Estonia
Tallinn
Around Tallinn
Keila-Joa
Padise
Kaberneeme
Northern Estonia
Lahemaa National Park
Rakvere
Ontika Nature Reserve
Narva
Narva-Jõesuu
Southern Estonia
The Southeast
The Southwest
Western Estonia & the Islands
Haapsalu
Muhu
Saaremaa
Hiiumaa
Vormsi
Understand Estonia
Survival Guide
Estonia
%372 / Pop 1.3 million
Why Go?
‘Eesti’, as it’s known to its people, is a pint-sized gem. Squeezed in between Latvia, Russia and the Gulf of Finland, its sparsely populated territory spills out into the Baltic in the form of over 2000 islands. The dark, quiet forests that cover more than half its face shelter elk, boar and bears, while the islands harbour stout medieval churches and their own distinct cultures. The incomparable, heritage-listed capital, Tallinn, is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities, while the historical streets of smaller centres such as Tartu also buzz with life.
Estonia shares geography and history with Latvia and Lithuania, but is culturally distinct. Since regaining independence in 1991, this little republic has crept from under the Soviet blanket and leapt into the arms of Europe, transforming its built environment, liberating creativity and producing world-class hotels, museums and restaurants to welcome a tide of visitors that grows with every year.
When to Go
A The most clement weather is from May to September, and while Tallinn and Pärnu hit their tourist peak in July and August, it’s still the best time to visit. Evenings are long and often golden.
A Almost all festivals are scheduled for summer, with the biggest celebrations saved for Midsummer’s Eve.
A Fans of cross-country skiing should make for Otepää, the unofficial winter capital, from December to March.
A Yuletide in Tallinn is unforgettable, with snow (usually), bustling markets and a nearly 600-year-old tradition of raising a Christmas tree on the market square.
Best Places to Stay
A Tabinoya
Estonia Highlights
1 Tallinn Scouring cobbled lanes for the museums, churches, restaurants and bars of one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities.
2 Lahemaa National Park Wandering the forest paths, bog boardwalks, boulder-strewn beaches and manor houses of the country’s favourite national park.
3 Tartu Furthering your education among the museums and student bars of Estonia’s second city.
4 Saaremaa Unwinding among the windmills, castles, churches, cliffs and spas of Estonia’s largest island.
5 Muhu Hopping over to frozen-in-island-time Koguva village and the bucolic back-country of this green gem.
6 Pärnu Strolling the golden sands and boulevards of Estonia’s ‘summer capital’.
7 Setomaa Touring through the quiet villages, traditional farms and whispering forests of the land of the Setos.
TALLINN
POP 434,562
No longer the plaything of greater powers – Danish, Swedish, Polish, German and Soviet – Tallinn is now a proud European capital with an allure all of its own. It’s lively yet peaceful, absurdly photogenic and bursting with wonderful sights – ancient churches, medieval streetscapes and noble merchants’ houses. Throw in delightful food and vibrant modern culture, and it’s no wonder Tallinn seems in danger of being loved to death, especially after a few cruise ships dock. But it’s one of those blessed places that seems to cope with all the attention.
Despite the boom of 21st-century development, Tallinn safeguards the fairy-tale charms of its Unesco-listed Old Town – one of Europe’s most complete walled cities. Some examples of exuberant post-Soviet development aside, the city clearly realises it’s better to be classy than brassy. Hence the blossoming of first-rate restaurants, atmospheric hotels and a well-oiled tourist machine that makes visiting a breeze.
History
Tallinn’s naturally commanding site, on ground overlooking the Gulf of Finland, is thought to have been settled by Finno-Ugric people around 2500 BC. There was probably a proto-Estonian trading settlement here from around the 9th century AD and a wooden stronghold was built on Toompea (tawm-pe-ah; the hill dominating Tallinn) in the 11th century. The Danes under King Waldemar II (who conquered northern Estonia in 1219) met tough resistance at Tallinn and were on the verge of retreat when it’s said that a red flag with a white cross (the ‘Dannebrog’) fell from the sky into their bishop’s hands. Taking this as a sign of God’s support, they went on to win the battle and gain a national flag. The Danes built their own castle on Toompea, and are thought to have given Tallinn its name: Taani linn, Estonian for ‘Danish town’.
The Livonian Brothers of the Sword, a Germanic order of crusading warrior-monks, took Tallinn from the Danes in 1227 and built the first stone fort on Toompea. German traders arrived from Visby on the Baltic island of Gotland and founded a colony of about 200 people beneath the fortress. In 1238 Tallinn returned to Danish control but in 1285 it joined the German-dominated Hanseatic League as a channel for trade between Novgorod, Pihkva (Russian: Pskov) and the West. Furs, honey, leather and seal fat moved west; salt, cloth, herring and wine went east.
By the mid-14th century, when the Danes sold northern Estonia to the Teutonic Order, Tallinn was a major Hanseatic town with a prime position on the Gulf of Finland trade channel and a population of about 4000. Conflict with the knights and bishop on the hill led the mainly German artisans and merchants in the lower town to build a fortified wall to separate themselves from Toompea. Tallinn prospered regardless and became one of northern Europe’s biggest towns. Tallinn’s German name, Reval, coexisted with the local name until 1918.
Prosperity faded in the 16th century as the Hanseatic League weakened and Russians, Swedes, Danes, Poles and Lithuanians fought over the Baltic region. Sweden held Tallinn from 1561, withstanding a 29-week siege by Russia’s Ivan the Terrible (1570 to 1571) but surrendering to Peter the Great in 1710, when the town was ravaged by plague.
In 1870 a railway was completed from St Petersburg, and Tallinn became a chief port of the Russian Empire. Freed peasants converged on the city from the countryside, increasing the percentage of Estonians in its population from 52% in 1867 to 89% in 1897. By WWI Tallinn had big shipyards and a working class of over 100,000. It was the natural capital of the brief Estonian Republic of 1920–40.
Tallinn suffered badly in WWII, with thousands of buildings destroyed during Soviet bombing in 1944. After the war, under Soviet control, large-scale industry was developed – including the USSR’s biggest grain-handling port – and the city expanded, growing to nearly 500,000 from a 1937 level of 175,000. Much of the new population came from Russia and new high-rise suburbs were built on the outskirts to house the workers.
The explosion of Soviet-style settlements in the suburbs meant a loss of cultural life in the centre. By the 1980s, Tallinn’s Old Town was run-down, with most people preferring to live in the new housing developments. It began to be renovated late in the decade, with the fight for independence largely playing out on these historic streets.
The 1990s saw Tallinn transformed into a contemporary mid-sized city, with a restored Old Town and a modern business district. Central Tallinn shows a taste for all things new and pleasurable, with IT-driven businesses to the fore and a tech-savvy, wi-fi–connected populace enjoying increasingly excellent restaurants and life opportunities. However, the outskirts of the city have yet to get the facelift that the centre has received – in these untouristed parts, poverty and unemployment are more evident.
ESTONIA AT A GLANCE
Currency euro (€)
Language Estonian
Capital Tallinn
Area 45,339 sq km
1Sights
1Old Town
The medieval jewel of Estonia, Tallinn’s Old Town (vanalinn) is without a doubt the country’s most photogenic and fascinating locality. Picking your way along the narrow, cobbled streets of its two distinct neighbourhoods, Toompea and the lower town, is like strolling into the 15th century. You’ll pass the ornate stone facades of Hanseatic merchants’ houses, wander into hidden medieval courtyards, and find footworn stone stairways leading to sweeping views of the red-roofed city. It’s staggeringly popular with tourists, but manages to remain largely unspoilt: while most historic buildings have helpful bilingual plaques, pleasingly few have been turned into pizza restaurants.
Of course, being so popular comes with its downsides. In summer as many as six giant cruise ships can descend at a time, disgorging their human cargo in slow-moving, flag-following phalanxes that can bring foot traffic to a complete halt. If you’re travelling on such a ship, it’s worth noting that Old Town is within walking distance of the harbour; you’ll have a much better time if you dodge the organised tours and follow your own path. For everyone else, rest assured that most of the boats steam off again in the afternoon, leaving the streets relatively clear by 5pm.
