From early dawn till late night in the capital of Estonia. How to spend one day in Tallinn?

One day in Tallinn? Great idea but don’t start your sightseeing at 4 AM.

In the capital of Estonia you can feel like Will Smith in the “I Am Legend” movie. Just arrive there around 4 in the morning and there’s a big chance that for a long time you won’t meet a living soul (nor a dead one ?) and you will have the city for yourself only.

At such a pleasant time of the day I arrived at Tallinna Bussijaam bus station (I love these omnipresent Estonian double or sometimes even triple letters). Even though it was the end of April, it was cold like in winter and dark like in… never mind.

Together with my friends we wanted to wait out these unpleasant conditions in some warm place but the only open places were night clubs with paid entrance (10 EUR at that time) or strip tease clubs. McDonald’s was closed, all shops were closed, buildings of bus and railway station were closed. Even the underpass was closed! It’s the deepest sleeping capital I have ever seen, a city of the dead!

More or less willingly, we walked around almost the whole Tallinn Old Town during this early morning. Totally frozen, we found a viewing platform Kohtuotsa just on time to admire a beautiful sunrise.

And you know what? Some views are worth freezing for.

Our group of four as the only living souls in the city:

An underpass closed from 9 p.m. till 6 a.m.

McDonald’s came for a belated rescue, it opened at 7 a.m. The best coffee and breakfast ever!

Well fed, warmed up and definitely happier we could continue our sightseeing!

What to do for a one day in Tallinn?

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Tallinn attractions

Ferry trips

From Tallin, numerous ferries depart to interesting destinations, ranging from short trips to longer cruises on the Baltic Sea and beyond.

You can combine sightseeing in Tallinn with a ferry excursion to other beautiful European cities like Helsinki, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Mariehamn in Finland or Malmö.

The most popular city to visit together with Tallin is Helsinki. The ferry route between these two capitals lasts only about 2 hours! You may check Tallinn to Helsinki ferries here.

You may easily find the perfect ferry for your next adventure! Simply enter your desired departure and return dates, the number of passengers, and whether you’ll be bringing a vehicle. The window below will compare prices across available cruises to help you discover the most affordable option for your journey.

Best places to stay

If you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended stay in Tallinn (which is a fantastic idea!), check out these accommodation options below. To save you some time, I’ve handpicked some interesting and highly-rated places to stay in the city.

Radisson Collection Hotel – if you’re not traveling on a budget, you’ll love staying at this comfortable hotel in the Old Town. You’ll get delicious food, enjoy the spa area, and relax in great conditions.

Citybox Tallinn City Center – a great three-star hotel in the Old Town. Guests appreciate the location, easy and fast check-in, and very good breakfasts.

Tallinn City Harbor Apartments – a well-equipped apartment close to the Old Town. Guests praise the modern interior and excellent value for money.

Imaginary Hostel – budget-friendly but good accommodation. Guests appreciate the great location in the city center and friendly staff.

1. Lennusadam Seaplane Harbor Museum

Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour is Estonian Maritime Museum. Normally I’m not very much into such places, but this one is really interesting.

The museum is located in a historic seaplane hangar, originally built for the Russian Empire’s naval fleet.

You can touch the exhibits, you can pretend to be shooting each other or dress up and take a lovely picture with a corresponding background. There’s also a flight simulator!

History geeks will love:

• EML Lembit, a submarine launched in 1936 and still in working order.
• Suur Tõll, a steam-powered icebreaker built in 1914.
• Short Type 184, a British seaplane used during World War I.

If it hadn’t been for a queue of kids behind me, I would probably spend there much more than just one flight… Great fun 🙂 Except for this you can get to know a bit of Estonian history. I really recommend this place, you won’t be bored.

You can check the opening hours and ticket prices here.

One day in Tallinn: Lennusadam Seaplane Harbor Museum

One day in Tallinn: Lennusadam Seaplane Harbor Museum

2. Main square

The Main Square is situated in the heart of Tallinn’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s very small, you don’t need a map to move around. For me, a visit to the Main Square is one of the best things to do in Tallinn. We were slowly walking around and enjoying the peaceful vibe.

More “crowded” in full daylight:

One day in Tallinn: The Main Square

The Main Square is officially known as Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats). It has served as a marketplace and gathering place since the Middle Ages. It’s surrounded by well-preserved medieval architecture, including merchant houses and guildhalls.

Interestingly, Tallinn Town Hall was built in 1404 and is the oldest surviving Gothic town hall in Northern Europe. On the top of the spire there’s a weather vane known as Old Thomas, a symbol of Tallinn.

3. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

One day in Tallinn: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral located on the Toompea Hill. Built in the 19th century during the Russian Empire’s rule over Estonia, it’s the largest and most beautiful Orthodox church in Tallinn.

The cathedral was dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky, a Russian hero which was controversial due to the ongoing Russification policy. Estonians tried to demolish it during Estonia’s independence, but it was preserved and remains a significant cultural monument.

Entry is free of charge.

4. St. Mary’s Cathedral

One day in Tallinn: St. Mary’s Cathedral

Another notable attraction in Tallinn located on the Toompea Hill.

