One Day in Tallinn Estonia

One day in Tallinn Estonia will be just enough time to make you want to come back again.

Tallinn is one of those European cities you just have to visit at least once. It’s got Mediveal architecture, a hisoric city center, a fascinating history, a lively nightlife scene, and incredible food.

The best part about spending a day in Tallinn is that it’s a walkable city that’s easy to explore. You can see a lot with a limited amount of time.

I’ve included some of the best things to do in Tallinn down below to help you plan your visit, even if you can’t stay long.

I hope you have as much fun here as I did.

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Table of Contents

This one day in Tallinn itinerary is intended to show you what you can see during a quick stop over in Tallinn. If you have more than one day, I would definitely stick around a while if you can.

That being said, you can cover plenty of ground with a one day visit to Tallinn, and I think you’ll be glad you came.

Tallinn is a fun city, with lots of quirky and cool things to see and do. Be sure to just explore on your own a bit and see what you find. You never know what’s around the corner in a city like this.

A few quick tips.

Definitely bring comfortable walking shoes. Those cobblestone streets are not easy to walk on. Bring sneakers, not heels.

If visiting Tallinn in winter, don’t underestimate the cold. It’s better to have too many layers, than not enough. Trust me on this one.

Also, you can pick up a Tallinn Card at the local tourist office to get discounts on entrance fees to local attractions. It also comes with free entrance to many of the city’s museums.

Stay in the Old Town area if you can. This way you’ll be close to all the places you’ll want to see.

Don’t forget travel insurance before heading out on your trip.

You can pick up affordable travel insurance here.

If you have extra time after exploring Tallinn, a Helsinki day trip is also very popular. This is a great way to visit two countries in a short amount of time.

Tallinn Old Town

The Tallinn old town is best known for it’s colorful buildings, gothic architecture, cobbled streets, and abundance of great cafes and restaurants.

The city of Tallinn has managed to preserve its Medieval structure and architecture, much of which dates back to the Middle Ages.

As you wander the Old Town, you’ll find gothic churches, old merchant houses, and the original cobblestone streets from the town’s early days.

The Tallinn Old Town, including Town Hall Square, is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Town Hall Square, also known as Raekoja Plats, is the main square of the Old Town area and is where many of the city’s local events are held.

If you have the time, I recommended a guided walking tour to explore this part of the city. You’ll learn all sorts of nteresting facts about the history of the city.

Tallinn Christmas Market

If you’re visiting Tallinn in December, you can’t miss the Tallinn Christmas Market. Christmas Markets are traditionally held in cities all across in Europe during the holidays, and this one is quite special.

The Christmas Market is located in Town Hall Square and is considred one of the best Christmas Markets in all of Europe. I have to admit, I totally agree with this.

The Tallinn Christmas Market is usually open from December 1st to January 7th, but check the dates when you plan your visit.

The Christmas Market features the largest, most beauitful Christmas Tree, right in the center of the square. All around it, you’ll find a variety of chalets selling all sorts of holiday gifts, knick knacks, food, and drinks.

The sausage, potatoes, and saurkraut, with a cup of warm mulled wine is the thing to get. Do be advised that mulled wine is stronger than you might think.

If you want something similar but with a little less kick, get the hot rum punch. It’s even better than the mulled wine, in my opinion.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located on Toompea Hill just outside the city’s historic center.

It is a Russian Orthodox cathedral built between 1894 and 1900. It was built during the time when Tallinn was part of the Soviet Empire.

The cathedral is well preserved and is one of Tallinn’s best examples of Orthodox Sacral architecture. It is also home to Tallinn’s most powerful church bells, which are located in the church towers.

The interior of the cathedral is decorated with mosaics and is worth a quick look inside when in the area.

Just across from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral you’ll also find Toompea Castle. This is the home of the Estonian parliament. You’ll see the Estnian flag raised from here daily.

Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform

Your one day Tallinn itinerary is not complete without visits to the city’s famous viewing platforms.

Perhaps the most famous is the Kohtuotsa Vieiwng Platform, which is located on the North side of Toompea Hill.

The viewing area offers excellent views of Tallinn’s iconic red roofs and towering spires of the Old Town. You can also see the highrise buildings in the newer part of the city.

Off in the distance you can see the Gulf of Finland, the port, and the Pirita District.

This is a great viewpoint of the city any time of year, even in the icy winter months when I visited. You’ll want to bundle up good before heading out though, but it’s worth it for the views.

Full disclosure, by bottom was completely frozen after sitting on that wall to get these pictures. Proceed with caution.

