In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Estonia
Tallinn
Tallinn is a compact old town with a creative district next door: do the hill and the Town Hall Square by midday, avoid the lanes when cruise ships land, and use the tram for Kadriorg.
Tallinn's Old Town is small and steep in places, and busy when cruise ships are in port. The trips that go wrong drag bags over cobbles, visit in December without daylight, or skip Telliskivi and Kalamaja next door. Four clusters cover a first visit; Lahemaa National Park and Helsinki by ferry are trips from one kept bed.
- Country
- Estonia
- Best months
- Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- Time zone
- Europe/Tallinn
- Stay
- 2 days: Old Town, Toompea, Telliskivi
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Cards and phone wallets work almost everywhere, including market stalls and small cafés; keep about €20 in coins for a rare cash-only stall or a public toilet.
- Daily spend
- Budget EUR 40–70 excl. bed · Mid EUR 70–120 excl. bed · High EUR 120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU plans roam at home rates. Non-EU visitors: a tourist eSIM before you fly, or a prepaid SIM from a kiosk or the operator shops (Telia, Elisa, Tele2); bring a passport.
- Emergency
- Police / ambulance / fire 112
- Plugs
- 230 V; two-pin round plugs (types C and F). Bring an adapter from the US, UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.
- Tipping
- Not expected but welcome: round up or leave 5–10% in a sit-down restaurant if there is no service charge; a few Old Town restaurants add 10% for groups (check the bill).
- Water
- Tap water is safe to drink and tastes fine; refill bottles in cafés and hotels.
- Toilets
- Cafés, museums, the Town Hall Square area and shopping centres; a few public toilets charge about €0.50–1 in coins or by card.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (flat white) | €3–4.50 |
| Half-litre of beer | €5–7 |
| Pancake or market-hall lunch | €6–11 |
| Sit-down dinner, per person | €18–32 |
| Single tram or bus ticket | €2 |
| Taxi or Bolt, airport to Old Town | €8–15 |
| Museum entry (Kumu, Kadriorg, Niguliste) | €8–18 |
| Public sauna session | €15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (TLL)
- TLL to the Old Town: one ride-hailing car or taxi, about 15 minutes — tram 4 also runs to the centre, so the airport is the easy leg; the risk is a hotel door that locks at midnight.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Old City Harbour (Vanasadam) ferry terminals (Vanasadam) | Helsinki (2 h fast ferry, about 3.5 h ship), Stockholm overnight | Walk 10–15 min |
| Tallinn Bus Station (Autobussijaam) (Tallinna Bussijaam) | Riga, Tartu, Pärnu, Vilnius, and coaches from Helsinki and Warsaw | Tram or a 8-minute Bolt ride |
| Balti Jaam (Baltic Station) (Balti jaam) | Elron trains to Tartu, Narva, Viljandi and Pärnu | Tram 1 or 2, or walk 15 min |
| Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (TLL) (Lennujaam) | Direct flights across Europe | Tram 4, about 15–20 min, or Bolt 10–15 min |
Typical fares
- Taxi or Bolt from TLL to the Old Town
- €8–15
- Single public transport ticket
- €2
- Central Bolt ride
- €5–9
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster; take a tram to Kadriorg and the airport; use Bolt at night and with bags. A 24-hour ticket pays back after three rides.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Old Town, Toompea, Kalamaja |
| Tram | About €2 a ride (check) | Airport (line 4), Kadriorg (lines 1 and 3), Balti Jaam and Telliskivi (lines 1 and 2) |
| Bus and trolleybus | About €2 a ride (check) | Estonian Open Air Museum, Pirita, the bus station |
| Bolt or taxi | €5–9 across the centre | Bags, nights, rain, winter ice |
| E-scooters and city bikes | A few euros per ride | Dry summer days along the seafront |
| Ferry to Helsinki | €20–60 | A day or overnight in Finland |
| Hop-on hop-off bus | €20–30 | A first orientation loop |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass needed. Single tram tickets cover the airport and Kadriorg; a day ticket pays back after three rides.
