What to visit in Tallinn in 3 days. What to see in Tallinn for adults and children: from the House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads to the Japanese Garden. ▪ Main Estonian Zoo

30.05.2018 Maria Glazunova

Tallinn is one of the smallest European capitals, and despite this, it is simply impossible to see all the sights of Tallinn in 1 day; there are many of them, both historical and modern, both paid and free.

In the Old Town alone, which, by the way, has been perfectly preserved to this day, there are a couple of dozen stunning places, and there are so many medieval churches with bell towers that you can climb for gorgeous views! And also a fortress wall along which you can walk, and ancient bastion towers with dungeons, and many interactive modern museums, pleasant parks and gardens, city observation decks, elegant palaces and cathedrals, a tall TV tower, medieval streets and unusual neighborhoods.

I will talk about all this in this article, looking ahead, I will only say that when wondering what to see in Tallinn, get ready to see an impressive list, to visit each point of which even 3-4 days will not be enough, So, if you If you have only one day or weekend allocated to Tallinn, I guarantee that it will be very eventful, you will even have to choose what to visit in Tallinn this time and what to leave for your next visit :)

Of course, some of Tallinn’s attractions are only good for the summer season; moreover, some of them are only accessible in the warm season, but there are also all-season ones. In the article you will find not only descriptions of all these places worth visiting, based on personal experience, but also prices/mode and my recommendations on the best time to visit this or that site.

In total, we spent several months in Tallinn at different times of the year, so we studied this city very well and based on the results of all our trips, I wrote this voluminous description of the sights of Tallinn. I have read many sites and I can say with confidence that you will not find such complete and detailed information anywhere in one place, so you are very lucky =)

In my opinion, it is impossible not to fall in love with Tallinn; you want to come here again and again! Don't believe me? Check it out here: .

At the end of the article you will find a map of Tallinn with attractions and tips on how to get there, where to eat in Tallinn, and which hotel is best to stay in, but now let’s get down to the details!

Old city

First of all, Tallinn attracts with its antiquity, its cozy fairy-tale Old Town with crooked cobblestone streets, an intimate central square and many churches. It is here, in the Old Town, that almost all the main attractions of Tallinn are concentrated.

The main entrance to the Old Town passes through the Viru gate, most of which, together with the wall, were, alas, destroyed, but the famous Viru gate towers have been preserved, now they are the symbol of the city - two picturesque towers, in the summer we found them entwined with ivy , and in winter - sparkling in the Christmas lights!

Old Town Hall

The heart of the city is, of course, Town Hall Square with the Gothic Town Hall from the early 16th century.

In the summer and during the Christmas market, holiday markets are held here, where they sell various souvenirs, including handmade ones. You can also enjoy local cuisine and drink at the fair. Mmm, I still remember the aromatic, spicy taste of glögg (non-alcoholic mulled wine).

If we talk about the sights of Tallinn, then the Welcome Square and the Town Hall are probably the most recognizable symbols of the city.

In the summer, there is an observation deck at the Town Hall - Town Hall Tower at level 64 m , Keep in mind that you will have to climb 115 steps, but the reward will be a gorgeous view of Town Hall Square, all the spiers and tiled roofs in the area.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 – 18:00, only from 1.05 to 15.09.
• Price: 3€, free with Tallinn Card.

On the Town Hall itself, pay attention to the spillways, they are in the form of dragon heads, and it is crowned with a spire with a figurine of the city guard, Old Toomas (Vana Toomas), this weather vane is a symbol of Tallinn. Inside the Town Hall there is the famous tavern-tavern "III Draakon" with pies, salmon stew and cucumbers, which visitors themselves catch into their plates from a tub.

From May to November, all the cafes on the square put their summer terraces with tables on the street; it is probably simply impossible to find a more pleasant place in the Old Town for lunch or a coffee break between sightseeing in Tallinn!

Yes, many people criticize these establishments, saying that they are aimed at one-time tourists. It may be true that the cuisine in some of them is mediocre, but we can safely recommend it; it regularly takes honorary positions in restaurant ratings; not only tourists, but also local residents are regulars there.

Well, my favorite restaurant on Town Hall Square is the 1st floor, which has a more cozy atmosphere and a fireplace, but on the second floor you should definitely look into the toilet, it is very unusual - the ceiling is hidden in the abyss of a long chimney.

We visited a couple of dozen Tallinn cafes and restaurants, and compiled our top “delicious establishments” of Tallinn, by the way, it also includes those cafes that are on Town Hall Square and near it: .

There is a point on the square (a special tile), standing on which you can immediately see 5 main spiers of the city (Town Hall Tower, Oleviste, Niguliste, Pühavaimu and the Dome Cathedral), be sure to find it.

In the evening, Welcome Square becomes as if mystical,

and during the Christmas market - magical and fabulous!

Town Hall Pharmacy

The oldest pharmacy in Europe (Town Hall Pharmacy) is located here - in Tallinn, on Town Hall Square, it was run by 9 generations of the Burchardt dynasty for almost 400 years.

Walking inside the pharmacy, it’s as if you’re stepping back several hundred years!

Antique pills, potions and even dried hedgehogs, snakes and crocodile are stored in medicine cabinets and shelves.

which were also used for treatment in those days. Even the Russian emperor ordered medicines from this famous pharmacy. I could hardly resist buying medicinal chocolate with garlic :)

Outside and inside, all the appropriate surroundings of an old pharmacy are present; the old copper cash register has also been preserved. The pharmacy is definitely worth adding to the list of places to see in Tallinn!

• Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 – 18:00.
• Price: for free.

Not far from the pharmacy is one of the oldest streets in the city of Sayakang, it starts under an arch, take a look there too!

Church of the Holy Spirit

Sayakang Street leads directly to the Holy Spirit Church - an ancient church of the 16th century with a baroque wooden interior inside,

and on the street on the main facade of the temple there is the oldest carved clock in Tallinn.

On Mondays at 18:00 the church hosts free “musical hours” where you can listen to the ancient organ.

Opposite the church is a beautiful medieval house - the Great Guild building, now the Historical Museum (Estonian History Museum - Great Guild Hall, 6 €, free with Tallinn Card, Mon-Sun 10:00 - 18:00),

and between them is the famous coffee shop and the Marzipan Museum (I’ll tell you about it later, separately).

• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 – 18:00, Sat 9:00 – 16:00, in the autumn-winter period the schedule is shortened.
• Price: 1.

Oleviste Church with observation deck

St. Olav’s Church was built in the 13th century, and until the 17th century it was the tallest in the world, the height of the tower is impressive - 124 m.

Due to the fact that now the Oleviste Church is not the highest, the sunsets from its observation deck right under the spire have not become worse, especially since all the other sights of Tallinn are lower and from here they are in full view :)

You can only go up on foot – 258 steps, but it’s worth it, believe me!

The Oleviste Tower is open, alas, only from April 1 to October 31, but you can look into the 13th century church itself at any time,

from the outside you can see the grave of the same master Olaf who built the church.

A terrible legend is associated with the tragic death of the master and the grave at the foot of his main creation; it is very easy to find, both in the boarding school and in free booklets on the sights of Tallinn, so I will not retell it :)

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 20:00 (July and August), 10:00 – 18:00 (April-June, September, October).
• Price:

Tower of the Dome Cathedral

The beautiful Dome Cathedral is one of the oldest Lutheran cathedrals in Tallinn; its tower also offers a wonderful view of the city; the platform in the Dome Church (Toomkirik) is located at an altitude of 69 m.

It was no exception for us, and of course we looked there, because for me the sights of Tallinn are, first of all, all kinds of observation platforms, towers and bell towers, from which endless city panoramas open, each of which is different from each other.

Once upon a time, this white stone Dome Cathedral was the main temple of the German nobles who lived in Estonia. The famous navigator, man and steamship I.F. is buried in the cathedral. Krusenstern.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sat 09:30 – 17:30, in the autumn-winter period – Tue-Fri 09:30 – 15:30.
• Price: 5€, free with Tallinn Card.

Niguliste Church and organ concerts

People come to St. Nicholas Church mainly to look at the unique ancient altar and medieval tombstones

and the painting “Dance of Death”, and also look into the “Silver Pantry”, this is not just a church, but a real museum (Niguliste Museum).

And not everyone knows that on Sundays at 16:00 free organ concerts are held in the Niguliste Church, so after seeing enough of the sights of Tallinn, come here to delight not only your eyes, but also your ears :)

Moreover, if you have never heard the sounds of an organ or seen anything like it, we were there, I recommend arriving at least 10-15 minutes in advance to take a comfortable seat (according to acoustics, it is better to sit in the middle, and not in the front rows directly under the organ).

• Opening hours: Tue-Sun 11:00 – 17:00, in the autumn-winter period – Wed-Sun.
• Price:

Monument to Victory in the Liberation War

From Harju Hill, next to the Niguliste Church, there is a stunning view of the relatively new sights of Tallinn - Freedom Square, St. John's Church, and the Victory Monument - the “Cross of Freedom”, a symbol of the liberation of Estonians from the occupiers, when they gained independence.

On the hill you can find cast slabs telling about the Baltic Way - a living chain of people stretching from Tallinn to Vilnius.

