Tallinn City Guide - attractions

The Old Town
The winding, cobbled streets of Tallinn's historic centre are the focus for most visitors to the city and the hub of the major tourist attractions, which can all be enjoyed on a walking tour. The walled old town is divided into two parts: Toompea Hill was the residential area of the aristocracy and gentry in days of yore, while the Lower Town operated independently. The Old Town, much of it dating from the 11th century, is extremely well preserved and complete, its powerful defensive stone buildings having ensured that it was not destroyed despite frequent invasions over the centuries. Visitors revel in Town Hall Square, ringed by the beautiful Town Hall and its adjacent pharmacy, which is still operating on the site it has occupied since 1422. The Old Town is also full of churches, like St Olav's, which was the tallest church in Medieval Europe, dating from the early 13th century. The old town walls and its many fortresses made up one of the strongest defence systems in northern Europe by the 16th century. The dominating landmark on Toompea is the magnificent Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral. The medieval atmosphere is particularly evident in St Catherine's passage, between Vene and Muurivahe Streets, where visitors can stroll past the open studios of artists and craftsmen who have laboured here for centuries.
Telephone: 645 7777
Website:
Transport:
Opening times:

Tallinn Zoo
The Estonian capital's most popular family attraction is the zoo, crammed with close on 6,000 animals from Polar bears to Siberian Tigers, as well as species from warmer climates, like crocodiles and chimpanzees frolicking in the Tropical House. There is also a delightful petting zoo.
Telephone: 694 3300/94
Website: www.tallinnzoo.ee
Transport: Trolley 6 or bus 22 from the city centre
Opening times: Indoor exhibits are closed Mondays, but the zoo is open daily all year round from 9am to 3pm (November to February), 9am to 5pm (March to April, and September to October), 9am to 7pm (May to August)

Botanical Garden
Tallinn's magnificent Botanical Garden covers 110 hectares and contains more than 8,000 plant species. The flora comes from all around the world, displayed in arboretums, glasshouses, open fields and thematic gardens. In just a few steps visitors are transported from European meadows to African tundra, or from desert to rainforest. Specialised exhibits change every month, and thematic tours are offered all year round, the most popular being the summer night aroma tours, and the rose days. A nature trail traverses the different habitats.
Telephone: 606 2666
Website: www.tba.ee
Transport: Take bus 34A or 38 to the Kloostrimetsa stop
Opening times: Glasshouses and Palm House: daily 11am to 6pm; outdoor collections: 11am to 7pm (May to September)

. Rocca al Mare Tivoli
Estonia's largest amusement park provides plenty of family fun with 18 different rides and more than 100 video and carnival games. Different shows are scheduled daily with performances in the main tent. The park is located on the sandstone banks of the southwestern coast of Tallinn's Kopli Bay, near the zoo.
Telephone: 656 0110
Website:
Transport:
Opening times: Monday to Friday from 12pm to 8pm and weekends 11am to 8pm. Closed for the winter season between September and April

Kadriorg Palace and Park
The beautiful pink baroque Kadriorg Palace was the summer residence of Russian Tsar, Peter 1, and today stands proudly in the centre of its namesake seaside resort suburb of Tallinn, where the streets are lined with noble villas and summer estates. The Palace today houses the Estonian Art Museum's foreign collection, featuring thousands of western European and Russian works from the 16th to 20th centuries, ranging from prints and paintings to sculpture and furniture. The palace is also the venue for concerts and theatrical performances, lectures and receptions. The park surrounding the palace is a popular recreational spot for visitors and locals alike, consisting of formal gardens, the symmetrical Swan Lake, as well as meadows and forest groves traversed by paths.
Telephone: 606 6400/3
Website: www.ekm.ee/kadriorg
Transport: Bus to J. Poska stop
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (May to September); Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (October to April). Flower garden: daily 9am to 8pm, until 9pm in September and October

Estonian Open Air Museum
On a picturesque expanse of forest parkland on Kopli Bay is preserved a collection of historic Estonian buildings, transplanted from around the country to represent rural life through the centuries. Exhibits consist of various farm buildings, windmills, watermills and other country clutter offering pleasant and informative escape from the hubbub of the nearby city. Handcrafts are on sale, horseback rides on offer, and a village inn caters for visitors keen to sample local fare. Folk music and dancing displays are scheduled regularly, and most national holidays are celebrated here in grand style.
Telephone: 654 9100
Website: www.evm.ee
Transport: Bus 21 from Baltic railway station
Opening times: Open daily 10am to 8pm (May to September), 10am to 5pm (October to April)