TravPa

Tartu

Climb Toome Hill to the cathedral ruin and university museum, see the leaning art museum on Town Hall Square, then visit the Estonian National Museum and AHHAA.

Approved by TravPa Editors, Nov 7, 2026

Itineraries

[Photo: Tartu]
Tartu in 2 daysTown Hall Square, Tartu Art Museum, Toome Hill, Tartu Cathedral, Botanical Garden, KGB Cells Museum, Estonian National Museum, Aparaaditehas2 days, EstoniaBalanced pace

Where to stay

The Old Town around Town Hall Square for sights and the bus station; the Vaksali area for Aparaaditehas and the railway station; the riverside near the botanical garden for quiet walks.

The areas: Old Town, Vaksali and Aparaaditehas, Near the botanical garden.

Where to stay in Tartu: areas and adviceHotels in Tartu

Places to see

All things to do in Estonia
MuseumAHHAA Science CentreA hands-on science center with interactive exhibitions, science shows and planetarium sessions.Entry: €[fee]
FoodAparaaditehas Creative CityA former factory with restaurants, cafes, a bakery, small shops, galleries and a printing and paper arts center.Entry: Pay as you go
MuseumEstonian National MuseumEstonia's largest museum, in Raadi manor park, covering everyday Estonian life and the Finno-Ugric peoples.Entry: €[fee]
MuseumKGB Cells MuseumThe restored basement cells of the Grey House, where the NKVD and KGB held prisoners in the 1940s and 1950s.Entry: €[fee]
MuseumTartu Art MuseumContemporary Estonian and international art in the leaning house of 1793, which tilts 5.8 degrees.Entry: €[fee]
TransportTartu Bus StationThe Tartu coach station, a five-minute walk from the Old Town, with buses to Tallinn.Entry: Buy a ticket
RuinsTartu Cathedral and University MuseumBrick Gothic cathedral ruins with two towers, housing the University of Tartu Museum.Entry: €[fee]
MarketTartu Market HallAn indoor market with the largest range of fresh food in South Estonia, plus cafes.Entry: Pay as you go
NeighborhoodTartu Town Hall SquareThe pastel-colored heart of Tartu, with the Town Hall, the Kissing Students fountain and the leaning house.Entry: Free to visit
MuseumTartu Toy MuseumEstonian toys, artist-made dolls and puppets from animated films, with playrooms and workshops for children.Entry: €[fee]
NatureToome HillAn English-style park on a hill above the Old Town, with Angel Bridge, statues and old university buildings.Entry: Free to visit
NatureUniversity of Tartu Botanical GardenA garden of more than 10,000 plant species, with greenhouses of rainforest and desert plants.Entry: €[fee]