In general, it’s good to come up here at sunset to admire the city and the sky in blue and purple colors, there are even benches!

Vyshgorod

Vyshgorod or the city on a hill, there are several paths and stairs leading here, where live musicians and artists perform on weekends.

There are observation decks with panoramic views, and the Duma Church, and the garden of the Danish King, and the Orthodox Cathedral, and the narrowest and shortest streets in the city, in general, many of the sights of Tallinn are there, and of course, the main object of Vyshgorod - the medieval Toompea Castle.

Toompea Castle

Toompea Castle is hard to miss; this huge stone hulk rises on the Toompea hill of the same name, and, of course, attracts the attention of tourists. The castle was founded in the 13th-16th centuries; despite the fact that parliament now sits there, it is open to tourists.

The main treasure of the castle is the highest 46-meter fortress tower “Long Hermann” (Pikk Hermann), every day the Estonian flag is raised and lowered on it, there is an observation deck nearby.

• Opening hours: Tours of the castle are held on weekdays from 10 to 16, by appointment only ( [email protected]).
• Price: for free.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The old town is rich not only in Catholic churches and towers, you can also find Tallinn's Orthodox sights, the most famous of which is the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its majestic domes.

Almost all Russian tourists consider it their duty, if not to look inside the cathedral, then at least just to approach the temple.

• Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 – 16:00.
• Price: for free

Gun turrets and fortress wall

What I really love about Tallinn is that the true spirit of the Middle Ages has been preserved there, and the main attractions of Tallinn are precisely the medieval buildings! In addition to the cobblestone streets, the city has a huge fortress wall (Tallinn Town Wall) with 21 towers, many of which you can look into, as well as walk along the wall itself from tower to tower.

You can do this in Tallinn in 3 places, but if in one of them it’s just a very short walk and a cafe overlooking the city (in the Maiden’s Tower),

then in others you can actually walk along the wall, looking at all the sights of Tallinn from above.

It’s definitely worth a look at the Hellemann Tower, where a fairly large section of the wall of 200 m is open for a walk, with views of both sides of the city.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9:00 – 19:00, in the autumn-winter period 10:00 – 10:00.
• Price: 4€, free with Tallinn Card.

Another section of the open wall, a shorter one, is located between Nunne, Sauna and Kuldjala streets.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 – 19:00, in the autumn-winter period Fri-Tue 11:00 – 16:00.
• Price: 2€, free with Tallinn Card.

There is also the Epping Tower, which is also open to the public and has an exhibition of knightly armor inside.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 – 18:00, in the autumn-winter period Sat-Sun 11:00 – 16:00.
• Price: 6€, free with Tallinn Card.

On the outside of the wall in the summer, flower festivals and various contemporary art exhibitions take place,

the exhibitions are not removed until the end of September, this is something unusual, be sure to check it out. We went to several exhibitions at once, and walked around them with great pleasure; they were all free!

Crafts Lane - St. Catherine's Lane

St. Catherine's Passage in itself attracts attention, even if artisans did not live there, it can safely be included in the list of “what to see in Tallinn”.

Be sure to come here on a weekday, and then you will have a chance to see all the craftsmen of the Katarina Guild at work, someone blowing vases and glasses from glass,

someone sculpts pots from clay, someone paints silk or makes ceramic figurines, there are artists, weavers, hatters and other artisans, all in St. Catherine's Lane.

On the northern side of the lane you can see the ruins of the Church of St. Catherine, hence the name, and on the southern side - the facades of residential buildings

and those same studio workshops.

This is not the only epicenter of craftsmen, you can also look into the ceramic art studio at the BoCa Pott cafe, where the master speaks Russian, and if you decide to sit in the cafe, you will drink tea/coffee from his handmade cups.

There is another unusual “craft” place - the craftsmen’s courtyard at the Pierre Chocolaterie cafe. Medieval buildings that survived all the fires and destruction have been preserved here; now the courtyard is chosen by free artists.

You can also meet artists near the walls of Vyshgorod, some simply sell their works, while others create on the spot - they draw pictures and immediately sell them.

Observation platforms of the Old Town

Mmm, these are my favorite sights of Tallinn - “viewpoints” or observation platforms, there are several of them in the city, they are all free, and from everywhere you can see gorgeous views of the city with red tiled roofs, spiers, unusual weather vanes and chimneys.

The most inspiring and memorable view from the site Kohtuotsa view point,

From here you can see the roofs of the Old Town, the high-rise buildings of the new district, and even the TV tower! To see everything in detail, there are even telescopes, and so that you don’t rush anywhere and enjoy the views to your heart’s content, there are benches.

Local musicians also wander here and, as soon as they recognize a Russian, sing songs in Russian or play the accordion, for which they receive their well-deserved eureka from the tourist :)

If you decide to stop in some hotel in the center of the Old Town, then don’t be lazy and come here early in the morning, even before breakfast, to watch the sunrise!

Area Patkuli (Patkuliview point)– the best place for photographs of the fortress wall and towers, as well as St. Olaf's Church and the passenger port.

This lookout is located on the north side of Toompea Hill at the very edge of a high flagstone ledge. The view opens onto the fortress wall and defensive towers; you can climb here from the Lower Town, from where a winding staircase, built more than 100 years ago, leads along the former fortress moat.

At the bottom of the stairs, by the way, we found an unexpected monument - a plaque of honor in memory of the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin.

And on the site itself there are a couple of souvenir shops, as well as street carts with traditional Estonian fried nuts in spices and caramel.

There is another site, at the foot of the Duma Tower - Piiskopi view point, the view from there is not the most picturesque - the stadium is below, and at a distance you can see the Kalamaja and Pelgulinn districts, as well as the railway station.

There is also a platform next to the Kiek in de Kek tower, but it’s more pleasant to just stroll there, and for the view it’s better to go up to the Maiden Tower at the Kiek in de Kek museum on the 4th floor (entrance to the cafe - 2 €, free with Tallinn Card, Tue-Sat, 11:00–18:00).

And if you want absolutely stunning views, then be sure to go up to the terrace of the Lounge24 bar, it is located 5-7 minutes walk from the Old Town, a stunning view of the central attractions of Tallinn will certainly make you drink a cup of coffee or even stay for lunch :)

You can also watch gorgeous sunsets there, even if you decide not to order anything at the bar, it’s worth looking out onto the terrace for 5-10 minutes; it’s on the 24th floor.

Also with excellent views of the city there is the executive restaurant Horisont on the top floor of the hotel

Ancient buildings, streets, squares

It is very interesting to walk around Old Tallinn; no matter the building, there is always an object with some kind of history or legend.

Ancient Theater located in a historical building,

the doors and ceilings have been preserved, the theater is still operational, they even have a summer stage and an open-air auditorium.

And next to the theater there is a “Walk of Fame”, where the performances that were staged in the theater are immortalized. Among the Russian authors we found Dostoevsky and Pelevin.

"3 Sisters"- this is a medieval building on Pikk Street, right behind the Great Sea Gate, now there is a building of the same name and, with interiors from the 15th century. And once upon a time these were simple merchant houses, in which living quarters were on the ground floors, and the upper ones were used as warehouses.

cat well located on one of the tiny squares of the Old Town, and it is also not without many legends, it is located opposite, here it is right behind the horse.

Kaarli Church

Kaarli Church is the most majestic 19th century church in Tallinn, located outside the Old Town, but very close to it. It was built in the neo-Gothic style by a St. Petersburg architect on the site of the original church that burned down. Kaarli Church has excellent acoustics, and because of this, concerts are held here; there is a hall with 1,500 seats.

We weren’t at the concert, but every time we come to Tallinn, we still come closer to take a photo, it really reminds me of old German Gothic churches :)

Segways/bicycles

Riding Segways or bicycles around the city is a great way to get to know Tallinn; in a couple of hours you can see almost all the sights of Tallinn, if not from the inside, then at least from the outside.

True, alas, winter will be a hindrance in this case, but this is at least another reason to plan a trip from spring to autumn.

There are rental points in and near the Old Town. If you plan to buy a city guest card - Tallinn Card, then you will have 3 hours of free rental, during which time you can see all the main attractions of Tallinn in the center, as well as take a ride around the nearest areas in the surrounding area, for example, go to Kadriorg .

We rode around Tallinn both on bicycles and on Segways:

Museums

Maritime Museum – Seaplane Harbor and Fat Margarita

“Seaplane Harbor” (Lennusadam - Seaplane Harbor) is one of the few museums in Europe where we spent half a day, the exhibition is huge, and also very interesting, and it is also the most popular museum in Estonia, so it’s on the list of museum attractions in Tallinn , this is object No. 1!

It’s not for nothing that the entire Seaplane Harbor is dedicated to the Estonian Maritime Museum - a huge hangar building with a real seaplane and a British submarine, which you can not just look into, but go down several levels and walk through all the compartments.

The collection of the Maritime Museum contains a whole host of unique items, including boats, sailing ships, sea mines, as well as interactive stations and stimulators that clearly tell the history of the country.

The museum also includes a century-old icebreaker steamship, moored right in the harbor, opposite the museum complex, where you can also walk around all its premises, look into the cabins, holds, boiler rooms and the cook's department.

