In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Day 1 is the medieval heart on foot: Viru Gate and St Catherine’s Passage, then Toompea hill for the Kohtuotsa and Patkuli viewing platforms, Kiek in de Kök and its Bastion Passages (€16), and an evening at Telliskivi Creative City and Fotografiska (€14 to €17). Day 2 uses the tram: Kadriorg Palace (€15) and Kumu (€16) in the morning, then Seaplane Harbour (€22) and a beer in Noblessner. Gate tickets come to €83 to €86 before transport. Or book a tour: start with a guided Old Town historical walking tourad (from €35).
⚠️ Mondays: Kumu and the Kadriorg Art Museum are closed on Mondays all year. From October to April Kiek in de Kök and Seaplane Harbour are closed on Mondays too. Put Day 1 on a Tuesday to Saturday and Day 2 on a Tuesday to Sunday.
Itinerary overview
| Day and focus | Main stops | Getting around | Gate tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Old Town and Telliskivi | Viru Gate, Town Hall Square, Toompea viewing platforms, Kiek in de Kök, Telliskivi, Fotografiska | On foot | €30 to €33 |
| Day 2: Kadriorg and Kalamaja | Kadriorg Palace, Kumu, Seaplane Harbour, Noblessner | Tram, bus or taxi | €53 |
| Two-day total | €83 to €86 |
Lühike jalg gate tower. Photo: NOSSER, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Day 1: the Lower Town, Toompea and Telliskivi
On foot all day.
Morning (09:00 to 12:30): Hanseatic alleys and viewpoints
- 09:00, Viru Gate and St Catherine’s Passage: go in through the twin towers of Viru Gate (Viru värav), then up Müürivahe street beside the town wall into St Catherine’s Passage (Katariina käik), a cobbled lane with craft studios.
- 09:45, Town Hall Square and Raeapteek: Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) is the civic centre of the Old Town. The Raeapteek (Town Hall Pharmacy) at number 11 has traded since before 1422 and has a free museum room.
- 10:30, up to Toompea: climb Pikk jalg (“Long Leg”) through the gate tower into the Upper Town.
- 11:00, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Toompea Castle: the black onion domes of the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral stand on Lossi plats, opposite Toompea Castle, the seat of the Estonian parliament (Riigikogu), with the Tall Hermann tower.
- 11:45, Kohtuotsa and Patkuli: walk to the Kohtuotsa viewing platform for the view over the red roofs and spires, then to the Patkuli platform, which looks down on the town wall towers. Both are free.
View from Kohtuotsa. Photo: kallerna, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Midday (12:30 to 15:30): fortifications and lunch
- 12:30, Kiek in de Kök: a 15th-century artillery tower on Komandandi tee. The full ticket (€16) includes the underground Bastion Passages. From October to April it is closed on Mondays.
- 14:00, lunch in the Old Town: III Draakon is a candlelit medieval tavern inside the Town Hall at Raekoja plats 1. Rataskaevu 16 serves contemporary Estonian food from 12:00 daily, with mains from €16.80.
Guided alternatives for the Old Town: the Stories and Views 2-hour walking tourad (from €35) and the Medieval Walking Tourad (from €36, 2 hours).
Afternoon and evening (15:30 to 22:00): Telliskivi
- 15:30, Balti Jaama Turg: leave through the Old Town, cross Toompark and the railway to the market at Kopli 1. It is open Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 19:00 and Sunday 09:00 to 17:00.
- 16:30, Telliskivi Creative City and Fotografiska: walk the brick courtyards of Telliskivi and see the exhibitions at Fotografiska Tallinn (€14 to €17). Fotografiska is open Monday to Thursday 09:00 to 20:00, Friday 09:00 to midnight, Saturday 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 18:00. Telliskivi’s shopping streets close at 19:00 on weekdays.
- 19:00, dinner at F-hoone or Moon: F-hoone is a brasserie in a former workshop; meat dumplings are €8. Moon at Telliskivi (building G) cooks modern Slavic food and is a Michelin Guide recommended restaurant; borscht is €10.