Old Town
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
3Entertainment
7Shopping
1Lower Town
Town Hall SquareSQUARE
(Raekoja plats; map Google map)
In Tallinn all roads lead to Raekoja plats, the city’s pulsing heart since markets began setting up here in the 11th century. One side is dominated by the Gothic town hall, while the rest is ringed by pretty pastel-coloured buildings dating from the 15th to 17th centuries. Whether bathed in sunlight or sprinkled with snow, it’s always a photogenic spot.
oTallinn Town HallHISTORIC BUILDING
(Tallinna raekoda; map Google map; %645 7900; www.raekoda.tallinn.ee; Raekoja plats; adult/reduced €5/3; 
h10am-4pm Mon-Sat Jul & Aug, shorter hours rest of year)
Completed in 1404, this is the only surviving Gothic town hall in northern Europe. Inside, you can visit the Trade Hall (whose visitor book drips with royal signatures), the Council Chamber (featuring Estonia’s oldest woodcarvings, dating from 1374), the vaulted Citizens’ Hall, a yellow-and-black-tiled councillor’s office and a small kitchen. The steeply sloped attic has displays on the building and its restoration. Details such as brightly painted columns and intricately carved wooden friezes give some sense of the original splendour.
Town Hall TowerVIEWPOINT
(map Google map; www.raekoda.tallinn.ee; Raekoja plats 1; adult/child €3/1; h11am-6pm mid-May–mid-Sep)
Old Thomas (Vana Toomas), Tallinn’s symbol and guardian, has been keeping watch from his perch on the town hall’s weathervane since 1530, although his previous incarnation now resides in the City Museum. You can enjoy much the same views as Thomas by climbing the 115 steps to the top of the tower. According to legend, this elegant 64m minaret-like structure was modelled on a sketch made by an explorer following his visit to the Orient.
Town Council PharmacyHISTORIC BUILDING
(Raeapteek; map Google map; %5887 5701; www.raeapteek.ee; Raekoja plats 11; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat)
Nobody’s too sure of the exact date it opened, but by 1422 this pharmacy was already onto its third owner, making it the oldest continually operating pharmacy in Europe. In 1583 Johann Burchardt took the helm, and a descendant with the same name ran the shop right up until 1913 – 10 generations in all! Inside there are painted beams and a small historical display, or you can just drop in to stock up on painkillers and prophylactics.
Holy Spirit Lutheran ChurchCHURCH
(Pühavaimu kirik; map Google map; www.eelk.ee/tallinna.puhavaimu; Pühavaimu 2; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat, except during services)
The blue-and-gold clock on the facade of this striking 13th-century Gothic church is the oldest in Tallinn, dating from 1684. Inside are exquisite woodcarvings and painted panels, including an altarpiece dating from 1483 and a 17th-century baroque pulpit. Johann Koell, a former pastor here, is considered the author of the first Estonian book, a catechism published in 1535. The church hosts regular classical musical recitals (try Mondays at 6pm).
oGreat Guild HallMUSEUM
(Suurgildi hoone; map Google map; %696 8690; www.ajaloomuuseum.ee; Pikk 17; adult/reduced €8/6; h10am-6pm May-Sep, Tue-Sun Oct-Apr)
The Great Guild Hall (1410) is a wonderfully complete testament to the power of Tallinn’s medieval trade guilds. Now a branch of the Estonian History Museum, its showpiece exhibition is ‘Spirit of Survival: 11,000 Years of Estonian History’, illustrating the history and psyche of Estonia through interactive and unusual displays. There’s also the old excise chamber, with numismatic relics stretching back to Viking times; the basement, exploring the history of the Guild itself; and sections on Estonian music, language and geography.
St Catherine’s ChurchCHURCH
(Püha Katariina kirik; map Google map; www.hopnerimaja.eu; Vene 14a; €3; h11am-5pm Tue-Sat Jun-Aug)
Perhaps Tallinn’s oldest building, St Catherine’s Monastery was founded by Dominican monks in 1246. In its glory days it had its own brewery and hospital. A mob of angry Lutherans torched the place in 1524 and the monastery languished for the next 400 years until its partial restoration in 1954. Today the part-ruined complex includes the gloomy shell of the church (an atmospheric venue for occasional recitals) and a peaceful cloister lined with carved tombstones.
St Peter & St Paul’s Catholic CathedralCATHEDRAL
(Peeter-Pauli Katedraal; map Google map; %644 6367; www.katoliku.ee; Vene 18; h9.30am-1pm Sun, 5.30-6.30pm Mon, Tue & Thu-Sat, 7.45-9.30am Wed)
Looking like it was beamed in from Spain, this handsome 1844 cathedral was designed by the famed architect Carlo Rossi, who left his mark on the neoclassical shape of St Petersburg. Built where the refectory of its neighbour St Catherine’s once stood, it’s still one of Tallinn’s only Catholic churches, largely serving the Polish and Lithuanian communities (although there’s also an English-language mass at 6pm each Saturday). The front courtyard offers some respite from the summertime bustle.
City MuseumMUSEUM
(Linnamuuseum; map Google map; %615 5180; www.linnamuuseum.ee; Vene 17; adult/reduced €6/4; h10am-6pm daily May-Sep, 10am-8pm Tue, to 5pm Wed-Sat, to 4pm Sun Oct-Apr)
Tallinn’s City Museum is actually split over seven different sites. This location, its main branch, is set in a 14th-century merchant’s house and traces the city’s development from its earliest days. The displays are engrossing and very well laid out, with plenty of information in English, making the hire of the audio guide quite unnecessary. Displays illuminate Estonian language, everyday life, and artefacts and cultural developments.
St Nicholas’ Orthodox ChurchCHURCH
(Püha piiskop Nikolause kirik; map Google map; www.stnicolas.ee; Vene 24; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm Sat, 7.30am-3pm Sun)
Built in 1827 on the site of an earlier Catholic church appearing in 15th-century records, St Nicholas’ was the focal point for the Russian traders that Vene street was named for. It’s known for its precious iconostasis (a relic-filled screen that separates nave from sanctuary in Orthodox churches).
Fat MargaretMUSEUM
(Paks Margareeta; map Google map; %673 3092; www.meremuuseum.ee; Pikk 70; adult/child €6/3; h10am-7pm daily May-Sep, to 6pm Tue-Sun Oct-Apr)
Attached to the Great Coast Gate, this rotund 16th-century cannon tower once protected a major entrance to Old Town. It’s now one half of the Estonian Maritime Museum, together with the Seaplane Harbour. Traditionally displaying model ships and assorted seagoing artefacts from the Maritime Museum’s collection, it underwent extensive redevelopment in 2019.
St Olaf’s ChurchCHURCH
(Oleviste kirik; map Google map; %641 2241; www.oleviste.ee; Lai 50; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct)
From 1549 until 1625, when its 159m steeple was struck by lightning and burnt down, this (now Baptist) church was one of the tallest buildings in the world. The current spire reaches a still-respectable 124m and you can take a tight, confined, 258-step staircase up the tower (adult/child €3/1) for wonderful views of Toompea and over the lower town’s rooftops. Major renovations began in mid-2019, closing the interior to tourists; check before visiting.
Lower Town WallFORTRESS
(Linnamüür; map Google map; %644 9867; Laboratooriumi, Kooli & Gümnaasiumi; adult/reduced €2/1.50; h10am-7pm Jun-Aug, shorter hours rest of year)
Running along the northwestern border of Old Town, the most photogenic stretch of Tallinn’s remaining 1.9km of medieval walls connects nine towers, including the Nunna, Sauna and Kuldjala towers, which can all be entered. Climbing up, you’ll see art exhibitions, and displays of arms and armour and the like. Of course, the real attractions are the walls themselves, and the classic red-rooftop views from the top. Outside the walls, the gardens of Towers’ Sq are pretty and relaxing.
oNiguliste MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %631 4330; www.nigulistemuuseum.ekm.ee; Niguliste 3; adult/reduced €6/5; h10am-6pm May-Sep, to 5pm Wed-Sun Oct-Apr)
Dating from the 13th century, the imposing St Nicholas’ Church (Niguliste kirik) was badly damaged by Soviet bombers in 1944 and a fire in the 1980s, but today stands restored to its Gothic glory. Although deconsecrated, it’s a strikingly apt site for the Art Museum of Estonia to display some of its treasures of sacral art – the late-medieval altarpieces, paintings and sculptures you’ll see are drawn from all over Estonia, but much of it originally belonged right here, in St Nicholas’.
