Tallinn Town Hall
Historic Site
Start in Town Hall Square for the Gothic town hall and surrounding merchant houses. The square is a year-round stop; the town hall’s ordinary interior visits are a summer option.
Tallinn Long Weekend: Old Town, Art and the Waterfront
Tallinn suits travellers who want medieval streets and a creative city beyond the walls. Spend three days between the old town, Kadriorg’s art museums and Kalamaja’s waterfront, with extra ideas for a longer stay.
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Day 1 — Old Town and Toompea
Day 1 — Old Town and Toompea
St. Catherine's Passage
Historic Site
Walk through the narrow passage off Vene Street before climbing towards Toompea. The stone arches and craft workshops make this a good short detour through the lower old town.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Place of Worship, History Landmark
Climb to Toompea for the Orthodox cathedral’s domes and interior. It faces the parliament building, so the two sights belong together rather than as separate trips up the hill.
Toompea Castle
Castle, History Landmark
See the pink parliament façade from the square, then continue through Toompea’s lanes towards the viewpoints. Treat this as an exterior stop; a parliament tour is a separate arranged visit.
Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform
Viewpoint, Core Attraction
Finish the hilltop loop at Kohtuotsa for views across the old town roofs towards the harbour. Walk back down for lunch, then spend the afternoon exploring the lower town at your own pace.
Day 2 — Kadriorg Art and Park
Day 2 — Kadriorg Art and Park
Kadriorg Park
Park
Take a tram to Kadriorg for the second morning, then walk through the gardens towards the palace. The park connects the day’s art visits and gives you space between the galleries.
Kadriorg Palace
Museum, Museum Gallery
The palace’s baroque rooms house European art. Choose a short palace visit before Kumu, or enjoy the gardens and façade if you prefer to keep the day to one substantial museum.
Kumu Art Museum
Museum, Museum Gallery
Make Kumu the main museum visit for Estonian art in a striking modern building. Its galleries are a good contrast to the palace; afterwards, walk back through the park towards the coast.
Russalka Memorial
Monument
End the Kadriorg loop by the angel-topped memorial on the seafront. Follow the promenade for a coastal walk, then take public transport back to the centre for dinner.
Day 3 — Kalamaja and the Waterfront
Day 3 — Kalamaja and the Waterfront
Telliskivi Creative City
Attraction, Core Attraction
Begin among the former factory buildings, murals and independent shops of Telliskivi. Pick a café or lunch spot here, then walk through Kalamaja’s wooden-house streets towards the waterfront.
Kalamaja Cemetery Park
Park
Use the former cemetery’s green paths as a quieter pause on the way to the harbour. It is a small neighbourhood park, rather than a separate major attraction.
Seaplane Harbour
Museum, History Museum
Make the hangar museum the afternoon’s main visit for ships, maritime history and the submarine Lembit. It closes on Mondays from October to April; for a winter Saturday-to-Monday trip, swap this day with the old town day.
Noblessner
Marina
Finish along the redeveloped shipyard waterfront, with harbour views and places to eat among the brick buildings. Walk here from Seaplane Harbour, then take a bus or taxi back if you do not want the return walk.
Optional extras
Optional extras
Fotografiska
Museum, Museum Gallery
Choose the photography exhibitions in Telliskivi instead of part of the maritime day. It makes a useful indoor alternative if contemporary photography appeals more than ships and submarines.
Kiek in de Kök
Attraction, Core Attraction
Add the fortifications museum to the old town day for towers and Tallinn’s defences. Choose it instead of a longer church visit or book a bastion-passage tour as a separate museum experience.
St Olaf's Church
Place of Worship, History Landmark
Choose the tower for another old town viewpoint between April and October. The climb has 232 steps; Kohtuotsa gives you a good outdoor alternative without a church tower ticket.