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Tallinn is the beautiful capital city of Estonia with a medieval charm and cobblestone streets. We decided to take a day trip to Tallinn during our trip to Finland. Keep reading this article to find out how to plan the perfect day trip to Tallinn while you’re in Helsinki or even otherwise!
1 Tallinn – A Window to Europe’s Medieval Past
Tallinn is a charming city that has not lost touch with its roots. Almost perfectly preserved, it is known for its medieval town, Toompea. The entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and breathtakingly picturesque. I felt like I was in some fantasy novel and a knight would show up at any moment! The most iconic part was the buildings with their red brick rooftops and the occasional cathedral peeking through.
I was so impressed by how everything looked clean and new despite being built between the 13th and 16th centuries. It goes to show the value of preservation and the good work UNESCO is doing with countries around the world. I was also pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness that is quite prominent in a lot of the Nordic countries.
2 Best Way from Helsinki to Tallinn, Estonia
The best way to get to Tallinn would be using the Tallink Silja Ferry line. We took the ferry at 7:30 am in the early morning and reached Tallinn at 9:30 am. Since we decided to only stay for a day, we got the day return ticket which is slightly more discounted. Later, we had the option of taking either the 7:30 pm or 9:30 pm ferry back to Helsinki. We ultimately decided to take the 7:30 pm one so that we could come back while things were still open.
Important Reminder!
Arrive the ferry terminal at least 30 minutes in advance. If you are parking your car or storing luggage, I’d recommend coming 45 minutes to an hour before the ferry departure time. I believe boarding closes 15-20 minutes before the departure time so its best to be safe.
Ferry Fare
Our one day round ticket costed 40.80 € per person 🙂 It varies slightly depending on the ferry times. And It costs an average of 25 € to 39 € one way if you are taking a round trip or oneway tickets that are NOT on the same day.
3 Luggage Storage at Tallink Ferry Terminal
If you’re looking for luggage storage options, you should simply go to the Helsinki West Harbor Terminal 2 and store your luggage in the temporary lockers! We found it super convenient as our ferry was so early in the morning.
The luggage storage is right near the ticket entrance to the right side. Remember to store your luggage before heading through the ticket gate!
Just make sure to arrive earlier to ensure that you have enough time to check in and put away your things before you head on to the ferry. We arrived almost an hour early to give us ample time to do everything.
4 Helsinki to Tallinn Ferry Details
| Tallink Silja Ferry Line | Helsinki -> Tallinn | Tallinn -> Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Departure | 7:30 am | 7:30 pm |
| Location | Helsinki West Harbor Terminal 2 | Tallinn Port, D-Terminal |
| Parking | Yes. Short-term parking: (P2, max 2 h). Price 2 €/1 h. Long-term parking: Satamaparkki | Yes. Terminal D parking house Every started 30 min 1,25 € 24 h 6,00 € Every next day + 6,00 € 1 week 32,00 € 1 month 85,00 € Lost ticket 10,00 € Electric car charging fee: Semi-fast charger €/kWh 0,15 € Fast charger €/kWh 0,18 € |
| Luggage Storage | Available 3 hours – 4.9 € 6 hours – 6.9 € 12 hours – 9.9 € 24 hours 13.9 € 72 hours – 18.9 € Large locker: 631 mm x 2114 mm x 957 mm Small locket: 457 mm x 2114 mm x 957 mm Maximum storage time 100 hours. Payment only works with card payment. | Available There are lockers for luggage: 45 Large lockers 4,00 € / 24h (height 60cm, width 44cm, depth 78cm) 28 Small lockers 3,00 € / 24h (height 42cm, width 24cm, depth 78cm) |
You can book your ferry tickets using the link below!
5 Toompea and Old Town Tallinn
Toompea is a limestone hill in Tallinn’s Old Town. It has a few historic and cultural landmarks such as the Toompea Castle, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Tallinn Town Hall. There is also the St. Olaf’s Church which I wanted to visit but it was closed on the day I visited. Most of these places are free to wander so we didn’t end up paying for anything.
One thing you need to note is that Old Town is made up of Toompea Hill (upper Old Town) and Lower Old Town. Toompea Hill was actually where all the noblemen and rulers lived and it is also where Toompea Castle is located. Lower Old Town is where you’ll find the town centre and this is where merchants set up shops and businesses.
6 Checklist of Things to do in Tallinn
When you’re in Tallinn, you can walk go through the following checklist to ensure you’ve seen all the sites! I’ve also included some spots we ate at so you can visit it if you’d like 🙂
Great Beach Gate – It was the first thing we saw
St Olaf’s Church
Sadly it was closed but we took some photos outside and continued walking on.
Kohtuotsa viewing platform – That Iconic View of Tallinn’s Skyline!
You must not miss the viewing platform because this is where you see that iconic shot of Tallinn. We asked a kind lady to help us take a couple of pictures and of course we helped her out with hers as well.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
The architecture reminded me of Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.
Toompea Castle
Toompea Castle, is an iconic medieval castle, is both a tourist attraction and currently the Parliament of Estonia! Constructed between 1767 and 1773, this Finnish-designed structure was quite a modern building for its time!
Tallinn Town Hall
The Tallinn Town Hall might be the oldest surviving town hall which was first mentioned in texts around 1322. If you’re visiting during Christmas time, you can check out the Christmas Market here!