- Late at night
- Trams run until around midnight (unverified); ride-hailing and taxis run later.
See and do
01Town Hall SquareRaekoja plats
The medieval heart of the lower town, with the Gothic Town Hall and an old pharmacy.
Hours: best Before 10:00 · Price: Free · Time: 30 minHours: best Before 10:00 AM · Price: Free · Time: 30 min · 59.4370, 24.7454
02Alexander Nevsky CathedralAleksander Nevski katedraal
An onion-domed Orthodox cathedral on Toompea.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 20–30 min · 59.4357, 24.7392
03Kohtuotsa viewing platformKohtuotsa vaateplatvorm
The best free view of the red-roofed lower town and the sea.
Hours: best Late afternoon light · Price: Free · Time: 15 min · 59.4374, 24.7343
04Niguliste MuseumNiguliste muuseum
Medieval altarpieces and the Danse Macabre in a Gothic church.
Hours: best Rainy hour · Price: €8–12 · Time: 1 h · 59.4363, 24.7423
05Telliskivi Creative CityTelliskivi Loomelinnak
Factory yards with cafés, design shops and a local crowd.
Hours: best From noon · Price: Free · Time: 1.5–2 h · 59.4398, 24.7322
06Kadriorg Palace and ParkKadrioru loss ja park
A baroque palace, a Japanese garden and wide green paths.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Park free; palace about €10–14 · Time: 1.5–2 h · 59.4383, 24.7907
07Kumu Art MuseumKumu kunstimuuseum
Estonian art and Soviet-era art in one building; the best indoor plan.
Hours: best Rainy day · Price: €14–18 · Time: 1.5–2 h · 59.4361, 24.7942
08Dinner at Rataskaevu 16
Estonian classics in a lane of the Old Town.
Hours: best 18:00 · Price: €18–30 · Time: 1.5 hHours: best 6:00 PM · Price: €18–30 · Time: 1.5 h · 59.4372, 24.7439
09Balti Jaam market lunchBalti Jaama turg
A market hall of food stalls and a flea market; a cheap, local lunch.
Hours: best 11:00–13:30 · Price: €6–10 · Time: 45 minHours: best 11:00 AM–1:30 PM · Price: €6–10 · Time: 45 min · 59.4399, 24.7361
10Helsinki by ferry
A different capital 2 hours across the water.
Hours: best Weekday · Price: €20–60 · Time: Full day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Helsinki by ferry | Fast ferry from the harbour, about 2 h each way | Full day |
| Lahemaa National Park | Car or tour, about 1–1.5 h each way; public buses are infrequent | Full day |
| Estonian Open Air Museum (Rocca al Mare) | City bus about 30 min west | Half day |
| Rummu quarry lake | Car or bus and a walk, about 1 h each way | Half day |
| Tartu | Train or bus, 2.5 h each way | Overnight is better |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balti Jaam market | Market-hall lunch: soup, pie, smoked fish, rye bread · Balti Jaam | €6–10 | Budget |
| Kompressor | Savoury or sweet pancake · Old Town | €6–10 | Budget |
| Supermarket and bakery counter | Rye-bread sandwich, salad, kefir · Any main street | €3–6 | Budget |
| Soup-and-bread lunch deals | Soup, bread and tea · Cafés and canteens | €6–9 | Budget |
| Rataskaevu 16 | Estonian mains: elk, pork, fish · Old Town | €18–30 | Mid-range |
| F-Hoone | Modern Estonian and brunch plates · Telliskivi | €12–22 | Mid-range |
| Maiasmokk | Cake, tea and marzipan · Old Town | €6–14 | Mid-range |
| Rotermann Quarter restaurants | Modern European · Harbour edge | €18–32 | Mid-range |
| Olde Hansa | Medieval-style feast with game and honey beer · Old Town | €30–50 | Splurge |
| Tasting-menu restaurants | Nordic tasting menu with local ingredients · Old Town, Telliskivi (check) | €80–150 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Kitchens close 21:00–23:00: check the day before.Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Kitchens close 9:00 PM–23:00: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | €25–70 | Old Town hostels, Telliskivi apartments | Hostels, guesthouses, small apartments |
