Can you see Tallinn in a day?
Technically yes, but consider that Tallinn is right by the Baltic Sea and only a heart beat away from Helsinki. Weather tends to be less predictable than in the other Baltic States and it’s more likely that there is fog which will cause a few viewing points showing the city from above to be useless.
Be prepared for the weather and eager to explore and you should be fine though.
How to get to Tallinn?
Though small Tallinn has an airport which is well connected to the other Baltic states and Helsinki which is only a 30min flight away.
If you fly internationally you will most likely have a layover as the main operating airlines are AirBaltic, Finnair and Norwegian Airlines.
From the airport you can take several buses (see next section) to get into the city within 30min.
You can also get there by train (the main train station is in the city center), regional bus providers or ferry.
If you get there by ferry (or decide to travel from Tallinn to Helsinki), it’s well connected with the public transport system. Either take a bus or the trolley and you’ll be around old town in about 20min - if your luggage allows you can walk as well (25-30min).
How does public transport work in Tallinn?
While you can easily get a 60-min ticket from the counter for 2€ I would strongly recommend getting a 24h ticket for 5,50€ to have the flexibility since it’s almost the same amount if you just get from and to the airport.
We stayed for 1,5 days and I got a 3-day ticket for 9€. If your stay is longer than 24h this solution just makes sense and you can re-invest the saved money in food or souvenirs!
To buy a 3-day or 5-day ticket you will need to buy a Ühiskaart (think of an Oyster card if you’ve ever been to London or a Leapcard from Ireland). Head over to one of the many the R Kiosks (including at the airport itself) and ask for it at the counter. You can pay there and the ticket will already be active on your card. Now you just need to tap in every time you use a bus or trolley in Tallinn AND if you head to Helsinki you can top up and use the card there too!
While the card itself does cost 3€ you can return it by the end of your stay and get the deposit back.
For up-to-date prices please check here.
Is Tallinn a walkable city?
Absolutely! Tallinn is a small city and as a tourist you will be mostly interested in the Old Town which is very walkable.
Some of the sightseeings however are a little further apart and if your accommodation is not in the city center, I would recommend getting a ticket for public transport regardly as you will most likely need one to get into to and from the airport to Tallinn anyways.
What are the must-sees in Tallinn for a day trip?
Kiek in de Kök Museum - This is your chance to not only see the old walls but actually walk the tunnels underneath Tallinns Old Town too!
Hellemann Tower & Town Wall Walk - there are two entrances: one only takes cash but the second one which is a little more hidden in the back (almost by the end of the street) takes credit cards too. It’s a perfect way to see Tallinn not from too high (fog shouldn’t affect the view as much) but at the same time find out how the city looked like back in the day (spoiler: it actually remained veray alike - considering that Tallinns Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage this is generally a good thing!)
St. Catherine’s Passage - it’s one of the main shopping streets and you will most likely want to go there to get souvenirs anyways
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral - it’s one of the two main symbols of the city but be aware that it’s located between buildings and your perfect Instagram picture might not look the same way you see it online
St Olaf’s Church - You will see the church tower almost instantly when it walk through the gates of Tallinns Old Town as it’s the largest medieval building in the city
Kohtuotsa viewing platform - but only if there is no fog - otherwise you won’t see very far
Places I would have liked to see but they were closed or the weather was too bad:
Estonian Art Museum (if you plan to go over Easter consider that they are closed for Good Friday and generally closed on Mondays)
Estonian Open Air Museum (they were open but with on/off showers and 7 degrees celcius an open air museum wasn’t the ideal choice)
Overrated:
The Tallinn sign by the port - if it’s rainy or cloudy don’t bother. It’s on the left side of the Ferry terminal less than 10min walking distance away but as it looks over the Baltic Sea you won’t see much
Telliskivi Creative City - this place is hyped for their wall art around the area which is true but having been to several places like this prior (e.g. Christiana in Copenhagen/ Denmark or Bordeaux in France) it’s overrated in my opinion. There are restaurants there (and I went to one & it was the worst experience of the whole trip) and yes there is street art but it doesn’t feel natural. Rather like this was made for tourists to walk around and then go to the shops, cafes and restaurants there
Where did we stay in Tallinn?
We stayed at the Stereo House by Larson which is a little further out the city center.
Researching for the best accommodation in Tallinn brought up two factors other travelers always complaint about: The cleanliness of rooms and that the isolation was very poor (considering that this is a very old city it totally makes sense!) which meant that I specifically searched for something that was neither. The Stereo House is a recently converted building which offers small apartments with full-size kitchens and a gym on the ground floor. It’s well connected as there is a bus stop just 3min walking distance away which takes you to the old town in about 25min.
While I would recommend it, please note that you get a code which only activates after the check-in time and you have NO chance to get into the sitting/entrance area prior. We knew we would get there earlier (around 2pm while check-in is currently at 4pm) and asked about an early check-in but as the room was 35€/night and 2 additional hours would have been 20€, we decided against it and got there about 25 minutes prior to the check-in time just to be standing outside the building while it was drizzling. Not the best experience… Customer service did respond to us in a timely manner but if you decide you book here (which I would again), just know that in advance and plan ahead.
What to eat in Tallinn?
Typical food for Estonia include:
Literally anything with curd
Fish like herring or sprat
Rye or black bread
As a vegetarian with a partner who eats meat, I can recommend the following restaurants & cafés we visited:
iL FORNO Pärnu mnt. -
Robert’s Coffee Estonia
Not recommended: Restaurant F-Hoone
How much should you budget for you stay in Tallinn (in 2025)?
Transport: 5,50€ for a 24h ticket or 9€ for up to 3 days
Food: 10-20€ p.P. per meal (= snack to main dish)
Drinks: 5-8€ p.P. per drink (= bottled drink, coffee, pint of beer)
Accommodation: 50-100€ p.P. (none-shared accommodation)
Souvenir: 5-15€ per item
Does it make sense to see Tallinn in a day?
Absolutely! While you can see the main sight-seeings within a day in Tallinn (even during Easter!), just make sure to either plan ahead if you want to see any museums/ indoor sight-seeings.
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