By Anneli Reigas
All Tallinn old town, both the upper and lower part - is a great museum.
Take the view first
First of all, if you come to Tallinn for shorter time and first time, three main suggestions: go to the cafe at the top of SAS Radissson hotel (27th floor) that has a brilliant view to look at sea and all the old town. If u come in spring or summer, their cafe outside on roof that has almost 360 degree view is also open and the view is absolutely super!
Secondly, in old town find where is Laboratooriumi street and go there - thats the small narrow street with lot of medieval towers that you do not see anywhere else in Tallinn and that tourists almost never find when they drop to Tallinn for short time. All old town is of course a must, including old town square and upper part of the town called Toompea that also has spots to have a look to the rest of the city.
Third suggestion - either go to Pirita some 7 km from old town or go to some concert at the Niguliste church-museum in case you are here on weekend (organ concerts on Sat and Sun) or go to concert at 18 at Holy Spirit Church in case you stay in Tallinn also on Monday - or do all that.
Tallinn also has a Open Air Museum at Rocca al Mare where you can visit the village with old wooden houses and have lunch or dinner at Kolu restaurant. The museum arranges different colorful events worth joining so check their website for calendar and directions. Tallinn Open Air Museum.
There are some other "must" things while visiting Tallinn like KUMU art museum that is said to be biggest around the Baltic Sea, but I like more the old Kadriorg Palace museum near it even that after long renovation in 90s it lost part of its old spirit. Since autumn 2009 you can also take a tour u n d e r Tallinn old town, entering from Kiek in de Kök museum.
Do remember - in case u are fit enough - you can also climb to tower inside the highest Oleviste church to have a good view again. There is often also chance to climb to tower of Old Town Hall, but its very narrow inside and u can easily get claustrophobic there until you finally reach the view platform.
There is also life outside old town
Next destination - specially good in summer as it is next to the beach - Pirita yachting center, my other suggestion what to do in Tallinn in summer. You can borrow a small boat or yacht at Pirita and remember to visit the seaside balcony of the restaurant at the top of the main building of the yachting center - one of few in Tallinn that has view to sea. A really nice and quiet cafe just few metres from the sea at beach is café St. Patrick or Velvet next to it, located at Pirita sandy beach, you can find it when coming from town you cross the river and then turn to sea and keep going on beach until you see the only big house there soon.
If you come with children, take them to Tallinn zoo (http://www.tallinnzoo.ee) that you can reach by trolley bus from center, Tallinn zoo is one of the best in Europe in many terms and one of the very few around the Baltic Sea where you can also meet huge South African elephants.
Dont miss Chocolaterie cafe and masters courtyard
Where to eat, my choices. At least once go to medieval style restaurants - Olde Hansa (www.oldehansa.ee) - they have also some food that they claim is cooked by medieval receipts or Peppersack just opposite of it - http://peppersack.ee/. Jazz-club - called Clazz - is also just next to those two - www.clazz.ee and above it is a really nice restaurant Scheeli in style of 1920s and 1930s.
My utmost best suggestions for coffee place in Tallinn are the café next to Holy Spirit church at little Saiakäik street and Chocolaterie cafe at Vene street 6 Meistrite Hoov. They have handmade delicious chocolate there, super great atmosphere and some wooden and ceramics shops at same yard. They also have free Wifi (like in many other cafes in Tallinn) and never get angry with you if u use their hospitality for long but dont order much. They also borrow rooms at the top of the cafe as hotel but i have never seen it so cant say much on that. I know the price is relatively small and location is really good. There is some art in that yard shops and also beloved museum of Icons. You can also stay at the Holy Spirit church guesthouse that is just next to heart of old town, Old Town Square.
The other café I suggest is at the shortest street of Tallinn - at Saiakäik - that starts from the Old Town square near Apotheca (the oldest working drug store in Europe). The cafe with big windows is just next to the Holy Spirit church. That has been since childhood my favorite church in Tallinn - my grandparents got married there before WWII, they have music concerts on Monday nights in that church (starting at 18, free entrance but nice to leave something).
