Tallinn, Estonia: Highlights and Restaurant Recs

[sailawaybellaluna]

Hi! We will be visiting Tallinn this summer on our Holland America cruise, and it'll be our first time in Estonia. We're all very excited! I've spent the day pouring through my Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports guidebook, and it seems Tallinn is a very easy walking port? Did others feel this way? We will be traveling with our children (7 and 13), parents (70 and 82) and my brother and his wife. So I'm trying to plan port days that can accommodate all of us as best as I can.

 

I've printed the walking tour from Rick Steves, and the Dannebrog Restaurant Tower and Olde Hansa restaurants both caught my attention. Despite being a bit kitschy, the ambiance/views seem like fun. Has anyone been to these recently?

 

Any other recommendations for our multi-generational family for our day in Tallinn?

 

Thank you!

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, sailawaybellaluna said:

Hi! We will be visiting Tallinn this summer on our Holland America cruise, and it'll be our first time in Estonia. We're all very excited! I've spent the day pouring through my Rick Steves Northern European Cruise Ports guidebook, and it seems Tallinn is a very easy walking port? Did others feel this way? We will be traveling with our children (7 and 13), parents (70 and 82) and my brother and his wife. So I'm trying to plan port days that can accommodate all of us as best as I can.

 

I've printed the walking tour from Rick Steves, and the Dannebrog Restaurant Tower and Olde Hansa restaurants both caught my attention. Despite being a bit kitschy, the ambiance/views seem like fun. Has anyone been to these recently?

 

Any other recommendations for our multi-generational family for our day in Tallinn?

 

Thank you!

It was not recent (2007), but I can confirm that the Rick Steves' walking tour is very easy. And IIRC, very precise (like take 2 steps and then turn left). We actually walked with the book in our hands.

[ljandgb]

We did a walking food tour with our multigenerational group.  It was a lot of fun.  That was one port where I was really glad to have a tour guide.  Not so much for the leading us around, but for the local's perspective.  Estonia has a fascinating history, including events that happened during my lifetime.  Hearing it first had really made an impression on me.  And the food was really good.

[MeHeartCruising]

Tallinn is a very walkable city.  I enjoyed just walking off the ship into the old town.  There are a lot of cobblestone/uneven streets, so everyone needs to watch their footing.  There are also parts of it that are uphill walks.  The upper parts of the city are well worth getting to in order to see the views and the cathedral.  If your parents have any mobility issues walking up steps and a gradual uphill slope, you might consider taking a taxi to the top of the town and then walking down instead of the other way around.

[sailawaybellaluna]

Thank you everyone for the tips and feedback!

[mskaufman]

We were there on a rainy day and it was awesome.  We ate here.  It was quick, good, and didn't break the bank.

[sailawaybellaluna]

13 hours ago, mskaufman said:

We were there on a rainy day and it was awesome.  We ate here.  It was quick, good, and didn't break the bank.

What a beautiful and quaint photo! What time of year were you there? Thanks for the recommendation!

[mskaufman]

We were there in summer.  It rained most of the day we were there.  Enjoy

[kitkat343]

Talinn was amazing for our 3 year old.

 

Please note that he's now 12, so this information may be a bit out of date and you should confirm with others here or on tripadvisor forums if the logistics  are still valid:

 

Tallinn was one of our favorite stops, and we really loved exploring its spectacularly preserved medieval center. Please note that this lovely city may be challenging for travelers with disabilities or families that use prams, since cars are not allowed in parts of the medieval center, and the cobblestones will make a stroller or wheelchair use difficult. Because my son has limited mobility without a stroller, our plan had been to take a pedicab around the city. There were some pedicabs at the port when we returned to the ship in the afternoon; however, the pedicabs were not yet available at 9 am when we left the ship. Instead, we took a cab to the top of Toompea Hill (this is where the lovely Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located) and then walked down. Our son was able to climb the city walls (although the passage is very narrow and steep), and there were gorgeous views. In the main square, we found a pedicab, and we were able to take a very enjoyable 15 minute pedicab tour through the charming city.

 

Since our son loves trains, we also rode on a tourist train that departs from Kullassepa street whenever it is full and makes a 20 minute loop around the city. We were fortunate to sit in the very back, since we had a great spot to take photographs from the back of the train. We ate a delicious lunch at Gloria ( http://www.gloria.ee) , a charming historic restaurant with excellent duck and fish.

We also greatly enjoyed our visit to the Lennusadam SeaPlane Harbor Museum in Tallinn.

