4 Day Itinerary In Tallinn, Estonia
Hey there! Are you looking for the best things to do in Tallinn, Estonia? We got you!
Tallinn is the medieval, vibrant and unique capital city of Estonia! It is overflowing with history, culture, art and endless things to do and see. You can clearly tell we loved it, as none of us can tell you what our favourite landmark of the city is – the whole city is so magical and beautiful!
Ladies and gentlemen, we have good news: all the touristic attractions are located in the Old Town, which you can easily explore by foot in a day!
Are you ready for this adventure?!
What to do in tallinn
Tallinn town hall
We recommend you start your day by dropping by the Old Town Square where you will find Tallinn’s Town Hall. Take some time to appreciate its gothic arches, the amazing wood carvings, tapestries and paintings!
At first glance we didn’t feel anything special, but the more you look, the more interesting details you will find - it is such a rich landmark!
Entrance fee: 5€ per ticket
Tallinn Christmas Market
Because we visited Tallinn in early December, we got to explore the BEST Christmas Market in Europe!
It is so funny how the Universe works… Estonia was one of our 2 options to do Erasmus and mainly because of all the photos we have seen from its Christmas markets! You can probably imagine how it felt to be standing there surrounded by its unique atmosphere!
We simply couldn’t believe it – we simply felt like two kids living their biggest dream! We can now tick this off our bucket list!
Town Hall Pharmacy
As we mentioned, Tallinn is full of history and this old pharmacy is the perfect proof of it! It is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe and has continuously been functioning since the 15th century!
There’s a small exhibition you can visit for free about the history of this amazing landmark!
St Catherine Passage
Welcome to one of the most famous streets in Tallinn and probably our favourite place for a photoshoot!
This 700-year-old alleyway has retained its medieval vibe through the years. It’s now home to several artisan shops where you can take part of one of the many unique workshops.
kgb prison cells
This breath-taking museum will tell you the story about the crimes against humanity that happened in this building. We believe travel gives us an opportunity to reflect about ourselves and our purpose in this world and that’s exactly why we love to visit places like this one!
Entrance fee: 5€ per ticket
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”
St Olaf’s Church
There is no way you can miss St Olafs Church regardless of where you are in the city! This church is the biggest medieval structure in Tallinn and here you can find an observation platform - a must in your visit!
Patkuli and kohtuotsa viewing platforms
These two viewing platforms are located in the upper town – Toompea Hill – and they are one of the best places to appreciate Tallinn’s skyline. If you are planning to visit, make sure you arrive early in the morning to take advantage of the sunrise and to avoid crowds, as these are two of the most famous places in Tallinn!
St Mary’s Cathedral
Tallinn is full of churches and this is the oldest church in the city, first established by Danes.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit its tower due to heavy snow, but everyone says it’s one of the best views over the city!
Entrance fee: 2€ for the church + 5€ for the tower
💡INTERESTING FACT 💡
It is the only building that survived a massive fire in the upper town of Tallinn in the 17th century.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
It’s now time to discover one of the most beautiful landmarks of Tallinn - the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral! We were so impressed with its beauty and difference from the other famous Tallinn’s landmarks.
Can you believe that it was meant to be destroyed a couple of times? THANK GOD that plan never succeeded! Your visit to Tallinn will never be completed until you see it with your own eyes!
Danish King’s Garden
This interesting ancient garden was where the Danes first invaded Tallinn and conquered the locals. Rumour has it that it was here where the Danish flag was first created, reason why you will be able to spot multiple sites decorated with the Danish flag.
Kiek in de kok Museum and bastion tunnels
If you made it this far, it’s now time to dive into Estonia’s history! This museum includes four towers: Kiek de Kok, Maiden’s Tower, Tallitorn Tower and the Gate tower as well as the mysterious bastion passages!
Entrance fee: 12€ per ticket
💡 INTERESTING FACT 💡
Kiek in de Kok means “peek into the kitchen” and it is an artillery tower that played a huge part in the city defence. From there, soldiers could see into people’s kitchens and spot illegal activities - such as women drinking coffee! Would you survive in Tallinn? We know who wouldn’t!
St Nicholas’ Church and Museum
And finally the last church we visited! This beautiful medieval church in the old town of Tallinn was built in the 13th century and it is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron of the fishermen and sailors.
