TallinnCapital
Estonia · Country profile
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, a small, beautifully preserved medieval city on the Baltic that has made its old town, one of the best intact in Europe, the centrepiece of a modern, digital and increasingly international small capital. The walled old town, with its towers, its cobbled squares and its gabled houses of the Hanseatic merchants, crowds a hill of the merchants and the cathedral, and the short ferries and the flights keep the city connected to the wider region. The surrounding districts hold the taste of the whole city’s life: the parks, the marinas, the beach of the summer and the layers of the Soviet and the reinvented modern eras. Small, safe, photogenic and quietly confident, Tallinn is one of the most delightful capitals of the north.
About Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia. The city's documented population is around 457,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Euro (EUR) and Estonian is spoken; the dialling code is +372.
The Old Town Walls, the Towers and the Cobbles
Tallinn is a small, immaculate capital whose medieval old town, complete with its walls, its towers and its cobbled squares, is one of the best-preserved historic centres in Europe. The old town is the whole show for most visitors, and a day or two of its lanes, its museums and its viewpoints covers the classic experience. Beyond the walls, the modern Tallinn spreads its parks, its marinas and the newer districts, and the Baltic Sea, the islands and the day trips of the countryside wait close by. It is safe, walkable, photogenic and very easily digestible, with the festive Christmas market of the winter and the long, bright evenings of the summer framing the two poles of the year.
The Winter Magic, the Ferries and the Bright Summer Evenings
The winter is the magical season of the old town, with the snow, the market and the lights of the December, and the summer is the bright, lively season of the long evenings and the open-air life. The town is small and walkable, and the ferries to the neighbouring capital and the ships to the islands are the natural day trips. The currency is the euro, cards are everywhere and the country is famously wired, with the free wifi and the digital services of the whole public life. The old town has its hills, steps and cobbles, so the flat shoes matter. The restaurants of the old town carry the local table, from the herring and the potatoes to the more modern Nordic cooking.
The Viewpoints, the Creative Quarters and the Cafes of the City
The old town is the essential walk, and the two great viewpoints of the upper town, the Kohtuotsa and the Patkuli, give the classic postcard sight over the red roofs and the towers. The cathedral of the Dome, the merchants’ houses and the great town square with its pharmacy, one of the oldest in Europe, fill out the history. The modern districts, the creative quarter of the Telliskivi, the marina and the beach of the summer suburbs hold the contemporary life. The cafe culture is serious, the coffee is taken slowly and the markets of the winter turn the whole square festive. Tallinn is small enough to feel your own and special enough to be almost impossibly picturesque.
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- Country
- Estonia
- Population
- 457,000
- Capital
- Tallinn
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Languages
- Estonian
- Calling code
- +372
- Country code
- EE
Entry requirements for Estonia
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Estonia for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tallinn the capital of Estonia?
Yes — Tallinn is the capital of Estonia.
What currency do I need in Tallinn?
The local currency is the Euro (EUR). Languages spoken in Estonia include Estonian.
What is the dialling code for Estonia?
The international dialling code for Estonia is +372.
Do I need a visa to visit Estonia?
It depends on your passport. Among the origins we track, travellers from Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda and Argentina currently enter Estonia visa-free for tourism. Use the entry requirements tool to check your own nationality and purpose of travel.
Flying out of Tallinn? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.