( http://www.lennusadam.eu/et/ ) . The sea plane name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is more of a general military museum with a lot of fascinating hands on exhibits, including a submarine you can explore and a flight simulator inside of a plane (my 3 year old really loved making the plane crash into the trees). Kids also love the simulated weapons and radio controlled boats at the museum. There is also an icebreaker ship outside that you can explore. It was a really interesting museum, and a highly enjoyable way to conclude your day in Tallinn for both adults and children.

 

We did a Baltic cruise and found a lot of great stuff for kids in Stockholm which is in the review in my signature line.  

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

Talinn was amazing for our 3 year old.

 

Please note that he's now 12, so this information may be a bit out of date and you should confirm with others here or on tripadvisor forums if the logistics  are still valid:

 

Tallinn was one of our favorite stops, and we really loved exploring its spectacularly preserved medieval center. Please note that this lovely city may be challenging for travelers with disabilities or families that use prams, since cars are not allowed in parts of the medieval center, and the cobblestones will make a stroller or wheelchair use difficult. Because my son has limited mobility without a stroller, our plan had been to take a pedicab around the city. There were some pedicabs at the port when we returned to the ship in the afternoon; however, the pedicabs were not yet available at 9 am when we left the ship. Instead, we took a cab to the top of Toompea Hill (this is where the lovely Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located) and then walked down. Our son was able to climb the city walls (although the passage is very narrow and steep), and there were gorgeous views. In the main square, we found a pedicab, and we were able to take a very enjoyable 15 minute pedicab tour through the charming city.

 

Since our son loves trains, we also rode on a tourist train that departs from Kullassepa street whenever it is full and makes a 20 minute loop around the city. We were fortunate to sit in the very back, since we had a great spot to take photographs from the back of the train. We ate a delicious lunch at Gloria ( http://www.gloria.ee) , a charming historic restaurant with excellent duck and fish.

We also greatly enjoyed our visit to the Lennusadam SeaPlane Harbor Museum in Tallinn.

( http://www.lennusadam.eu/et/ ) . The sea plane name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is more of a general military museum with a lot of fascinating hands on exhibits, including a submarine you can explore and a flight simulator inside of a plane (my 3 year old really loved making the plane crash into the trees). Kids also love the simulated weapons and radio controlled boats at the museum. There is also an icebreaker ship outside that you can explore. It was a really interesting museum, and a highly enjoyable way to conclude your day in Tallinn for both adults and children.

 

We did a Baltic cruise and found a lot of great stuff for kids in Stockholm which is in the review in my signature line.  

I'll bet your son really, really enjoyed the Vasa museum when the cruise was in Stockholm.

[sailawaybellaluna]

15 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

Talinn was amazing for our 3 year old.

 

Please note that he's now 12, so this information may be a bit out of date and you should confirm with others here or on tripadvisor forums if the logistics  are still valid:

 

Tallinn was one of our favorite stops, and we really loved exploring its spectacularly preserved medieval center. Please note that this lovely city may be challenging for travelers with disabilities or families that use prams, since cars are not allowed in parts of the medieval center, and the cobblestones will make a stroller or wheelchair use difficult. Because my son has limited mobility without a stroller, our plan had been to take a pedicab around the city. There were some pedicabs at the port when we returned to the ship in the afternoon; however, the pedicabs were not yet available at 9 am when we left the ship. Instead, we took a cab to the top of Toompea Hill (this is where the lovely Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is located) and then walked down. Our son was able to climb the city walls (although the passage is very narrow and steep), and there were gorgeous views. In the main square, we found a pedicab, and we were able to take a very enjoyable 15 minute pedicab tour through the charming city.

 

Since our son loves trains, we also rode on a tourist train that departs from Kullassepa street whenever it is full and makes a 20 minute loop around the city. We were fortunate to sit in the very back, since we had a great spot to take photographs from the back of the train. We ate a delicious lunch at Gloria ( http://www.gloria.ee) , a charming historic restaurant with excellent duck and fish.

We also greatly enjoyed our visit to the Lennusadam SeaPlane Harbor Museum in Tallinn.

( http://www.lennusadam.eu/et/ ) . The sea plane name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is more of a general military museum with a lot of fascinating hands on exhibits, including a submarine you can explore and a flight simulator inside of a plane (my 3 year old really loved making the plane crash into the trees). Kids also love the simulated weapons and radio controlled boats at the museum. There is also an icebreaker ship outside that you can explore. It was a really interesting museum, and a highly enjoyable way to conclude your day in Tallinn for both adults and children.