If you wish to stay at the medieval building in Tallinn old town, there are lot of options for different budget - you can stay at the great and expensive medieval style hotel "Three sisters" - even UK and Japanese royals have slept here - or have all kind of cheaper hotels nearby. As I already mentioned even Holy Spirit Church has its own little guesthouse few steps from old town square.
For accommodation one more tip - very nice new hotel just next to old town is Nordic Hotel Forum. It has an impressive sign "Consulate of Monaco " on the wall of the building near entrance at the street so you can feel like entering to Monaco but the consulate that was inaugurated by Prince Albert II in winter 2008 just has had an office there. When you check their prices do not go to regular price site but find the special offers that are usually very good for that 4 star place. Btw, that hotel is probably first in world that since Jan 2009 had offered at business rooms unlimited free calls around the globe using Skype phones for that. The other and much cheaper option is even closer to the old town square - Olevi Residence http://www.olevi.ee/index.php P:S. Be warned they only have stairs and you might need to climb a bit too much depending where you get the room.
New place opened in 2012 is near the D-terminal at port, Lootsi street 10, great Estonian style restaurant and at separate building very nice cafe with the most delicious cheese cake I have got in Tallinn, their website is www.kochiaidad.ee. They also have live music on weekends and its just 10 min to walk from old town to port D terminal direction but if you stay too long and drink bit too much I cordially advice you to take taxi back to wherever you pillow is waiting you.
Good cafe and beloved by locals is Kloostri Ait (www.kloostriait.ee) that has open fire-place, offers live music often and is next to Dominican museum-abbey. Nearby that is the most medieval street in Tallinn - called Katariina käik - that suits a great Italian restaurant but most of all is a great because it has my favorite handmade glass-shop with absolutely brilliant glass goods (done mainly by a great Russian master who has worked there since it was opened) that I have often bought for gifts or for myself. Plus - more nice handmade-good shops at the same street.
Concerts, concerts....
Most of the greatest music experiences in Estonia I have enjoyed at the Estonia Concert Hall, you can read about their concerts and program in English at their website at http://www.concert.ee . I have been at the concerts there since I was a child and it feels almost kind of living room to me. That big nice yellow house near park has a concert hall closer to park and opera hall, but to opera (that is really professional as opera fans and experts say) I myself go almost never - its the concert hall and pure music that seduces me to that building again and again.
Place to offer also nice concerts sometimes is the Niguliste church-museum (http://www.ekm.ee/eng/niguliste.php) - plus they have half and hour organ concerts every Saturday and Sunday for entrance ticket.
Other nice places for concerts are Old Town Hall at Old Town Square and Kadriorg Art Museum (the old own) at the Kadriorg park.
I am a great fan of Tallinn and its old town, and I feel those of us born here are really blessed to have been born here. My parents were also born in Tallinn and liked that town as much as me as I think most of the tallinners who have strong and long family routs in Tallinn do. From dad who was a musician and a very gentle person I also inherited the passion for music, seldom anything touches my heart more than listening a good music.
Kopli liinid, my sacred village
If you want to see a different Tallinn, take a tram 1 or 2 to Kopli and drive to place called Kopli liinid, a small village with short streets called "liinid" that means lines in English. It is on the coast of the Baltic Sea sea, max 15 min tram (number 1 and 2) drive from Tallinn old town, considered very central Tallinn but is very different from the rest of the town. The houses were long in ruins there and for long it was not the safest place for foreigners to walk around alone late but it has all changed in few years - there is new, partly renovated modern village now and its considered safe now but the old village feeling left with former generations of inhabitants and it takes time until new village community will form. For me its the small land of paradise nearby Baltic Sea, with endless childhood memories that included looking often how sun fell asleep into sea.
You can read more if you wish about that village and my time there if you pick the headline "Where I come from. Sacred village" from the blog.
All Tallinn old town, both the upper and lower part - is a great museum.
Take the view first
First of all, if you come to Tallinn for shorter time and first time, three main suggestions: go to the cafe at the top of SAS Radissson hotel (27th floor) that has a brilliant view to look at sea and all the old town. If u come in spring or summer, their cafe outside on roof that has almost 360 degree view is also open and the view is absolutely super!
