Tallinn Things To Do

The Old Town
The undoubted highlight of any Tallinn city break. Tallinn Old Town is one of the most perfectly preserved walled medieval cities in Europe: a delightfully atmospheric fairytale ensemble of ancient walls, winding cobbled streets, stone buildings, towers, conical roofs, merchant's houses, barns and warehouses. Most buildings date from between the 11th and 15th centuries. Highlights include gorgeous Town Hall, Europe’s oldest functioning pharmacy, and charming churches like the 13th century St Olav's, and the Gothic Estonian Lutheran church of Toomkirik. The upper part of the Old Town, Toompea Hill, is dominated by the Russian Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral and the Toompea Castle, home to the Estonian Parliament. The upper town offers excellent views of the city.

Kadriorg
Explore this delightful leafy seaside suburb of Tallinn with its stately mansions, villas and parks. The pink baroque Kadriorg Palace was once the summer residence of the Russian Tsar, Peter I.  The palace is now home to the Estonian Art Museum with its collection of European and Russian prints, paintings, sculpture and furniture from the 16th to 20th centuries. The palace grounds feature beautifully laid-out formal gardens. Also visit the modern Kumu Art Museum.

The Pirita District
Two miles of white sand just 20 minutes from Tallinn Old Town by bus or taxi.  Pirita beach has the typically bracing atmosphere of the Baltic coast and makes a nice contrast to the city centre. Good walks along the seafront and wooded parks. Boat trips on the Pirita River. A nice selection of outdoor cafes. Visit the ruins of the 15th Century St. Bridget's Convent and the superb Botanical Gardens with over 8000 plant species.

Shopping
Shopping city breaks in Tallinn offer plenty of variety and interest. Some of the classiest and most fashionable boutiques are found along Viru and Müürivahe in the Old Town. Müürivahe is also the location for the outdoor market for knitwear and knitted craftwork. Katariina Passage features functioning craft workshops producing leatherwork, glass and ceramics. The Old Town has an intriguing collection of small galleries and studios featuring tapestry, sculptures, interior design, blacksmiths, ceramics, jewellery, knitwear, patchwork and woodwork.

Nightlife
Despite its modest size Tallinn has rapidly built a reputation for lively nightlife, particularly with young British visitors. The old Town is the focus of Tallinn nightlife, with plenty of trendy cafes, bars, beer cellars, pubs and clubs. Nightlife is concentrated into a small area so it is easy to sample a wide range of venues and end up in one of the city’s lively clubs. Everything from British-style pubs to eclectic lounge bars, a smattering of live music and a small but thriving clubbing scene.

Tallinn City Breaks  Getting Around Tallinn

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