Viru Gate
Viru Gate is part of the Tallinn city wall and it was built as a defence system back in the 14th century. If you look carefully, you’ll find quite a few of the city walls surrounding old town.
Kadriorg Park – Built in 1718
Built by Peter the Great, Kadriorg Park was constructed during the building of Kadriorg Castle. Spanning about 70 hectares, it is a magnificent park in the heart of the city. Additionally, there is a beautiful swan pond located in the center of the park.
St Catherine’s Passage
Commonly known as Monk’s Alley, Catherine’s Passage was built more than 700 years ago. Now, you’ll find cute shops along the way. I felt like this alley had a mystical atmosphere, almost like something out of a Harry Potter novel.
7 Perfect Itinerary for Tallinn in 12 hours
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 6:45 am | 1. Store our luggage at Helsinki West Harbor Terminal 2 2. Check-in 3. Board the Ferry (Our ship was named My Star) |
| 9:45 am | Have breakfast and coffee at RØST Bakery in Tallinn |
| 11:00 am | Head towards Old Town |
| 3:00 pm | Have some hot cocoa and traditional estonian chocolates at Pierre Chocolaterie |
| 4:00 pm | Catch the Sunset at Kohtuotsa viewing platform |
| 5:00 pm | Have a quick dinner if you have time |
| 6:45 pm | Reach to Tallinn Port, D-Terminal |
| 7:30 pm | Ferry Back to Helsinki! |
8 What to eat in Tallinn
Breakfast at RØST Bakery
I decided to skip breakfast on the ferry and have something when I arrived to Tallinn. The RØST bakery was quite highly rated on Google maps so we headed over for some breakfast, coffee and juice. The atmosphere was quite relaxing and we didn’t have to wait long for a table.
At this point, I was already hungry so we got a big tuna sandwich. Breakfast was quite a lot so we ended up not eating lunch.
Pierre Chocolaterie
We had some delicious hot chocolate and traditional Estonian chocolate at Pierre Chocolaterie. This cafe felt so magical and I felt like I’ve stepped into a medieval story book. The warm and cozy atmosphere made me want to sit there for hours and do some journaling or a sketch in my notebook. I’d highly recommend you go here to unwind a bit after the whole day of walking.
Dinner at Stroomi Keskus Food Court
For dinner, we decided to head to the food court as we wanted to ensure we got to our ferry on time. It was relatively easy to find something quick and we got some baked goods at the Samsa Family Bakers!
9 Tallinn Temperature by Month
| Month | Average Temperatures (°C) | General Weather | Season | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1° to -7° | Coldest month of the year | Winter | ~ 9:00 am | ~4:00 pm |
| February | -2° to -8° | Generally snowy and cold | Winter | ~ 8:00 am | ~ 5:00 pm |
| March | 3° to -5° | Generally snowy and cold | Winter -> Spring | ~ 6:30 am | ~ 6:30 pm |
| April | 9° to 0° | Rainy season | Spring | ~ 6:00 am | ~ 8:40 pm |
| May | 16° to 5° | Moderately chilly | Spring -> Summer | ~ 4:45 am | ~ 9:45 pm |
| June | 19° to 9° | Summer season | Summer | ~ 4:00 am | ~ 10:40 pm |
| July | 22° to 12° | Hottest month of the year and a popular time to visit for tourists | Summer | ~ 4:30 am | ~10:20 pm |
| August | 21° to 11° | Summer season and popular time for tourists to visit | Summer -> Autumn | ~ 5:30 am | ~ 9:10 pm |
| September | 15° to 7° | Pleasant temperatures during the day | Autumn | ~ 6:50 am | ~ 7:40 pm |
| October | 9° to 3° | Chilly nights | Autumn | ~ 8:00 am | ~ 6:15 pm |
| November | 4° to -1° | Quite chilly and not a popular time to visit | Autumn -> Winter | ~ 8:15 am | ~ 3:50 pm |
| December | 1° to -5° | 50/50 Chance of a White Christmas aka Snow, Christmas market | Winter | ~ 9:10 am | ~ 5:20 am |
10 Tallinn Christmas Market🎄
If you’re visiting in December, be sure to check out the Tallin Christmas Market that’s held every year at the Tallinn Town Hall. It lasts the entire month of December with different programs planned every year.
11 Is Tallinn Estonia Safe?
Tallinn is a safe place to visit. However, you should be careful of your belongings during peak tourist seasons to avoid petty theft such as pickpocketing or snatching. While this is unlikely to happen to you, it’s always wise to be cautious of your things.
12 Is Tallinn Worth Visiting?
For me, it’s an absolute yes. Being from Hong Kong, I had not seen any medieval towns like this until I visited Tallinn. Of course, if you’ve travelled extensively around Europe, you may think differently. But if you’re not someone who is from this region of the world, it’s worth the short ferry trip.
13 Where to stay in Tallinn, Estonia
If you decide to stay for longer, Hotel Telegraaf is a beautiful place that will escalate your trip for sure! Its located right at Old Town. Imagine staying here during Christmas 😍
14 Conclusion
Tallinn is a beautiful city that has a really strong character. If you have a day to spare then you should make your way over for sure. I would like to go back during the next December break to visit the Christmas market! I am sure it would be epic given the backdrop of this medieval city.
