip is already planned for this summer!