Another part of the museum is located on the territory of the Old Town - on Pikk Street at the Sea Gate in the medieval gun tower Fat Margaret's Tower.

They called it that because of its size: it is 25 m in diameter, 20 m high, and there are 155 loopholes in the tower.

The museum's exhibitions are dedicated to navigation, and occupy 4 floors; these include various diving equipment, fishing gear and an entire wheelhouse from a trawler. The tower was previously used as an armory and later as a prison.

Also from May to September you can climb the tower to the very top, where there is an open observation deck overlooking the Old Town, the Oleviste Church and the passenger port.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 19:00, in the autumn-winter period from 1.10 to 30.04 – Tue-Sun 10:00 – 18:00.
• Price: Airplane Harbor – 14€, Fat Margaret Tower – 6€, free with Tallinn Card.

By the way, with one ticket you can visit all parts of the museum on different days, we did just that - we spent one day at the Seaplane Harbour, and a few days later, using the saved ticket, we came to Fat Margarita.

For little boys, and their fathers as well, the Seaplane Harbor and Fat Margarita are the most desirable and visited attractions of Tallinn.

By the way, at the sea gate there is a relatively new monument “Broken Line” - in memory of the maritime tragedy that occurred in September 1994, when a passenger ship sank in the Baltic waters near Tallinn, killing 852 people :)

Kik-in-de-Kek and the Bastion Dungeons

Kiek in de Kök is the most powerful tower of the fortress wall, 38 meters high, inside there is a museum exhibition on 6 floors,

but the most genuine interest and curiosity is a walk through the ancient underground tunnels connecting the Ingermanland and Swedish bastions (Bastion Passages), built back in the 17th century.

At first, the underground labyrinths were used by the military for reconnaissance and capturing prisoners,

later in peacetime - just as storage facilities, and in the 20th century they were converted into a bomb shelter, so a whole underground city was formed with water supply, electricity, ventilation system, etc.

The excursion is conducted by a guide, without him it probably wouldn’t be so interesting, and with the narration, wandering through the labyrinths even takes on some mystical meaning, and in some places the picture of everyday life is recreated, so the imagination works even better. There are also a couple of modern halls that take you into the future, I won’t go into details, it’s better to see everything with your own eyes!

For a long time, the dungeons were not an attraction of Tallinn, they were closed to visitors, so now during the season there is a real rush there, you must sign up for the excursion, preferably a couple of days in advance, you can book the excursion directly at the Kiek in de Kök or by phone (that’s exactly what we did: +372 644 6686), there are Russian groups.

• Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10:30 – 18:00, in the autumn-winter period from 10:00 – 17:00.
• Price: museum – 5€, underground passages of the bastions – 9€, free with Tallinn Card.

Photo museum in the Town Hall Prison

Photographers may be interested in visiting the Museum of Photography (Town Council Prison – Museum of Photography), where an old darkroom is located and rare cameras from various companies are stored, a rather impressive collection.

The ambience is also added by the fact that the museum is located in the former Town Hall prison, the internal partitions are still preserved in their original form.

• Opening hours: Wed-Mon 10:30 – 18:00.
• Price: 2€, free with Tallinn Card.

KUMU – Art Museum of Contemporary Art

The building itself, which houses the Kumu Art Museum, attracts attention. The modern style of architecture, where the combination of unusually smooth lines and catchy, powerful decorative details, makes the object somehow cosmic, or at least as if from another era, but the main treasure lies inside. The museum has both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The museum is located in Kadriorg.

If you find yourself in the Estonian capital in cold winter or bad weather, then the museum attractions of Tallinn are just what you need; the KUMU Museum will definitely not leave you indifferent!

• Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10:00 – 18:00, on Wednesdays until 20:00, in the autumn-winter period, working days are Wed-Sun.
• Price:

Well, our favorite museum of contemporary art is

KGB Museum

On the top floor Hotel Viru (Original Sokos Hotel Viru) The KGB Museum is located. The museum tells interesting facts about the work of the committee members, for example, that listening devices were built into many of the rooms and the necessary guests were accommodated there.

They say that the rooms were left in the same “disorder” as when the employees urgently left them; the entire pile of papers and even cigarette butts from the ashtray remained untouched.

The trick of the museum is that it is located on the top 22nd floor of the hotel, where there are no more rooms, but there are two gorgeous observation decks with stunning views like new,

and to the Old Town.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 19:00, by appointment only and as part of the excursion, there are Russian-speaking guides.
• Price: 10€ (The Museum is not included in the list of freely visited sites with the Tallinn Card).

Museum of Occupations

We are always interested to learn about historical facts in a different interpretation, to hear the opinion of another country regarding the actions of the Soviet Union. Before this, we had already visited the Lithuanian and Latvian genocide museums.

The Estonian Museum of Occupations (Museum of Occupations) is quite good, there is an impressive collection, there are video materials, all available information is duplicated in Russian, so you can plunge headlong into the history of the times of the occupation of Estonia by the Soviet Union and Germany, fortunately there are plenty of exhibits from those times to feel the whole atmosphere.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 18:00, in the autumn-winter period – Tue-Sun 11:00 – 18:00.
• Price: 6€, free with Tallinn Card.

Well, what impressed us most was that it is located in the KGB building, where interrogations and executions took place, a harsh spectacle, the spirit of cruelty still hovers there, since evidence of the merciless Soviet regime has been preserved.

Health Museum

The Health Care Museum is very cool, modern, interactive, and in a relaxed atmosphere allows you to learn a lot of interesting things about your body, health, birth and other important aspects of life.

We even visited the health museum twice; by the way, a unique exhibition “Natural Death” is currently being held there, which will last until the end of summer 2017.

• Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10:00 – 18:00, Wednesdays until 19:00.
• Price: 8€, free with Tallinn Card.

NUKU Puppet Museum

If you are traveling with children, then the NUKU Puppet Museum is worth a look; children will love it! In addition to puppets, you can see various ancient mechanisms in the museum, and there are also puppet shows on the schedule.

In general, this museum is also a theater with a 60-year history, so you can go “behind the scenes” and see ancient exhibits. We also stopped by for a while.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 18:00.
• Price: 8€, free with Tallinn Card.

Kalev marzipan museum room

The Kalev Marzipan Museum is a very small exhibition of a wide variety of marzipan figurines (about 200 exhibits in total), located in the adjacent hall of the famous oldest coffee shop Maiasmokk, so you can combine a visit with a cup of coffee and eating cakes :)

On weekdays during working hours, you can watch how a master hand-paints marzipan sweets made in molds dating back to the 19th century.

Marzipan was invented a long time ago in the Middle Ages, as a tasty medicine for the burgomaster, who did not like bitter things, but now it is just a delicacy made from almond flour and powdered sugar, which both adults and children are delighted with, and we are no exception !

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 21:00.
• Price: free of charge, upon presentation of the Tallinn Card - a marzipan bar and a cup of tea/coffee as a gift.

Whenever we are in Tallinn, we buy ourselves a couple of marzipan bars in the Kalev brand store in Rotermann (they are also sold in the museum and coffee shop, but are a little more expensive).

Legends of Tallinn – interactive theater-museum

If you have already seen all the sights of Tallinn, but you are missing the mysterious legends that envelop this medieval town, and you also love theater, then yes, Tallinn Legends is worth a look!

In the underground labyrinths of an ancient basement in the center of the Old Town, a couple of meters from the Town Hall, you can become a spectator of mini-performances where live actors tell ancient legends, a total of 10 interactive rooms and 9 creepy legends.

And since the performance is also in Russian, and light and pyrotechnic special effects are used to create the atmosphere, children will especially like this place.

• Opening hours: Wed-Fri 12:00 – 18:00, Sat-Sun 11:00 – 20:00.
• Price: 16€, discount with Tallinn Card – 50%.

Tallinn TV Tower

We even have a separate post about the Tallinn TV Tower - this is perhaps the most modern tower we have been to. It is 314 m high (the observation deck is at 170 m), in addition to the fact that it offers views of the Old Town, the Baltic Sea, the Pirita district and other attractions of Tallinn, the observation deck is also a kind of storehouse of information! Space electronic “mushrooms” are placed everywhere - devices with interactive displays, and soft sofas under them, so this is also a kind of educational project in which any visitor to the tower can participate.

And for extreme sports enthusiasts, the Tallinn TV Tower has an open area, so you can tickle your nerves and walk in a harness along the very edge of the tower. Well, more modest visitors can also go outside, wrapped in a blanket, although, alas, they won’t get to the very edge, but we already had a blast walking at such a height in windy weather :)

In the evening, there is a restaurant in the TV tower; for romantics, it is an excellent place to have dinner among thousands of city lights.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 19:00.
• Price: 10€, free with Tallinn Card.

Rocca al Mare Open Air Museum

If you want to see the natural attractions of Tallinn, and you are also interested in learning how Estonians lived in villages 3-4 centuries ago, what kind of life they led, what decorations were in their houses, what farmsteads, a village school, a tavern or a fire station looked like, then The Estonian Open Air Museum Rocca al Mare is the place!

The Estonian Open Air Museum contains rare houses from all regions of Estonia, courtyards and farms have been recreated, the most interesting thing is to walk with an audio guide, it is also in Russian. What adds to the picturesqueness is that the park is located on the rocks next to the sea.