St. Mary’s Cathedral, also known as the Dome Church (Toomkirik), is a historic Lutheran cathedral. It’s one of the oldest churches in Tallinn.

Interior walls adorned with over 100 medieval and early modern noble families’ coats of arms. The church’s organ, built in 1878, is famous for its quality and used in concerts.

If you have time, you may climb the bell tower from which you’ll admire panoramic views of the city. The tower is accessible with a small fee.

5. City walls

One day in Tallinn: City walls

Tallinn’s city walls are a fantastic way to experience the city’s medieval history! They were built over several centuries, starting in the 13th century, to protect the city from invaders. The walls were constantly expanded and strengthened over time, eventually becoming one of the largest and strongest defense systems in Northern Europe.

Today, you can still walk along about 1.85 kilometers (a little over a mile) of the original walls, including 26 defense towers and two gates. Some of the towers are open to the public and offer amazing views of the city. You can even climb up to Patkuli viewing platform for a panoramic view of the walls and the surrounding area.

If you’re interested in learning more about the walls the city’s defenses, you can visit the Kiek in de Kök museum, which is located in one of the towers. You may check the museum’s opening hours and ticket prices here.

6. St. John’s Church

(by the way, I really like Estonian flag :))

One day in Tallinn: St. John’s Church

St. John’s Church (Jaani Kirik in Estonian) is a beautiful neo-Gothic church located on Freedom Square in the heart of Tallinn. It was built in the 1860s.

The church is a large, three-aisled building with a tall tower and a decorative spire. St. John’s has some really beautiful stained glass windows that depict scenes from the Gospel of John. Some of these windows are even illuminated at night, creating a warm glow.

The church tower houses the oldest church bell in Estonia with an Estonian inscription. If you’re lucky, you might hear it ring!

St. John’s Church is free to enter and is a lovely place to spend some quiet time during your one dy in Tallinn.

7. Kohtuotsa viewing platform

The one from which we’ve been admiring the sunrise. You can compare 🙂

One day in Tallinn: Kohtuotsa viewing platform

Kohtuotsa viewing platform is one of the best places to visit in Tallinn for some amazing views! It’s located on Toompea Hill, the upper part of Tallinn’s Old Town, and it’s free to visit.

The platform offers a panoramic view of the city. You can see the red rooftops of the Old Town, the modern skyline, and even the Gulf of Finland in the distance.

It’s a popular spot for photos, but there’s plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the scenery.

8. Town Hall Pharmacy Raeapteek

…which is one of the oldest continuously running pharmacies in Europe. It has been operating in the same place since the early 15th century! Visit to this pharmacy is one of the most fascinating things to do in Tallinn.

You can learn there about the different pharmacists who worked there, the medicines they used to make (some of which were pretty weird!), and the role the pharmacy played in the community.

The pharmacy has a small museum attached to it where you can see old medical instruments, recipe books, and other artifacts. There are even dried toads or hedgehogs! It’s so good that medicine has developed…

One day in Tallinn: Town Hall Pharmacy Raeapteek

One day in Tallinn: Town Hall Pharmacy Raeapteek

The pharmacy still operates today, so you can buy modern medicines and other health products. But they also sell some unique items, like traditional herbal remedies and even marzipan, which was once thought to have medicinal properties.

Raeapteek is famous for its claret, a sweet spiced wine that was once a popular medicine. You can try a glass in the pharmacy’s small cafe.

9. Monument of Rusalka (Russalka mälestussammas)

In the late afternoon we left the Old Town, we crossed a beautiful Kadrioru park and we reached the sea shore, where we could see a monument of rusalka (Russalka mälestussammas).

One day in Tallinn: Monument of Rusalka (Russalka mälestussammas)

It’s a bronze statue of an angel holding an Orthodox cross. The angel stands on top of a tall granite pillar. The whole monument is about 16 meters high, so it’s pretty hard to miss!

The monument was built in 1902 to remember the Russian warship Rusalka (which means “mermaid”) that sank in a storm in the Gulf of Finland in 1893. All 177 crew members sadly lost their lives. The angel is pointing towards the spot where the ship is believed to have gone down.

The Russalka Memorial was the first monument in Estonia made by an Estonian sculptor (his name was Amandus Adamson).The model for the angel was actually Adamson’s housekeeper!

Is Tallinn worth visiting?

Tallinn is a beautiful place. It’s the calmest European capital that I have seen until now. And it’s one of the most atmospheric and simultaneously, the least crowded ones (I’ve heard other people say it’s very crowded though, so I might have been lucky).

I would love to come back there for a longer time – I feel that one day in Tallinn just isn’t enough to fully enjoy the visit.

I would also love to come back to the medieval restaurant Olde Hansa, it deserves particular attention ???? Just like Labor bar, where we were drinking our drinks from chemical test-tubes…

If you want to see other interesting cities around go to Saint Petersburg, Russia – click on the link, grab the free printable guide I prepared for you and you’ll be good to go! ????

You can also visit lovely Riga, Latvia. If you want to know the best way of getting from Tallin to Riga, From Real People will help you out!

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