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Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, offers its visitors a superb mix of medieval and modern architecture. If you are thinking of visiting it shortly and wondering what are the best things to see in Tallinn, here you will find the extended list of the top tourist attractions in Tallinn that shouldn’t be missed!

Top Tourist Attractions in Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn has a superb medieval and modern architecture. On one hand, you will see Tallinn through its historic old town with centuries-old streets, houses, towers and squares. On the other hand, there are many modern establishments that give Tallinn its energy and excitement to visit.

Top Things to See in Tallinn

Top things to see in Tallinn are listed below.

Historical Center

The historic center of Tallinn is called Vanalinn or Old Town. Although it has suffered a lot throughout history in countless battles, this capital city is in a strategic place in the Baltics and still being one of the best preserved in Northern Europe. Its medieval charm and lively soul make it the jewel of Tallinn that is absolutely worth a visit. It is not surprising that the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Historical Center

Tallinn Town Hall (Raekoda)

Tallinn Town Hall (Raedoka) with the square of the same name (Raekoja Plats) is the heart of the Old Town of the Estonian capital. The Town Hall is the example of a civilian building in the Gothic style of Northern Europe. Its bell tower is 64 meters high where you can walk up by 115 very steep steps to see the views of the square and its buildings. The Old Thomas (Vana Toomas) on the top of the Town Hall's tower, that has been there since 1530, is one of the symbols and guardians of Tallinn.

Tallinn Town Hall (Raekoda)

The town hall was probably built in the early 15th century. Nowadays, the Tallinn Town Hall no longer plays any political-administrative role but hosts events, ceremonies and a museum where the history of the city is displayed. On the ground floor of the Town Hall, there is an old small III Draakon restaurant with the medieval atmosphere.

The Town Hall Square is the main square of the city. The square was once a place for merchants, and today it houses numerous high-priced bars, restaurants and summer terraces. During Christmas, there is usually a Christmas market here.

Town Hall Pharmacy (Raeapteek)

Opposite the old town hall, you will see a white two-story building just around the corner which is the Raeapteek pharmacy. The Raeapteek is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, it is believed that its activity has been continuous at its original location since 1422. Over the centuries, it has changed slightly, but it still retains the spirit of past. There is a small museum inside and you are free to visit. Old medicine and herbs from Estonia used between the 17th and 20th centuries, the making tools, materials, notebooks, frogs, snakes, scorpions, hedgehogs for whatever medicine you can think of are exhibited here. You will be amazed how they managed to keep such old records and medicines.

St. Nicholas Church

Just a few steps from the square you can already admire the St. Nicholas Church. The church of St. Nicholas is one of the medieval churches in the historic center of Tallinn that is another unmissable cultural attraction of the city.

It was dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron of the fishermen and sailors. San Nicolas is also the patron saint of children, perhaps connected to the cult of San Nicolas, also known as Santa Claus.

The church no longer performs its religious functions but inside, there is a Niguliste Museum, where you can admire late medieval works, sculptures and frescoes. The church is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00. The entrance costs 3.5 euro for adults and 2 euro for children.

Holy Spirit Church

A few meters from the Town Hall Square, there is the Church of the Holy Spirit. The Church of the Holy Spirit is a medieval Lutheran church built in 13th century and still retaining its original appearance. The church is actually small but the bell tower and its white walls stand out among the red sloping roofs of the houses. There is a wooden clock on the side facade of the Church of the Holy Spirit, which is probably one of the most photographed tourist attractions in Tallinn.

Brotherhood of Blackheads (Estonian Mustpeade maja)

Brotherhood of Blackheads is a Renaissance-style house located on Pikk Street, very close to the Town Hall Square. The most characteristic part of this house is the magnificent access door to the house of its facade, decorated in red, green and gold. This painted door dates from the 1640s. Nowadays Brotherhood of Blackheads comprises three separate buildings, and has four halls and several other rooms that are used for a variety of events. The building is open to visitors, although it remains closed to the public when events such as concerts or gala dinners are taken. The visiting hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00-15:00.

Brotherhood of Blackheads (Estonian Mustpeade maja)

St. Catherine's Passage (Katariina Käik)

Although the name may seem unclear, the passage of Saint Catherine is one of the most interesting spots to see in Tallinn. It is called this because this pedestrian street stands on the remains of the original convent of Santa Caterina.