It’s best to go for a walk in the summer, but in the fall and winter, despite the natural golden or snow-white fairy tale, many houses are already closed, and, to be honest, it’s worth setting aside 2-3 hours for a walk, so you can have time to freeze. Well, if you get really cold or you’re running out of time, then you can take a ride around the park-museum in a cart with a cab driver!

In the winter season, it is only worth visiting here on weekends, when various festivals and holidays are held in the park, for example, you can visit the Christmas village, Christmastide, ski festival, Maslenitsa and Easter, and other family and children's events, themed matinees.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 20:00, in the autumn-winter period from 10:00 – 18:00.
• Price: 8€, free with Tallinn Card.

Botanical Garden

We continue to delve into the natural attractions of Tallinn - the Tallinn Botanic Garden is located in a quiet, picturesque valley of the Pirita River, surrounded by pine trees, covering an area of ​​123 hectares. This is a huge collection of all kinds of plants, including an impressive collection of orchids, more than 4,500 species of flora in total! At different times of the year, seasonal exhibitions are held in the Tallinn Botanical Garden.

By the way, it is convenient to combine a visit to this park with a visit to the TV tower, firstly, they are nearby, and secondly, a combined ticket for these two attractions is cheaper.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 20:00, in the autumn-winter period from 11:00 – 17:00.
• Price: 5€, free with Tallinn Card.

Zoo in Tallinn

Alas, the Tallinn Zoo is in some disrepair, there are many animals and birds, more than 350 species, a total of more than 7,700 individuals, but the enclosures are quite old.

The zoo is located far from the city center, it’s worth going there if you haven’t been to the zoo for a long time and really miss the animals. We saw there a polar bear, tigers, elephants, giraffes, camels, and even an alpaca, as well as quite rare animals, completely unusual :)

There is also a rope town on the territory of the zoo (Zoo Adventure Park), a visit is paid separately.

We combined the trip with a visit to the Estonian Open Air Museum, they are not exactly nearby, but on one side of the city, keep this in mind when compiling your list of places “what to see in Tallinn”

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 9:00 – 19:00, in the autumn-winter period from 9:00 – 17:00.
• Price: 7€, free with Tallinn Card.

Rotermann Quarter

Rotermann Quarter is a quarter where old industrial buildings and modern architecture live side by side, now it is a fashionable area, and even in the very center of the city, a 5-minute walk from Viru Square.

This is an area with history, as evidenced by numerous red brick buildings that were once factories, workshops and boiler houses,

even the pipe has been preserved; among all these “scenery” of Rotermann City, the film Stalker was once filmed here on this particular street.

Now in Rotermann all the factories are inactive, they have been converted into modern buildings, but at the same time the walls, as part of the culture, have been preserved, there are a couple of unusual new office buildings, a cinema, a casino, expensive boutiques with designer clothes, a gourmet cheese store and a boutique chocolate factory. Kalev, as well as many trendy cafes and restaurants (we recommend visiting, very cool place).

Kalamaja

Kalamaja is once the oldest fishing village and is now a bohemian and creative district located near the Old Town. Once upon a time, boatmen and pilots lived here, they called their area “Fish House”, and they did not think that then, a hundred years later, their area would become elite, it would be included in the “attractions of Tallinn”.

We walked and rode Segways around Kalamaa; both young people and families with strollers love to walk here, the place is quiet and peaceful.

A distinctive feature of Kalamai is its three-story wooden houses, many of which are no longer made of wood, but are made in such a style that they seem to be made of wood,

old houses are restored, and new ones are built in a similar style to preserve the local atmosphere and culture.

In Kalamai we discovered the house in which Alexander Blok lived,

in general, in this area there is a yacht port, a museum of modern art (open only in summer), the Seaplane Harbor museum, the Energy Discovery Center (9:00–18:00, 9 €, free with Tallinn Card ), a children's museum, trendy cafes and restaurants (we recommend), designer houses and even the whole creative town of Telliskivi, but I’ll tell you about it separately.

Telliskivi

The town of Telliskivi Creative City is a haven for creative people passionate about design; there are workshops and a whole street of shops where they produce and sell unusual items, designer clothes, interior items and eco-products.

The Telliskivi area is a huge space, a platform for creative people,

that is why here you can see not just graffiti, but real masterpieces.

On Saturdays, a flea market is held here, where you can find unusual exhibits, decorative elements and custom clothing.

If you are far from all this, and have already seen all the main attractions of Tallinn, then it is clearly worth a look here, at least to admire the street art.

In Telliskivi there are also several cafes with a special focus, the menu has atypical dishes and drinks, for example, the cravings of raw foodists and vegans are satisfied, and the establishments themselves are also unusual - in cargo sea containers or railway cars :)

Primorskaya embankment

The luxurious long embankment Pirita Promenade with a bike path and a walking path is a great place for cycling, rollerblading and just walking. Tourists walk here every day, and on weekends they are also joined by locals.

From the center you can come to Kadriorg Park, or rather, walk to the sculpture of Amandus Adamson - a monument to the crew of the sunken battleship "Rusalka", where you just need to cross the road to immediately find yourself in the park.

Or go further along the embankment and get to the resort port area of ​​​​Pirita, and all this, while admiring the sea views, port ships and the Old Town. If you love sunsets, then come here during sunset hours, the atmosphere during the walk will be amazing.

Only in the summer, sometimes in windy weather, alas, a specific smell of sea mud comes from the sea 🙁 you can hide from it in the park, which is laid out parallel to the embankment.

Kadriorg

Kadriorg is a quiet green area near the city center. Back in the 17th century, Tsar Peter I founded his estate here, built a wonderful park and palace for his wife Catherine I - Ekaterinenthal or in Estonian Kadriorg Palace - Kadriorg Art Museum.

Now it is a pleasant place for walks and picnics,

there are museums, alleys and flower beds lined with flowers,

ponds with fountains and even a Japanese garden. The most beautiful time for this park is, of course, autumn!

• Opening hours: Thu-Sun 10:00 – 17:00, Wednesday until 20:00.
• Museum entrance fee: 6.5€, free with Tallinn Card.

Well, in winter you can always look into one of several museums in the park (house-museum of Peter I - 3 €, children's museum, KUMU museum, art museum, children's and museums of Estonian writers), and of course, into the palace itself, built in Baroque style. As you can see, Kadriorg has collected several attractions of Tallinn in one place.

Pirita – coastal district of Tallinn

Tallinn's spa culture was once born in Pirita; there are baths here, as well as a yacht harbor where the Olympic sailing regatta took place.

In summer, Pirita is also the most popular resort area, there is a well-maintained sandy city beach 2 km long, there are changing cabins, toilets, and playgrounds, parking, a cafe, and the coast guard is also on duty.

In general, Tallinn has 5 official city beaches: Pirita itself with stunning views of the Old Town, Pikkari (on the Paljasaare peninsula for surfers and fishermen), Stromka (for lovers of board games, trampolines and exercise equipment), Harku (on a lake with warm water for swimming and opportunities for fishing) and Kakumäe (the most remote with a small number of vacationers), the beach season lasts from May 15 to September 15.

In the off-season the beaches look, alas, dull(

Near the yacht port in Pirita there is ruins of the convent of St. Brigid(St. Bridget's Convent ruins),

which was destroyed during the Livonian War back in the 16th century, what remains of the medieval monastery is a 35-meter western pediment, which has been standing for 500 years. All this creates an incredible atmosphere. In the summer, various festivals are held there, the most famous is the musical one, which takes place in August within the walls of the monastery right in the open air. Nearby there is a modern building where the almshouses moved.

• Opening hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 – 18:00, in the autumn-winter period from 12:00 – 16:00.
• Price: 2€, free with Tallinn Card.

Singing field

The Singing Field is a huge open-air concert venue stretching from the Lasnamäe slope to Kadriorg, near the Pirita district.

In the summer, music festivals are held here, including a beer hall. The unique shell stage of a rather unusual design accommodates thousands of artists at the same time, and the auditorium is even larger. It’s simply impossible to walk or drive past without looking here!

The largest summer music festival, the Estonian Song Festival, takes place here. Every year it attracts 34 thousand artists and 200 thousand spectators.

Such famous stars as Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga performed on the stage of the Singing Field.

Cemetery of monuments to Lenin and Stalin

This unusual place with a mountain of old monuments to leaders was suggested to us by local residents, but we were always interested in learning about the atypical sights of Tallinn; we ourselves would never have guessed that such a thing even existed.

See for yourself, unusual, right?

Former leaders in parts,

and even from an unusual angle.

The “cemetery of leaders” is hidden in the Pirita area in the park complex with the Maarjamäe Memorial, behind this castle.

Linnahall - abandoned concert hall

Another atypical attraction of Tallinn is the roof of Linnahall, also known as Gorhall (under the USSR - the Lenin Palace of Culture and Sports). The palace was built for the 1980 Olympics as a concert hall, but there was also a second purpose - military, in the event of a Finnish attack on the USSR, so the location was strategic - in the seaport, in front of the fortifications of the Old Town.

The roof looks massive, but in essence, apart from a huge bridgehead overlooking the sea, there is nothing here.

