Tallinn: Walking the Old Town

The thing to understand about Tallinn’s Old Town (Vanalinn) is that it never became a museum. A pharmacy at the base of the town hall, the Raeapteek, has dispensed medicine on the same corner since at least 1422, and it still does; you can walk in, look at the old fittings, and buy paracetamol. That continuity, a lived-in medieval city rather than a preserved one, is what makes walking it more rewarding than most old towns in Europe. It has been on the UNESCO list since 1997 and costs nothing to wander.

Read more: the UNESCO listing guide covers why it was inscribed.

The two halves

The Old Town splits into two levels. The Lower Town was the medieval merchant and guild quarter, its street pattern between the Viru Gate and Raekoja plats essentially unchanged since the 14th century. Above it sits Toompea, the upper town where the nobility and rulers lived, and where Estonia’s parliament has met in Toompea Castle since the 1920s. Walking between the two, up the Long Leg (Pikk jalg) stair street, is half the pleasure.

What to walk to

  • The free viewpoints: the Kohtuotsa and Patkuli platforms on Toompea give the classic rooftops-and-spires panorama. Patkuli is usually less crowded, and better in the late-afternoon light.
  • Alexander Nevsky Cathedral: the onion-domed Russian Orthodox church on Toompea, built in 1900 under Tsarist rule, free to enter with modest dress.
  • St Olaf’s Church: its spire, once reputedly among the tallest structures in the world, now stands about 124 metres; the summer tower climb is the best elevated view in the city.
  • Katariina Kaik: a narrow lane off Vene Street where weavers, ceramicists, and jewellers still work out of former convent buildings.

Eating and staying

Skip the restaurants directly on Raekoja plats, which price for the location; walk one or two streets in any direction for better food at fairer prices. To stay inside the walls is atmospheric but pricey, with often small, irregular rooms in converted historic buildings; nearby Kalamaja offers better value a short walk away.

Getting there

Tallinn’s airport is about 4km out. The Old Town is walkable from the passenger port, a 10 to 15 minute stroll, and the airport tram is due back as routes T2 and T4 in August 2026 (verify on arrival; buses 2 and 15 cover it meanwhile). Tip: wear real shoes, because the cobblestones and Toompea’s slope are hard on thin soles and wheeled luggage.