Adamson-Eric MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %644 5838; www.adamson-eric.ekm.ee; Lühike jalg 3; adult/reduced €5/4; h11am-6pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, Wed-Sun Oct-Apr)
Erich Carl Hugo Adamson, a towering figure of 20th-century art in Estonia, is celebrated in this reverent little museum in a historic house with which he actually had no connection. Principally a painter, Adamson’s mastery of many creative forms is reflected in a permanent collection of paintings, ceramics, leather- and metalwork and other applied arts. Several temporary exhibitions per year add variety to an already-vast palette. If you’re planning on visiting the nearby Niguliste Museum, a combined ticket is €8.
Freedom SquareSQUARE
(Vabaduse väljak; map Google map)
This large paved plaza, once the staging ground for ‘spontaneous’ displays of Soviet enthusiasm, is now used for summer concerts, skateboarding, impromptu ball games and watching events on the big screen at the southern end. The square sits just outside one of the former town gates, the remains of which are preserved under glass near the northwestern corner. A gigantic glass cross at the square’s western end commemorates the Estonian War of Independence.
TALLINN IN…
Two Days
Spend your first day exploring Old Town. Tackle our walking tour in the morning and then stop for lunch in one of the city’s many excellent eateries – Väike, just east of Town Hall Sq, has great menu options. Spend your afternoon exploring one or two of the museums – perhaps the City Museum and the branch of the Estonian History Museum at the Great Guild Hall. In the evening, dress smart and head to posh Russian restaurant Tchaikovsky for dinner, finishing up in one (or two) Old Town bars.
The following day, do what most tourists don’t – step out of Old Town. Head to Kadriorg for a greenery-and-art fix and continue on to Maarjamäe to visit the museums and the war memorial. In the evening, hit the Rotermann Quarter for great food and bars.
Four Days
Four days is enough to cover the remainder of central Tallinn’s highlights, with more nights of eating and partying too. Round out your days with trips to relatively further-flung highlights such as the Seaplane Harbour maritime museum, the Museum of Occupations, the Estonian Open-Air Museum and the TV Tower.
Allow some time to wander around the super-hip Telliskivi Creative City – a great place to eat and/or enjoy a restorative aperitif – and to explore the blooming Kalamaja neighbourhood, just beyond.
1Toompea
Lording it over the lower part of Old Town is the ancient hilltop citadel of Toompea. In German times this was the preserve of the feudal nobility, literally looking down on the traders and lesser beings below. It’s now almost completely given over to government buildings, churches, embassies and shops selling amber knick-knacks and fridge magnets, and is correspondingly quieter than the teeming streets below.
St Mary’s Lutheran CathedralCATHEDRAL
(Tallinna Püha Neitsi Maarja Piiskoplik toomkirik; map Google map; %644 4140; www.toomkirik.ee; Toom-Kooli 6; adult/reduced €5/3; h9.30am-5.30pm Jun-Aug, shorter hours rest of year)
Tallinn’s cathedral (now Lutheran, originally Catholic) was initially built by the Danes by at least 1233, although the current exterior dates mainly from the 15th century, and the tower was completed in 1779. This impressive building was a burial ground for the rich and titled, and the whitewashed walls are decorated with the elaborate coats of arms of Estonia’s noble families. Fit view-seekers can climb the tower.
Alexander Nevsky Orthodox CathedralCATHEDRAL
(map Google map; %644 3484; www.tallinnanevskikatedraal.eu; Lossi plats 10; h8am-7pm Sun-Fri, to 8pm Sat May-Sep)
The positioning of this magnificent, onion-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral (completed in 1900) at the heart of the country’s main administrative hub was no accident: many such churches were built in the last part of the 19th century as part of a general wave of Russification in the empire’s Baltic provinces. Orthodox believers come here in droves, alongside tourists ogling the interior’s striking icons and frescoes and snapping its eye-catching profile. Respectful, demurely dressed visitors are welcome, but cameras aren’t.
Toompea CastleHISTORIC BUILDING
(map Google map; Lossi plats)
This Janus-faced pile turns a sugar-pink baroque facade towards Toompea, and a stern 14th-century Livonian visage to the sea and intervening suburbs. Three towers have survived from the Knights of the Sword’s hilltop castle, the finest of which is 14th-century Pikk Hermann (Long Hermann – best viewed from the rear). In the 18th century, the fortress was radically updated by Russian empress Catherine the Great, converting it into the pretty-in-pink baroque palace that now houses Estonia’s Riigikogu (National Council).
Linda HillPARK
(Lindamägi; map Google map; Falgi tee)
Shaded by the 250-year-old linden trees of Lindamäe Park, this small mound near the top of Toompea is named after Linda, wife of Kalev, the heroic first leader of the Estonians. According to legend, Toompea is the burial mound that she built for him. During the Soviet years the statue of the grieving Linda became an unofficial memorial to the victims of Stalin’s deportations and executions. Laying flowers here before 1991 was a political act, and a genuinely dangerous one.
Kiek in de KökTOWER
(map Google map; %644 6686; www.linnamuuseum.ee; Komandandi tee 2; adult/child €6/4; h9am-6pm May-Sep, to 5pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu Oct-Apr)
This stout, five-storey cannon tower was one of Tallinn’s most formidable defences when built in the 15th century. Its name (amusing to English ears) is Low German for ‘peep into the kitchen’ – from its heights, voyeurs could reputedly peep (kiek) through the wide chimneys of the 15th-century lower town houses into their kitchens (kök). Today it’s a branch of the City Museum, focusing mainly on Tallinn’s military history and defences, antique arms and armour, and temporary exhibitions.
Bastion PassagesTUNNEL
(Bastionikäigud; map Google map; %644 6686; www.linnamuuseum.ee; Komandandi tee 2; adult/child €8/5; h9am-6pm May-Sep, to 5pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu Oct-Apr)
Tours exploring the 17th-century Swedish-built tunnels connecting the bastions that ring the town walls depart from the Kiek in de Kök tower. Over the years, they’ve been used as fallout shelters, homeless refuges and punk rehearsal spaces. Bookings are required, and warm clothes (it’s about 10°C, or 50°F, down there) and sensible shoes are recommended. Regular tours finish in the Carved Stone Museum, showcasing tablets, statues and other historical lapidary work from Tallinn.
Vabamu Museum of Occupations and FreedomMUSEUM
(Okupatsioonide ja vabaduse muuseum Vabamu; map Google map; %668 0250; www.vabamu.ee; Toompea 8; adult/child €11/7; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun)
The permanent exhibition here, ‘Freedom Without Borders’, is divided into five sections examining the suffering of Estonians over five decades of occupation by both the Nazis and Soviets, and the processes of recovery and regaining freedom. The photos and artefacts are interesting but it’s the enthralling video testimony that leaves the greatest impression – and the joy of a happy ending. The museum maintains the former KGB prison cells (map Google map; %666 0045; www.vabamu.ee/kgb-prison-cells; Pagari 1, enter from Pikk 59; adult/reduced €5/4; h10am-6pm May-Sep, from 11am Oct-Apr) as a separate historical site (an adult/reduced ticket for both is €14/9).
1Kalamaja
Immediately northwest of Old Town, this enclave of tumbledown wooden houses and decommissioned factories has swiftly transitioned into one of Tallinn’s most interesting neighbourhoods. The grim reputation bestowed by its industrial past and the notorious Patarei Prison made this part of town undesirable up until the early 21st century.
