Tallinn

Tallinn is one of the most popular among tourists city on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Cruise ships regularly bring a large number of tourists from different countries to the city. Almost all operating on the Baltic Sea cruise companies include Tallinn visiting in a route of cruises. The largest number of foreign tourists is coming to Tallinn from Finland. The Old Town is the main tourist attraction of the city.

Tourists are traveling to Tallinn all year round. The most popular tourist seasons are summer and December (Christmas). The most competitive prices on cruises and tours are offered during the winter season.

Tallinn is one of the oldest European capitals. Tallinn population is about 440 thousand people (2016). The city lies on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, at a distance about 80 kilometers to south of Helsinki. Distance from Tallinn to Stockholm is about 760 kilometers; the distance to St Petersburg is about 320 kilometers. Tallinn has ferry connections to Helsinki, Stockholm and St. Petersburg. Russian tourists are often traveling to Tallinn by car and by bus.

Tallinn is very popular travel destination among citizens of Finland. What attracts tourists to Tallinn?

• Tallinn is a city with an interesting history and all the attractive features of a modern city. Tallinn's most famous attraction is its old town. The Old Town is a well-preserved medieval town, medieval architecture example.
• Affordable prices level is also attracting tourists to Tallinn. Goods and services can often get by a slightly cheaper price. The tourists interested in shopping, beauty services, restaurants, and lively nightlife finds everything that he wants.
• Tourists are also interested in cultural events. Many interesting public events are in Tallinn, Estonia: festivals, concerts, theater performances, competitions.
• Tallinn is famous for its lively nightlife. Tourists can spend there evenings in restaurants and bars, which can be found as well as the city's modern quarters and in the Old City.

Tallinn tourism statistics

Statistics show growth in the number of foreign tourists in recent years. Data from different sources may be slightly different.

According to statistics, Tallinn was visited by nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists in 2014. 1.7 million foreign citizens held in Tallinn more than one day, 1.3 million came to the city for a day. Number of cruise passengers was amounted to 470 thousand people. About 1.41 million foreign tourists stayed in hotels. The rest of the day trips or stayed with friends and relatives.

The largest number of tourists arrives to Tallinn from Finland. Tallinn was visited by 1.74 million tourists from Finland in 2014. This is about 50% of the total number of foreign tourists in the city. Tourists from Russia are on the second place - 368 900 people (11%). About 222.7 thousand people came to Tallinn from Germany (6%). The number of tourists from the United Kingdom was amounted to 123.6 thousand people. Quite a lot of tourists also come from Lithuania, Sweden, Norway and the United States.

Tallinn was visited by over 297 cruise ships that brought the city about 470 thousand tourists in 2014. Of these, 118 thousand were citizens of Germany, 64 thousand British citizens, 8600 citizens of Finland, 11 thousand Russian citizens. Tourists can get there by sea to Tallinn from Stockholm, Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

According to statistics, the most popular among tourist’s kinds of transport is maritime transport (ferries and cruise ships). About 60% of tourists arrive in Tallinn by sea. About 20% of tourists use air transport and about 11% the bus. Sea transport is the most popular with tourists from Finland and Sweden. Air transportation is most often used by tourists from distant countries (US, UK, Germany, Norway). Tourists from Russia often travel to Tallinn by buses, own cars and rail.

Tallinn Airport handled 2.17 million passengers in 2014. The greatest number of passengers is tourists from Frankfurt, Helsinki, Riga, Oslo and London.
The passenger port served 9.41 million passengers in 2014. Most of the port customers were traveling on the route Tallinn - Helsinki.

There were 324 hotels units in Tallinn at the end of 2014 (hotels, hostels and campgrounds). The number of high-grade hotels was 55.

The number of nights spent by tourists in hotels in Tallinn, by countries:

• Finland: 989 636 nights.
• Russia: 362 966 nights.
• United Kingdom: 87 706 nights.
• Germany: 181,395 nights.
• Sweden: 83 005 nights.

Attractions in Tallinn

Tourist information center

Tourist Information Center located in Tallinn's Old Town.
Address: Niguliste 2 / Kullasepa 4.
The information center is open seven days a week. The information center provides necessary information for tourists (guides, information about attractions and events, guided tours, accommodation). It is possible to buy Tallinn Card here. You can get advice here, what places and events you should visit in the city.

Old town

The main attraction of Tallinn is its Old Town (Vanalinn). Tallinn Old Town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. Architecture of the Old town was formed from the XI to XV century. It was not badly damaged during the wars and fires. Massive constructions have not been made in the modern period. Most of the houses and streets remained without significant changes.

