Tallinn city walks
Tallinn is famous as an important post city on the Baltic Sea.
It is on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. I would add that it is the right column of the gate to the Gulf of St. Petersburg. Tallinn was a mighty fortress, and the only way to conquer it was a siege. Today you can still feel that when you walk the narrow streets of the upper layer of the old city. It has a lot of governmental institutions, a few churches and lots of souvenir shops. At the same time, the most attractive are general observations of the lower city and the port.
Tallinn is a limping city.
Citizens of the old cities of Europe like legends and fairytales and also like to take things with humor. Two streets are connecting the upper and the lower areas of Tallinn. One is Pikk Jalg, and it is the longest street in the old city. Another one is Luchike Jalg, the shortest road in the old town. People used to compare their hometown to a person with different lengths of legs. Local people said that Tallinn is hambling.
Much more detailed Old city program is on a Tallinn city tour.
In the lower city of Tallinn
The lower city is the area of merchants, craftsmen, and simple citizens, professional guilds, and many tourist attractions. You can find here an authentic medieval church and the oldest Drugstore in Tallinn. It was established in 1422 and is still functioning at the same location.
Tallinn receives lots of cruise ships every year, and many travelers take shore excursions, and you can meet hundreds of people on the narrow streets of the old city. Sometimes you can even hardly pass. But you can always find a less crowded space in a few minutes’ walk from the ancient city.
We spend a full day exploring the city on the Baltic States tour.
Tallinn food market
Find the train station, and the market is just next to it. The days of a single market where peasants sell their stuff are almost gone. You get closer to the market, and you can start exploring an unusual modern architecture. The roof has a weird but beautiful looking shape, and it feels like entering a cave.
First, you pass the rows of fruits and vegetables with a lot of customers picking the best available for their beloved ones. I always like to observe such places as they show you a kind of behind the curtain faces of Estonians.
When you go deeper into the market, there are all kinds of departments—two big pavilions of meat and fish than a lot of clothing, homeware. For hungry ones, there are numerous tasting and full meal options. But I would offer you to choose a place to eat in the neighboring Telleskivi creative city.
Telliskivi creative city
We are used to perpetual changes in the world and its economy and social life. It may be even too fast, but unfortunately, we cannot control these things. So the world transformed from industrial to the world of services. In the post-Soviet countries, you can find many out of market factories. Some covered the whole neighborhoods and stood abandoned for a decade after the fall of the Soviet Union.
One such place is the Telliskivi area in the very central part of Tallinn. Entrepreneurs and creative Estonians initiated an evolvement of a Creative city using the abandoned real estate. Without making too speculative investments this quarter got a new look and soul of freedom, creativity, arts, foods, museums, and just a place to stumble around.
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Former industrial area of Tallinn
There is a list of vendors who make a nice income here. There are crowds of people who come to eat lunch or to spend an evening time drinking a glass of wine an open beer bottle.
Graffiti is everywhere, even not graffiti but street art with a lot of good taste and strong statements. A serious museum Fotografiska has his branch here, and from the top of the building, you can enjoy a unique panoramic view of Toompea fortress walls and other structures of the upper Tallinn.
Walks in Kalamaja district
From Telliskivi, you can continue an out the beaten path journey in Tallinn. Walk towards the former port area. Kalamaja district is a wooden housing area. Many property owners recently refurbished in a modern way their houses. And the walk in the neighborhood is eye-catching. You get thrilled by different vivid colors and shapes of facades.
After a short and pleasant walk, you reach the Bay Area. Here you can enjoy the Baltic Sea breeze and meet people passionate about food and design. The area feels hipster in its positive way. Restaurants stuff the big hangar in the shipyard center.
Lennusadam seaplane Harbour
The most prominent attraction in Kalamaja district is a seaplane museum Lennusadam. It is in the authentic hangar to build and to maintain seaplanes. Which, as you can guess, is very big.
If you are on a limited budget, you can see the only open-air exhibit, which included few battleships and a legendary icebreaker Suur Toll. But if you have time and ready to spent 15 euros, then The Seaplane Harbour is yours. It houses one of Europe’s grandest naval museums. You can see here the authentic submarine Lembit from the century-old steam-powered icebreaker Suur Tõll, a real seaplane, mines, cannons, and many more.
Now is the best time to leave the city and to explore the Estonian islands.