🗺 Tourism Information
The city resembles a true medieval town, containing the old town within a stone wall dating back to the medieval era. It's a beautiful city, not only because it has preserved all the old medieval buildings but also for being full of charm, hidden places to discover, good look out spots and a relaxing atmosphere in which to walk in. During the day you enjoy the culture, history and open buildings which feature a true medieval inspiration theme. Later at night it's very fascinating to walk around its pebbled streets and sample some authentic Estonian cuisine, in a relaxed setting and good service. There is plenty of entertainment options as well for those seeking fun, with lots of bars and clubs dotted around the city. In general it's a very interesting city to visit.
The weather of Tallinn is generally known for being continental, with is being determined by its northerly coastal location next to the Baltic Sea. Tallinn's appealing summer climate sees highs of more than 25°C in July, with August being only slightly cooler and often featuring gentle humid breezes from the sea.
As soon as November arrives, the colder winter climate starts to make its way. With temperatures falling to -1°C, and dropping even further to -8°C in February. Snowy weather often covers the streets of Tallinn and there is usually snow from December to March, meaning that it can be difficult to drive around the city at times. Daylight hours are also short, dull and last for a mere six hours during the very heart of winter.
The best time to Visit Tallinn then ranges from April to October, but if you want to skip the tourist season, avoid July and August.
Central Tallinn is very compact and easy to get around by foot, but reaching farther out destinations is simple thanks to the city's network of buses, trolleys and trams. The public transport network operates from 6:00 to 23:00 (some lines until 24:00). You can buy single tickets from kiosks or use a smart card if you plan to use the transport often. The green, plastic Smartcard (Ühiskaart), can be bought at any R-Kiosk, post office or the Tallinn City Government customer service desk for a €2 deposit and then load it with enough credit. There are tickets valid for 1 , 3 , 5 or 30 days to be loaded onto the card. You will need to tap in each time you use the transport and activate the ride, on the smart reader from the entrance.
✔️Tip: Use a Tallinn Card if you plan to visit museums, galleries and use public transport. The Tallinn Card acts as a ticket, entitling the holder to unlimited free public transport for the period the card is active. It also gives you free admission to museums and sights, a free sightseeing tour of your choice and other discounts. Each time you board a vehicle, you must validate the ride using your Tallinn Card the same way you would with a Smartcard. For more check Tallinn Card
Estonian dishes at the tavern.
In addition there are plenty of other attractions worth visiting in the city like: St Olaf's Church,(the biggest medieval structure in the city), Hellemann Tower and Town Wall, Estonian Health Care Museum, Niguliste Museum (St. Nicholas' Church), Museum of Estonian Architecture, Estonian Museum of Natural History, Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin (Dome Church's) Tower, Epping Tower, St. Bridget's Convent ruins, Estonian History Museum - Great Guild Hall, Tallinn City Museum, Holy Spirit Church, Tallinn Town Hall, Maiden's Tower, Tallinn Town Wall and the Museum of Occupations amongst the best recommended. (All these attractions are included on the Tallinn Card).
Tallinn's nightlife has a big reputation in contrast with its diminutive size as one of Europe's smallest capital cities. The biggest influx of visitors come from Britain, where cheap flights draw stag parties and people on weekend breaks, and Finland, where booze cruisers dock to take advantage of inexpensive alcohol. Tallinn's nightlife is conveniently clustered around the compact Old Town, and the streets are generally safe to walk around at night.
The city has some world-class nightclubs, long-standing mega-venues that accommodate over 1,000 people and attract top DJs, many centred on the scenic town square. When these get too crowded, travellers can seek out the many chic lounge bars and trendy wine bars that attract more locals than visitors. Tallinn artists and intellectuals tend to gather in these smaller venues, while the stag party visitors can enjoy some of Tallinn's many revue bars, which offer an up-market striptease experience.
For a more cultured experience, there are some excellent classical music concerts at the Estonia Concert Hall.
There are also large cinema venues for movie followers, mostly centrally located, and all showing films in their original language with Estonian subtitles. There are also a few casinos, such as the glitzy Olympic Casino and old-town based Casino Grand Prix.
The main shopping areas in the Old Town are Viru, Müürivahe, Suur-Karja, Väike-Karja and Kullassepa. For those who prefer a shopping centre, the Viru Centre is the place to find a selection of fashion, homeware and music stores.
Travellers should visit the Old Town for souvenir and antique shopping, while the Katariina Passage is a magical place to observe where medieval-style workshops create glasswork, ceramics, leather goods and quilts. The Central market is worth strolling around, even if only to mingle with the locals.
The most popular souvenirs from Tallinn are amber jewellery and accessories, Vana Tallinn liqueur, handicraft items like carved wooden beer mugs, felt hats, ceramics and glassware. Kalev-brand bittersweet Estonian chocolate and hand-painted marzipan are also popular souvenirs.
Tallinn is very popular for budget travellers who transit in the capital as they make their way to other Baltic states or Scandinavian countries. Therefore hotels and hostels are very accessible and very conveniently located within the city centre and close to public transport. It's not hard to find decent hostels in the city centre, close to the old town, which is the ideal place visit and hang out at night in the popular nearby open restaurants and cafes. Prices start from €25 per room.
This city is easy to visit within a few days and does not require that much time to even walk around its main old town in even one afternoon. However it's worth to explore every corner of the medieval old town, visit some museums or open buildings and enjoy some down time in nice restaurants with nice setting like if you were in the truly medieval era. The city definitely has a nice appeal and a suggested 2 to 3 nights would be ideal.