There's more in Tallinn than just the Medieval Old Town. Locals might actually tell you to get out of there and go see the real Tallinn, be it taking a tram to the funky and bohemian Kalamaja, picturesque Kadriorg or seaside Pirita. Don't get us wrong – we love the Old Town, we just don't want you to think Estonia is a big theme park and all locals sell roasted almonds in baggy clothes. Instead, breathe in the art and culture in the little galleries or visit some of the more alternative sights until they're still here to remind us of the days, like the Soviet concert hall near the harbour or the flea market at the train station.
Börsi Passage
The walk of fame and shame
Kalev Külaase /
In 2010, the small passage next to the Grand Guild building in the Old Town received an ...
Estonian Open Air Museum
Estonia, condensed
Mart Virkus /
The idea behind this open air museum is fairly simple. They went around the land picking up ...
KGB Museum
Pee-ka-boo, KGB sees you!
Laura Randmaa /
Locals, if born before 1980, remember what a secret place Viru hotel was in Soviet times. A ...
KUMU
Art above, under and beyond the ground
Kalev Külaase /
The giant museum itself resembles a supervillain's lair. Come nuclear apocalypse and we ...
Museum of Occupations
Shedding light on the darkness
Mart Virkus /
The Museum of Occupations is a harrowing reminder of the country's not-so-distant past ...
Patarei Prison
Welcome to the big house
Mart Virkus /
We're not going to give you the full and terrifying history of the Patarei prison, but inside ...
Bastion Passages
Tumble down the rabbit hole...
Mart Virkus /
In the old days, the tunnels were used for various purposes. In the 17th and 18th centuries ...
CAME (EKKM)
Power (plant) to the people
Mart Virkus /
The complex houses the Estonian Museum of Contemporary Art and it's hard to think of a ...
City Gallery
City's arty heart
Ülane Vilumets /
The name “City Gallery” sounds conservative enough, but rest assured, it has little to do with ...
Kadriorg Palace
An imperial baroque summerhouse
Mart Virkus /
The Kadriorg palace was built in 1725, as Peter the Great needed a quiet getaway from his ...
Museum of Estonian Architecture
Explore the future, from the past
Mart Virkus /
The Rotermann salt storage – the name of the building says it all, doesn't it? Well, not really ...
Navitrolla Gallery
Surreal, absurd fun!
Kalev Külaase /
Navitrolla is definitely a unique Estonian artist! His name's been famous since 1990 and ...
Neeme Lall Gallery
Flower power forever
Ülane Vilumets /
Neeme Lall could well be considered the last Mohican of the 60s "flower power". His ...
Niguliste Museum
A collage of history
Mart Virkus /
It's a church completed in 1230 that nowadays operates only as a museum and concert hall. At ...
Puppet Museum
Puppetmasters
Mart Virkus /
Occasionally verging on the creepy, this museum works for young and old. It has a ...
Science Center Ahhaa
All hands on science
Mart Virkus /
In the beginning, the Universe was created. Ten billion years later (give or take a few mill ...
Seaplane Harbour
Terror of the seas
Mart Virkus /
The museum is located inside the seaplane hangars. It's truly unique as the first shell ...
Tallinn Botanic Garden
Tropical Tallinn
Mart Virkus /
Biologists would argue that Estonia is incredibly diverse with millions of different ...
Tallinn Zoo
It's a zoo
Mart Virkus /
It's a zoo. Like, with animals and all that. It has... let's see here. Elephants, seals, buffaloes ...
The Ruins of Pirita Monastery
An iconic gothic giant
Mart Virkus /
Today, as you're walking around the Pirita district, the old monastery ruins might seem a bit ...
TV Tower
Thrills in the sky
Ülane Vilumets /
The highest viewpoint in Tallinn was reopened in 2012 and quickly became one of the city’s ...