Once these were gone, the clapboard houses, tree-lined streets and low costs began to attract people back. Major road projects and the opening of an impressive museum at Lennusadam are only the most visible elements of a revolution started by local hipsters establishing cafes and bars in abandoned warehouses and rickety storefronts.
oSeaplane HarbourMUSEUM
(Lennusadam; map Google map; %620 0550; www.meremuuseum.ee; Vesilennuki 6; adult/reduced €15/8; h10am-7pm daily May-Sep, to 6pm Tue-Sun Oct-Apr; 
p
c)
When this cavernous, triple-domed building was completed in 1917, its reinforced-concrete shell-frame construction was unique in the world. Resembling a classic Bond-villain lair, the vast space was completely restored and opened to the public in 2012 as a museum celebrating Estonia’s rich seafaring heritage. Highlights include exploring the cramped corridors of a 1930s naval submarine, an elegant collection of ice-yachts, hanging from the ceiling as though in flight, and the many interactive exhibits to try your hand at.
oTelliskivi Creative CityAREA
(Telliskivi Loomelinnak; map Google map; www.telliskivi.cc; Telliskivi 60a; c)
Once literally on the wrong side of the tracks, this set of abandoned factory buildings is now Tallinn’s most alternative shopping and entertainment precinct, with cafes, a bike shop, bars selling craft beer, graffiti walls, artist studios, food trucks and pop-up concept stores. But it’s not only hipsters who flock to Telliskivi to peruse the fashion and design stores, drink espressos and riffle through the stalls at the weekly flea market – you’re just as likely to see families rummaging and sipping.
PatareiFORT
(map Google map; %664 5039; www.patareiprison.org; Kalaranna 28; adult/reduced €5/3; h10am-6pm daily Jun-Aug, Tue-Sun May & Sep)
A sea fort built in the classicist style in 1840 as part of the defences of the Russian Empire, Patarei was subsequently used as a prison by the Estonian Republic, the Nazis and the Soviets. Peeling, dank and grim, its unrestored halls and cells are home to the unsettling exhibition ‘Communism is Prison’. Adorned by explanatory panels, the courtyard walkways, solitary cells, washroom administrative rooms and execution chamber are open to explore.
Estonian Museum of Contemporary ArtGALLERY
(Eesti kaasaegse kunsti muuseum; map Google map; %514 3778; www.ekkm.ee; Põhja pst 35; hnoon-7pm Tue-Sun Apr-Dec) 
F
Despite its highfalutin name, this grungy old warehouse space is more slapped together than slick. It started as a squat collective in 2006, and exhibitions still tend to be edgier and more oddball than anything you’ll find at the more official galleries. For that reason, there are more surprises, but perhaps fewer moments of real artistic success here than at many safer galleries.
1City Centre
Hotel Viru KGB MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; %680 9300; www.viru.ee; Viru väljak 4; tours adult/reduced €11/5.50; hdaily May-Oct, Tue-Sun Nov-Apr)
The Hotel Viru (1972) was not only Estonia’s first skyscraper, but literally the only place for tourists to stay in Tallinn at the time. Having all the foreigners in one place made it much easier to keep tabs on them and the locals they had contact with, which is exactly what the KGB did from its 23rd-floor spy base. The hotel offers fascinating, hour-long tours of the facility in various languages.
The timing of English-language tours varies throughout the year – visit the website to check and prebook.
Rotermann QuarterAREA
(Rotermanni kvartal; map Google map; www.rotermann.eu)
With impressive contemporary architecture wedged between 19th-century brick warehouses, this development has transformed an outmoded (if historically very valuable) factory complex into the city’s swankiest shopping and dining precinct. If you’re not eating in at one of the many restaurants, an artisanal baker and butcher, together with a well-stocked cheese shop, make it a good place to stock up on supplies.
1Kadriorg
Kadriorg ParkPARK
(Kadrioru park; map Google map; www.kadriorupark.ee)
About 2km east of Old Town, this beautiful park’s ample acreage is Tallinn’s favourite patch of green. Together with the baroque Kadriorg Palace, its 70 hectares were commissioned by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great for his wife Catherine I soon after his conquest of Estonia (Kadriorg means ‘Catherine’s Valley’ in Estonian).
Nowadays the oak, lilac and horse-chestnut trees give shade to strollers and picnickers, the formal pond and gardens provide a genteel backdrop for romantic promenades and wedding photos, and the children’s playground (map; Koidula 21a, Kadriorg Park; c) is a favourite free-for-all for the city’s youngsters. Stop by the park’s information centre (Kadrioru pargi infopunkt; map; %601 5783; www.kadriorupark.ee; Weizenbergi 33; h10am-5pm Wed-Sun), housed in a pretty 18th-century cottage near the main entrance, to see a scale model of the palace and its grounds.
From central Tallinn, tram 3 stops right by Kadriorg Park. Buses 1A and 34A (among others) stop at the J Poska stop on Narva mnt, near the foot of the park, while buses 67 and 68 head to the Kumu end.
oKadriorg Art MuseumMUSEUM
(Kardrioru kunstimuuseum; map Google map; %606 6400; www.kadriorumuuseum.ekm.ee; Kadriorg Palace, Weizenbergi 37; adult/reduced €6.50/4.50; h10am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 8pm Wed May-Sep, 10am-8pm Wed, to 5pm Thu-Sun Oct-Apr)
Kadriorg Palace, a baroque beauty built by Peter the Great between 1718 and 1736, houses a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia devoted to Dutch, German and Italian paintings from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and Russian works from the 18th to early 20th centuries (check out the decorative porcelain with communist imagery upstairs). The pink palace is exactly as frilly and fabulous as it ought to be, and there’s a handsome French-style formal garden at the rear.
Mikkel MuseumGALLERY
(Mikkeli muuseum; map Google map; %606 6400; www.mikkelimuuseum.ekm.ee; Weizenbergi 28; adult/child €6/3.50; h10am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 8pm Wed; p)
This handsome, two-storey weatherboard, the former kitchen for Kadriorg Palace, now displays a small but interesting assortment of paintings, porcelain and sculpture from the museum’s benefactor, 20th-century collector Johannes Mikkel. It also hosts occasional temporary exhibitions. Check the website for the four annual Wednesdays when tickets are just €1, or for joint-admission options, such as a combined ticket for the Mikkel and the nearby Kadriorg Art Museum (adult/child €8/6).
Presidential PalacePALACE
(map Google map; Weizenbergi 39)
Echoing the style of Kadriorg Palace, this grand building was purpose-built in 1938 to serve as the official residence of the Estonian president. It’s currently fulfilling that role once more, so isn’t open to the public, but you can take as many photos as you like, and peer through the gates at the honour guards out front.
House of Peter IMUSEUM
(Peeter I Majamuuseum; map Google map; %601 3136; www.linnamuuseum.ee; Mäekalda 2, Kadriorg Park; adult/reduced €4/3; h10am-6pm Mon, Tue & Thu-Sat, to 7pm Wed, to 5pm Sun May-Sep, 10am-8pm Wed, to 5pm Thu-Sat, to 4pm Sun Oct-Apr)
This surprisingly modest cottage was where Peter the Great and Catherine I lived on their early-17th-century visits to Tallinn, while Kadriorg Palace was under construction. A museum since 1806 (and thus Tallinn’s oldest), it’s filled with portraits, furniture and artefacts that once actually surrounded the Russian royals.
oKumuGALLERY
(map Google map; %602 6000; www.kumu.ekm.ee; Weizenbergi 34; adult/reduced €10/8; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, to 8pm Thu)
This futuristic, Finnish-designed, seven-storey building is a spectacular structure of limestone, glass and copper that integrates intelligently into the 18th-century landscape. Kumu (the name is short for kunstimuuseum, or art museum) contains the country’s largest repository of Estonian art as well as 11 or 12 temporary exhibits per year. The permanent exhibition covers 18th-century classics of Estonian art to venerable, intricately painted altarpieces and the work of contemporary Estonian artists such as Adamson-Eric.
Tallinn Song Festival GroundsAMPHITHEATRE
(Tallinna lauluväljak; map Google map; %611 2102; www.lauluvaljak.ee; Narva mnt 95; hlight tower 8am-4pm Mon-Fri) F
This open-air amphitheatre is the site of Estonia’s quinquennial National Song Festival, assorted blockbuster rock concerts and other momentous events. Built in 1959, it’s an elegant and curvaceous piece of Soviet-era architecture, with an official capacity of 75,000 people and a stage that fits 15,000. When no events are booked, and by prior reservation, it’s possible to climb the 42m Song Grounds Light Tower, where the festival flame is lit. Inside there’s a photo display on the song festival’s history.
1Maarjamäe
From Kadriorg the coastal road Pirita tee curves northeast alongside Tallinn Bay through Maarjamäe – home to a palace, museums and a war memorial – to Pirita. The coastal path is popular with joggers, cyclists and skaters, offering particularly fine sunset views towards Old Town. From the centre, buses 5 and 34A pass through Maarjamäe while tram 3 goes to Kadriorg.