 

We did a Baltic cruise and found a lot of great stuff for kids in Stockholm which is in the review in my signature line.  

Thank you so much for these wonderful details! I will look into exploring some of your suggestions a bit more! And I appreciate the information on the cobblestones / mobility. My kids will do fine, but I'm also trying to think of my father who is older and has some difficulty with hills and uneven surfaces. Thanks again!

[kitkat343]

6 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I'll bet your son really, really enjoyed the Vasa museum when the cruise was in Stockholm.

He loved it!  The Baltic cruise is an amazing one for children, and there is so much for them to explore.

[kitkat343]

2 hours ago, sailawaybellaluna said:

Thank you so much for these wonderful details! I will look into exploring some of your suggestions a bit more! And I appreciate the information on the cobblestones / mobility. My kids will do fine, but I'm also trying to think of my father who is older and has some difficulty with hills and uneven surfaces. Thanks again!

In that case, absolutely grab a cab in the port.  The walk to the city/up the hill is manageable for many travelers, but the Baltic cruise involves a lot of walking overall, so your Dad should try to conserve his energy whenever he can.  You can also rent the pedicabs for longer tours if that would be more helpful.  My visit was long before covid, so please just check recent reviews of the museum/ restaurant and make sure the train is still running (some people didn't love it but its a good way for young children and people with mobility issues to easily see the town).  

[bearette]

Download the Bolt app- like Uber as we found it worked better in this area. Get a cab up to the old town - costs under $5 for the car and if you all don’t fit get a scooter right outside the port gates- the cruise line has shuttles for $10 if they can’t make it out of the port gates. Then they have several museums and sites to tour so you decide which you find interesting. We did the Kirk in De Kok - though not for the mobility challenged and the  KGP prison cells. we went back to eat so I can’t help you with restaurants, but there are many around- we found a French style cafe that we got an ice cream from and coffee. So I just say pick what looks good when you are ready to eat. 
https://linnamuuseum.ee/en/kiek-in-de-kok/

https://www.vabamu.ee/kgb

Edited April 5, 2023 by bearette

[cmph]

On 4/5/2023 at 9:01 AM, bearette said:

Download the Bolt app- like Uber as we found it worked better in this area. Get a cab up to the old town - costs under $5 for the car and if you all don’t fit get a scooter right outside the port gates- the cruise line has shuttles for $10 if they can’t make it out of the port gates. Then they have several museums and sites to tour so you decide which you find interesting. We did the Kirk in De Kok - though not for the mobility challenged and the  KGP prison cells. we went back to eat so I can’t help you with restaurants, but there are many around- we found a French style cafe that we got an ice cream from and coffee. So I just say pick what looks good when you are ready to eat. 
https://linnamuuseum.ee/en/kiek-in-de-kok/

https://www.vabamu.ee/kgb

Did you happen to do the bastion passage tour? It looks great for my crew, from a content perspective, except that we are tall people. My 14yo is 6'5" right now and will probably add an inch by our trip. I have tried googling suitability for tall people, but tall being the first 4 letters of Tallinn is really wrecking my searches! If he has to hunch over the whole time (or whack his head on stone), not the best idea. I saw this thread and thought possibly you might know the max comfortable height to do this tour? TIA

Edited April 11, 2023 by cmph

[cmph]

25 minutes ago, cmph said:

Did you happen to do the bastion passage tour? It looks great for my crew, from a content perspective, except that we are tall people. My 14yo is 6'5" right now and will probably add an inch by our trip. I have tried googling suitability for tall people, but tall being the first 4 letters of Tallinn is really wrecking my searches! If he has to hunch over the whole time (or whack his head on stone), not the best idea. I saw this thread and thought possibly you might know the max comfortable height to do this tour? TIA

@bearette Never mind - just saw that it's closed on Mondays anyway. Everything is closed on Mondays in Tallinn! Bad day to be in port, sigh.

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, cmph said:

@bearette Never mind - just saw that it's closed on Mondays anyway. Everything is closed on Mondays in Tallinn! Bad day to be in port, sigh.

Yes, those Monday closings can really be a royal pain. We were in Athens on a cruise on a Monday and the new Acropolis Museum was closed. We had a Baltic cruise roundtrip from Copenhagen and stayed a day after the cruise which was a Monday. On the last day of the cruise, John Lawrence the cruise director, gave a lecture for those staying over in Copenhagen and the first thing we learned was how many things were closed on Monday. All the careful pre-planning was basically no longer relevant.

