Tallinn: Itineraries

A Top Day in Tallinn

On my first day in Tallinn, I'd suggest being frighteningly responsible and waking up bright and early to head straight for the Old Town. It's better to have a wander before all the big tourist boats arrive.

Watch shop owners set up for their day, and stop into a cafe on Raekoja plats for coffee and a light breakfast. Do your Upper and Lower Town sightseeing and picture-taking now. After a few hours, walk east along busy Narva maantee to get a flavour of Tallinn's relatively new downtown hustle and bustle; many of the buildings you see didn't exist even five years ago.

Walk about 1.5km (0.93mi) to the once-richest Tallinn suburb of Kadriorg until you get to the park of the same name. Check out Peter the Great's palace, then head out to Pirita. The 2km (1.2mi) seaside road boasts vistas that are great any time of the day, but make a note to return here at sunset should you meet anyone appropriate for a romantic walk. Pirita beach awaits (or, if your wallet will let you, rent a yacht for a little tour of Tallinn Bay).

With sand in each crevice of your body, it's time to cleanse - get the bus back to town and to the Kalamaja sauna. Sit and melt or get a vigourous rubdown, then, if energy allows, wander around Kalamaja for its great old wooden houses. It's a rough-edged part of town that no tourist usually sees but is worth a visit - the local dive bars serve up Tallinn's cheapest shots.

After a power nap, head out to the once-again emptied Old Town for a night of eating, drinking and dancing.

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