Maarjamäe History CentreMUSEUM
(Ajaloomuuseum; map Google map; %696 8630; www.ajaloomuuseum.ee; Pirita tee 56; entire complex adult/reduced €15/8; h10am-6pm daily May-Sep, Tue-Sun Oct-Apr; c)
This excellent cultural-historical complex, run by the dispersed Estonian History Museum, is anchored by Maarjamäe Palace (map Google map; Maarjamäe loss; %696 8600; adult/reduced €8/6), a neo-Gothic 19th-century extravagance built by a wealthy Russian. The palace itself is now a museum; the former Stables (Maarjamäe lossi tallihoone; %696 8660; adult/reduced €6/4) are a smart exhibition space; the purpose-built Film Museum (map; Filmimuuseum; %696 8670; adult/reduced €8/6) has a cinema and exhibits on the process of film-making; and the grounds are a Brobdingnagian reliquary of old Soviet monuments. You can visit everything, or just buy specific tickets (although everything is closely spaced and worthwhile).
Maarjamäe War MemorialMEMORIAL
(Kommunismiohvrite Memoriaal; map; Pirita tee 74)
Perched on the bluff next to Maarjamäe Palace, this large Soviet-era monument consists of an elegant bowed obelisk set amid a large crumbling concrete plaza. The obelisk was erected in 1960 to commemorate the Soviet troops killed in 1918 – hardly a popular sentiment, as the war was against Estonia and all Estonian monuments to their dead were destroyed shortly after the Soviet takeover (many have since been re-erected).
1Pirita
Just past Maarjamäe the Pirita River enters Tallinn Bay and the city’s favourite beach begins to unfurl. The area’s other claim to fame was as the base for the sailing events of the 1980 Moscow Olympics; international regattas are still held here.
Buses 1A, 8, 34A and 38 all run between the city centre and Pirita.
Pirita BeachBEACH
(Pirita Rand; map)
Tallinn’s largest and most popular beach, Pirita is only 6km from the city. In summer, bronzed sun-lovers fill the sands and hang out in the laid-back cafes nearby. Even when it’s bleak and windy there are plenty of wind- and kitesurfers to watch. It’s backed by a narrow band of pine forest threaded by a bike track and there are places to buy an ice cream, a drink or lunch.
Pirita ConventRUINS
(Pirita klooster; map; www.piritaklooster.ee; Merivälja tee 18; adult/reduced €3/1.50; h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, noon-4pm Nov-Mar)
Only the massively high Gothic stone walls remain of Pirita, completed in 1436 as the largest convent in Old Livonia. The rest was destroyed in 1577 by Ivan the Terrible, during the Livonian War. In 1996, Bridgettine sisters were granted the right to return and reactivate the convent, which they oversee from new buildings adjacent to the ruins. Atmospheric concerts are held here in summer – regular visits may not be possible during events such as mid-August’s Birgitta Festival (www.filharmoonia.ee/en/birgitta; St Bridget’s Convent; from €24; hAug).
1Kloostrimetsa
Literally ‘the convent’s forest’, this leafy nook spreads out along the north bank of the Pirita River, containing the Botanic Garden and TV Tower. Buses 34A and 38 from the city head here via Pirita Beach.
Tallinn Botanic GardenGARDENS
(Tallinna botaanikaaed; %606 2679; www.botaanikaaed.ee; Kloostrimetsa tee 52; adult/child €5.50/3; hgardens 10am-8pm, greenhouses 11am-7pm May-Sep, shorter hours Oct-Apr; p)
Set on 1.2 sq km in the Pirita River valley and surrounded by lush conifer woodlands, these delightful gardens boast over 8000 species of plants, scattered between a series of greenhouses and various themed gardens and arboretums. Bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it. Joint admission with the nearby TV Tower (Tallinna teletorn; %686 3005; www.teletorn.ee; Kloostrimetsa tee 58a; adult/child €13/7; h10am-7pm) is available (adult/reduced €15/8).
1Haabersti
The westernmost district of Tallinn is home to over 43,400 people, although the population only started to intensify following the completion of the Little Flower Hill (Väike-Õismäe) development in the 1970s. This intriguing example of Soviet town planning features a giant oval ring of immense apartment blocks gathered around an ornamental lake. Haabersti includes the seaside subdistrict of Rocca al Mare, home to the Open-Air Museum and Estonia’s second-largest shopping mall, the Rocca al Mare Keskus. Buses 42 and 43 head out here from the centre.
TALLINN FOR CHILDREN
Tallinn’s Old Town, with its evocative medieval streets, picture-book fortifications and ancient houses, is pure eye candy for the under-12 crowd – although those cobblestones can be hard work if yours are still in pushchairs. Tallinners welcome kids almost everywhere; many restaurants have separate children’s menus and most larger hotels have play areas and child-minding services.
Children will particularly enjoy the Estonian Open-Air Museum, the zoo, Pirita’s beaches, Kalev Spa Waterpark, Nõmme Adventure Park (%5615 9160; www.nommeseikluspark.ee; Külmallika 15a, Nõmme; adult/child €23/8; h10am-8pm Jun & Jul, shorter hours rest of year; c) and the seasonal Harju Ice Rink. There’s a large playground in Kadriorg Park and another in Hirvepark, downhill from Toompea.
Nuku (Teater muuseum; map Google map; %667 9555; www.nuku.ee; Nunne 8; adult/family museum €8/20, child/accompanying adult theatre €11/6; h11am-6pm Tue-Sun; c), the state puppet museum, has lots of historic puppets behind glass but plenty to play with too. There’s a Cellar of Horrors full of ‘evil and scary puppets’ (including a vampiric rabbit), a dress-up room, a shadow theatre and windows into the workshops where the puppets are made. Kids and weary adults love City Train (map Google map; adult/child €7/5; h11.30am-7pm), a cheery blue little road train that winds a 20-minute circuit through Old Town in summer.
oEstonian Open-Air MuseumMUSEUM
(Eesti vabaõhumuuseum; map; %654 9101; www.evm.ee; Vabaõhumuuseumi tee 12, Rocca al Mare; adult/reduced high season €10/7, low season €8/6; h10am-8pm 23 Apr-28 Sep, to 5pm 29 Sep-22 Apr; pc)
This sprawling ethnographic and architectural complex comprises 80 historic Estonian buildings, plucked from across the country and resurrected in sections representing the different regions of Estonia. In summer the time-warping effect is highlighted by staff in period costume performing traditional activities among the wooden farmhouses and windmills. Different activities and demonstrations (weaving, blacksmithing and the like) are scheduled and an old wooden tavern, Kolu Kõrts, serves traditional Estonian cuisine.
Tallinn ZooZOO
(Tallinna loomaaed; map; %694 3300; www.tallinnzoo.ee; Paldiski mnt 145, Veskimetsa; adult/reduced May-Sep €9/6, Oct-Apr €6/4; h9am-7pm May-Aug, to 7pm Mar, Apr, Sep & Oct, to 5pm Nov-Feb; pc)
Boasting a broad collection of rare goat and sheep species, plus around 350 other varieties of feathered, furry and four-legged friends (including lions, leopards and African elephants), this large, spread-out zoo is gradually upgrading its enclosures into modern, animal-friendly spaces as funds allow. It’s the best place to see all of the native species (bears, lynx, owls, eagles) you’re unlikely to spot in the wild. There’s a new polar-bear enclosure, a children’s zoo and a cafe and souvenir shop.
WHEN BIGGER IS JUST BIGGER
Nothing says ‘former Soviet’ quite like a brutalist public building, and Tallinn has two that are difficult to miss, both designed by local architect Raine Karp.
Linnahall (City Hall; map Google map; www.linnahall.ee; Mere pst 20) Resembling a cross between a nuclear bunker, a WWII sea fort and some inscrutable temple to a vanished god, the Linnahall is in fact a covered concrete arena built for the 1980 Olympics. Originally the Lenin Palace of Culture and Sport, it’s an extraordinary structure – rotting, barred, weed-strewn and comprehensively graffitied. Heritage-listed and badly decayed as it is, it’s now earmarked for restoration as a concert and convention venue, and has been recently fenced off to keep out the curious.