St. Catherine's Passage (Katariina Käik)

The St. Catherine Passage, which connects Vene and Müürivahe streets in the historic center of Tallinn, is like a small charming artist’s street lined with several craftsmen and artisan workshops. When you walk along it, you will feel like getting straight back to the Middle Ages, often noticed in Tallinn. You can encounter glass products, fabric products, ceramics, pottery workshops and tiny galleries across the street. Each workshop is housed in small rooms dating back to the 15th and 17th centuries, the craftsmen can also be admired from outside during their work.

The Ancient City Walls

Right at the end of the St. Catherine's Passage, you will find the walls of Tallinn in front of you. The city walls stretched for about 2 kilometers, with a height of 16 meters and 46 towers. The medieval walls of Tallinn began to be built in 1265 by order of the Danish Queen Margaret Sambiria and they were expanded during the 14th century.

Today you can admire a part of the walls and some of the towers, some of which are used as restaurants, shops, hotels, museums and other destinations. The two most famous are Margherita la Grassa and Kiek in de kök.

Fat Margaret Tower

The Margherita la Grassa, or Fat Margaret Tower, is a nickname that has been attributed to the tower for the size and thickness of its walls that is almost 5 meters. Being the tower closest to the sea, it was used to monitor arrivals by sea. It then became a prison and now houses the Maritime Museum. With 2 euro, you can visit it inside.

Fat Margaret Tower

Kiek in de Kök

The Kiek in de Kök is a former cannon tower of the city, which was supposed to protect the city from attacks. With its 38 meters, the tower is higher than typical medieval houses. The tower guards joked with Kiek in de Kök, which literally means "Peep into the Kitchen”, since the height of the tower allowed the guards to peek into the houses of the inhabitants of Tallinn by controlling them from a distance.

Kiek in de Kök houses the Estonian History Museum inside. You will find a café on the top floor that you should definitely visit for a cake and the impressive views over Tallinn's old town.

Kiek in de Kök is also the starting point for a guided tour of the Bastion Tunnels, the underground tunnel system dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries during the period of Swedish rule. At the end of the tunnels is the Carved Stone Museum, where a collection of stone inscriptions and reliefs from different periods and different parts of the city is on display.

Kiek in de Kök can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30 at a cost of 6 euro per person, while the underground tunnels can be visited at a cost of 9 euro per person.

Viru Gate (Viru Värav)

In addition, the Tallinn wall system had six access doors, among which the spectacular Viru Gate still stands out. The Viru Gate allowed access to the city from the southeast. Around the Viru Gate now you can find a large number of restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops and picturesque flower stalls. You can just sit in one of the cafes and enjoy the atmosphere. There are also small tobacco and alcohol shops, where those who come from neighboring countries with higher taxes put on their boots.

Viru Gate (Viru Värav)

St. Olav's Church

The Church of St. Olav was built in 1267 and then rebuilt in 1400 in the Gothic style. It was dedicated to Saint Olaf, King Olaf II of Norway in the 11th century. The tower was once known as the tallest structure in Europe during 1549 to 1625. With its currently 124 meters high tower, it is also possible to climb the 256 steps that lead to the top of the tower to see the view from the terrace, and on clear days you can even see the Finnish coasts. St. Olav's Church can be visited for free every day from 10:00 to 18:00, the climb to the tower is 3 euro.

St. Olav's Church

Toompea Hill

In fact, Tallinn Old town is divided into two and the place called Tompee Hill is the upper part of the old city. Toompea Hill is a limestone hill about 20-30 meters above the city. From the old city of Tallinn, you can easily walk up to the Toompea Hill in 10-15 minutes.

Many of the attractions that are must see in Tallinn are located on the Toompea Hill. There are many historic buildings as well as ancient castles, medieval cathedrals and large Orthodox churches on the hill. This hill is now also the seat of the Estonian Parliament and Government, the foreign embassies, and official residence.

Toompea Hill

The breathtaking view of the old town of Tallinn surrounded by the wall and its towers, is obtained from the several observation decks of the Toompea Hill. You can check more details of the most beautiful viewpoints in Tallinn.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the largest and most beautiful cathedral in Tallinn, dominates with its domes of the Toompea hill. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a splendid example for the Russian Orthodox church building. The Church was built between 1895 and 1900 when Estonia was under the rule of the Russian Empire. The cathedral impresses you with its magnificent structure. The entrance is free, but they do not allow you to take pictures inside.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

On the opposite side of the cathedral, there is Toompea Castle. It is one of the oldest and largest buildings of Estonian architecture, built between the 13th and 14th centuries as a medieval fortress. Today, it serves as an Estonian Parliament Building. From the cathedral square, you will also have a beautiful view of Tallinn.

