Imagine mounds of white snow, the aroma of sprawling evergreens, and that familiar sparkle of Christmas cheer over a warm mug of mulled wine — that’s what you’re in for when you visit Tallinn in winter.
When it comes to the charm of the holidays, no place has impressed me like my winter trips to Tallinn. It is cold, snowy, festive as all else, and historic with cobbled streets and stone walls. Tallinn makes Christmastime in Europe a dream. Here’s an essential Tallinn winter guide for visiting in December, January, and February.
Tallinn, Estonia - Christmas Winter Events
Before you visit Tallinn in winter, know what’s going on so you can plan your trip during the best possible week. Christmas in Tallinn is a magical time, so here are some experiences to add to your itinerary!
Tallinn Christmas Market
The Town Hall Square will come to life with Christmas cheer (Hooville vibes and all) starting December 1, 2023 and ending January 7, 2024. The Tallinn Christmas Market will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
The city’s spectacular Christmas tree can be seen glowing in the middle of the quaint cobbled square, a tradition that goes back more than 500 years. Per usual, there will also be market stalls surrounding the Christmas tree offering goodies and festive flavors. Expect to find mulled wine (known as Glögg), hot cider, warm bites, and sweet treats as well.
It’s also amazing for finding local vendors selling wool hats and gloves, Tallinn souvenirs, Christmas decor, and so much more. I found a beautiful, hand-crafted pair of mittens and a hat made by a local Estonian family.
It’s actually one of the smallest Christmas markets I’ve visited in Europe, but it is one of my favorites yet. If you visit Tallinn in December, you simply must visit the Christmas market, enjoy the festive music, and twinkling Christmas tree – at the very least.
Here’s what else you can expect at the Tallinn Christmas Market.
Christmas Jazz Festival
Feel the groove of Christmas spirit at Tallinn’s Christmas Jazz Festival going on November 20 until December 15. It’s hosted at various locations with global artists taking the stage and playing jazzy versions of your favorite Christmas songs.
Winter ice skating in Tallinn Old Town
One of my personal favorite things to do when I travel during winter is to go ice skating! Of course, this spectacular winter wonderland of a city has it. Head to the pop-up ice rink on Harju Street and enjoy the slippery fun! You’ll see people of all ages (and even some stylish professionals) out enjoying the ice. Add this experience to your winter in Tallinn bucket list!
You can rent the skates from the venue with your ticket! Adult tickets are €9 and €7 for children. It’s 2023/2024 Tallinn ice skating schedule is daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. from November 19 until March 3.
Tallinn Christmas Light Displays
You’ll also be able to see numerous light displays and decorations put up around Tallinn in winter. So, wander around Old Town and enjoy the magic of the holiday season in the winter wonderland that is Tallinn, Estonia.
There’s so much more to do experience during your winter trip to Tallinn! From gingerbread-everything events to a Cinderella Ice Show, See Tallinn’s holiday calendar guide here.
Book a Tallinn Tour
Tallinn is a great city to book a walking tour through. Since it’s so historic and unique, a walking tour will fill you with fun facts, historic details, stoytelling, and so much more you wouldn’t get just by seeing a city on your own.
This Tallinn winter guide wouldn’t be complete without booking a walking tour or some sort of cultural experience during tour time there.
Best Things to Do in Tallinn in Winter
Winter may indeed be the best time to visit Tallinn. The sun may set excruciatingly early, but it’s snowy and charming and everything we’re looking for at Christmastime. Follow this visit Tallinn in winter travel guide to find out what to do during your cold weather trip. Stick around to see what to wear in Tallinn in winter, too.
Wander Tallinn’s Old Town
Oozing with old-world charm, Old Town is the best place to be during your winter trip to Tallinn. It’s sprawling with Christmas lights, little evergreen trees dusted with snow, and loads of boutique shops and restaurants.
Enter Old Town from the Viru Gate and you’ll quickly be swept away. You’ll notice two medieval stone towers on either side of a cobbled path. Both have terracotta roofs and turrets, and these watchtowers date back to the 1300s. What I especially love is how both towers have two triangular-shaped pedestrian passageways, each topped with Tallinn’s classic reddish-orange tiled roofs. These towers connect to the muted-colored, old buildings on either side of the street. Dreamy!