Patkuli Viewing Platform

Patkuli Vieiwng Platform is just a short walk from Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform, and is located in one of the most ancient parts of the city.

This viewing platform offers stunning views of the city’s red roofs, along with the towers and walls of the Old Town.

There is also a stairway leading up to the platform that dates back to 1903. The 157 steps connect the town below to Troompea Hill.

Both of Tallinn’s viewing platforms also make great destinations for sunrise or sunset. As with anywhere, there will be fewer people at sunrise.

Tallinn Medieval Walls

One of my favorite experiences in Tallinn was exploring the city’s historic Medieval walls,

Just a short walk from Old Town Square, you’ll find a section of the old defense walls that you can walk along the top of.

This section of the defense wall is situated between Hellemann Tower and Munkadetagune Tower. Once you pay the small admission fee of 3 Euros, you take a narrow and winding staircase up to the top of the walls.

After you reach the top you get a nice view of the city down below. It’s a cool experience to get to walk along the top of the walls.

I had a great time doing this while trying to imagine what life must have been like back in Medieval times. Not very pleasant, I imagined.

A fair warning, the stairs to the various levels of the two towers are extremely steep and narrow. Those with mobility issues or claustrophobia will likely not enjoy this experience.

For those of you that can get up there, I highly recommend stopping by.

St. Catherine’s Passage

St. Catherine’s Passage, formerly known as Monk’s Alley, is a well preserved Medieval street. It leads right to Hellemann Tower, so you can’t miss it.

The alley stretches from Vene Street past the Dominican Monastery to Muurivahe Street. The alley gets its name from St. Catherine’s Church, which is estimated to have been built more than 700 years ago.

You’ll find predominantly 15th to 17th century buildings along the southern side of the alley along with several handicraft workshops.

If you stop in for a visit you can watch the artists creating ceramics, hats, glass, and more.

There is also an excellent Italian restaurant in this alley called Restoran Controvento. They serve authentic Italian pizzas and pastas. I loved this place so much I ate there twice during my visit.

Estonian History Museum

If you visit just one historical musuem while in Tallinn, make it this one. The Estonian History Museum is located right inside Old Town, so it’s convenient and easy to visit.

A walk through this museum will give you great insight into the history of Estonia, including the city of Tallinn. I think a visit here makes the perfect introduction to the city.

If you enjoy museums, Kadriorg Art Museum, also known as Kadriorg Palace, is another popular place to visit. The museum is housed in an 18th century Baroque palace surrounded by beautiful, well-manicured gardens.

Culture Kilometer

The Culture Kilometer is a fascinating historical pathway through the industrial part of the city. The pathway is 2.5 Kilometers (about 1.5 miles) and stretches from Kalamaja Cemetery Park to Noblessner Port.

Many of the structures lining the walkway date back to the Soviet Era and include rundown factories turned into musuems, the ruins of old industrial buildings, railroad tracks, and newly built upscale residential buildings.

it’s an interesting walk through the city, and leads to the popular Seaplane Harbour Museum.

Estonian Maritime Museum

The Estonian Maritime Museum is located in the Fat Margaret tower in Old Town Tallinn. The Fat Margaret tower dates back to the 16th century and was built when the Medieval gates were being reconstructed.

The museum itself tells the history of ships and navigation in Estonia. Due to it’s location, Estonia has a significant and important maritime history.

Once you’ve explored the Maritime Museum, you can also head over to the nearby Seaplane Harbor Museum, where you can learn a bit more about Estonia’s maritime influence.

Tallinn Creative City

Tallinn Creative City is another fun place to visit during your 24 hours in Tallinn. The Tallinn Creative City is located in the formerly industrial part of the city, that has now been transofrmed into an arts district.

Here you’ll find museums, art galleries, startups, local shops, small cafes, trendy bars, and great restaurants.

This is a truly unique part of the city that I really enjoyed visiting. I even stayed in a shipping container hotel in this neighborhood my first night in the city.

You can check out the rooms at Hektor Container Hotel if you’re curious. It was modern, clean, comfortable, and affordable, I’d highly recommend it for one person.

Fotografiska

Fotografiska is located in Tallinn’s Creative City. This beautiful museum has some stunning examples of contemporary photography, art, and culture.

This is honestly such a cool museum. Even if you’re not one to normally want to visit museums when traveling, this one is really cool if you’re into art or photography.

I suggest hitting up one of the local cafes or restaurants in the area as well. There’s great food to be found in this neighborhood.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this One Day in Tallinn itinerary and that I’ve inspired you to plan a visit of your own. As always, thanks for reading.