Sightseeing in Tallinn Despite its small size, the Old Town of Tallinn has many attractive places to visit that these lines we will undoubtedly short. The best, however, is that everything is close in this city you can visit the most interesting walking through the beautiful medieval streets that cross the oldest part of the city. The Old Town is a World Heritage Site, and despite having suffered many attacks during occupations and wars (the strategic situation in Tallinn on the Baltic coast in the Gulf of Finland, made ​​the city was coveted by many governments) is completely restored and displays a wonderful mix of styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque … Built between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, the city (then called Reval) was surrounded by walls with guard towers, which today are preserved virtually intact and contribute to this beautiful old town its particular look fantastic, typical of a fairy tale.

Our first visit may be the Toompea Castle, built between the thirteenth and fifteenth of an ancient fortress. On its front gives the appearance of a baroque palace as it was remodeled under Catherine the Great, but his back is authentically medieval. Pikk Hermann tower, 46 meters high, is a national symbol. Furthermore, if we start our tour with a good view of the city on the hill of Toompea find two viewpoints that will offer the best views: the platform and the Patkuli Kohtuotsa. Leaving now the castle, on the same hill of Toompea find the spectacular Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built with features bulbous domes that usually top the Orthodox churches of northern Europe. In fact, it is the largest Orthodox cathedral of old Russia. It was built in 1900 under the rule of the czars, and inside you can admire beautiful mosaics.

Walking through this beautiful medieval framework, we find that is certainly the most unique street in the Old Town of Tallinn: the passage of Santa Catalina. It is in the back of what was once a church dedicated to the saint and what really brings this place attractive is that it houses the workshops of artisans medieval city. At present, these workshops are open to the public, who can admire the craftsmanship of blown glass, ceramics, jewelry …

Another place of interest is certainly the city of Tallinn. Located in the main square of Old Town (the Town Hall Square), now is the only surviving intact Gothic town hall in Europe. During the summer you can climb the tower of 64 meters in height for an incomparable view. At the corner of the building can also visit Europe’s oldest pharmacy.


In the Old City are still many sites of interest to visit: the Dominican Monastery with its cloister and its museum, and Paks Rannavärav Suur Margareeta (the Wall of the Coast and the Fat Margaret Tower), the Tower Hellemann, House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads (a Renaissance building that can be visited, and is recognized for its spectacular red and green door studded with gold trim), the tower Kiek in de Kok, which means “to pry into the kitchen” (a defensive tower of 38 meters, and its name comes from the soldiers said that thanks to its height, could pry into the kitchens of the houses through the chimney), the Maiden Tower, the spectacular Church of Holy Spirit, the Court of the Masters (enclave devoted to skilled artisans), the i glesias of St. Nicholas and St. Olaf (the latter with its high tower with a needle of 159 meters and in the thirteenth century was the tallest structure in the known world), and Gate Viru Viru street flanking its two great towers, typical of fairy princes and princesses. Furthermore, along the old town you can visit also a place as modern as evocative: Vabaduse Valjak (Freedom Square), an open space dedicated to national pride and symbolism of the country’s independence.

The surroundings of Tallinn have much to offer visitors. The Gulf of Finland is green and spectacular, and has small islands full of charm that can be visited. A good example is Aeegna, Prangli Naissaar and three islets to which ferries depart for the summer. Decades ago it was impossible to visit them to be a strategic point of the Soviet Union, but today you can tour its quiet forests and beautiful beaches. On the island of Prangli preserved medieval fishing tradition like nowhere else in Europe, while Naissaar is famous for the remains of soldiers that are still in her and her narrow-gauge railway still in operation. Also, along the coast we visit the National Park Lahemaa large, about an hour’s drive from Tallinn. Another essential visit is Paldiski, a coastal city about 45 kilometers from the capital and was a center of construction of submarines and missiles in Soviet times. Apart from its lighthouse, the tallest of Estonia, the beauty of the Pakri peninsula (where is located the city) is due to its magnificent cliffs and wildlife. And finally, we can go to Viimsi, just 15 kilometers from Tallinn: a beautiful rocky peninsula, with beautiful nature and also has three museums: the Museum of the War of Estonia, the Museum of Coastal and Customs However, the Open Air Museum of Viimsi, located in a historic former farm.