- 21:00, a beer: Põhja Konn in Telliskivi has 20 Estonian beers on tap and is open until midnight Sunday to Thursday and 02:00 on Friday and Saturday.
Telliskivi courtyard. Photo: Sinikka Halme, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Day 2: Kadriorg, Kumu, Seaplane Harbour and Noblessner
Choose a Tuesday to Sunday. The two museums in Kadriorg are a short walk apart, and Seaplane Harbour is a tram or taxi ride away on the coast.
Morning (09:30 to 13:30): Kadriorg
- 09:30, tram to Kadriorg: take tram 1 or 3 from the Old Town.
- 10:00, Kadriorg Palace and Art Museum: a baroque palace built for Peter the Great, now home to early European and Russian art (€15). Open Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 and Wednesday 10:00 to 20:00.
- 11:30, Kumu: a short walk through the park to Estonia’s national art museum (€16), with Estonian art from the 18th century onwards and Soviet-era work. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 and Thursday 10:00 to 20:00.
- 13:30, lunch: back in the centre, Røst at Rotermanni 14 sells cinnamon and cardamom buns (€3.50) and is open Monday to Friday 08:30 to 18:00 and Saturday 09:30 to 17:00.
Afternoon and evening (14:30 to 22:00): Kalamaja
- 14:30, Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam): a ticket is €22. The 1916 concrete hangars hold the 1936 submarine Lembit, and the 1914 icebreaker Suur Tõll is moored outside. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 from October to April, and daily 10:00 to 19:00 from May to September.
- 17:30, Noblessner: walk the harbour boardwalk into the former submarine shipyard.
- 18:30, dinner at the Põhjala Tap Room: Peetri 5, with 24 beers on tap and Texas-style barbecue. On Sunday it closes at 17:00, so have dinner at Rataskaevu 16 in the Old Town, which is open until 23:00.
To cover Day 2 by vehicle instead, the Old Town, Kadriorg, Pirita and Open Air Museum tourad (from €150, 5.5 hours), the half-day city tourad (from €240, 4 hours) and the Tales of Tallinn car tourad (from €60, 2 hours) all run from Tallinn.
Gate tickets for the two days
- Kiek in de Kök and Bastion Passages: €16
- Fotografiska Tallinn: €14 to €17
- Kadriorg Art Museum and Palace: €15
- Kumu Art Museum: €16
- Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam): €22
- Total: €83 to €86 per adult, before transport
The Tallinn Card page sets this against the price of a 48-hour card.
Connecting planning resources
- Extending to 3 days: 3 days in Tallinn itinerary.
- Pass evaluation: Is the Tallinn Card worth it?.
- Transit network: Public transport in Tallinn complete guide.
- Dining spots: Where to eat in Tallinn and Craft beer guide.
- Where to sleep: Where to stay in Tallinn.
Common questions
Is one day enough to visit Tallinn?
One day covers the Old Town, the Toompea viewing platforms, Kiek in de Kök and its Bastion Passages, and an evening in Telliskivi Creative City. Choose a Tuesday to Saturday so Kiek in de Kök is open in winter.
What should you do on a second day in Tallinn?
Spend the morning in Kadriorg at the baroque palace and the Kumu art museum, then go to Kalamaja for Seaplane Harbour and its submarine Lembit, and finish with a beer at the Põhjala Tap Room in Noblessner.
Do you need public transit tickets for this itinerary?
Day 1 is on foot. Day 2 uses trams 1 or 3 to Kadriorg and a tram or taxi towards Kalamaja. Fares and the contactless card option are on the public transport page.
Does the Tallinn Card save money on a two-day trip?
The gate tickets on this itinerary come to €83 to €86 per adult before transport. The Tallinn Card page sets that total against the price of a 48-hour card.
What sights in Tallinn are closed on Mondays?
Kumu and the Kadriorg Art Museum are closed on Mondays all year, and Kiek in de Kök and Seaplane Harbour are closed on Mondays from October to April. On a Monday, walk the Old Town and Toompea viewing platforms, visit Balti Jaama Turg and go to Fotografiska, which is open every day.
