Tallinn’s largest and most popular beach, Pirita is only 6km from the city. In summer, bronzed sun-lovers fill the sands and hang out in the laid-back cafes nearby. Even when it's bleak and windy there are plenty of wind- and kitesurfers to watch. It's backed by a narrow band of pine forest threaded by a bike track and there are places to buy an ice cream, a drink or lunch.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Pirita Convent

0.4 MILES

Only the massively high Gothic stone walls remain of Pirita, completed in 1436 as the largest convent in Old Livonia. The rest was destroyed in 1577 by…

2. Maarjamäe War Memorial

1.2 MILES

Perched on the bluff next to Maarjamäe Palace, this large Soviet-era monument consists of an elegant bowed obelisk set amid a large crumbling concrete…

3. Maarjamäe Stables

1.38 MILES

The 19th-century stable block of Maarjamäe Palace, one component of the Maarjamäe History Centre, has been re-created as an exhibition space, currently…

4. Film Museum

1.42 MILES

Opened in the grounds of Maarjamäe Palace in 2017, and with big plans for the future, this rust-red, semi-subterranean museum on the grounds of the…

5. Maarjamäe History Centre

1.45 MILES

Maarjamäe Palace, a neo-Gothic 19th-century extravagance built by a wealthy Russian, anchors this excellent cultural-historical complex, run by the…

6. Maarjamäe Palace

1.5 MILES

The principal feature of the dispersed Estonian History Museum's Maarjamäe History Centre is the restored 19th-century Maarjamäe Palace, now a museum. An…

7. Tallinn Botanic Garden

1.77 MILES

Set on 1.2 sq km in the Pirita River valley and surrounded by lush conifer woodlands, these delightful gardens boast over 8000 species of plants,…

8. Tallinn TV Tower

2.02 MILES

Opened in time for the 1980 Olympics, this futuristic, 314m tower offers brilliant views from its 22nd floor (175m). Press a button and frosted glass…