Estonian National Library (Eesti rahvusraamatukogu; map Google map; %630 7611; www.nlib.ee; Tõnismägi 2; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pm Sat Sep-Jun, noon-6pm Mon-Fri Jul & Aug) Construction commenced in 1985, but wasn’t completed until 1993, making this exemplary Soviet structure ironically one of independent Estonia’s first new public buildings. It’s clad in the local dolomite limestone and it’s well worth popping in to the foyer, if only to check out the pointy red chairs. Frequent exhibitions take place on the upper floors.
2Activities
Locals attribute all kinds of health benefits to a good old-fashioned sweat and, truth be told, a trip to Estonia just won’t be complete until you’ve paid a visit to the sauna. You won’t have to look far – most hotels have one – but Tallinn also has some good public options.
Club 26SPA
(map Google map; %631 5585; www.club26.ee; Liivalaia 33; pool, gym & sauna single visit €12-15; h7am-10pm)
On the top floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel Olümpia, with correspondingly outstanding views, this is one of the most luxurious sauna choices in town. There are two private saunas, each with plunge pool and tiny balcony, that can be booked for up to 10 people (one hour €50 to €80). Food and drink can be ordered to complete the experience.
Kalma SaunSPA
(map Google map; %627 1811; www.kalmasaun.ee; Vana-Kalamaja 9a; adult €8.50-11, reduced €4; h11am-10pm Mon-Fri, 10am-11pm Sat & Sun)
In a grand 1928 building in Kalmaja, Tallinn’s oldest public sauna still has the aura of an old-fashioned, Russian-style banya (bathhouse). One side, the wood-burning sauna, is set aside for men, while the other, electric-heated and thus slightly cheaper, is for women. Both have plunge pools, benches and refreshments, and private saunas are available (per hour €20; up to six people).
Kalev Spa WaterparkSWIMMING
(map Google map; %649 3370; www.kalevspa.ee; Aia 18; 3hr visit adult/reduced €16/14; h6.45am-9.30pm Mon-Fri, from 8am Sat & Sun; c)
For serious swimmers there’s an indoor pool of Olympic proportions, but there are also plenty of other ways to wrinkle your skin here, including water slides, spa pools, saunas and a kids’ pool. There’s also a gym, a day spa and a ‘Sauna Oasis’ with Japanese bath, ‘Tropical Oasis’, Finnish sauna and more.
Bell-Marine Boat RentalBOATING
(map; %621 2175; www.bellmarine.ee; Kloostri tee 6a; per hour kayak/rowboat €15/19; h10am-10pm Jun-Aug)
The Pirita River is an idyllic place for a leisurely paddle, with thick forest edging the water. Bell-Marine rents out rowboats and kayaks from beside the road bridge, close to the convent ruins.
Harju Ice RinkICE SKATING
(Harju tänava uisuplats; map Google map; %5624 6739; www.uisuplats.ee; Harju; per hour adult/child €7/5; h10am-10pm Dec-Mar; c)
TTours
The tourist office and most travel agencies can arrange tours in English or other languages with a private guide; advance booking is required. The free tours leaving from the tourist office are excellent, and should be acknowledged with tips.
Tallinn Traveller ToursTOURS
(%5837 4800; www.traveller.ee)
This outfit runs entertaining tours, including a private two-hour Old Town walk departing from outside the tourist office (€15 per person), and a larger free tour (you should tip the engaging guides). There are also ghost tours (€15), bike tours (from €25), a food tour through Kalamaja (€49) and day trips to Lahemaa (€59).
EstAdventuresTOURS
(%5308 3731; www.estadventures.ee; from €40; hMay-Sep)
This upbeat outfit offers themed walking tours of Tallinn (‘Tallinn Town and Country’, ‘View with a Brew’). It also runs free daily tours (two hours, at 1.30pm and 3.30pm) leaving from outside the tourist office.
City BikeCYCLING
(map Google map; %511 1819; www.citybike.ee; Vene 33; h10am-7pm May-Sep, to 6pm Oct-Apr)
This friendly den of cycle-monkeys offers ‘Welcome to Tallinn’ tours (€21, two hours) from 11am year-round, including Kadriorg and Maarjamäe. ‘Other Side’ tours (from €21, 2½ hours) take in Kalamaja and Stroomi Beach (map; Pelguranna). It also rents bikes (from €7 for the first three hours; €15 per day) and arranges self-guided tours of routes such as Lahemaa to Tartu (from €335).
Tallinn City TourBUS
(map Google map; %5301 5623; www.citytour.ee; adult/child 24hr ticket €25/15)
City Tour runs red double-decker buses that give quick, easy, hop-on, hop-off access to Tallinn’s top sights, accompanied by a recorded audio tour. Tickets are good for 24, 48 or 72 hours. The main stop is on Viru Sq (Mere pst), just outside Old Town, and combo tickets are available that include museum entries, a boat ride or a balloon ride.
TALLINN UNIVERSITY SUMMER SCHOOL
Every July, Tallinn University (map; %640 9218; http://summerschool.tlu.ee; Narva mnt 25; from €440) offers three-week intensive non-degree courses in the Estonian language (early/regular registration €440/490), which can be combined with a cultural program of lectures, guided tours and day trips delving into Estonian culture, history, art, music and traditions. The language classes take place on weekday mornings, while the cultural component is offered in the afternoons and on weekends.
EuroaudioguideWALKING
(www.euroaudioguide.com; iPod rental €15)
Preloaded iPods are available from the tourist office offering excellent commentary on 52 Old Town sights, with plenty of history thrown in. If you’ve got your own iPod, iPhone or iPad you can download the tour as an ebook (€10).
Reimann RetkedKAYAKING
(%511 4099; www.retked.ee)
Offers sea-kayaking excursions, including a four-hour, 14km paddle out to Aegna Island (from €35 per person). Other interesting possibilities include diving, rafting on the Jägala River, bog-shoeing, snowshoeing and beaver watching.
2City Walk
Tallinn’s Old Town
START FREEDOM SQ
END VIRU GATE
LENGTH 4KM; THREE HOURS
We’ve designed this walk as an introduction to Tallinn’s meandering medieval streets. Starting at 1Freedom Square, take the stairs up into Toompea, noting the stout walls and famous Kiek in de Kök tower on your right, and the Independence monument on your left. Continue to 2Linda Hill, from where you can see the remaining medieval elements of 3Toompea Castle; backtrack and turn left onto Castle Sq (Lossi plats) for a view of its baroque facade. Directly across the square is onion-domed 4Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral.
Take Toom-Kooli to Toompea’s other cathedral, 5St Mary’s, and cut across Church Sq (Kiriku plats) onto Rahukohtu, where a lane leads to the 6Patkul lookout (Patkuli vaateplats), offering terrific views to the sea. Continue winding around the lanes to the 7Court Square lookout (Kohtuotsa vaateplats).
Take Kohtu and Piiskopi behind both cathedrals and head through the opening in the wall to the 8Danish King’s Garden, where artists set up in summer to capture the ageless vista over Tallinn’s rooftops. Exit to the left and then take the steps up through the 9Short Leg Gate Tower, said to be the most haunted building in Tallinn. Ghostly apparitions have been reported inside this tower, including a crucified monk and a black dog with burning eyes. Turn right and take the long sloping path known as Long Leg (Pikk jalg) through the red-roofed aLong Leg Gate Tower (1380) and into the lower town.
Turn left along Nunne and then veer right onto Väike-Kloostri where you’ll come to the best-preserved section of the bLower Town Wall, linking nine of the 26 remaining towers. Wander through the park to the next small gap in the walls and re-enter onto Aida. At the end of that street, turn left onto Lai, which is lined with 15th-century German merchants’ houses; many extend to three or four floors, with the lower two used as living and reception quarters and the upper ones for storage.
At the very end of Lai, follow the small path to the right alongside the wall to the cGreat Coast Gate, the most impressive of the remaining medieval gates. Note the crest on the outside wall and the crucifix in a niche on the town side.
As you head up Pikk, spare a thought for those who suffered at number 59, the dKGB Prison Cells. The building’s basement windows were bricked up to prevent the sounds being heard by those passing by on the street. Locals joked, with typically black humour, that the building had the best views in Estonia – from here you could see all the way to Siberia.