Now it is a popular place for young people to hang out.

We went up once to watch the sunset, for a change 🙂 but perhaps the sunrise from the sea side is more photogenic. If you have already seen all the main attractions of Tallinn everywhere, then you can look here too.

Quests in Tallinn

There are not so many quests in Tallinn, but there are definitely plenty to choose from! During our trip we completed 2, both modern, realistic, exciting and quite creepy in plot and scenery, so this entertainment is not for the faint of heart. But, you must admit, sometimes you want to add something unusual to your walks around the standard sights of Tallinn, so why not play a quest :)

Restaurants and cafes in Tallinn

There are a lot of restaurants and cafes in Tallinn, so choosing where to eat in Tallinn is always very difficult. After all, there are restaurants where you can simply go for a quick bite and forget, and there are also those that will remain in the memory as individual attractions of Tallinn. Some specialize in haute cuisine, while others specialize in traditional Estonian and even ancient Estonian medieval cuisine, and there are also those whose main focus in dishes is modern trends.

We visited a variety of establishments, including European, Indian, and vegetarian dishes. Some cafes themselves simply have a cozy atmosphere, and some offer wonderful views of the city!

In some establishments you don’t even need a look, all the attention is on the delicacies on the plate and the original presentation :)

Hotels in Tallinn

You can find a hotel in Tallinn and see current prices here.

If your main goal is to see the sights of Tallinn,

Kalev Spa Hotel & Waterpark – in the Old Town, there are packages that include the Tallinn Card

Braavo Spa Hotel – SPA hotel in the Old Town

Pirita Spa Hotel - seaside spa hotel in the resort area of ​​Pirita

Tallinn Viimsi Spa & Waterpark – on the picturesque Viimsi peninsula

Spa Hotel Lavendel – SPA hotel on the Viimsi peninsula

Hotel Rocca al Mare – SPA hotel on the Baltic coast, in Haabersti

This is the ancient fortress in Narva, and unusual preserved burials, the Jägala waterfall, and much more.

I also talk in detail about our wonderful day in Lahemaa National Park, where we walked through the swamps, in my opinion, this place is definitely a “must visit”, especially if you have already seen the sights of Tallinn and you have a free day or even half a day .

That's all I have! I hope the guide article “Attractions of Tallinn” helped give you an idea of ​​this wonderful city, and now you know exactly what to see in Tallinn during your trip!

Excursions around Tallinn

Well, if you want not only to walk around Tallinn and see the sights on your own, but also to learn its history, listen to interesting legends and stories, then we recommend paying attention to the excursions that local residents conduct in Russian, especially since their prices are in Tallinn is quite acceptable.

Sights of Tallinn on the map

Finally

If you plan to visit all the significant sights of Tallinn, including the Seaplane Harbour, the TV Tower, the Botanical Garden, visit the dungeons of the Bastions, ride along the tourist route in a bus with an open roof, and also repeatedly use public transport, go on a walking tour with a guide , rent a bike, and look into a lot of museums, then we recommend buying a “city guest card” - Tallinn Card, which gives you the opportunity to visit about 40 attractions in Tallinn, some of which you can skip the long queue.

Tallinn cards are available for 24, 48 and 72 hours, the cost for an adult is from 25 euros, see current prices. Children under 6 years old, accompanied by an adult, go free!

The savings will be significant, we ourselves used this card, and our parents, following in our footsteps, managed to see almost all the sights of Tallinn over the weekend using the Tallin card.

The card also gives discounts in many cafes, no more than 15%, but that’s nice! And for some events - as much as 50% (skating rink in winter, summer dinner cruises and guided walking and cycling tours). Discount for the theater - 20%, and for the largest spa in the city, Aqua Spa at the hotel Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel– 34% discount.

In addition to the museums described in the article, there are about a dozen more museum attractions in Tallinn, entry to which is also free with a Tallinn card - these are the Russian Museum and the City Museum, and the Museum of Architecture, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Museum of Nature, the unique popular science center of Energy and even a food museum and a drinking culture museum with wine tasting (the usual cost of which is from 3 to 15 euros, and with the Tallinn Card).

You can buy a Tallinn card at the official tourist center next to the Niguliste Church (address: Niguliste 2), it is open seven days a week (Mon-Fri: 9:00-19:00; Sat-Sun: 9:00-15:00), and They also sell cards on ferries, in hotels, bus stations, airports and online.

You can also find detailed information about festivals and events in Tallinn on the website www.visittallinn.ee (there is a Russian version).

If, after seeing all the sights of Tallinn, you find little impressions, or you have a couple of extra days left, use shuttle ferries from the Tallink company,

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What to see in Tallinn in one day, do people in Tallinn understand Russian, what to bring from Tallinn, the old town of Tallinn - these are the most common search queries on.
Probably we should answer them and therefore I will write about the two days that we spent in the capital of Estonia, prepared by the Estonian Department of Tourism.

How to get to Tallinn

The easiest way is by plane.
Air tickets can be found on the website.
We flew with Aeroflot from Sheremetyevo.
Direct flight, 1 hour 20 minutes journey.
You can get from the airport to the city center by taxi for 7 euros or take an Uber taxi - it will be cheaper.

Driving around Tallinn by car is not convenient: there is a problem with parking in the city, and besides, they are all paid.

Where to stay in Tallinn

Here, as they say, the master is the master.
Some are looking for housing that is cheaper and further from the center, or with minimal comfort.
Some people purposefully stop in the center of Tallinn in order to walk less and have a large car nearby.

I would like to note that Tallinn is a small city with a developed public transport system.
For locals it is free, for visitors - for money.
But again, I recommend using Uber, since trips will be inexpensive even to Pirita (a suburb of Tallinn).

Accommodation in Tallinn can be selected to suit your wishes/opportunities on the Booking website: Search and book hotels and apartments in Tallinn.
And on the Airbnb website you can find and rent an apartment in any district of Tallinn, including in the old town: searching for an apartment in Tallinn.

In Tallinn we stayed at a hotel Savoy Boutique by TallinnHotels.
I can recommend this hotel with a good location in the center of Tallinn, next to the Town Hall Square.
The hotel has clean and comfortable rooms.

What to see in Tallinn

In Tallinn they walk and see the Old Town.
In Tallinn, the historical center is clearly defined: everything that is behind the fortress wall is the Old Town.
Everything outside the wall is just Tallinn.

You can walk around the old city either clockwise or counterclockwise.
A walking route in Tallinn could be like this: stand with your back to the Town Hall and move to the right - towards the Tallinn railway station.
You walk around the Old City, periodically going beyond the fortress wall, because here (behind the wall) there is also something to see.

Then you go back into the Old Town through the tower Fat Margarita(the tower was named so because of the impressive thickness of the walls, which in the old days were not pierced by cannonballs).
And you keep moving to the right, through the park Tornide väljak towards the stairs to the Dome Cathedral Patkuli trep.
Here, at the Dome Cathedral, there is an observation deck overlooking the city of Tallinn.

Next we go to the right in a circle, past the Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and opposite this temple, after the Estonian Parliament building we leave the Old Town.
Outside the walls you can see and take a good photo of the Long Hermann tower Pikk Hermann from the side of the park and the football field.

After this we return to the Old Town and go towards Freedom Square Vabaduse väljak.
Before reaching it, you need to turn left and go through the arch in the wall to Maiden's Tower.
This place also has an observation deck overlooking Tallinn.

At the Maiden Tower restaurant you can drink hot wine in winter or Aperol spritz in summer.
Then we go to the square. Svobody past the hill where informals and black marketeers have been gathering since the 80s.

What to see besides the Old Town in Tallinn

I liked the Seaplane Harbor Lennusadam and a museum in it.
Opposite the museum is an old prison building.
At one time they organized a beach cafe there: they brought several cars of sand and placed prison bunks overlooking the bay through a fence with barbed wire.
But somehow things didn’t work out - people don’t understand humor, so now this cafe is closed.

You can visit the art gallery district Telliskivi, but I didn’t particularly like it, just like the Kalamaja district of wooden houses in Tallinn.
Although for the overall picture and impressions of Tallinn this place is worth a visit.
To get here, use Uber.

Another nice place - Pirita(eastern suburb of Tallinn).
Pirita's business card – St Brigid's Monastery(the one without a roof).
By the way, the adjacent modern building is the current monastery of St. Brigid.

Article-route of what to see in Tallinn in 1, 2 and 3 days. Prices and opening hours of attractions.

Tallinn is attractive to tourists at any time of the year: in winter it welcomes guests with noisy fairs, and in summer it delights with leisurely walks and the aroma of coffee wafting from small coffee shops. So, what should a traveler see in Tallinn in 1, 2 and 3 days?

HOW TO FIND CHEAP HOUSING?

(Photo © Lorakf / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC 2.0)

On the second day, we recommend visiting the outskirts of Tallinn. In the warm season, it’s good to take a walk along the coast or visit Kadriorg. Kadriorg is a palace built by order of the Russian Emperor Peter I for his wife Catherine I. Nowadays, Kadriorg houses foreign embassies and the residence of the head of state.

