Things to do In Tallinn, Estonia

[seabiscuit]

I’ll be spending a week in Tallinn from the end of this month. Just myself to please. This will be my first visit there following on from trips to Kaunas and Riga earlier this year. I enjoy exploring the Baltic States. I like walking and exploring. I like churches. Not interested in lap dancing establishments.
The online resource Tallinn In Your Pocket gives me a good idea of what I want to see and do over the week. But has anyone any other suggestions or recommendations to make to help me get the most from this compact city?

[Stringer]

Of the Baltic Capitals, I rate Tallinn over Vilnius & Riga (in that order). A week should be plenty enough time there.


I’m sure the guide book will direct you to all the nice churches (there are several, plus the Russian Alexander Nevsky ‘Onion’ Cathedral), and the Toompea fortifications are nice to stroll around if the weather’s good (‘Fat Margaret’ & ‘Kiek in de Kok’), with various activities going on there. St Catherine's Passage (Katariina Käik) is a nice old medieval lane, beside the 13th C. Dominican monastery.


‘Hell Hunt’ is a good bar with atmosphere, and the ‘Beer Hall’ on the main square has an enjoyable German-style Bier Keller atmosphere, complete with oompah band and decent food. Make sure to check out the local rocket fuel spirit, ‘Vana Tallinn’.


A bit further afield is the Kadriorg Palace of Peter the Great (which I didn’t do), and if you’re into Motorcycle Road Racing there’s a memorial at the spot where legendary TT racer Joey Dunlop sadly had a fatal accident.


If you have a week in Tallinn and haven’t been to Helsinki before, I’d also recommend a day or overnight trip there via ferry - there’s not a huge amount to see in Helsinki to be honest, but it’s a pleasant place and an easy way to see two capitals in one trip (if you do it on the weekend, you’ll also have the amusing sight of many worse-for-wear hammered young Finns making their way back to Helsinki after taking advantage of a night out on Tallinn’s much-cheaper beer).

[SimonK]

You could get out of Tallinn for a daytrip or two, Pärnu is a sort of seaside town on the gulf of Riga, there are express coaches from Tallinn (at least there are in the summer). The Lahemaa national park area is wonderful and the Palmse Estate, a large manor house which wouldn't be out of place in Oxfordshire or the Loire Valley, is well worth a visit.

You could also try to get to one of the islands - Saaremaa, Vormsi, etc. for a wander round.

[seabiscuit]

Hi guys. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I like the idea of popping across to Helsinki, possibly for an overnight stay. I also like the idea of venturing beyond Tallinn to explore smaller coastal towns and national parks. I’m also thinking of taking a fortnight off next Spring to properly explore all three of the Baltic states. Travel by express coach and train there is cheap.

[Normunds]

From top of my head I can recommend Estonian Maritime museum and TV tower.

Tallinn is a small city and I don't think you need more than 2 days to explore it. I would suggest daytrips to Tartu and Pärnu. Check https://luxexpress.eu for bus schedules and ticket prices.

[seabiscuit]

Thanks, Normunds. The TV tower and maritime museum are on my must see list. I’ll also look to spend some time outside of Tallinn.

[BillyCasper]

Another vote for Parnu. Very pleasant beaches and urban gardens. If you do venture out of Tallinn, I really liked Haapsalu on the east coast about 100km south west of Tallinn.

An antidote to the pleasant but perhaps over restored Tallinn is Paldiski just to the east, an old Soviet era naval town controlling the Gulf of Finland with Hanko in Finland which was also controlled by the Soviet Union for a while to protect Leningrad. Not sure that wealth spreads that far from the capital. Interesting, but not really a holiday destination or recommendation.

I was surprised to find a brand of beer in Estonia called Manchester, from the Saku brewery.




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[seabiscuit]

Thanks for your contribution, Billy. Definitely more food for thought. If I like Tallinn, and I’m sure I will, it’ll likely be the first of several trips.

[china]

Please note that Pärnu is purely a summer city, this time of the year it will be a ghost town.

[BillyCasper]

Please note that Pärnu is purely a summer city, this time of the year it will be a ghost town.

Yes, sorry didn’t read the post properly.

Just drink more Manchester beer.


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[BillyCasper]

Yes, sorry didn’t read the post properly.

There is a ‘normal’ town part of Parnu, not just a resort.

Just drink more Manchester beer.


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