A first-time guide to Tallinn

01.08.2024 - 19:58 / lonelyplanet.com

Aug 1, 2024 • 9 min read

The Estonian capital Tallinn is often described as a fairy tale, and it’s hard to argue with those accounts.

On the cobblestoned alleys of the Old Town, between the defensive ramparts, the gothic church spires and the stately merchant’s houses, it’s easy to imagine a knight of the Teutonic Order marching by.

But there are plenty more layers to Tallinn. The painful memory of the Soviet occupation has left emotional and architectural scars on the city, while the promise of a bright digital future shines through. In tech-savvy Estonia, home to the highest number of start-ups per capita, even toddlers can program.

Tallinn also boasts top-tier museums, a rich cultural scene, and a proximity to nature. Its flourishing cuisine blends Nordic, German and Russian influences. In other words, there’s a lot to unravel for open-minded travellers.

Tallinn experiences very distinct seasons.

Despite Estonian jokes about summer (“three weeks of bad skiing weather”), June, July and August are the most glorious time to visit the country. Nature blooms, terraces are out, days seemingly never end (these latitudes get near-white nights) and even the gloomiest local can manage a smile. Because of the harsh winters, Estonians truly cherish summer: it’s a time to recharge the batteries in the country, at summer cottages by a lake or the seaside. 

Midsummer celebrations (Jaanipäev) and the Singing Festival (Laulupidu, twice every five years) are particularly vibrant, making it an ideal time to experience Estonian culture. On the flip side, cruise ship tourists crowd the city during summer days, making the tiny Old Town feel claustrophobic. Accommodation prices are higher.

While spring and autumn promise thinner crowds and lower prices, be aware that the weather is highly unpredictable. March, April and May routinely bring the fifth, sixth and potentially seventh coming of Estonian winter, snow in these months is hardly exceptional. And what Gogol wrote about St Petersburg, that the wind blows from four directions at once, can be said of Tallinn, too. In November, the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) draws film buffs from all over the Baltics.

Winter gets cold, snowy and dark. Locals combat the blues by holing up in saunas and staying active on lit-up cross-country ski tracks. Sports centres in Pirita and Nõmme rent out gear. In December, ice rinks open across the city and Tallinn’s Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square) becomes the backdrop to a cosy Christmas market. Warm up with glöggi (mulled wine with almonds and raisins), verivorst (blood sausage) and hapukapsas (sauerkraut).

You can explore the cobbled alleys of the charming, small Old Town in a day, but that doesn’t mean you should rush Tallinn. Reserve two