Further along Pikk are buildings belonging to the town’s guilds, associations of traders and artisans, nearly all German-dominated. First up, at number 26, is the eBrotherhood of the Blackheads (Mustpeade maja). The Blackheads were unmarried young men who took their name not from poor dermatology but from their patron, St Maurice (Mauritius), a legendary African-born Roman soldier whose likeness is found on the building facade (dating from 1597), above an ornate, colourful door. Its neighbour, fSt Olaf’s Guildhall (Olevi gildi hoone), was the headquarters for what was probably the first guild in Tallinn, dating from the 13th century. Its membership comprised more humble non-German artisans and traders.
Next up is the 1860-built gSt Canute’s Guild Hall, topped with zinc statues of Martin Luther and the guild’s patron saint. A little further down the road is the 1410 headquarters of the hGreat Guild, to which the most eminent merchants belonged, and which is now an intriguing museum.
Cross the small square to the left, past the photogenic iHoly Spirit Church, and take narrow Saiakang (‘White Bread Passage’ – named after a historic bakery) to jTown Hall Square. Continue left to Vene (the Estonian word for Russian, named for the Russian merchants who once resided and traded here) and cut through the arch into pretty, cobbled kKatariina Käik. At the far end, turn right and then left onto Viru, one of Old Town’s busiest streets. Finish at the lViru Gate, which connects Old Town with the commercial centre of the modern city.
zFestivals & Events
It seems like there’s always something going on in Tallinn in summer, but, aside from Christmas and New Year’s, festivals hibernate for winter. For a complete list of Tallinn’s festivals, visit www.culture.ee and the events pages of www.visittallinn.ee.
JazzkaarMUSIC
(www.jazzkaar.ee; festival pass €250; hmid-Apr)
Jazz greats from around the world converge on Tallinn in mid-April during this excellent 10-day festival, the biggest in the Baltics with more than 90 performances at venues around the city. Tallinn also hosts smaller jazz events in autumn and around Christmas.
Old Town DaysCULTURAL
(www.vanalinnapaevad.ee; hlate May/early Jun; c)
Kicking off Tallinn’s summer each year, this free week-long festival in late May/early June features themed days (Music Day, Medieval Day, Children’s Day etc), with dancing, concerts, costumed performers, historical tours and storytelling, and plenty of medieval merrymaking on nearly every corner of Old Town.
Baltica International Folklore FestivalCULTURAL
One of the largest cultural festivals in the Baltics showcases music, dance and displays focusing on local and wider folk traditions. This festival is shared between Rīga, Vilnius and Tallinn (the latter played host in June 2019, and will again in 2022).
Kalamaja DaysCULTURAL
(www.kalamajapaevad.ee; hMay)
Tallinn’s best-known bohemian enclave becomes even more lively over the weekend in May, with concerts, markets, music events, stalls and kids’ activities taking over the broad, timber-house-lined streets of this former fishermen’s neighbourhood.
Estonian Song & Dance CelebrationPERFORMING ARTS
This is the big one – a tradition stretching back to 1869 and Estonia’s foremost cultural celebration. Having celebrated its jubilee in 2019, this immense nationwide gathering convenes in July during the fourth and ninth years of every decade and culminates in a performance of 40,000 singers and dancers at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The youth version slots in during the second and seventh years of each decade.
Medieval DaysCULTURAL
(%660 4772; www.folkart.ee; hJul; c)
Run by the Estonian Folk Art & Craft Union between Thursday and Sunday of the first full week of July, this happy event brings a parade, carnival and jousting to Old Town, plus a medieval fair to the Town Hall Sq. The kids’ area, on Niguliste hill, offers tournaments and plenty of other activities for the young and chivalrous.
Black Nights Film FestivalFILM
(%info 5620 8308; https://2019.poff.ee; hNov)
4Sleeping
Tallinn has a good range of accommodation to suit every budget. Most of it clusters in Old Town and its immediate surrounds, where even backpackers might find themselves waking up in a converted merchant’s house. Of course, Tallinn is no secret any more, and it can be extremely difficult to find a bed on the weekend in summer.
4Old Town
Red EmperorHOSTEL€
(map Google map; %615 0035; www.redemperorhostel.com; Aia 10; dm/r from €12/28; 
i
W)
Situated above a wonderfully grungy live-music bar, Red Emperor is Tallinn’s premier party hostel for those of a beardy, indie persuasion. Facilities are good, with rooms daubed with ‘street art’, wooden bunks named for global destinations and plenty of showers, and there are organised activities every day (karaoke, shared dinners etc). Pack heavy-duty earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.
Tribe TheoryHOSTEL€
(map Google map; %601 4044; www.tribetheory.com; Uus 26; dm/d from €14/35; W)
A very 21st-century hostel, with room names like ‘inspire’ and ‘connect’, and networking evenings in place of pub crawls, Tribe Theory bills itself as a meeting place for entrepreneurs and digital nomads. Originating in Singapore, it has other sites in Bangalore, Bali and Yangon.
Old Town BackpackersHOSTEL€
(map Google map; %5351 7266; www.tallinnoldtownbackpackers.com; Uus 14; dm €15; iW)
Enter this baroque house and the whole hostel is laid out before you: a cheery stone-walled room with half a dozen beds that also serves as the kitchen and living room. Given the tightness, late-night partying isn’t on the cards, but socialising is inevitable. Books, maps, tea, coffee, board games and a washing machine are all provided.
oTabinoyaHOSTEL€€
(map Google map; %632 0062; www.tabinoya.com; Nunne 1; dm/s/d €17/37/50; iW)
The Baltic’s first Japanese-run hostel occupies the two top floors of a charming old building, with dorms (the four-person one is for females only) and a communal lounge at the top, and spacious private rooms, a kitchen and a sauna below. Bathroom facilities are shared. The vibe’s a bit more comfortable and quiet than most of Tallinn’s hostels. Book ahead.
ZincHOSTEL€€
(map Google map; %5781 0173; www.zinchostel.ee; Väike-Karja 1; s/tw/tr from €35/50/60; W)
More like a budget guesthouse than a traditional hostel, Zinc doesn’t have dorms but its tidy, private rooms, spread over two floors, share bathrooms, a kitchen and TV lounge. Colourful stencils line the halls of the 1914 building, and it’s a quiet option in an otherwise noisy neighbourhood.
Villa HortensiaAPARTMENT€€
(map Google map; %641 8083; www.hoov.ee; Masters’ Courtyard, Vene 6; s/d from €45/65; W)
Situated in the sweet, cobbled Masters’ Courtyard, Hortensia has four split-level studio apartments with kitchenettes and access to a shared communal lounge, but the two larger apartments are the real treats, with balconies and loads of character. In summer they can get hot, and the downstairs cafe is open until midnight, so pack earplugs if you’re an early sleeper.
Viru BackpackersHOSTEL€€
(map Google map; %644 6050; www.toth.ee; 3rd fl, Viru 5; s/d from €24/38; 
aW)
This small, smartly appointed hostel above one of the main thoroughfares through Old Town offers cosy, brightly painted private rooms, some of which have their own bathrooms. A pancake breakfast is included, and tours and activities can be arranged.
oHotel CruHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %611 7600; www.cruhotel.eu; Viru 8; s/d/ste €190/240/280; W)
Behind the pretty powder-blue facade of this boutique hotel you’ll find 15 richly furnished rooms scattered along a rabbit warren of corridors. All make sensitive use of original 14th-century features such as timber beams and limestone walls, but the cheapest are a little snug. The attached Restaurant Cru prides itself as one of Tallinn’s best (mains €19 to €21). Book online for advance specials and dining and other packages.
Old House ApartmentsAPARTMENT€€€
(map Google map; %641 1464; www.oldhouseapartments.ee; Rataskaevu 16; apt from €155; pW)
The name ‘Old House’ does poor justice to this wonderfully refurbished 14th-century merchant’s house. It’s been split into beautifully furnished apartments (including a spacious two-bedroom unit with traces of a medieval painted ceiling), and there are a further 20-odd units scattered around Old Town. All are in similar buildings, but the quality and facilities vary.
