When John and I were planning our hiking trip to Norway and Sweden, we started looking at the region in some depth. Considering we were once in the “area”, we decided to add a visit to Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia at the end of our hiking trip. Tallinn was a big surprise – in the weightier way possible. Over a weekend in Tallinn, you can walk through the old municipality (“the weightier preserved medieval municipality in northern Europe“), visit trendy art galleries, trammels out the redeveloped Noblesser zone by the sea, and perhaps plane enjoy a sauna and a dip in the Baltic Sea.
In Tallinn, you can moreover count on eating really well without sticker shock. The same goes for accommodation. Without Norway and Sweden, everything in Tallinn felt very reasonably priced. In Estonia, all prices are in Euros.
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Best time of year to enjoy a weekend in Tallinn
Summer is peak season for visiting Tallinn considering of the good weather, long days, and many festivals. But that moreover ways increasingly people.
I was happy we were there in mid-September to enjoy a weekend in Tallinn as the days were warm and the nights cool, but the crowds had thinned from everything we’d heard. It was easy to get restaurant reservations and hotel prices were reasonable. One gentleman we met at breakfast in our hotel made the scuttlebutt that “Tallinn has it all but without the crazy crowds of Paris and Rome. I don’t know why it took me so long to visit the city.”
I moreover understand a winter weekend in Tallinn is moreover a unconfined choice, particularly on the first Sunday of Advent (December 3 in 2023). That’s when the Christmas Tree in the Town Hall Square is lit, and the famous Christmas market opens.
Getting to Tallinn
Flights
There are lots of inexpensive flights into Tallinn – and the airport is only a 15-minute momentum from Tallinn Old Town. You’ll be hands worldly-wise to connect to flights all over Europe, so a weekend in Tallinn is a viable option when you’re short on time.
Ferries to Tallinn
We took the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. You have a nomination of three ferries if you come from Helsinki – and there are loads of sailings. Count on 2.25 – 2.5 hours to cross. The price was good too – virtually $US23 per person.
There are moreover ferries from many cities in Sweden. I used Direct Ferries to book. Just be sure to victorious in time to pick up your ticket (a seamless experience) in the ferry terminal.
From the ferry terminal in Tallinn, we were worldly-wise to walk to our hotel in Tallinn Old Town in well-nigh 15 minutes. Unfortunately, it was foggy on the ferry ride to Tallinn, so we couldn’t see a thing.
Location map of things to do, see and where to eat on a weekend in Tallinn
A weekend in Tallinn Itinerary
Arrival in Tallinn
Check into your hotel. We stayed at Hotel Schlosse in Tallinn Old Town. It’s a five-star hotel that’s much less expensive than what you’d spend in other large European cities. The hotel is housed in trappy renovated 13th and 14th century buildings, so the place oozes history. If you have any mobility issues, be sure you get a room that doesn’t require negotiating a narrow, screw staircase. We didn’t mind, but I know some people wouldn’t like that. Breakfasts are included – and are divine.
Another spanking-new hotel nomination is the Telegraaf Hotel, located in the former post office, only 100 metres from the Town Hall Square. One of the highlights is a swimming pool under a glass roof.
Day 1 on a weekend in Tallinn
After a leisurely breakfast, it’s time to walk Tallinn’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to its “exceptionally intact 13th century municipality plan.”
I don’t know well-nigh you, but when I’m in an zone with mannerly cobblestone streets, subconscious laneways, and trappy old buildings, I prefer to follow my feet and not my head. The Old Town in Tallinn isn’t large, so while you might get turned around, you’ll never truly get lost. We found most people speak some English, so ask for directions if you need to. The Old Town is hands walkable over the undertow of a day with breaks for coffee, lunch, shopping, and museums.
Don’t miss Toompea Hill
If you climb the cobblestone streets, you’ll sooner reach Toompea Hill – home to Toompea Castle, which houses the Estonian Parliament and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a fantastic example of Russian Revival architecture.
There are free excursions of the castle on a Monday to Friday understructure if you reserve in advance. You can moreover watch parliament in session from a public gallery.
Book a tour with Viator of the Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky.
Another option is a two – hour walking tour of Old Town Tallinn.
Check out Kohtuotsa and Patkuli for panoramic vistas of the Old Town’s red-roofed houses, the spires of St. Olaf’s Church, and Tallinn’s modern skyline.
You can moreover reach Toompea Hill via the Patkuli Stairs. What I would suggest on your Tallinn weekend is that you explore the Old Town over the largest part of a day, enjoying lunch at Rataskaevu 16. Finish with a descent on the Patkuli Stairs from the Patkuli Lookout. Wander withal Snelli Tik, the swimming you can’t miss – and return to the marrow of Old Town to well-constructed a loop.
Lunch at Rataskaevu 16
I cannot say unbearable good things well-nigh our meal at Rataskaevu 16. The restaurant, near the top of Old Town Tallinn, boasts a warm and inviting interior. One thing you must do is visit the washroom considering inside there’s a hung glass floor looking lanugo into the old workings of the building.
