Tallinn catches first-time visitors off guard. The capital of Estonia sits on the Baltic coast, just 80 kilometres south of Helsinki. The city has one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Europe. Its walls and towers date from the 13th century. But Tallinn is also a modern digital capital. Estonia was the first country to offer e-residency in 2014. Free public Wi-Fi covers the entire old town. The city blends cobblestone streets with tech start-ups. A 15th-century pharmacy still operates on the Town Hall Square. You can stand inside a medieval merchant’s house and book a ride-sharing car on your phone. Tallinn offers 800 years of history wrapped in a digital shell.

Toompea Castle and the 1.9-Kilometre Fortification Wall

Toompea Castle was built on a limestone hill that rises 50 metres above the city. The earliest settlement here dates from the 10th century. The castle was built by Danish conquerors in 1219. The pink baroque Palace was built in 1767 by Catherine the Great. It now houses the Estonian Parliament. Visitors can watch parliamentary sessions from the public gallery. The fortification wall that surrounds the old town originally ran 2.35 kilometres. It reaches 16 metres high in places. Today 1.9 kilometres of the wall survive. There are 26 original towers, of which 20 remain. The tallest is Tall Hermann, built in 1371. It stands 45 metres high. You can walk along a 300-metre section of the wall between three towers. Entry costs 2 euros (as of 2026). The wall was never successfully breached in any siege.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral: 11 Golden Domes Built in 1900

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral sits on Toompea Hill. It was built between 1894 and 1900 during the period of Russification. The cathedral has 11 golden domes. The largest dome rises 4 metres in diameter. The interior is covered in mosaics. The iconostasis, a screen of religious icons, is 3 tiers high. It contains 45 icons painted between 1898 and 1900. The cathedral bells weigh 17 tons. The largest bell alone weighs 4 tons. Entry is free for worship. The cathedral operates as a branch of the Estonian Orthodox Church. Photography is allowed inside without flash. The building sparked controversy during the Soviet era. Plans to demolish it in the 1920s were cancelled. Today it is one of Tallinn’s most photographed landmarks.

Tallinn Town Hall: 600 Years of Civic Life

Tallinn Town Hall is the oldest surviving town hall in the Baltic region. It was first mentioned in records in 1322. The current building dates from 1404. The spire rises 64 metres above the square. The weather vane on top is called Old Thomas. It was installed in 1530. The original figure was replaced by a copy in 1996. The town hall has 3 public halls. The largest is the Citizens Hall, which measures 17 by 10 metres. A guided tour costs 5 euros (as of 2026). The Town Hall Pharmacy in the basement has operated continuously since 1422. It is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe. You can buy a commemorative rose hip powder that pharmacists made here in the 15th century. The Town Hall Square hosts a Christmas market from late November to early January.

Kadriorg Palace: Peter the Great’s 250-Room Summer Residence

Kadriorg Palace was built between 1718 and 1725. Tsar Peter the Great ordered its construction after visiting Tallinn. The palace has 250 rooms. The building is a Baroque masterpiece designed by Italian architect Niccolò Michetti. The palace now houses the Art Museum of Estonia. The permanent collection includes 9,000 works. The most valuable is the collection of Dutch 17th-century paintings. Entry costs 6 euros for adults (as of 2026). The palace is set within 90 hectares of parkland. The Kadriorg Park features a Japanese garden opened in 2011. The Swan Pond was created in 1858. The nearby presidential palace was built in 1938. The Kumu Art Museum, the main branch of the Art Museum of Estonia, opened in 2006. It cost 30 million euros to build and won the European Museum of the Year award in 2008.

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