Tallinn is a city that feels like it’s been sketched from two different dreams: one medieval, one modern.
Its Old Town – all cobbled lanes, spired churches and honey‑coloured stone – is a UNESCO‑listed wonder that looks almost too perfect to be real. But step beyond those ancient walls and you’ll find a city pulsing with creativity, digital innovation and a Nordic‑Baltic cool that’s entirely its own.
Beyond the Old Town lies Telliskivi Creative City, Tallinn’s hipster‑industrial playground of street art, indie boutiques, concept stores, craft breweries and design studios. It’s the city’s creative engine – youthful, bold and buzzing with ideas.
While nearby, the Balti Jaama Market is a modern food hall and shopping space that blends local produce with global flavours. It’s the perfect place to sample Estonian delicacies or grab a coffee before exploring the neighbourhood.
But nature lies at the city’s edge and Tallinn’s coastline offers peaceful beaches, pine forests and quiet walking trails. Pirita Beach is a favourite in summer, while the nearby Kadriorg Park – home to the elegant Kadriorg Palace – is a serene escape year‑round.
The city’s compact size makes it easy to blend culture, nature and dining into a single day without ever feeling rushed.
Tallinn is a city of contrasts – ancient yet innovative, cosy yet cosmopolitan, calm yet creative. It’s a place where you can sip mulled wine in a medieval square, admire cutting‑edge digital art an hour later, and finish the day with a sunset view from the TV Tower.
It’s charming, clever, and endlessly surprising – a Baltic gem that rewards both slow wandering and curious exploration. And I fell deeply, madly in love with it.
Here are some of my personal highlights from our woefully short three-day visit. . .
Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour – Billed as ‘one of the most magnificent maritime museums in Northern Europe’ – and I wouldn’t argue! This jaw-dropping 8,000 m² hangar space delivers on the ‘wow factor.’
Highlights include the authentic submarine Lembit (one of two mine-laying subs built for the Republic of Estonia before World War II) and the steam-powered icebreaker vessel Suur Toll (originally built for the Russian Empire in 1914.)
Fat Margaret Museum and Visitor Centre – a UNESCO World Heritage complex cleverly curated into an impressive exhibition telling towering tales of the sea. Joint admission ticket for both these museums represents excellent value.
Pop & Contemporary Art Museum (Poco) – PoCo opened its doors in Tallinn in 2023, transforming over 1,000 m² into a living, evolving canvas for global pop and contemporary art. The museum began life as a personal obsession of Estonian tech pioneer Linnar Viik but is now home to hundreds of works from artists who reflect the world we live in.
The space brings together paintings, sculptures, glass works, documentary material and site-specific installations, reflecting on the intertwined histories of Helsinki and Tallinn.
And last but most definitely not least. . . Tallinn Telephone Tower – At 314 metres the tallest building in Estonia, Tallinn Telephone Tower was opened on 11th July 1980. This followed its selection as the site of the Olympic sailing events in Moscow’s year as Summer Olympics host.
Tallinn TV Tower is also one of the most important symbols of the restoration of Estonian independence, as it was the site of numerous events sparked by the Estonian Supreme Council’s decision of 20th August 1991 to declare Estonia re-independent.
The 170-metre-high observation platform was open to visitors until November 2007, reopening again in April 2012 after undergoing a full renovation.
The architects’ vision called for a new entrance structure, which adds grandeur and preserves a clear view of the tower. What became the highest observation platform in Northern Europe was opened on the 22nd floor, a modern interactive exhibition designed and the public areas given a thoroughly modern makeover.
This is also the year the highest panoramic restaurant in Northern Europe opened on this floor.
If you want to make your Tower experience unique however, you can walk around its edge! Not one for me but, if you’re brave enough, the Edge Walk, available April-October, must be the most breathtaking way to take in those aerial views around the tower’s full perimeter.
There is plenty to explore inside however, from the TV Tower History Exhibition to VR Flight Around The Tower Experience, offering a thrill level well suited for those who, like me, prefer to keep their feet firmly planted.
But it’s the TV Tower Café-Restaurant that, for me, will actually live on as the most memorable part of this visitor experience, offering a chance to dine above the city in a space that blends modern design with sweeping views . It’s one of those rare places where the setting becomes part of the meal. On a clear day, the horizon extends all the way to Helsinki!
But don’t make the mistake that this experience is style over substance. The food stands out as prominently as the tower itself. Inspired by Estonian nature and the changing seasons, the menu offers seasonal dishes crafted from the finest ingredients sourced from local, small-scale producers. Each dish tells its own story, combining genuine local flavours with a modern approach.
I would go as far as to say, this is one of the best culinary experiences I’ve been lucky enough to encounter – and easily one of the most surprising.
Fine dining with an even finer view. Now that has to be a winning recipe for tourists and locals alike.
If the skies aren’t cooperating, the tower offers a charming Good Weather Guarantee: visit on a day with poor visibility, get your ticket stamped, and return within two months free of charge.
A Tower admission ticket is required to secure one of the dining best spots in town – but I am not at all surprised to learn that it’s a foodie destination in its own right and if I were local, I’d be ascending these lofty levels of culinary excellence time and time again.
Learn more HERE.
The best way to get the most out of your stay in this beautiful city is with a Visit Tallinn Card. Find out more HERE.
This was the second part of my two-centre holiday in Helsinki and Tallinn. Read all about Helsinki HERE.