| mid | €90–170 | Old Town, Rotermann, Telliskivi | 3–4 star hotels and boutique inns |
| splurge | €200–400 | Old Town medieval houses, harbour hotels | 5-star hotels and spa hotels |
Per room per night in euros, 2026 estimate; prices double in summer weekends and the Christmas market season.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | TereTEH-reh |
| Thank you | AitähEYE-tah |
| Please / you are welcome | PalunPAH-loon |
| Excuse me / sorry | VabandustVAH-bahn-doost |
| Yes / no | Jah / eiyah / ay |
| Do you speak English? | Kas te räägite inglise keelt?kahs teh RAY-gee-teh EEN-glee-seh keelt |
| The bill, please | Arve, palunAR-veh PAH-loon |
| Cheers | TerviseksTEHR-vee-sehks |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Personal space: Estonians stand a little apart and speak quietly; loud groups on trams and in cafés draw stares.
- Greetings: A handshake and "Tere" are enough; no kissing or hugging on a first meeting.
- Punctuality: On time is on time: be at a booked table or tour a few minutes early.
- Tipping: Round up or leave 5–10% in restaurants; tip a taxi driver by rounding up.
- Sauna: Shower first; many saunas are naked and single-sex, and mixed ones use towels or swimsuits: follow the sign and ask if unsure.
- Homes: Take your shoes off at the door of a private home; bring flowers in odd numbers.
- History and politics: Do not compare Estonia with Russia or call it "post-Soviet" in casual talk; ask questions rather than lecture about the occupation.
- Churches: Quiet voices, no photos during services, covered shoulders in Orthodox churches.
Red lines
- Cover shoulders and knees inside churches; no photos during services.
- Do not walk on frozen shore ice.
Scams and watch-outs
- Unlicensed taxis at the ferry terminals and the bus station quote fixed high fares: use Bolt or a taxi with a printed rate card and a meter.
- Old Town tourist restaurants can add a service charge or price a beer by the small glass: read the menu for the unit and the bill for added lines.
- Some souvenir shops mark up amber, woollens and "vodka gifts": compare with the Müürivahe city-wall stalls and the shops in Telliskivi before you buy.
- Pickpockets work crowded lanes, Viru Street and the ferry terminals when cruise ships are in: bag in front, phone in an inner pocket.
One and two days
1 day
A ferry stop or a cruise day. Skip: Kadriorg: it needs its own half day.
- 09:009:00 AMTown Hall Square
- 10:0010:00 AMToompea and the cathedral
- 11:0011:00 AMKohtuotsa viewing platform
- 12:3012:30 PMLunch at Rataskaevu 16
- 14:302:30 PMTelliskivi Creative City
- 18:006:00 PMDinner in the Old Town
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Tallinn: www.visittallinn.ee/eng
- Tallinn Airport (official): www.tallinn-airport.ee/en/
- Wikivoyage — Tallinn: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tallinn
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tallinn
Palun viige mind
Please take me to
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Raekoja platsTown Hall Square
- Aleksander Nevski katedraalAlexander Nevsky Cathedral
- Kohtuotsa vaateplatvormKohtuotsa viewing platform
- Niguliste muuseumNiguliste Museum (St Nicholas' Church)
- Telliskivi LoomelinnakTelliskivi Creative City
- Kadrioru loss ja parkKadriorg Palace and Park
- Police / ambulance / fire112
The US and UK embassies are in Tallinn; other travellers write their embassy number here (check your government's travel-advice page).
Cards are accepted almost everywhere; carry a passport photo or a copy in a separate bag.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tallinn). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.