Kadriorg can be reached on foot from the Old Town (half an hour) or by tram. There is a park around, there are museums and a library on the territory of the complex, and there is a small cafe. Part of the park still requires restoration work; the Japanese-style rock garden and the lake with a gazebo on the island deserve special attention. Not far from the palace on the coastal boulevard there is the famous “Mermaid” monument, erected in 1902 - on the 9th anniversary of the death of the battleship.

(Photo © rinhe / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)

What to see in Tallinn in 3 days?

This day can be devoted to studying museums in Tallinn However, it should be noted that most of them are closed on Mondays. In the southern part of the Old Town there is Swedish Bastion with underground passages, perfectly preserved to this day. Today there is a historical museum in the dungeon. You can get there by appointment; ticket prices range from 4.5 euros to 5.75 euros.

Interesting maritime museum in the Fat Margaret Tower, located at the end of Pikk Street. Everything related to the marine theme is collected here. The museum is open from 10 am to 6 pm. Those interested in history will be interested in visiting Museum of Occupation, which is located within walking distance of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The museum is open daily from 11 to 18, except Mondays, entrance costs 2 euros.

What else to see in Tallinn in 3 days? In the warm season, go to Piritu is a seaside area of ​​Tallinn, where one of the largest city beaches is located. Here is also the monastery of St. Brigid, the one without a roof, and in the Tallinn TV Tower you can see the unique exhibition “Scoop”, reflecting the realities of life of the Soviet people. The Botanical Garden is located 300 m from the TV tower. In winter it is not particularly interesting - there are few indoor greenhouses, but from April to September everything blooms here. Entrance costs 5 euros (free in winter).

Throughout the eight centuries of its existence, Tallinn has not been in whose hands. Knightly orders, Sweden and the Russian Empire fought for the fortress and port on the Baltic Sea at different times. As a result, the modern capital of Estonia has become a mixture of different cultures, architectural styles and traditions.

Old Tallinn is a classic example of medieval cities in Northern Europe. In the center there is a fortified fortress with thick walls, where the parliament sits, stone streets lined with houses with pointed roofs radiate from the main square, and the bell towers of ancient churches rise above the neighborhoods.

The capital of Estonia is the main cultural center of the country. Here are the main museums, theaters, and concert venues. Festivals and festive processions are held on the city streets throughout the year.

The best hotels and inns at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see and where to go in Tallinn?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walks. Photos and brief description.

An urban area imbued with the spirit of the Middle Ages, where the main historical attractions are concentrated. It is an interweaving of stone streets and squares, ancient temples, town halls and houses of merchant guilds. Since 1997, the quarter has been included in the UNESCO Historical Heritage List. The old city consists of a Lower and an Upper part. In past centuries, mainly aristocrats settled in the Upper Town (Vyshgorod).

The square with the tower is the very center of the Old Town. Once upon a time, public executions took place on Town Hall Square, and caught thieves were tied to the pillory. Tallinn Town Hall is an architectural monument of the 14th century, built in the Gothic style of Northern Europe. The building hosts various state receptions and other events; on other days it is open to the public for a small fee.

The oldest European pharmacy, which opened its doors in the first half of the 15th century. At the end of the 16th century, the building was leased to Johann Burchard, who began a dynasty of pharmacists who ran the pharmacy for more than 300 years. The pharmacy continues to sell medicines; in one of the premises there is a museum where you can look at ancient medical instruments. Sweets and souvenirs are also sold on site.

One of the city squares that appeared in the 19th century on the site of a destroyed Swedish bastion. At the beginning of the 20th century, the territory was paved with stone and market tents were removed from here. The main attraction of the square is a modern monument from 2009 in honor of the victory of Estonian troops in the War of Liberation of 1918-1920. Official events, concerts and sporting competitions are often held here.

A very well-preserved fence that defended the city in the Middle Ages. Sections of the wall with a total length of 2 km have survived to this day. and several 14th-century towers. During the heyday of Tallinn, the height of individual sections of the structure reached 14-16 meters, and the thickness reached 3 meters. The wall was considered one of the most powerful and reliable in Northern Europe. In past centuries, some towers served as a prison.

One of the towers of the fortress wall, which, according to the first version, served as a prison for women of easy virtue, unfaithful wives and disobedient brides, and according to the second, it was a haven for female seamstresses. The tower was built in the 13th century along with the city wall; it was destroyed several times during the siege of the city. After reconstruction in 2013, a museum and a cafe with a picturesque view of the Old Town opened in the premises.

The most impressive tower of the city wall is 20 meters high and 25 meters in diameter. The thickness of the walls reaches 5.2 meters. The building was built in the 16th century; the nickname “Fat Margaret” stuck to it a couple of centuries later. The impressive structure protected the Tallinn treasury and the entrance to the harbor. The tower houses the Maritime Museum, where you can learn about the history of navigation and fishing in Estonia.

Another defensive city tower, which was erected in the 15th century. Its name is translated from Saxon as “look into the kitchen.” The tower received this name for the reason that from its top the city guards on duty could observe the housewives in the kitchens of city houses. Nowadays, the tower houses a museum where weapons collections are displayed. Also, a tour of the Tallinn dungeons begins from here.

The medieval gate from which Viru Street leading to Town Hall Square begins (one of the main tourist alleys of the city). The gate is located in the eastern part of the city wall. Several centuries ago they served as one of the main entrances to the city. The design has reached us almost unchanged. The building seems to separate modern Tallinn from the Old Town, so for local residents it is a symbol.

A small street in the Old Town with buildings from the 15th -17th centuries. The place is also known as the Craftsmen's Courtyard, as there are numerous workshops for making souvenirs from leather, ceramics, and glass. In Katarina Lane, a tourist can purchase a unique item as a souvenir of Tallinn. In the summer, street cafes serve dishes according to old recipes, and the real atmosphere of bygone eras reigns around.

The main Estonian Lutheran church, the construction of which began in the 13th century. The Estonian name of the church is Toomkirik, officially it is called St. Mary's Cathedral. Many representatives of noble German families are buried here. One of the famous tombs of the cathedral is the grave of the navigator Ivan Krusenstern. The Dome Cathedral regularly hosts free organ music concerts.

The main Orthodox church of Tallinn, erected in the 19th century at the expense of representatives of the large Russian community. Local residents still perceive it as a symbol of the “forced Russification” of the population. They wanted to demolish the cathedral in 1928. In 1990, after the fall of the USSR, the temple and all its property were transferred to the newly formed Estonian government; now the Orthodox Church rents it for worship.

Neo-Gothic Lutheran church of the 19th century. Previously, on the site of the modern church there was a wooden chapel of St. Anthony from the 17th century, which burned down during the Northern War. The decoration of the building's façade is a German clock from the early 20th century. Now the Kaarli parish is an active Lutheran church, where services are regularly held and classical instrumental music concerts are held.

Another name for the Oleviste Church. A 16th-century temple with a spire 124 meters high. For decades, this tower was the tallest in Europe. The spire served as an excellent landmark for ships entering the city harbor. The height of the tower is also its problem - lightning struck it eight times, and the temple burned three times. The inside of the church is decorated with numerous Gothic vaults, creating a complex geometric interweaving.

The monastery is located in the northeastern part of Tallinn. At the beginning of the 15th century it was considered the largest in all of Livonia. The building did not last long - during the Livonian War, the monastery was destroyed by the army of Ivan the Terrible and since then it has been in ruins. Only the outer frame and the staircase on the bell tower have survived. In 2001, a new building was erected nearby, where the nuns of the Order of St. Brigid settled.

In the Middle Ages, Niguliste was one of the main city churches. It is believed that the temple was founded in the 13th century. and was rebuilt several times over the following centuries. In 1944, as a result of the bombing, Niguliste was heavily destroyed, and many of the artistic treasures inside were lost. In 1984, after 30 years of restoration, a museum and concert hall were opened in the building.

One of the churches where the Catechism was read in Estonian for the first time. On the facade of the church there is the oldest city clock of the 17th century, which is still in operation. The temple is closely connected with the development of the national culture of the Estonians. Inside there are 57 paintings depicting biblical scenes. The paintings were specially placed here so that illiterate townspeople could familiarize themselves with the Bible.

A modern museum built in 2006, designed by the Finnish architect Vapaavuori. The museum complex is a high-quality example of new architecture, a stylish building made of glass and greenish stone. The picturesque Kadriorg park is located around the building. Collections of Estonian masters from the 18th to 21st centuries are exhibited in Kumu. The exhibitions, divided into temporary periods, can be viewed in several thematic halls of the gallery.

19. Museum-hydroairport “Lennusadam”

The Naval Museum is located in former aircraft hangars. Here you can see real military equipment that took part in the battles: submarines, ships, airplanes and even a steam icebreaker. Many exhibits are the only surviving examples of military equipment. The museum also has a cinema hall and a playground for young children.

A monument designed by sculptor Adamson, dedicated to the warship that sank in 1893. The ship sank as a result of a sudden force 9 storm, and 177 crew members died. After the storm subsided, search crews found only a few lifeboats. Further searches for the ship continued for 40 years. The monument was built with donations.

