Top sights in Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is a perfect destination for a summer city trip. Not yet discovered by many tourists but with a beautiful medieval city center. It can get quite cold here in winter without many hours of sunlight but in the summer you’ll find yourself in a charming and colorful town. On this page I’m telling you about the top sights in Tallinn.

There are three neighborhoods in Tallinn that I recommend you’d visit, I’ve listed them below and subscribed what you can see/do there. Done exploring Tallinn? You might want to rent a car and go on a little road trip!

Old Town

This is probably where you’ll spend most of your time wandering the cobblestoned streets, so try to book your accommodation in or near Old Town.

The heart of the city is the Town Hall Square. All street numbers are counting up when you move away from the square so it’s always easy to find your way back to it. You’ll find quite a few restaurants here serving Estonian food, you can read my recommendation on this page.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Tallinn is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, build during the time that the country was part of the Russian empire between 1894 and 1900.

Right next to the Cathedral you’ll find the Estonian Parliament in this pretty pink building.

If you walk past the cathedral, into this street, you’ll eventually end up at a nice viewing point.

There are several nice viewing points in Tallinn, but I like the ones op the hill in Old Town best because you can see the medieval buildings.

Kalamaja

This bohemian neighborhood right behind the train tracks used to be a bit dodgy but is now the go-to place for hipsters. It’s like the Brooklyn of Tallinn. Head there in the afternoon so you can start with exploring the new Balti Jaam Turg. This market has stalls, shops and restaurants all together in a beautifully designed building with a zig-zag roof.

At 7 when the market closes, it’s time to explore the raw area behind it. You’ll find many new bars and restaurants here all with a Bohemian feel to it. You can have a drink between two old trains at Peatus. When it’s warm you can sit outside and enjoy the buzzing area, on cold days you can sit inside and feel like you’ve travelled back in time.
My favorite restaurant in this area is Kivi Paber Käärid, read about this gluten free pub here.

Kadriorg

East of Old Town this neighborhood is a 30 minute walk or 10 minute car ride away but worth visiting because of the beautiful Kadriorg park with the Kadriorg Art Museum as the main attraction. You don’t have to love old masters to be impressed with the exterior of the building. It was originally a baroque palace designed for Catharina I of Russia. At the back you’ll find a well kept garden. There’s also a Japanese garden and several smaller museums in the park. Entrance to the park is for free.
I suggest you have a good brunch at NOP before heading to the park.