Things to do in  Estonia

With its largely-intact 13th-century city plan, original cobblestone streets, gothic-spired buildings, and vibrant dining and nightlife, Old Town (also known as Vanallin) is arguably the heart of Tallinn. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visitors from around the world come to Tallinn to experience the best-preserved medieval city in all of Northern Europe.

A magnificent example of late Gothic architecture, Tallinn Town Hall was completed in 1404 and is now one of Northern Europe's oldest surviving Gothic town halls. The building functions as a museum, concert hall, and site for official receptions, where visitors can discover preserved medieval artwork, wood carvings, and tapestries.

This large and ornately-decorated Russian Orthodox cathedral is a well-known and picturesque building in Tallinn’s Old Town (Vanalinn). Perched atop Toompea hill, across from Estonian parliament buildings, the onion-domed church is popular amongst visitors and those practicing the Orthodox faith. The church is dedicated to St. Alexander Nevsky—the Prince of Novgorod and Russian hero who drove away German invaders in the 13th century.

Built on a hill on the edge of Tallinn’s Old Town, Toompea Castle was originally built over the remains of a 9th-century fortress by Danish invaders in 1219. Since it’s 13th-century founding, the castle has been the seat of succession across many centuries (and for many different ruling foreign powers), but now is Riigikogu—Estonia’s parliament building.

Located along the Baltic Sea coast, the Estonian capital of Tallinn is a popular stop on Baltic cruises, welcoming more than 300 cruise ships each season. The Tallinn Cruise Port (Tallinna Sadam) also receives regular ferries from Helsinki, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg, making it a convenient choice for a day trip or weekend getaway.

One of Tallinn’s best-loved green spaces, Kadriorg Park was commissioned by Russia’s Tsar Peter the Great to complement Kadriorg Palace, which was built as his summer retreat in 1718. The 173-acre (70-hectare) park surrounds the palace—home to the Kadriorg Art Museum—and impresses with its beautiful gardens and buildings, some of them original estate structures converted into museums.

One of the biggest art museums in Northern Europe, the Kumu Art Museum is the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia, and home to over 70,000 works of contemporary and classic Estonian art. The pieces date back to the 18th century, and highlights include socialist realism and nonconformist art from the Soviet occupation period (1940–1991).

With an official capacity of around 100,000 people, the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds (Tallinna Lauluv?ljak) is an outdoor concert venue that plays host to multiple entertainment and music festivals every year. It is best known as the site for the Estonian Song Festival (which is held every five years) and as the birthplace of the Singing Revolution.

Founded in 1233, the Dome Church (Toomkirik) was historically used as burial grounds for Estonia’s elite and noble families. The church, which was continuously rebuilt over the centuries, is a unique blend of architectural styles with its main frame built in the 15th century while the baroque tower was added later in the 18th century.

Built in 1718 by Tsar Peter the Great of Russia, Kadriorg Palace sits in formal gardens in eastern Tallinn. Intended as a summer home for Peter and his wife, Catherine I, this baroque building houses the Kadriorg Art Museum, where visitors can admire Western and Russian art and the palace’s lavish interiors.

Located in an old warehouse for seaplanes, the Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) is a maritime museum that tells the story of Estonia’s maritime and military history. Visitors can explore three floors of themed exhibits that showcase submarine Lembit from the mid-1930s, a 100-year-old steam-powered icebreaker, a seaplane, and ship remains.

Tallinn’s central plaza—Freedom Square—is located in the southern part of the Old Town. A popular meeting spot for locals, it’s also used for concerts and state events. Home to the Victory Column—which commemorates the Estonian War of Independence—visitors can also discover art deco and functionalist buildings, art galleries, and cafes.

Partake in a meticulously researched and crafted medieval meal at this restaurant in Tallinn, Estonia. The chefs at Olde Hansa have scoured old texts in order to recreate dishes, using indegenous ingredients, from Hanseatic traditions. Not only is the food authentic Middle Ages-era cuisine, but the atmosphere, including roving troubadours, wall murals, and server outfits, all reflect this bygone era.

Standing at 1,030 feet (314 meters) high, the Tallinn TV Tower was built in 1980 to improve broadcast transmissions for the Moscow Summer Olympics. In 1991, it became a symbol of Estonia's independence movement when locals defended the tower against Soviet forces. Now, visitors come here for its observation deck, museum, and restaurant.

Built around 15-feet high, five-feet thick, and a mile and a half long, the defensive wall of Estonia’s capital city was first constructed in 1265. Though the original wall was altered and strengthened in the 14th century, only a few sections of the masonry ramparts, and 26 of its defense towers, exist today. Travelers can walk along the base, through passageways, and on top of some of the sections of the wall.