Telliskivi Creative city
Telliskivi Creative City is located in the formal industrial complex of Tallinn which is one of the most vibrant and funny places in the city! Here you can find the internationally known Photography Museum and numerous works of street art!
Are you still there?
Are you still there?
We have a special recommendation for you!
Ruutel & MAtilda English bookshop
Are you a book lover? If your answer is yes then this is a mandatory stop for you!
We started our own tradition of buying a book in every country we visit a couple of years ago. We came across this unique and special bookshop completely by chance and we instantly fell in love with it when looking through the windows! There you can find a vast collection of English books and its owners are the friendliest of all people! An unforgettable place you need to visit if you are looking for a book or an unforgettable gift!
Where to eat in Tallinn
Rukis kohvik ja pagarikoda
We discovered Ruskis, this cosy coffee shop, completely by chance and it turned out to be one of our favourite places in Tallinn! It is extremely comfy, warm and we felt extremely welcome (let’s not talk about the AMAZING pastries in case our dietitian is reading this!).
Oasis restaurant
This was a suggestion from our beloved Estonian friend Hanna and we couldn’t be happier! The atmosphere is so cosy, the staff was extremely friendly and the food was divine - who said vegan food is not the best?! If you’re travelling to Tallinn make sure you pay them a visit!
CAffeine EE
Another cosy cafe - Tallinn is full of them! We stopped for breakfast and a warm drink and it didn’t disappoint!
cafe maiasmokk
Maiasmokk is the oldest operational café in Estonia and obviously no one can miss it! Here you will also find a small exhibition about the history of Marzipan - Estonia’s traditional sweet!.
Paper mill coffee
Our last hours in Tallinn were spent here to relax, have a warm drink while we took some quality time to be with each other, to read our books and to plan some amazing content for our Instagram/YouTube channel - if you don’t follow us there, make sure you do it right now! We would love to have you there!
FUN FACT
It was here that we officially bought the subscription for this website you are now contemplating!
Vapiano
Vapiano is an Italian restaurant chain we first discovered in London and we instantly became fans! When we knew they had a restaurant in Tallinn, we knew we couldn’t miss it! This is your sign, if you’re visiting London or Tallinn, Vapiano is a mandatory stop!
Budget
Tallinn is more expensive than other European cities we visited but there were ways of reducing the amount of money we spent there.
The budget we suggest below is purely based on our experience and the total cost of our trip. You could definitely find a cheaper place to stay but on this occasion and considering the low temperatures we really prioritised our comfort, and would do it again, we really loved our cosy little studio!
Accommodation: 193€ We stayed at Bright Residences by EasyRentals and this was the price we paid for 4 nights in Tallinn.
Food: 275€ This represents the total of what we paid for restaurants, supermarkets and coffee shops for 4 days in Tallinn.
Activities: 48€ This includes all the admission fees in museums and exhibitions for 2 adults.
Transport: 18€ for 2 We could have saved more money as a 72h ticket for Tallinn’s public transports costs 4.5€ but instead we chose the “pay as you go“ method.
Total: 534/4 days for 2 people
where to stay in tallinn
We stayed at Bright Residences by EasyRentals and we couldn’t be happier! We rented a cosy studio for our 4 nights in Tallinn located 15min from the old town by foot!
This accommodation is well linked to the public transportations and you will find multiple trams and bus stops right outside the building! Its modern cosy decoration will make you feel at home as soon as you get yourself in!
We paid 193€ for 4 nights and even though we could have chosen a more budget-friendly option, we don’t even regret it for a second. We value our comfort a lot and getting back home to such a comfortable accommodation after an entire day exploring the city under such low temperatures is priceless!
don’t forget your travel insurance
You’re probably thinking “I don’t need a travel insurance. Estonia is quite safe”. As much as the last part of that statement is true, accidents happen when we least expect and there is nothing more terrifying than getting hurt abroad, where we don’t always understand the health system neither the language. Also, there is this misconception that a travel insurance is really expensive, which couldn’t be far from the truth!
If you are looking for travel insurance for your trip to Estonia, we would recommend IATI , which is the company we use when travelling. As our reader you will get 5% off your travel insurance!
Always remember: Better Safe Than Sorry!
