Tallinn's Old Town

Tallinn's Old Town is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Old Town we recommend you visit the Town Hall Square. St. Olav’s Church and Kohtuotsa viewing platform. Also near the Old Town are important places like Kadriorg Palace, Tallinn Song Festival Grounds and Seaplane Harbour Museum.

The Town Hall

As in the Middle Ages, the Town Hall Square is the heart of the Old Town. Historically, it served as a marketplace, but today is the stage for various events, the most well-known being the Christmas Market. As you may have guessed, the square takes its name from the gothic Town Hall building. During the summer, visitors can climb the Town Hall’s tower to a 34-metre-high belfry balcony with views over the Old Town.

St. Olav’s Church

If you’re not afraid of heights, explore the vertical wonders of the Old Town. St. Olav’s Church was once the tallest building in the world during the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, its tower remains the most defining element of the Tallinn skyline, which visitors can ascend during the summer season for magnificent views.

Kohtuotsa viewing platform

Kohtuotsa viewing platform is one of the most photographed places in Tallinn. From here, a panorama including St. Olav’s spire, the modern city centre, many of the Town Wall’s defence towers and much more can be seen.

Kadriorg Palace

Just a short walk or tram ride from the Old Town, Kadriorg Palace is a stunning jewel of baroque architecture. It was built in the era of Tsar Peter the Great and named after his wife Catherine. Its neatly manicured gardens are home to many museums. While in Kadriorg park, also be sure to visit the next mentioned site.

Tallinn Song Festival Grounds

This arched stage and performance venue hosts Estonia’s largest event – the Song and Dance Celebration. It was here in 1988 that the Singing Revolution spurred Estonia’s road to renewed independence. This year the Song Festival will also be happening.

Seaplane Harbour Museum

It is Tallinn’s most popular museum, and for good reason. The century-old seaplane hangar houses modern maritime exhibits that will educate and entertain guests of all ages. Learn about Estonian history through its connection to the sea, and climb inside a real submarine.

Make sure you buy your bus/train/plane/boat ticket to Tallinn, Estonia. We don’t want you arriving in Finland or Latvia.

(But sometimes it’s cheaper if you come by bus from Riga for about 7-20€.)

ARRIVAL BY PLANE

If you come by plane then you can take the tram nr 4 from the airport to “Viru” peatus and walk about 10 min to our hostel Alur which is located on the outskirts of the famous Old Town. You can find the tram stop if you keep walking to the right after exiting the baggage claim of the Airport. ennujaam is Estonian for Airport.

ARRIVAL BY BUS

If you come to Tallinn by bus, take the bus nr 23 from the bus station and exit the nr 23 bus in ’’Kaubamaja’’ stop and walk around ’’Viru Keskus’’ to the Old Town, where Alur Hostel is located. It is about a 15 minute walk.

ARRIVAL BY OTHER MEANS

The address of Alur Hostel is ’’Lai 20’’. In case you want to order yourself a taxi, you should download the app Bolt and order the taxi there (so you don’t get ‘’tourist scammed’’ by regular taxis). If you are not able to find your way or can't use GPS to navigate from bus stops to Alur Hostel then just contact any of the organizers and we will help you navigate or if necessary come get you ourselves. The organizers contacts are at the end of this guide. Google Maps is your friend when it comes to commuting in Estonia!