From there, you can walk up the street and watch the city slowly reveal itself. Once you get to the top of that street, you’ll take a right and quickly discover the atmospheric Christmas market in the main square.
There’s so, so much more than just these spots, though. Let your curiosity guide you!
The Old Town is where you’ll find most of the best things to do in Tallinn. The Christmas Market is here, Old Hansa, ice-skating, delicious restaurants, and so much more!
Check out cozy coffee shops
Warm those hands up with a steamy cup of coffee at one of Tallinn’s many coffee shops. From tiny buildings to specialty corner cafes, Tallinn has it going on with cafes.
Check out my guide to the best coffee in Tallinn to get start mapping out your must-visits stops.
Discover the best viewpoints
Something particularly awesome about Tallinn is how easy it is to find aerial views of the city. These iconic viewpoints will send butterflies through your entire body!
Whether it’s a gloomy overcast day with low visibility or a bright, snow-covered morning, these views are one for the books (so bring your camera or tripod for some selfies!).
Here are two viewpoints in Tallinn to check off your list.
Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform: This is a famous spot in Tallinn thanks to the wall graffiti that reads ‘the times we had’. It’s also arguably the best viewpoint in Tallinn and there’s even a legendary seagull named Steven that makes regular visits to the platform. If you only have time for one Tallinn viewpoint this winter, make it this one!
Patkuli Viewing Platform: This lovely spot is just a short walk from Kohtuotsa and offers another angle of the cityscape, and it’s actually based on the top of a limestone cliff. There are also some stairs to follow up or down for other perspectives.
Warm up at Olde Hansa
I’ll admit it, this place is probably the most touristy restaurant in Tallinn. If you’ve followed this blog long enough, you know that’s not my vibe. However – Old Hansa is an exception.
It is like stepping back in time. Candles are lit on old stone mantels and rustic chandeliers, it’s dark and cozy with acoustic medieval tunes, and it oozes past-world charm at every turn (and there are several!).
You’ll find warm alcoholic drinks, traditional Estonian food, and all-around good energy. There’s also a little gift shop where you can buy local products, recipes, and other must-haves. Plus, it’s just around the corner from the Tallinn Christmas Market.
Visit a sauna or two
Experiencing the local lifestyle is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a traveler. When it comes to life in Estonia, a near-daily routine for most is going to the sauna. It’s cultural, it’s social, downright relaxing, and restorative.
I went to the local sauna in Kalamaja called Kalma Saun. It’s a public sauna, separated for men and women. It’s rather bare-bones and plain but absolutely gets the job done. There’s a changing room, a cold pool, showers, and a hot sizzling sauna. Plus, you’ll quickly meet the locals while visiting this sauna in Tallinn.
My other recommendation – for a more luxurious experience – is Sauna Oasis, part of the Kalev Spa Hotel. This incredible place is located in Old Town, just a 5-minute walk from my studio.
There are numerous different saunas such as a Finnish sauna at 85°C, a salt stone sauna at 55°C, a fantastic steam cave, and an aromatic sauna. Then, chill out in one of the baths like the Japanese hot baths or cozy hot springs before getting a nice shower massage. I went there three times because I was obsessed.
Access to Sauna Oasis will also give you permission to enjoy the spa hotel’s waterpark, swimming pool, and changing room saunas/showers.
Explore trendy Kalamaja
Beautiful wooden buildings intertwine with the snow-covered streets in Tallinn’s Kalamaja neighborhood. It’s quite hipster with vintage shops, vegan cafes, and this crazy-cool comedy club/sauna night club called Heldeke. I also had a lovely brunch at this specialty coffee shop & cafe T35 Bakery.
It’s very close to the Old Town and can easily be reached by walking or taking the bus/tram. If you’re walking from Old Town, I recommend taking a winter stroll through the park adjacent to Balti Jaam. It’s spacious and inviting, but my favorite area is the Towers’ Square bordered by medieval towers, which create a stunning backdrop with the gleaming snow.
