Things to do in Tallinn
Tallinn is small enough to cross on foot and busy enough to fill a week. This guide covers the places worth your time, district by district, and links to what is actually happening there: the event pages on Eventeeka are rebuilt from organisers’ announcements every night.
Old Town and Toompea
Start at Town Hall Square and walk up to Toompea hill for the two viewing platforms, Kohtuotsa and Patkuli, with the classic view over red roofs and the harbour. St. Olaf’s church tower is open in summer for the climb; St. Nicholas’ church is now a museum with a viewing lift. Evenings in the Old Town mean cellar bars, jazz at Philly Joe’s and the theatres around Vabaduse square. Concerts and theatre lists show what is on there tonight.
Telliskivi and Kalamaja
Telliskivi Creative City is the former factory quarter behind the Balti jaam railway station: Fotografiska, design shops, food halls, F-hoone and a dozen bars and stages. Kalamaja next door is the wooden-house district with cafés and the seaside promenade towards Noblessner. This is where most of the city’s meetups, stand-up nights and workshops happen.
Noblessner and the seaside
The old submarine yard is now a harbour with restaurants, the PROTO invention factory, Kai art centre and open-air concerts in summer. Follow the coast to the Seaplane Harbour museum for the icebreaker and the submarine, or walk the Kultuurikilomeeter path towards Linnahall for the sunset. Group runs and outdoor training sessions along the sea are listed under sport and movement.
Kadriorg and Pirita
Kadriorg park is the baroque palace, the KUMU art museum and quiet alleys; from there the promenade leads to Pirita beach, the yacht harbour and the ruins of the Pirita convent. In summer the beach is the evening; in winter the sauna culture takes over, from Iglupark to public saunas around the city.
Markets, food and a rainy day
Balti jaam market covers street food, antiques and Estonian produce under one roof; Rotermann quarter is the modern shopping and restaurant block between the Old Town and the port. Rainy-day options: the Estonian History Museum in the Great Guild hall, the Maritime Museum in Fat Margaret tower, the TV tower with its glass floor, and any of the conferences and public talks that universities and the tech scene run almost daily.
What is on right now
For plans rather than places, use the live lists: today, tomorrow, this weekend, free events and events with English participation. New in town? How to meet people in Tallinn collects the regular socials and language cafés.