Three SistersBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %630 6300; www.threesistershotel.com; Pikk 71; s/d/ste from €189/207/302; W)
Offering sumptuous luxury in three adjoining, 14th-century merchant houses in a quiet Old Town location, Three Sisters offers 23 spacious rooms. Each is unique, but all have gorgeous details, including old-fashioned freestanding bathtubs, wooden beams, tiny balconies, blackout blinds and canopy beds. If you’ve got regal aspirations, the piano suite is the usual choice of visiting royalty.
Hotel TelegraafHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %600 0600; www.telegraafhotel.com; Vene 9; d/ste €225/435; paW
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This upmarket hotel in a former 19th-century telegraph station delivers style in spades. It boasts a spa, a pretty courtyard, an acclaimed restaurant (mains €28 to €30), swanky modern-art decor and smart, efficient service. ‘Superior’ rooms, in the older part of the building, have more historical detail but we prefer the marginally cheaper ‘executive’ rooms for their bigger proportions and sharp decor.
Savoy Boutique HotelHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %680 6688; www.tallinnhotels.ee; Suur-Karja 17/19; s/d €190/203; W)
Rooms in cream and caramel tones make this fin-de-siècle hotel an oasis of double-glazed, art deco calm off one of Old Town’s busy intersections. Nice boutique touches include fruit on arrival and robes and slippers in every room, but what really sets it apart is the welcoming and attentive staff. Request a room on a higher floor for the rooftop views.
Hotel St PetersbourgHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %628 6500; www.hotelstpetersbourg.com; Rataskaevu 7; s/d/ste from €211/225/309; aW)
Imperial Russia meets contemporary bling in this eclectically furnished hotel, the oldest in Tallinn and one that has sheltered Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev beneath its roof. The ‘lavish imperial style’ includes zany light fixtures, faux-fur bedspreads, mirrored chests of drawers, large-scale photographs of ballerinas and a giant Oscar statuette in the foyer. Rates include breakfast and a morning sauna.
Schlössle HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %699 7700; www.schlossle-hotels.com; Pühavaimu 13/15; r/ste from €220/585; aW)
Occupying a 13th-century merchant’s house arranged around a central courtyard, this boutique hotel has 23 rooms and an atmospheric, vaulted basement bar. Rooms vary in size and style – the smaller ones have more historic charm while some of the larger ones fall a little short of justifying the price. Little touches such as iPads in the rooms are nice though.
PRIVATE APARTMENTS & ROOMS
A huge amount of Old Town’s housing stock has been developed as tourist apartments, which can prove ideal for travellers who prefer privacy and self-sufficiency on a midrange budget. Agencies manage properties across the city, and while you’re less likely to meet other travellers, you’ll usually get more space than a hotel room, plus a fully equipped kitchen, a lounge and often a washing machine. Prices drop substantially in the low season, and with longer stays.
4City Centre
United BackpackersHOSTEL€
(map Google map; %5685 0415; www.unitedbackpackers.ee; Kaarli pst 11; dm/tw from €16/65; iW)
Spread over three floors in a nondescript building off a busy road just south of Old Town, this well-kept, friendly wee hostel offers six-, eight- and 12-bed dorms and twin and quad rooms. There’s a pleasant and well-patronised common area, a pool table, a bar, board games, and shared laundry, kitchen and bathrooms. A simple breakfast can be had for €5 extra.
EuphoriaHOSTEL€
(map Google map; %5837 3602; www.euphoria.ee; Roosikrantsi 4; dm/r from €11/35; piW)
Inspired by Berlin squats and ‘alternative communities’ in Spain, this hippyish hostel, hidden in an unpromising tower block just south of Old Town, is an entertaining place to stay, with a palpable sense of traveller community. You’ll feel especially at home if you like hookah pipes and impromptu late-night jam sessions (pack earplugs if you don’t).
Monk’s BunkHOSTEL€
(map Google map; %636 3924; www.themonksbunk.com; Tatari 1; dm/r from €15/50; iW)
The only monk we can imagine bunking down at Tallinn’s self-described ‘Number One Party Hostel’ is Friar Tuck. There are organised activities every night, including legendary pub crawls aimed at maximum intoxication (Thursday to Sunday nights, €15, with shots at each bar). The facilities are good, with high ceilings, free lockers and underfloor heating in the bathrooms.
Yoga ResidenceAPARTMENT€€€
(map Google map; %502 1477; www.yogaresidence.eu; Pärnu mnt 32; apt from €100; W)
The ‘Yoga’ prefix seems a little strange for a collection of clean-lined new apartments in a solid residential block just south of the centre, until you realise the operators also run yoga, tai chi and meditation sessions. You can expect friendly staff, a basic kitchenette and, joy of joys, a washing machine!
Hotell PalaceHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %680 6655; www.tallinnhotels.ee; Vabaduse väljak 3; s/d from €147/158; aWs)
Modern renovations of this architecturally notable 1937 hotel, which has done time as a nationalised Soviet endeavour, have preserved period touches while updating the comfortable, tastefully furnished rooms. Directly across from Freedom Sq, the complex includes an indoor pool, a spa, saunas and a small gym, although they’re only free for those staying in ‘superior’ rooms or suites.
Swissôtel TallinnHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %624 0000; www.swissotel.com; Tornimäe 3; d/ste €195/355; aWs)
Raising standards across 30 floors at the big end of town, this slick hotel offers 238 elegant rooms, many with superlative views. The bathroom design is ultra-cool (bronze and black tiles, separate freestanding bathtubs and shower stalls) and, if further indulgence is required, there’s an in-house spa. Friendly staff, too.
EstoriaHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %680 9300; www.sokoshotels.ee; Viru väljak 4; s/d from €161/171; paW)
The design team at Sokos Hotels has done a great job of eradicating any lingering KGB vibes from this block, connected to the infamous Hotel Viru. Bright orange and green armchairs and gaudy, retro-patterned bedspreads lighten the mood, and each floor has its own little lounge area, set up with a coffee machine, bowls of chocolates and chess sets.
4Kassisaba & Kelmiküla
Immediately west of Old Town, at the base of Toompea hill, these small neighbourhoods have a good crop of modern, midrise, midprice hotels, handy for the train station. Kassisaba is Estonian for ‘cat’s tail’ (referring to the path through the ramparts into Toompea), while Kelmiküla means ‘rogues’ village’ – apt as the area around the train station still retains a little of its roguish feel.
Go Hotel ShnelliHOTEL€€
(map Google map; %631 0100; www.gohotels.ee; Toompuiestee 37; s/d/f from €87/89/113; paW)
Next to Balti Jaam train station, this modern hotel is usefully placed between the nightlife of Kalamaja and the sights of Old Town. The free parking is a godsend, street-facing rooms have extraordinary views of the Toompea skyline, and the family rooms have baths, kitchenettes and sofas. There’s also a sauna (for up to five people, first two hours €60).
L’ErmitageHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %699 6400; www.lermitagehotel.ee; Toompuiestee 19; d/ste from €120/173; paW)
Looking more like a new apartment block than a hermitage, this metal-clad building facing parkland and Old Town walls offers highly styled yet comfortable rooms (ask for a quieter one at the rear). The interior design is contemporary throughout, with white walls splashed with colour. The on-site Restaurant L’Ermitage does very good lunches and dinners (Monday to Saturday, mains €16 to €18).
Kreutzwald Hotel TallinnHOTEL€€€
(map Google map; %666 4800; www.kreutzwaldhotel.com; Endla 23; s/d from €111/115; W)
Scandinavian chic merges with Japanese minimalism at Kreutzwald to create a pleasant place to lay your head, 15 minutes’ walk from Old Town. The pricier ‘Zen’ doubles have spa baths, flat-screen TVs and soothing mood lighting. There’s also a health spa (treatments from €29) and Italian restaurant (mains €11 to €16) on-site.
4Kristiine
Valge VillaGUESTHOUSE€€
(map Google map; %654 2302; www.white-villa.com; Kännu 26/2; s/d/apt without breakfast €49/57/92; pW)
Simple and welcoming, the ‘White Villa’ sits in a quiet suburb 3km south of the centre; it’s a good basic option, particularly if you’ve got a car. All rooms have fridges and kettles and some have fireplaces, balconies, kitchenettes and bathtubs. It’s well connected to Old Town by public transport, and has bikes for rent (€18 per day).