The Old Town “City Hall Square” is the central place of the Old city. There are often held a variety of interesting events in summer. There are also located in the Old Town: the Town Hall, St. Nicholas Church, the Church of St. Olaf (St. Olaf), the Dome Cathedral, the Dominican Monastery, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the “Fat Margaret tower”, the Maiden Tower (Neitsitorn) and other interesting objects.

Tallinn Old Town is divided into two parts: the “Upper town” (Toompea) and “Lower Town”.
The “Upper town” (Toompea) is part of the Old City. Toompea (“Cathedral Hill”) is located on a hill measuring approximately 400 by 250 meters. It has an area of about 7 hectares and rises above the surrounding territory about 20-30 meters. The most important building in the upper town is the Toompea Castle. Authorities have always lived here. The seat of the government and parliament of Estonia is here in our time. The flag of Estonia is placed at the top of the highest tower of the castle, the “Long Hermann» tower. Until 1877 Toompea was a separate city and was not controlled by the city authorities of Tallinn.
The boundaries of the old city marked for the convenience of tourists on the Tallinn map.

Kadriorg Park

The “Kadriorg” park is located at a distance about 2 kilometers to east of the city center. Park foundation date is July 22, 1718. The park was established by order of Russian Tsar Peter the Great. The Park is a favorite place for residents of Tallinn. The “Catherine Palace” is located in the park. It is a branch of the Estonian Art Museum. Residence of the President of Estonia is also located in the park.
You can find out the location of the park on the Tallinn map.

Zoo

Tallinn Zoo is located in Haabersti district. The zoo was opened in the year 1939. The zoo has more than 340 species of animals.
Address: Thermostats Highway 145, 13522, Estonia.

Transportation

Tallinn has a convenient public transportation system. There are more than 60 bus routes, 4 tram routes and 8 trolleybus routes.

The bus station

Tallinn bus station (Bussijaam) is located approximately 1 kilometer to east of the Old City. Tallinn is connected by bus service with a number of European cities. From Tallinn central bus station, buses goes in cities Berlin, Bremen, Warsaw, Vilnius, Kaliningrad, Kaunas, Krakow, Kiev, Cologne, Munich, Riga, Stuttgart, St. Petersburg. The bus station can be reached by tram number 2 or number 4 and bus number 17 or 23.
The bus station is located to south-east of the city center, on the corner of Lastekodu, Juhkentali and Odra streets.
Address: Lastekodu Street 46, Tallinn, Estonia. Internet site www.bussijaam.ee.

Airport

The airport of Tallinn (Lennart Meri Tallinna lennujaam) is located at a distance about 4 kilometers from the city center and 5 kilometers from Tallinn Passenger Port. Airport serves flights to more than 20 cities in Europe. Tallinn Airport is connected with Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, London, Moscow, Kiev, Prague, Warsaw, Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, Riga, Vilnius, Barcelona, Milan, Gothenburg. There are also helicopter flights to Helsinki. In 2011 the airport had served nearly 2 million passengers.
The airport can be reached from the city center by bus number 2 (7:00 to 24:00). You can also use a taxi (fare is less than 10 euros).
Address: Lennujaama tee 2, Tallinn, Estonia.
Internet site of the airport: www.tallinn-airport.ee

Railway station

Tallinn railway station (Baltic Station, Balti jaam) is located in the city center, close to the old town and the sea port, near the Jaama turg square (station market). From the railway station trains leave to many cities in Estonia (including Tartu and Narva), as well as in Moscow (Leningrad station) and St. Petersburg.
Address: Toompuiestee 37, Tallinn, Estonia.

Tallinn passenger port

Tallinn passenger port (Old City Harbor, Vanasadam) is one of the busiest passenger ports on the Baltic Sea. The port handled about 9.4 million passengers in 2014. Passenger terminals of the port of Tallinn are located to north of the Old City. Tallinn's Old Town is located at a short walk distance from the port (about 800 meters) and tourists can conveniently walks through the city.

Tallinn port handles a large number of cruise ships. In Tallinn regularly come ships of companies Viking Line, Silja Line, Linda Line Express, Tallink and Eckerö Line. Tallinn connected by ferries to Helsinki (Finland), Stockholm (Sweden), Aland Islands (Finland), Rostock (Germany), St. Petersburg (Russia). The most popular route is Helsinki - Tallinn. Read more about the passenger port.