Day trip to Helsinki
Eager to check Finland off your bucket list? Helsinki is only a ferry ride away from Tallinn! You can book a Tallinn to Helsinki day trip and easily see the city in one day. If you plan to visit Tallinn in winter for more than a couple of days, you can definitely make room for a day trip.
The ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki and back takes 2 hours each way. If you choose an early depature, you can get up to 10 hours in Helsinki.
This is enough to see some of the main parts of the city, grab some Finnish cuisine, and even visit my favorite lakeside cafe, Cafe Regatta. I could spend HOURS here chatting with locals, sitting by the outdoor fire pit, walking on the frozen lake, roasting vegan hot dogs over the fire, and sipping delicious coffee and hot chocolate.
When you arrive to Helsinki, you won’t be right in the center. It is about a 10-minute tram ride from the West Harbor Terminal to the city center of Helsinki. So, don’t try to start walking right when you get off the ferry. It’s a long walk to the city centre.
Where to stay in Tallinn, Estonia in winter
Before you book your trip, here are the best Tallinn hotels and best places to stay in Tallinn for a wonderful time.
Best place to stay in tallinn for groups
Check out this gorgeous 4-bedroom apartment in Tallinn with a sauna. It fits up to 15 guests so it’s great for anyone traveling as a family or in a big group. It’s also right in the center of Old Town and the architecture of the building reflects that.
Best spa hotel in tallinn
Kalev Spa Hotel is a lovely hotel in Tallinn with an adults only spa experience and a waterpark. It’s centrally located in Old Town, near numerous shops and restaurants. The adult spa has 5 different saunas along with pools and a lounge with drinks. It’s one of the best activities to do in Tallinn and you can even book a room in the hotel!
romantic hotel for couples in tallin
If you’re traveling to Tallinn as a couple, I can’t recommend this romantic hotel enough. It has warmly lit rooms with seating areas, a fabulous sauna and plunge pool, and bar. Some rooms even come with a whirpool tub and complimentary sparkling wine for an extra romantic stay in Estonia.
What to Wear in Tallinn in Winter
All that pretty snow and magical ambiance comes at a cost; Visiting Tallinn in winter means COLD weather. You’ll be diving into Tallinn in December with temperatures around 24°-33°F ( -4 to 0.5°C) and January experiences even colder weather. So, here’s it’s absolutely necessary to bring a warm winter coat, boots. and warm accessories when packing for Tallinn in winter. Check out the carousel above for some outfit inspiration! Nonetheless, here’s what to wear in Tallinn in winter.
- Long winter coat; I mean it, long! I recommend brands like Columbia and Mountain Warehouse. This is a great Columbia option that will last you for years to come. On my recent trip, I brought this Mountain Warehouse coat.
- Warm base layers; Uniqlo is great for finding HEATTECH base layers. What you want to avoid is cotton as it will soak up moisture and make you colder.
- Long pants and tights that will keep you warm
- Wool socks
- Waterproof boots; I LOVE these boots from Native but these waterproof snow boots are also a good option.
- Winter hat that covers your ears (the Christmas market will have lots of lovely locally made options!)
- Cashmere/wool ear warmers for sensitive ears or this face/ear warmer is pretty cool too
- Chunky or very warm scarf like this 100% lambswool tartan scarf
- Wool, cashmere, mohair sweaters (these materials are going to keep you warmer than synthetic ones)
- Gloves; the warmer the material,the better
- A dressy top and pants for a nice dinner
- Very important! Nightime safety reflectors. It’s a law in Estonia to have one of these visible on your body once it’s dark out (preferably near your waist or whatever level a car light would reach you). It’s for everyone’s protection since it gets dark so early during winter in Estonia. Something simple like these is all you’ll need. If you forget, you can also get them from supermarkets and some gift shops in Tallinn. –
Thank you for reading my Tallinn winter travel guide. Estonia is such a magical city to visit in December and January. Happy travels!