Secondly, in old town find where is Laboratooriumi street and go there - thats the small narrow street with lot of medieval towers that you do not see anywhere else in Tallinn and that tourists almost never find when they drop to Tallinn for short time. All old town is of course a must, including old town square and upper part of the town called Toompea that also has spots to have a look to the rest of the city.
Third suggestion - either go to Pirita some 7 km from old town or go to some concert at the Niguliste church-museum in case you are here on weekend (organ concerts on Sat and Sun) or go to concert at 18 at Holy Spirit Church in case you stay in Tallinn also on Monday - or do all that.
Tallinn also has a Open Air Museum at Rocca al Mare where you can visit the village with old wooden houses and have lunch or dinner at Kolu restaurant. The museum arranges different colorful events worth joining so check their website for calendar and directions. Tallinn Open Air Museum.
There are some other "must" things while visiting Tallinn like KUMU art museum that is said to be biggest around the Baltic Sea, but I like more the old Kadriorg Palace museum near it even that after long renovation in 90s it lost part of its old spirit. Since autumn 2009 you can also take a tour u n d e r Tallinn old town, entering from Kiek in de Kök museum.
Do remember - in case u are fit enough - you can also climb to tower inside the highest Oleviste church to have a good view again. There is often also chance to climb to tower of Old Town Hall, but its very narrow inside and u can easily get claustrophobic there until you finally reach the view platform.
There is also life outside old town
Next destination - specially good in summer as it is next to the beach - Pirita yachting center, my other suggestion what to do in Tallinn in summer. You can borrow a small boat or yacht at Pirita and remember to visit the seaside balcony of the restaurant at the top of the main building of the yachting center - one of few in Tallinn that has view to sea. A really nice and quiet cafe just few metres from the sea at beach is café St. Patrick or Velvet next to it, located at Pirita sandy beach, you can find it when coming from town you cross the river and then turn to sea and keep going on beach until you see the only big house there soon.
If you come with children, take them to Tallinn zoo (http://www.tallinnzoo.ee) that you can reach by trolley bus from center, Tallinn zoo is one of the best in Europe in many terms and one of the very few around the Baltic Sea where you can also meet huge South African elephants.
Dont miss Chocolaterie cafe and masters courtyard
Where to eat, my choices. At least once go to medieval style restaurants - Olde Hansa (www.oldehansa.ee) - they have also some food that they claim is cooked by medieval receipts or Peppersack just opposite of it - http://peppersack.ee/. Jazz-club - called Clazz - is also just next to those two - www.clazz.ee and above it is a really nice restaurant Scheeli in style of 1920s and 1930s.
My utmost best suggestions for coffee place in Tallinn are the café next to Holy Spirit church at little Saiakäik street and Chocolaterie cafe at Vene street 6 Meistrite Hoov. They have handmade delicious chocolate there, super great atmosphere and some wooden and ceramics shops at same yard. They also have free Wifi (like in many other cafes in Tallinn) and never get angry with you if u use their hospitality for long but dont order much. They also borrow rooms at the top of the cafe as hotel but i have never seen it so cant say much on that. I know the price is relatively small and location is really good. There is some art in that yard shops and also beloved museum of Icons. You can also stay at the Holy Spirit church guesthouse that is just next to heart of old town, Old Town Square.
The other café I suggest is at the shortest street of Tallinn - at Saiakäik - that starts from the Old Town square near Apotheca (the oldest working drug store in Europe). The cafe with big windows is just next to the Holy Spirit church. That has been since childhood my favorite church in Tallinn - my grandparents got married there before WWII, they have music concerts on Monday nights in that church (starting at 18, free entrance but nice to leave something).
If you wish to stay at the medieval building in Tallinn old town, there are lot of options for different budget - you can stay at the great and expensive medieval style hotel "Three sisters" - even UK and Japanese royals have slept here - or have all kind of cheaper hotels nearby. As I already mentioned even Holy Spirit Church has its own little guesthouse few steps from old town square.
