Enjoy Christmas holidays in medieval Tallinn
Tallinn is among the oldest capitals in northern Europe with one of the best medieval town centers in the world. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Christmas holidays in Tallinn will be an unforgettable memory to treasure for years to come.
Visit Christmas Market!
Tallinn Christmas Market with a touch of a fairy tale will be held at the Town Hall Square of Tallinn. According to locals, Town Hall square was the first in Europe to publicly display a Christmas tree in 1441.
Tallinn Christmas Market delights everyone with its coziness, historical location, half a century old buildings and long traditions. In recent years, this market has become increasingly visible in the foreign media! People elected it a number of times as one of the best in the tens of thousands of Christmas markets.
Children will enjoy carousels and Santa Claus, who distributes candy in his little house to those who are better at reciting verses. At the site, you can buy high-quality handicrafts from all sorts of nick-nacks to practical winter accessories, and you can fill your tummy with gingerbread and with hearty Christmas roasts. Among the refreshments are well known Christmas dishes, but also brand new ones that are perfect for Christmas time.
Christmas holidays in Tallinn is a great idea for many reasons but one in particular is having the opportunity to sample the delicious festive mulled wine known as Glögg. While mulled wine is usually wine heated up with spices like cinnamon, cardamom and orange zest, Glögg is either berry juice or wine heated with the same spices but with strong alcohol like rum, or Vana Tallinn mixed in. It will keep you warm during the freezing cold winter’s night in Estonia.
Discover Estonian and Tallinn’s culture!
Take a break from the snowy weather outside to explore contemporary and traditional facets of Estonian culture.
You can start with Art Museum of Estonia. Founded in 1919, this museum has grown into several museums: Kumu Art Museum, Kadriorg Art Museum, Mikkel Museum, Niguliste Museum and Adamson-Eric Museum. For example, a must-see for culture creatures, Kumu, the main building of Art Museum of Estonia, serves both as Estonia’s national gallery and as a centre for contemporary art. By the way, entrance is free with Tallinn Card.
Learn about rural life at the Estonian Open Air Museum with a special winter program including a Christmas Village and Holiday Weeks with handicrafts, bread baking, wood chopping and more.
The Town Hall Pharmacy, found on the same square as the Christmas Market, is the oldest continually operating pharmacy in one premise in Europe, dating to 1422. That is to say, you can take a look at the old rooms for free or participate in a medicinal workshop.
Any Other Museums?
At the Estonian Health Care Museum you’ll get the full tour of the human body inside and out! Most importantly, visitors can learn through fascinating exhibitions, interactive lessons and a variety of other activities. Each room has a theme of its own, virtually dissecting the human body and focusing on each organ. Further, you have opportunity to learn something new about topics such as human evolution, healthy eating and modern disease diagnostics.
Estonia is a seafaring nation in all seasons. Seaplane Harbour Museum tells this story through interactive exhibits: ice-breaking ships, submarines, cannons and even ice boats. It is a memorable experience for the whole family! Lots of interesting reading, a voyage around the world in the Yellow Submarine, the big aquarium, the simulators and more exciting activities!
Enjoy Christmas activities!
Just a short walk away from Town Hall Pharmacy you’ll be able to see the original city wall and towers that still stand among some of the newer buildings. The best place to see the wall from the outside are from the Patkuli viewing platform on Toompea and Tornide väljak (Towers’ Square), a park area near the train station. Or you can go up Tallinn Teletorn and get a panoramic view of the entire city.
When the cold weather hits, skating around Old Town’s outdoor ice rink is a great way for the whole family to get into the winter spirit. Certainly, the Uisuplats is in a romantic setting, on Harju street next to St. Nicholas’ Church. Skates and support struts for beginners are available for rent. Afterwards warm up with a cup of hot drink at the next-door cafe.
Sampling the wonderful flavors of Estonian cuisine is a must during your visit to Tallinn. Check out the city’s best cafes and restaurants. At a genuine Estonian Christmas dinner, you’ll find jellied meat (sült in Estonian), beetroot salad, herring, roast potatoes and pork, sauerkraut, Christmas bread. In addition, black pudding with pickled pumpkin and lingonberry jam for dessert. Do not miss the opportunity to sample everything!
Every evening offers new opportunities to take part in enchanting winter events in the city’s cinemas, concert and theater halls, churches, nightclubs. Don’t miss Christmas Jazz 2019, which takes places from November 29 to December 12. The diverse program of Christmas Jazz festival will surely put you into a holiday mood. Likewise, it will fill your heart with warm melodies. Artists from all over the world will take to the stage and perform music suited for the weeks leading up to Christmas atmosphere.
Repeat Christmas Holidays in Tallinn!
To sum up, Tallinn is a lovely city to visit in any season. There is lots to do and plenty to see depending on your interests. We only highlighted here our favorite things during the winter. Tallinn will most definitely be the place to be for Christmas 2019 holidays! Moreover, you can order our one day tour in Tallinn. Our professional guides will not only tell the secrets of Old Town, but also give you tips how to celebrate Christmas like a true Estonian.
But you surely want to discover some out-of-the-ordinary places. That’s why we prepared this list of 5 unusual places to visit in Tallinn. You can also check our Baltic Trilogy Tour. Are you ready to visit Tallinn and experience a little Christmas magic?
NOTE: While museums and government run places are closed, most shops, cafes, restaurants remain open on 12/24 and 12/25, though some may have limited holiday hours.