Toompea Castle

St. Mary's Cathedral

Immediately after leaving Alexander Nevsky Cathedral behind and going to the right, you will see St. Mary's Cathedral. The Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary, also known as the Dome Church, is the only building in Toompea that survived a 17th century fire. St. Mary's Cathedral is the oldest church in Estonia, built in the 13th century. It is possible to climb the 69-meter high bell tower to see a wonderful view of Tallinn.

Kadriorg Palace

Kadriorg Palace is located just outside the city center and is also known as the "crown jewel of Tallinn". The palace was built in 1723 by Peter the Great in honor of his empress wife Catherine I.

Kadriorg Palace

Inside the palace there are several museums and art galleries with almost 9,000 works on display here. It will bring you closer to Western European and Russian history. Outside, there is the popular Kadriorg park, a quiet destination for those who are looking for some greenery and tranquility.

The place is accessible by public transport. If you don't have much time, a good option to get to Kadriorg Palace is to book the Tallinn Half-Day City Tour, which also stops at the main points of interest in the city.

The Kalamaja district

Kalamaja is located in the northwest of Tallinn. It is considered the hipster neighborhood of Tallinn. Currently, young people from Tallinn are immersed in the Kalamaja region. For this reason, all kinds of bohemian cafes, restaurants, galleries, shops are located here.

Kalamaja was known as one of the oldest regions of Tallinn. Kalamaja means "Fish House" in Estonian and it was the old village inhabited by fishermen and sailors, today you can admire the wonderful wooden houses built over the time.

There are many areas in Tallinn where you can spend the night well, and the Kalamaja district is one of the recommended.

The TV tower

Tallinn's TV tower is a historic telecommunication facility. The Tallinn Television Tower has 314 meters in height so it was the tallest building in Estonia as well as in all of northern Europe. The TV tower was built for the 1980 Olympics and used to allow a large number of people to follow races across the country. The viewing platform located 170m above the ground offers one of the best views of Tallinn and its surroundings as well as the sea. You can book the ticket of Tallinn TV Tower and enjoy the amazing 360-degree view of Tallinn.

Tallinn's TV tower

The TV Tower is served by city buses 34A, 38 and 49 ("Teletorn" stop), as well as by CityTour and City Sightseeing tourist buses.

Kumu, the Tallinn Art Museum

Kumu is the impressive main building of the Art Museum of Estonia. The museum is one of the largest museums in Estonia and in the whole of Northern Europe. The huge museum serves both as a national gallery, exhibiting classics of Estonian art, and a museum of contemporary art, presenting the latest trends. The museum is divided into five sectors. The most important collection is located in Tallinn and preserves all the most important objects of Estonian art from the 17th century onwards.

To reach the museum, which is closed on Mondays, just take the tram 1 or 3 and get off at Kadriorg stop. Admission is free with the Tallinn Card.

This Tallinn Half-Day City Tour will bring you to see major Tallinn highlights including Kumu Art Museum, Kadriorg Palace and a French style garden. You will also discover a romantic area and a private cottage district in the seaside of Pirita and enjoy the Tallinn old town from viewing platforms.

Tallinn Card

If you want to simplify things during your visit to Tallinn, you should consider buying a Tallinn Card. This is your all-in-one ticket to the very best the city has to offer that gives unlimited access to transportation and the entrance to many attractions and museums.

Tallinn Card

How to get around the Tallinn?

The historic center of Tallinn is easily visited on foot, you can move between attractions simply by walking. As for destinations that are located just outside the center, they can be reached by bike or public transportation. You can also get on Tallinn Hop-on Hop-off Bus to explore the city.

Tallinn Hotels

First of all, of course, we recommend you to stay in the Old Town area for it to be convenient to visit the historical area. If you prefer other areas, check the guide to the best area to stay in Tallinn for more information.

Tallinn Hotels

Some of the best rated hotels in Tallinn:

The Three Sisters Boutique Hotel

Centennial Hotel Tallinn

Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection

Tips

Tallinn is also an excellent base for exploring neighboring Finland. From the port of Tallinn, you can easily reach the Finnish capital, Helsinki, which is only 80 km away from the Estonian city. You can enjoy an easy day trip to Helsinki with Ferry Ticket to Helsinki from Tallinn. It takes only 2 hours to get there and then you'll have up to 10 hours to explore the modern Finish capital.

Ferry Ticket to Helsinki from Tallinn

Estonia is one of the Baltic States, known for pristine landscape and historical architecture, peaceful nature and fascinating culture, so you can consider a visit to Lithuania and Latvia as well.

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