Tallinn is a unique city that has undergone significant change, from its medieval heyday to its emergence from the shadows of the Soviet Empire.
Tempted to discover Tallinn? Here are just a few of our top recommendations for a trip to the Estonian capital...
For the last 800 years, Tallinn’s Town Hall Square has been the hub of the city's Old Town. In those eight centuries it has been both a market and a meeting place. People watching here is one of our favourite things to do in Tallinn.
It wouldn’t be called Town Hall Square if the Town Hall wasn’t situated here. Be sure to visit this beautiful building that guarded the town against medieval invaders.
Just outside of Old Town is the charming, bohemian neighbourhood of Kalamaja.
Literally meaning “fish house”, Kalamaja was largely populated by fisherman and fishmongers until 1870, when Tallinn was connected to St Petersburg by railroad.
When factories started popping up, these colourful, wooden houses were built to accommodate thousands of new workers.
Today, Kalamaja is a beautiful place to walk around and photograph the fantastic street art.
The famous landmark atop Toompea Hill was built in 1900 as a symbol of the dominance of the Russian Empire and Russian Orthodox Church.
It’s Estonia’s main Russian Orthodox cathedral. Its spectacular onion-shaped dome towers over the city and is truly beautiful inside and out.
Named after the Prince of Novgorod, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is well worth a visit to see the mosaics and icons inside this richly decorated church. Make this a must see on your list of what to do in Tallinn.
Each of the 93 rooms in Solo Sokos Hotel Estoria tell a fascinating story about Estonia.
It's a stylish and central base in the city and perfect for a break in Tallinn.
A fantastic medieval dining experience where you’ll be treated to authentic Hansa-era meals and drinks, as well as medieval style music and friendly service.
They use 15th Century recipes, so you’re guaranteed a true representation of medieval food which include a number of wild game delicacies.
Every night except Monday, you can be entertained by medieval musicians. Olde Hansa is truly a unique dining experience.
Enjoy stunning panoramas from the city’s highest points. There are a number of viewing platforms around Tallinn which provide the opportunity to see the city from a different perspective.
Piiskopi and Kohtuoutsa are the two we recommend heading along to. Gaze at the colourful Kalamaja neighbourhood from a new height and see the sweeping panorama of Old Town’s rooftops beside the modern city skyline.
Named after the famous psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud Bar is based in the heart of Tallinn and is famous for its delicious cocktails.
There's a long list of cocktails to choose from on their menu and are all made by incredibly skilled bar staff.
Tallinn Card gives you access to transport around the city and more than 70 attractions during your stay in the Estonian capital.
What’s great about the Tallinn Card is it gives you free travel on public transport, free access to over 40 museums and sights and 30 exclusive discount offers.
You’ll save yourself a lot of money and stress if you get one of these cards before heading to Tallinn.
The KGB were the main security agency for the Soviet Union from 1954 until its collapse in 1991.
They had a network of both legal and illegal spies, and one rumour about them that proved to be true was that they operated in the Viru Hotel in Tallinn.
Take a tour of what is now a museum for an intriguing insight into the city’s historical secrets. Service headquarters on top of a hotel – a must see for any history buff.
Usually looking for a pharmacy on holiday isn’t a good thing, but visiting Raeapteek is an absolute necessity.
It’s the oldest town council pharmacy in Europe and is so highly regarded that even the Russian tsar used to order medicines from here.
During medieval times they sold remedies such as snakeskin potion and powdered unicorn horn (for men who needed a little bit of help in the bedroom).
Raeapteek is a shop steeped in history. When else will you get to say you bought paracetamol in the same place as the Russian tsar?
Depoo might not sound like the best name for a street food market but since opening in 2016, it has become one of the most popular additions to the Telliskivi Creative City.
You get to kill two birds with one stone here too, as they don’t just showcase Tallinn’s best street food, there’s also a great flea market as well.
Sounds pretty cool right? Follow this list and you won't be struggling to know what to do in Tallinn.
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