Tallinn Card’s tips for cruise visitors
The near-impossible task of seeing Tallinn in one day is easy when you have Tallinn Card in your hand. With free entrance to over 40 of the city’s top museums and attractions, plenty of discounts, and free access to public transport, this card saves you time and is wallet-friendly. You can also buy the Tallinn Card online and enjoy paperless visit to all your must-see places.
If you want to see more of Tallinn, its different districts and various attractions, the first two recommendations are up your alley. If you enjoy exploring on foot – and luckily for you, Tallinn is a perfectly compact city to do so – then the third recommendation will be of interest.
1. Take a tour with Tallinn City Tour’s hop-on, hop-off buses
Start directly at the port with Tallinn Card PLUS and enjoy a free, full-day pass to Tallinn City Tour’s hop-on, hop-off buses which take you from one sight to another. To see where in the port you can buy a Tallinn Card, refer to our list of sales points.
Option A:
There are three lines to choose from. Each tour takes one hour, during which you will see different districts and hear stories about Tallinn from an audio guide (available in 10 languages). After completing the one-hour bus tour, get off at Viru Square and continue on foot to discover the Old Town and its main sights and museums.
Option B:
Choose which areas of Tallinn or attractions interest you the most, and let the City Tour take you there, hop off, explore and enjoy. Then, hop back on the next bus to continue the journey. You can choose to:
- Stay close to the city centre and explore more of Kalamaja, home to one of Tallinn’s top attraction – the Seaplane Harbour
- Head to Kadriorg and Pirita districts to find KUMU Art Museum, Kadriorg Palace – Kadriorg Art Museum, Maarjamäe History Centre and the Tallinn TV Tower
- Enjoy the seaside and quiet in Rocca al Mare, where you can travel back to rural Estonia at the Estonian Open Air Museum, a recreation of an 18-20th century village
You can fit at least one of Tallinn’s top museums into your day and still have time to stroll around the Old Town.
Tip: To skip the hassle at the port, buy your Tallinn Card in advance from our online shop!
An example itinerary:
| Tallinn City Tour | 25 € |
| Tallinn TV Tower (priority admission) | 17 € |
| Total without Tallinn Card | 42 € |
| Total with 24-hour Tallinn Card PLUS | 40 € |
| Duration | 2-3 h |
2. Discover the Old Town’s romantic streets, views, museums and sights
Depending on how long of a city tour you took, you now have time for either the full Old Town experience, including visiting some of its many interesting museums and attractions, or just enough time to wander the streets, enjoy the fairy tale around you and find a viewing platform or a tower to climb up for breathtaking views.
The Old Town is packed with different museums and sights, making it easy to see many interesting places in a short time. Looking at the top 10 attractions visited with the Tallinn Card, you’ll see that seven of them are in the Old Town! If you were to choose only one to visit, we recommend the Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum. It includes the Kiek in de Kök artillery tower, the mysterious, underground Bastion passages, the Carved Stone Museum and the Maiden’s Tower, which offers the possibility to walk along the Town Wall from tower to tower and enjoy the amazing view.
An example itinerary:
| Tallinn City Tour | 25 € |
| Maarjamäe Palace – Estonian History Museum: | 8 € |
| Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum: | 14 € |
| Total without Tallinn Card: | 47 € |
| Total with 24-hour Tallinn Card PLUS: | 40 € |
| Duration: | 5 h |
Tip: Duration is estimated. Remember that if the City Tour bus doesn’t return at a suitable time, you can always use public transport, which is also free with the Tallinn Card!
3. Walk in the living medieval museum that is the Tallinn Old Town
The Old Town is a sight itself, with its winding alleys, courtyards and amazing views, and definitely has plenty to fill your all day with. It will take you only 15 minutes to reach the Town Wall from the port and believe us, Tallinn is small and compact, making it a perfect city to stroll around on foot. Additionally, you’ll have nearly to choose from, most of which are within the Town Walls!
Tip: If you’re not taking the City Tour, choose the standard Tallinn Card (not PLUS) to benefit from free access to the museums and public transport.
An example itinerary:
| Seaplane Harbour | 15 € |
| Museum and Visitor Centre of Fat Margaret | 10 € |
| Hellemann Tower and Town Wall | 4 € |
| Total without Tallinn Card: | 29 € |
| Total with 24-hour Tallinn Card: | 29 € |
Check out our full list of attractions and discover your personal favourites.