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Explore exercise and sporting opportunities in Tallinn
12.07.2022
Kadri
Eisenschmidt
Tallinn is the perfect destination for people who look for exercise or sporting opportunities during their city retreat. As in any other capital, the traffic is busy and life is fast-paced in Tallinn. However, there are still many options for spending time in nature and enjoying an active holiday.
Pedestrian and cycle roads connect Tallinn
Tallinn districts are connected by light traffic roads which allow you to see much more than just the area surrounding your accommodation in just one trip. Starting from the city centre, you can walk along the Beeta Promenade and get to Põhja-Tallinn easily to enjoy its beautiful seaside architecture. You can also walk along Reidi Road to reach the Pirita Promenade. On the way, you can find one of Tallinn’s numerous outdoor gyms. There are bicycle lanes next to the roads in many areas.
If you do not have your own bicycle, you can rent one here. It is possible to rent a bike from Tallinn Car Rent, 16 eur hostels or the City Bike rental. There are also Tuul and Bolt electric scooters on the city streets, which are widely accessible for everybody. As locals also use alternative means of transport, the light traffic roads are actively used. You may meet a lot of cyclists, runners, walkers and scooter riders on your way. The traffic can be busy at times, which is why there are friendly signs near the roads that create a sense of community and encourage road users to be considerate of others. There is enough space for everyone!
Should you feel thirsty after a long stroll, you can have a sip of water and fill your bottle for free at any of the public water taps in the city. You can find the nearest water tap on this map. In an environmentally friendly effort to reduce the use of plastic and promote the use of reusable metal or glass bottles, many cafés fill up water bottles for free. This ensures that you do not have to look far for refreshment on hot summer days. If a sip of water is not enough, you can also cool down in the sea not far from Tallinn.
The beaches are suitable for swimming in all seasons
Over time, Tallinn has taken more steps to keep its shores open and accessible to everyone. The most recent project was the reconstruction of the terminal pier at the Port of Tallinn, which now includes a scenic promenade and the restaurant Oceans 11, known for its cosy interior. The sea and beaches are an important part of Tallinn, which is why there are so many beautiful and clean Blue Flag beaches for swimming, sunbathing, sandcastle-building and other beach activities. You may even forget that you are actually on a city retreat in one of the oldest capitals in Europe.
Many beach houses provide water sports services. For example, you can rent surf equipment and take lessons at Kakumäe, Pirita and Stroomi beaches. At Haven Kakumäe, you can rent a jet ski and go for a ride on the sunny sea. At Pirita, Kakumäe and Stroomi beaches, you can take part in a paddleboard tour at sunset to admire the beauty of Tallinn from a whole new angle.
You can swim all year round in Tallinn. Winter swimmers gather at Noblessner as well as Pikakari beach in Kopli. If you wish to experience Tallinn in winter and try out something truly Nordic, it is much easier to start winter swimming with other enthusiasts who can give you instructions.
Evergreen health trails and numerous outdoor gyms
Known for their evergreen pine trees and lush urban nature, the Nõmme and Järve health trails stand out for their greenery. Another popular health trail is the Pääsküla bog trail – yes, there is a bog with boardwalks and an observation tower in the middle of Tallinn – as well as numerous other nature parks. Most tracks are unpaved, making them perfect for running or Nordic walking. Nõmme, Järve, Pirita and Lasnamäe have outdoor gyms where you can stretch after a run or do strength training.
Health trails and wellness sports are also attractive in winter. Nõmme, Järve and Pirita health trails are covered with soft snow, making them perfect for skiing. People who prefer skating to skiing need not worry – they can enjoy skating in the Old Town, Lasnamäe, Mustamäe or Nõmme ice skating rinks, but also in Škoda, Jeti and Tondiraba ice halls.
In addition to walking around in nature, adventure seekers can admire the beautiful scenery when climbing trees at Pirita and Nõmme adventure parks. Tennis players can enjoy playing in the Kadrioru Tennis Centre, Nõmme Tennis Centre, Rocca al Mare Tennis Centre, Tallink Tennis Centre, Tallinn Kalev Tennis Club or Forus Sports Centre Tondi. Golfers need not need worry, either – they can play at Rae Golf, Niitvälja Golf and Estonian Golf and Country Club.
You can enjoy wellness sports in any weather
Unfortunately, some days in Tallinn can be a little more cloudy and cooler than we would like. Even though locals know there is no bad weather, only the wrong outfit, they still do not enjoy going outside during rain, wind or blizzard. This might be the reason there are so many indoor activities in Tallinn. You can swim and enjoy spa treatments in any of the numerous water parks in the city. There is also an indoor beach where it is summer in any weather. You heard right, an indoor beach – the temperature at Teras Beach is 26 degrees all year round and the halls have warm, white sand, good sound, nice music and volleyball courts. A touch of the tropics even in grey weather!
Adventure seekers who don’t want to visit an adventure park or a golf course in bad weather can go rock climbing at Romimisministeerium, play padel at a padel centre or try their hand at mini golf, bowling or pool. If you are looking for a hit of adrenaline, you can solve mysteries in any of the numerous escape rooms around the city. Many shopping centres have playgrounds and trampoline centres for children. There is no doubt that enough activities are available for everyone, no matter how young or old.