An artificially created park with a palace in a magnificent Baroque style. The complex was built by Emperor Peter I for his wife Catherine. The area of ​​the park is about 70 hectares. Here you can stroll along numerous alleys, admire fountains, gardens, flower beds, as well as sculptures created by Estonian craftsmen. The landscapes of Kadriorg are reminiscent of Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo. There is a house-museum of Peter the Great in the park.

An ensemble with a park from the late 19th century, located in the city district of Nõmme. The castle was built according to the design of Baron von Glen in a medieval architectural style on the slopes of Mustamägi Hill. The labor of Tallinn prisoners was actively used at the construction site. In addition to the castle, the project included churches, a town hall, a mud bath and a post office. Apparently, the baron planned to build an entire city on this site.

The former summer residence of the count family Orlov-Davydov in the suburbs of Tallinn (the old name of the city is Revel). Under them, the estate bore the name Marienberg in honor of the Count's wife Maria. After the victory of the Revolution in 1917, the aristocratic family emigrated to Europe, and after some time the castle began to be used as the residence of the Dutch consul. Since 1975, a branch of the History Museum of Estonia has been located here.

The ancient fortress rises in the heart of Tallinn on the hill of the same name. The building dates back more than seven centuries of history. The Estonian parliament meets on the territory of the complex. The stronghold was founded by the Danish king Valdemar II. One of the watchtowers of the castle is the Tower of Long Herman, reaching a height of almost 100 meters above sea level. The Estonian national flag flies at the top of the tower.

An important cultural landmark of the capital of Estonia. There is a shell-shaped stage here, as well as a sculpture of Gustav Ernesaks (the famous composer, inspirer and founder of the national Song Festivals in the 19th century, which are held every five years). The field also hosts major music events, rock festivals, and famous pop stars perform.

The zoo appeared in the capital of Estonia in the 40s. XX century. Now it is home to several thousand representatives of the world's fauna. Main exhibitions: bird park, animals of the Arctic zone, animals of the tropical zone, elephants. On the territory of the zoo there are clubs dedicated to the study of animals. A petting zoo and an adventure park with various interesting attractions are organized for children.

Located 10 km. from the capital near Kopli Bay. The museum was founded in the 80s. XX century, it is a complex of buildings from different periods of Estonian history: peasant houses, mills, churches, forges, fishermen's huts, forges. Here you can get acquainted with the life and culture of the local population. Visitors also have the opportunity to stroll through the picturesque park and breathe fresh air.

The tallest building in the country, reaching 314 meters in height. The TV Tower is a popular tourist and cultural center. People come here to visit the observation deck at an altitude of 170 meters, dine in the restaurant, watch interactive installations telling about the history of Estonia and simply admire the futuristic interiors. The rebuilt television tower was reopened in 2012.

This area emerged in the 19th century and was used to build industrial plants and warehouses. Thanks to the recent large-scale renovation with the participation of leading European architects, the quarter has turned into a fashionable and popular place. Large international companies have located their offices here, restaurants, stylish hotels and contemporary art galleries have appeared here.

The establishment is located in the Old Town in the former house of a wealthy merchant. The restaurant attracts visitors with its antique interior. There are candles burning, antique furniture, tables set with elegant dishes, and live music playing in the evenings. Olde Hansa's menu includes roast bear meat, elk stew, rose petal pudding, cinnamon beer and many more dishes created according to old recipes.

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1. Town Hall Square and City Hall

This is perhaps the very first place that you can and should see in Tallinn. From my point of view, Tallinn Town Hall Square is one of the most beautiful and “photogenic” squares in the world, it is in no way inferior in these senses to the Venetian St. Mark’s Square. I am fully aware of all the differences between these places, which are completely different in architecture and energy, but visually Tallinn’s Town Hall Square looks no worse than San Marco, which was once called by no one but Napoleon “the most elegant salon in Europe.” Paving stones, tiled roofs, carefully restored houses - all together create a unique mood. Cozy, calm, beautiful Northern Europe.

In the northwestern corner of Town Hall Square there is another one of the most unusual sights of Old Tallinn - the ancient town hall pharmacy. You can read more about this venerable pharmaceutical establishment and Tallinn Town Hall Square in general.

You can climb the Town Hall tower for three euros - the views from the top are simply fabulous.

Coordinates: 59.4373, 24.74537.

2. Niguliste Church

Currently, this former Lutheran church, named after the patron saint of sailors, St. Nicholas, houses a museum and concert hall.

The most valuable exhibit of the museum is considered to be a fragment of the famous painting by Berndt Notke “Dance of Death” - it depicts people of different ages and classes, from a newborn baby to the Pope, and figures of Death dancing next to them, luring people into their fatal dance.

Coordinates: 59.43591, 24.74277.

Tours of Tallinn from locals

I recommend that the most curious and sociable travelers book unusual excursions around Tallinn from local residents. Your guides will be the Tallinn residents themselves: writers, artists, photographers, journalists - who are in love with their city and country and know almost everything about them.

At the booking stage, you will need to pay online only 20% of the tour cost - you will give the rest to the guide before it starts.

3. Pikk Jalg and Lühike jalg streets

A stone's throw from the Niguliste Church begins the narrow curved street-staircase Lühike jalg - “short leg”, one of two streets leading to the Upper Town of Tallinn. The second “leg”, long, is called Pikk Jalg and is located to the north. Tallinn residents joke that due to the difference in the length of their “legs” their city will always limp.

Coordinates: 59.43631, 24.7415 (Lühike jalg) and 59.43644, 24.74124 (Pikk Jalg).

4. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The majestic neo-Byzantine style cathedral was built in 1900 as a sign of gratitude to God for the miraculous rescue of Emperor Alexander III in a train accident on October 17, 1888.

In the 1960s, they seriously decided to rebuild the cathedral into a planetarium - according to rumors, it was saved by the efforts of Patriarch Alexy II (a native of Estonia).

Coordinates: 59.43576, 24.73936.

5. Toompea Castle and Long Hermann Tower

The castle is located opposite the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and is notable for the fact that in its courtyard there is the building of the Riigikogu, the parliament of the Estonian Republic.

Long Hermann (Pikk Hermann) is the tallest tower of Toompea Castle and the entire Upper Town, its height is 45.6 meters. The name of the tower comes from the German Lange Hermann - “long warrior”; the tower had 10 floors, the lower ones had barns, the middle ones had heated living rooms, and the upper rooms were intended for shooters and their weapons stores. The tower is crowned by an open area.

Coordinates: 59.43576, 24.7374.

6. Dome Cathedral

To the north of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Toompea Castle rises the Dome Cathedral - the main Lutheran church of Old Tallinn and one of the most interesting sights of the Upper Town.

On its walls hang the wooden coats of arms of those noble families of Swedes and Baltic Germans who donated significant sums to the cathedral and thereby received the honor of being buried in its dungeon.

Coordinates: 59.43705, 24.73909.

7. Observation platforms of Old Tallinn

There are two equipped observation platforms on Toompea Hill, which offer amazing views of the spiers and tiled roofs of the Lower Town. A particularly magnificent panorama opens from the viewpoint located at the very end of Kohtu Street.

Viewpoint coordinates of the Upper City: 59.43773, 24.7422 (Kohtuotsa) and 59.43858, 24.74109 (Patkuli).

8. Lindamägi Park

According to legend, Tallinn was founded on a burial mound, which was considered the tombstone of the giant hero Kalev, the hero of the Estonian epic “Kalevapoeg”. His inconsolable widow Linda spent many months carrying huge boulders to the burial site - and that’s how Toompea Hill grew. And Kaleva’s beloved, tired of hard work, sat down to rest and turned into stone herself. In 1920, in Lindamägi Park (in Estonian “Linda’s Hill”) a monument was erected to the one to whom the people of Tallinn “owed” their Toompea Hill.

Coordinates: 59.43444, 24.73728.

9. Kiek Tower in de Kök

The Kiek in de Kök Tower was built in 1475 as the main defensive bastion of the Toompea fortress, it is located near the Maiden Tower. Once it was the most powerful gun tower on the entire Baltic coast: it had 24 loopholes for cannons and 30 for hand weapons.

6 floors of the tower are occupied by a museum exhibition - its “highlight” is the opportunity to walk through the underground tunnels connecting the Swedish and Ingermanland bastions of ancient city fortifications.

Coordinates: 59.43471, 24.74129.

10. Kaarli Church

Kaarli- a functioning Lutheran church, built on the site of the wooden chapel of St. Anthony, which burned down during the Northern War.

Kaarli is known for its German clock on the façade and excellent acoustics, making it a popular venue for classical music concerts.

Coordinates: 59.43199, 24.73919.

11. St. Catherine's Passage

Despite the fact that this street is very ancient, it was not on the maps of the city for a long time - it was just a cluttered gateway and not only tourists, but also local residents did not favor it with their attention. The situation changed for the better through the efforts of enthusiasts who cleared Katariina kaik of debris and insisted on liquidating the plant, located in one of the buildings of the ancient Dominican monastery.

On the side wall of the passage there are tombstones from the Church of St. Catherine that was once located in this place. Judging by the slabs, only a few respected townspeople received the honor of being buried there - mostly all of them were members of the city magistrate, the Great Guild and the Brotherhood of Blackheads (the latter two organizations will be discussed below).

Coordinates: 59.43761, 24.74866.