The restaurant is a favourite of locals, and I can see why. Vegetable forward meals like the spinach risotto is memorable. (Pictured to the right in the supplies collage above.) John had the breaded yellow fillet with pumpkin and marinated cauliflower – an interesting and succulent mingling of flavours. We shared a rhubarb specie pudding with berries and salted caramel – a decadent lunch in my books but one I’ll never forget.
When you get your bill, you’ll get a nice note from your waitperson – a touch you don’t see often. This was the top place for a meal on our weekend in Tallinn.
Dinner at Fotografiska
Make reservations well in whop – and throne for the rooftop restaurant in the Fotografiska photo museum. It has won a Michelin untried star considering of its zero waste policy. While we couldn’t get in, the restaurant focuses on local ingredients. Squint for mushroom rösti, pike perch with grilled cabbage and pinecone sauce, or try the four undertow menu based on the season.
Day 2 on your weekend in Tallinn
Walk from mannerly Old Town Tallinn to the very tomfool and trendy Telliskivi Creative Municipality via historic Pikk Street. Visit Balti Jaama Turg, where you can shop (lots of caviar for sale), eat and buy market produce. In September local mushrooms and pomegranates were in abundance.
From there, protract to Telliskivi Creative City, a vibrant hub for art, design, and entrepreneurship. This repurposed industrial ramified is home to numerous art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and studios.
We spent well-nigh 75 minutes in Fotografiska Tallinn, a famous photography museum – and a real highlight of our weekend in Tallinn. Without wandering through the exhibits, we stopped at the sideboard on the main floor to enjoy a coffee and soak up the ambiance. From there, I recommend a stop at Reet Aus suit store wideness the plaza- surpassing standing to explore. Squint for over 20 examples of vibrant street art uplifting the walls of Telliskivi.
Next stop – Port Noblessner
Continue walking, this time heading towards Port Noblessner, a revitalized waterfront district that mixes a rich maritime heritage with modern development.
If you’re into museums, trammels out Proto Invention Factory, offering vita in virtual reality. John and I spent well-nigh an hour in here until we started to finger nauseous from wearing the VR gear. Kids however will think this is very cool.
By now, you’re probably hungry, so throne to nearby Lore Bistroo featuring repletion supplies for all – with a twist.
Before you start walking again, trammels out the wonderful unshut space with public art virtually the corner from the Proto Invention Factory. Note the modern apartments and trendy restaurants. Protract for a stroll withal the promenade, yearning the trendy architecture, and enjoying some of the weightier views of the Tallinn Bay.
How well-nigh a sauna and a dip in the Baltic Sea?
Reserve a private igloo sauna with a terrace and ladder wangle to the Baltic Sea at Iglupark – surpassing you victorious in Tallinn. Heat up and then take the plunge into the unprepossessed sea. What an invigorating way to spend a few hours on your weekend in Tallinn.
Walk when to your hotel in Old Town Tallinn
It’s a couple of kilometres, so perhaps 30 minutes to walk when to your hotel in Old Town – but it’s all flat. Stick to the tailspin for as long as you can soaking in the last of the Baltic Sea views.
Put your feet up and rest surpassing heading out for your last dinner in Tallinn.
Dinner at Lee Restoran – a highlight of our weekend in Tallinn
Lee Restoran should be on your must-eat-here list. Tucked yonder off the rented streets in Old Town is an oasis of calm, that has been given a thumbs up by Michelin. Enjoy supplies creatively prepared by Canadian-born doughboy Hiro Takeda, who ended up in Tallinn without a stint in Copenhagen.
John and I were lucky to score a reservation at the last minute. We took our time, relishing the dining wits and the range of flavours.
Final thoughts on a weekend in Tallinn
I know a few people who visited Tallinn shortly without independence in 1991. Their joint experiences in no way mirror the ones John and I enjoyed in 2023. When then, Tallinn and the country itself was run down, poor, and the supplies was terrible. ‘
What has happened since then is remarkable. The country has gone digital – so nearly everything can be washed-up online. English is widely spoken and you’ll find most restaurants have English menus.
Locals we met on our weekend in Tallinn were friendly and engaging. And if we had increasingly time, we would certainly explore the countryside as over 50% of the country is forest.
Interested in visiting increasingly of Europe?
Czechia
- A Cycling Trip in the South Bohemian Region
- 10 Essential Stops in South Bohemia
- What You Can See in One Day in Prague
Switzerland
- Aare Gorge Canyon Walk in Meiringen
- The Brienzer Rothorn via a Scenic Trip by Steam Train
- Hiking the Stunning Via Alpina in Switzerland
Norway
These are a selection of stunning hikes we did in the Lofoten Islands in August 2023.
- Ryten Hike and Kvalvika Beach, Lofoten Islands
- Reinebringen Hike, Lofoten Islands: A Well-constructed Guide
- Munkebu Hut Hike Munken, Lofoten Islands
- Offersøykammen Hike in Norway’s Lofoten Islands
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