For accommodation one more tip - very nice new hotel just next to old town is Nordic Hotel Forum. It has an impressive sign "Consulate of Monaco " on the wall of the building near entrance at the street so you can feel like entering to Monaco but the consulate that was inaugurated by Prince Albert II in winter 2008 just has had an office there. When you check their prices do not go to regular price site but find the special offers that are usually very good for that 4 star place. Btw, that hotel is probably first in world that since Jan 2009 had offered at business rooms unlimited free calls around the globe using Skype phones for that. The other and much cheaper option is even closer to the old town square - Olevi Residence http://www.olevi.ee/index.php P:S. Be warned they only have stairs and you might need to climb a bit too much depending where you get the room.
New place opened in 2012 is near the D-terminal at port, Lootsi street 10, great Estonian style restaurant and at separate building very nice cafe with the most delicious cheese cake I have got in Tallinn, their website is www.kochiaidad.ee. They also have live music on weekends and its just 10 min to walk from old town to port D terminal direction but if you stay too long and drink bit too much I cordially advice you to take taxi back to wherever you pillow is waiting you.
Good cafe and beloved by locals is Kloostri Ait (www.kloostriait.ee) that has open fire-place, offers live music often and is next to Dominican museum-abbey. Nearby that is the most medieval street in Tallinn - called Katariina käik - that suits a great Italian restaurant but most of all is a great because it has my favorite handmade glass-shop with absolutely brilliant glass goods (done mainly by a great Russian master who has worked there since it was opened) that I have often bought for gifts or for myself. Plus - more nice handmade-good shops at the same street.
Concerts, concerts....
Most of the greatest music experiences in Estonia I have enjoyed at the Estonia Concert Hall, you can read about their concerts and program in English at their website at http://www.concert.ee . I have been at the concerts there since I was a child and it feels almost kind of living room to me. That big nice yellow house near park has a concert hall closer to park and opera hall, but to opera (that is really professional as opera fans and experts say) I myself go almost never - its the concert hall and pure music that seduces me to that building again and again.
Place to offer also nice concerts sometimes is the Niguliste church-museum (http://www.ekm.ee/eng/niguliste.php) - plus they have half and hour organ concerts every Saturday and Sunday for entrance ticket.
Thats what they say about themselves - the exposition at Niguliste comprises ecclesiastical art from 14th-20th centuries, including exquisite altarpieces and sculptures. The high altar (1478–1481) made in the workshop of Hermen Rode, the initial fragment of the famous painting "Danse Macabre" by Bernt Notke (end of the15th c.) and many others. The Silver Chamber displays silver treasures of guilds, craft corporations and Brotherhood of the Black Heads. The oldest objects in the Silver Chamber originate from the 15th century, the youngest from the first decades of the 20th century, i.e. from the last years in the history of guilds in Tallinn. There is no other town in Europe in which such an extensive amount of guild silver has been preserved than in Tallinn.
During lockdown 2020 they made several virtual tours of Niguliste Church-museum and brilliant videos about their great exhibition dedicated to Virgin Mary and opened in autumn 2019. Unfortunately big part of the exhibition collided with lockdown when the museum was closed. Since 2023 you can take an elevator to this church tower and have another great view at old town.
Other nice places for concerts are Old Town Hall at Old Town Square and Kadriorg Art Museum (the old own) at the Kadriorg park.
I am a great fan of Tallinn and its old town, and I feel those of us born here are really blessed to have been born here. My parents were also born in Tallinn and liked that town as much as me as I think most of the tallinners who have strong and long family routs in Tallinn do. From dad who was a musician and a very gentle person I also inherited the passion for music, seldom anything touches my heart more than listening a good music.
Kopli liinid, my sacred village
If you want to see a different Tallinn, take a tram 1 or 2 to Kopli and drive to place called Kopli liinid, a small village with short streets called "liinid" that means lines in English. It is on the coast of the Baltic Sea sea, max 15 min tram (number 1 and 2) drive from Tallinn old town, considered very central Tallinn but is very different from the rest of the town. The houses were long in ruins there and for long it was not the safest place for foreigners to walk around alone late but it has all changed in few years - there is new, partly renovated modern village now and its considered safe now but the old village feeling left with former generations of inhabitants and it takes time until new village community will form. For me its the small land of paradise nearby Baltic Sea, with endless childhood memories that included looking often how sun fell asleep into sea.
You can read more if you wish about that village and my time there if you pick the headline "Where I come from. Sacred village" from the blog.
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