12. Dominican Monastery

The monastery was founded by Saint Dominic Guzman, a Spaniard by origin, in 1216. Dominic proposed that the Catholic Church create an institute of traveling theologians who would carry the “word of God” to the most remote and “dark” corners of Europe. The church hierarchs liked the idea, and its author himself went to preach the Gospel in Northern Europe, which at that moment was vegetating in the “darkness of paganism.”

Coordinates: 59.43782, 24.74933.

13. Viru Gate

The Viru Gate is a unique “non-existent” landmark of Tallinn. What tourists and many townspeople mistake for the city gates are actually just fortifications. The gate itself, which was a massive tower with a vaulted passage, was demolished a century and a half ago during the construction of a horse-drawn tram line.

And the surviving towers, which did not interfere with street traffic in any way, were not only not demolished, but also restored. Just outside the Viru gate, the Old Town street of the same name begins, once one of the richest and busiest.

Coordinates: 59.43657, 24.75008.

14. Church of the Holy Spirit

This Gothic building once served as a chapel at the City Hall until it was given to the Lutheran parish. Today, the Church of the Holy Spirit is notable for its unique tower clock from 1684 - the oldest public clock in the city - and a bell adorned with the following inscription: “I strike for everyone equally true - for maid and servant, lady and master - and in this I am no one won't blame."

Near the church you can find an interesting shop of authentic Estonian designer items, nestled in a small red hut. And immediately above the arch, on the second floor of the building, there is a garlic restaurant. If you don't have to kiss anyone this evening, I recommend going there - it's worth it.

Coordinates: 59.43811, 24.74589.

15. Great Guild Building

The Great Guild is a kind of “merchant union” that united the most prosperous and influential members of this large Tallinn class (according to some sources, merchants and merchant people in general made up up to a fifth of the entire city population).

Interestingly, the members of the Great Guild even had something like a uniform: according to the Regulations of 1631, only they had the right to wear velvet, gold chains and expensive furs.

Coordinates: 59.43832, 24.74519.

16. House of the Brotherhood of Blackheads

The Brotherhood of the Blackheads was also a professional merchant association, which included those who were not eligible for membership in the Great Guild: unmarried, who did not have their own home or a legally registered business in Tallinn.

Coat of arms of the Brotherhood of Blackheads

Over time, the Brotherhood of Blackheads became so rich and influential that they came into conflict with the Great Guild - their squabbles were forced to be considered by the city Magistrate.

Coordinates: 59.43898, 24.7468.

You can read about the morals that reigned during the feasts of members of the Brotherhood of Blackheads.

17. Church of the Transfiguration

Its spire, unusual for the Orthodox tradition, is explained by the fact that the church originally belonged to the Cistercian monastery of St. Michael, and became Orthodox only in 1716 at the behest of Tsar Peter I, whose troops defeated the Swedes in the Northern War and captured, among other things, the territory of modern Estonia. The Church of the Transfiguration is famous for its bell, cast in 1575, which is considered the oldest in Tallinn.

Coordinates: 59.43949, 24.74385.

18. Tallinn fortress wall

Immediately behind the church there will be a western section of the preserved fortress wall of old Tallinn, which you can climb by paying 2 euros at the booth to the left of the fortress gate.

Coordinates: 59.43925, 24.74233.

19. Church of St. Olaf (Oleviste)

The Lutheran Church of St. Olaf is one of the most striking attractions of Old Tallinn.

For a long time, the church was the tallest building in Northern Europe - from my point of view, the views from its bell tower are, if at all, inferior in picturesqueness to the views from the city hall tower, then only slightly.

Coordinates: 59.44131, 24.7478.

20. "Three Sisters"

“Three Sisters” are three picturesquely merged medieval merchant houses in the farthest northern corner of Old Tallinn, which are no less interesting than their appearance.

Coordinates: 59.44199, 24.74878.

21. Tower “Fat Margaret”

“Fat Margaret” (Paks Margareeta) is a gun turret 25 meters in diameter and 20 meters high, for which it received its name. It acquired its current name relatively recently, only about a century and a half ago, and before that it was simply called the New Tower.

Today, the complex of the tower and the Great Sea Gate houses part of the exhibition of the Estonian Maritime Museum, as well as a cafe with a good observation deck on the roof, from where you can admire the passenger ferries entering the Tallinn port.

Coordinates: 59.44255, 24.74954.

22. Estonian Maritime Museum

Main part Maritime Museum(Estonian Maritime Museum) is located in the Seaplane Harbour, a former aircraft hangar on the shores of the Baltic Sea. The exhibition is presented with a lot of interesting items related to the maritime history of the country: boats, sailing ships, sea mines - there is even a seaplane and a British submarine (you can view it inside). One of the world's first steam icebreakers is moored in the harbor near the museum building - it can also be examined in detail.

Coordinates: 59.45139, 24.73842.

23. “Wooden Tallinn” in the Kalamaia area

Once the oldest fishing village on the territory of present-day Tallinn, and now an elite area of ​​the city. Consists of several streets with neat wooden mansions. The writer Sergei Dovlatov lived in one of these houses from 1972 to 1975:

Coordinates of Dovlatov's house: 59.44381, 24.72669, address - Vabriku street, 41.

24. Rocca al Mare

A picturesque open-air museum where old houses from all parts of Estonia are collected. You can see with your own eyes what an Estonian farm, residential buildings, a village school, a fire station and much more looked like in the old days.

It is better to go to Rocca al Mare in the summer - the museum is located on the seashore, and in winter the icy wind from the Baltic can ruin your entire trip.

Coordinates: 59.43433, 24.63846.

25. Linnahall

Linnahall(aka Gorhall) is one of the most unusual modern attractions of Tallinn. This cyclopean structure was erected for the 1980 Olympics as a concert hall, but the architects did not even try to disguise the additional defensive function of the building. In the event of an attack on the USSR by capitalist Finland, Linnahol was supposed to become a huge bunker and a stronghold for the defense of Tallinn (in such situations, I immediately remember the old joke about peaceful Soviet combine harvesters with vertical take-off).

So the cultural function of Linnahall is just a cover (and a very clumsy one at that) for the true purpose of the building. It was because of her that Linnahall was built not just somewhere, but in the seaport, blocking almost the entire Old Town from the north.

From a distance, Linnahall's colossus looks extremely impressive, but if you climb onto its roof, you feel some disappointment - just a huge empty space, which was chosen by roller skaters, cyclists and just groups of cheerful young people.

Coordinates: 59.44622, 24.75359.

26. Kadriorg, KUMU Museum and monument to the battleship “Rusalka”

Kadriorg Park is a baroque palace and park ensemble in Tallinn, a kind of Tallinn Peterhof, located two kilometers northeast of the Old Town. It was originally called Ekaterinenthal in honor of Peter the Great’s wife Catherine I, the modern name “Kadriorg” is “Catherine Valley” in Estonian. The main attraction of the park is the Palace of Peter I, built in the style of an Italian palazzo.

Coordinates: 59.4385, 24.79099.

One of the most interesting museums in Tallinn is located in Kadriorg Park - Kumu. Works by Estonian artists from the 18th century to the present are exhibited here. The exhibition is divided into time periods and presented in several thematic halls. The Kumu Art Museum impresses not only with its collection of paintings, but also with its eye-catching appearance:

Monument to "Mermaid"- This is one of the few monuments within the former Russian Empire to a warship that died in peacetime. The monument represents a bronze angel who stands on tiptoes and holds an Orthodox cross high above his head.

Coordinates: 59.44339, 24.79399.

27. Singing field

The Singing Field is a huge open-air concert venue located east of the Old Town, halfway between Kadriorg and Pirita Beach.

There is a summer stage in the shape of a shell and a statue of Gustav Ernesaks, the popularizer of national Estonian culture and the inspirer of the famous Song Festivals. In addition to folklore festivals, the Singing Field often hosts concerts of world rock and pop stars.

Coordinates: 59.44445, 24.80732.

28. Pirita Beach and St. Brigid's Monastery

The best beach of those located in Greater Tallinn and within walking distance from the Old Town (from the Fat Margaret tower to the beach is about 7 kilometers). Fine pleasant sand, amazing pine air and the opportunity to relax in the Baltic Sea better than in Crimea and Sochi - although only in July.

Coordinates: 59.47099, 24.82972.

Literally a stone's throw from Pirita beach rises another attraction of Greater Tallinn - the picturesque ruins St Brigid's Monastery, built by wealthy Tallinn merchants at the beginning of the 15th century and at that time the largest monastic complex in all of Livonia.

Coordinates: 59.46746, 24.83549.

29. Tallinn Botanical Garden

Attraction N1 for all lovers of botany and wildlife in general. The garden occupies 123 hectares in the valley of the Pirita River, between the beach of the same name and the Tallinn TV tower. By the way, it is convenient to visit them at the same time - a combined ticket to the Botanical Garden and the TV Tower costs a third less than two separate tickets.

Coordinates: 59.46983, 24.87836.

30. Tallinn TV Tower

One of the most interesting sights of Greater Tallinn. The TV tower is both a monument to the Soviet engineering genius and Estonia’s struggle for independence from this genius :-) Bonus - gorgeous views from the observation deck across half of Estonia.