[cmph]

15 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, those Monday closings can really be a royal pain. We were in Athens on a cruise on a Monday and the new Acropolis Museum was closed. We had a Baltic cruise roundtrip from Copenhagen and stayed a day after the cruise which was a Monday. On the last day of the cruise, John Lawrence the cruise director, gave a lecture for those staying over in Copenhagen and the first thing we learned was how many things were closed on Monday. All the careful pre-planning was basically no longer relevant.

Ugh yes, this Tallinn day is making me nuts. I've been trying to earmark some indoor options for the days we're OYO, after realizing just how much outdoor touring time I planned (which is optimistic but not practical I'm sure). KGB prison cells - closed. Kiek de Kok - closed. The only good gluten-free restaurant option in old town - closed. I'm not even going to investigate further. If it rains, it's going to be a stressful touring day for us! My 17yo would happily duck into little stores to shop, but her brother will, um, not. 🤣

[ljandgb]

It might be worth finding a private tour.  A guide would be able to suss out what is open, and what is safe to eat, and provide transport there.

[bearette]

Check out the new section of town, they may have some more things open. Private museums are usually open, just Google things to do on Monday. If not look for a tour that will take you out of town. If open I highly recommend the submarine/boat museum.

[14ersco]

On 4/11/2023 at 8:56 PM, cmph said:

Ugh yes, this Tallinn day is making me nuts. I've been trying to earmark some indoor options for the days we're OYO, after realizing just how much outdoor touring time I planned (which is optimistic but not practical I'm sure). KGB prison cells - closed. Kiek de Kok - closed. The only good gluten-free restaurant option in old town - closed. I'm not even going to investigate further. If it rains, it's going to be a stressful touring day for us! My 17yo would happily duck into little stores to shop, but her brother will, um, not. 🤣

Look directly on the web sites for the attractions you are interested in, many are currently closed on Mondays, but during the summer months will be open. Kiek in de Kok and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral will be open.  I'm using a Google browser to translate the pages.

 

https://linnamuuseum.ee/en/kiek-in-de-kok/visitor-info/

https://nevskysobor.ee/index.php/o-khrame/poryadok-raboty

 

 

[cmph]

On 4/22/2023 at 10:35 AM, 14ersco said:

Look directly on the web sites for the attractions you are interested in, many are currently closed on Mondays, but during the summer months will be open. Kiek in de Kok and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral will be open.  I'm using a Google browser to translate the pages.

 

https://linnamuuseum.ee/en/kiek-in-de-kok/visitor-info/

https://nevskysobor.ee/index.php/o-khrame/poryadok-raboty

 

 

Thanks! I am positive I looked at the correct site for Kiek in de Kok, b/c it was in my browser history, but I either I looked too early in the year and they hadn't updated with summer hours, or I'm just blind lol. 

 

However, you are right that for the KGB prison cell museum, I was on a 3rd party ticket-purchasing site. Unfortunately, that's b/c the only links I can find for the museum seem to be broken. Does anyone have a link other than http://www.vabamu.ee/kgb-prison-cells or https://www.vabamu.ee/kulastajale/kgb? Even their facebook page (which only lists current hours) links to the 2nd broken link above.

[14ersco]

19 hours ago, cmph said:

Thanks! I am positive I looked at the correct site for Kiek in de Kok, b/c it was in my browser history, but I either I looked too early in the year and they hadn't updated with summer hours, or I'm just blind lol. 

 

However, you are right that for the KGB prison cell museum, I was on a 3rd party ticket-purchasing site. Unfortunately, that's b/c the only links I can find for the museum seem to be broken. Does anyone have a link other than http://www.vabamu.ee/kgb-prison-cells or https://www.vabamu.ee/kulastajale/kgb? Even their facebook page (which only lists current hours) links to the 2nd broken link above.

 

 

Google maps has this for the KGB museum: https://viru.ee/en

Kompressor web page says they can make gluten free pancakes: http://kompressorpub.ee/en/

[cmph]

1 hour ago, 14ersco said:

 

 

Google maps has this for the KGB museum: https://viru.ee/en

Kompressor web page says they can make gluten free pancakes: http://kompressorpub.ee/en/

Thanks! A hotel/museum site! Unfortunately searches for Monday tickets bump to Tuesday, so I guess the KBG Museum really will be closed on Mondays even in summer. 

[kaisatsu]

It has been years, but we had lunch at the Olde Hansa and really enjoyed it. It was kitschy, but still fun and interesting, and when we were there the food was surprisingly good for such a touristy spot.