Estonia packs a lot into a small country: a medieval Old Town in Tallinn, Baroque Kadriorg Palace, boardwalks across the bogs of Lahemaa National Park, and the student streets of Tartu. Tallinn and Tartu are linked by train and bus in about two hours, and Lahemaa is roughly an hour by car from the capital, so most trips combine all three.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first trip, best first, each with a practical tip on timing and booking. Below them you will find every sight we cover in Tallinn and Tartu, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, followed by answers to the questions travelers ask most.
The 18 best things to do in Estonia
Ticket and tour links search Tiqets in a new tab. TravPa earns a commission if you book; your price stays the same.
- 1Tallinn
Wander Town Hall Square in Tallinn's Old Town
Town Hall Square has been the marketplace and heart of Tallinn since the Middle Ages, and it became the center of the Lower Town around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. The Gothic Town Hall, first mentioned in 1322 and finished in its present form in 1404, is described as the oldest city hall in northern Europe. The square sits inside the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that counts among the best-preserved medieval town centers in Europe. In summer it fills with outdoor cafes and medieval festivals, and in winter it becomes a Christmas market around a large spruce tree. Start here, then wander the lanes outward.
Tip: Climb the Town Hall tower for rooftop views (115 steps, steeper near the top), but it is listed as open only from June to August, so check before you plan around it.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Free to visit - 2Tallinn
Climb St Olaf's Church tower for Old Town views
St Olaf's is the largest medieval building in Tallinn, first mentioned in 1267 and named after the Norwegian king Olav II Haraldsson. Its spire stands at 123 meters today, but in the 15th century it reached 159 meters, which made it one of the tallest structures in medieval Europe. Lightning has hit the tower at least a dozen times, and three of those strikes led to major fires, in 1625, 1820 and 1931. Visitors can go up to a viewing platform 60 meters above the street for a wide look over the red roofs, church spires and harbor of the UNESCO-listed Old Town.
Tip: The platform is listed as open from April to October, so in winter pair your Old Town views with Kohtuotsa, which stays open around the clock.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official)€[fee] - 3Tallinn
Look over the rooftops from Kohtuotsa platform
Kohtuotsa is one of the best-known viewpoints in Tallinn, on the northern side of Toompea Hill in the Old Town. From the platform you look down on the red roofs and medieval towers of the Hanseatic Lower Town, and on a clear day you can see the Gulf of Finland, the harbor and the Pirita district in the distance. The platform is listed as open round the clock, so you can visit at any hour. Also on Toompea stands Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, an Orthodox church completed in 1900 opposite Toompea Castle, which makes a good second stop.
Tip: Because the platform is open round the clock, you can fit it in early in the morning or after dinner rather than at midday.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Free to visit - 4Tallinn
Climb Kiek in de Kök and its wall gallery
The Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum is a complex more than 500 meters long that takes in four medieval towers: the cannon tower Kiek in de Kök, the Maiden Tower, the Marstall Tower and the Short Leg Gate Tower. Kiek in de Kök is the city's tallest defensive tower, and its exhibition spans six floors with historical weapons and protective gear. The museum also runs through the underground 17th-century bastion passages, where the Carved Stone Museum is located, and the towers are linked by the city's longest wall gallery with views over the Old Town. You can visit the whole complex or just parts of it.
Tip: Group guided tours are offered by reservation, so book ahead if you are traveling with a group; otherwise just walk in and pick the parts you want.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Entire museum: €16 (about $18) · Buy at the doorLast verified
- 5Tallinn
See the Danse Macabre at Niguliste Museum
Niguliste Museum is housed in St Nicholas' Church, a 13th-century Gothic building and one of the oldest in Tallinn. The church no longer holds regular services and now works as a museum of medieval art and history. Its best-known work is Bernt Notke's 15th-century Danse Macabre, counted among the top European cultural heritage works. The collection also explains the Hanseatic city's history, the medieval worldview and the symbolism of church art. A glass elevator takes you up the tower to a viewing platform with a 360-degree panorama of the UNESCO-listed Old Town. On Saturdays and Sundays from 4 PM, the church hosts organ half-hours.
Tip: Plan around the organ half-hour on a weekend afternoon for the church's acoustics, and note that it closes on Mondays outside the May to September season.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Entry: €15 (about $17) · Buy at the door or onlineLast verified
- 6Tallinn
Stroll St Catherine's Passage between Old Town streets
St Catherine's Passage, once known as Monk's Alley, winds from Vene Street past the southern end of the Dominican monastery to Müürivahe Street. It takes its name from St Catherine's church, thought to have been built more than 700 years ago. The southern side is lined mostly with buildings from the 15th to 17th centuries, and the passage is among the best-preserved stretches of medieval street in the Old Town. Artisan workshops sit behind the old stone walls, so look for handmade crafts as you pass. The lane was last restored in 1995 and is open round the clock, so it works as a short detour at any hour.
Tip: Each artisan workshop sets its own hours, so look for open doors as you pass rather than planning a stop.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Free to visit - 7Tallinn
Tour Kadriorg Palace and its park
Russian Tsar Peter I founded Kadriorg Palace in 1718 and named it after his wife Catherine I, in German Katharinenthal. The Italian architect Nicola Michetti designed this Roman Baroque palace, with a grand main hall that ranks among the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Estonia and Northern Europe. Inside is the Kadriorg Art Museum, which shows the Estonian Art Museum's foreign collection of Western European and Russian art from the 16th to the 20th century. Around it, the 70-hectare Kadriorg Park has flower beds, fountains and hedges, the Swan Pond and a promenade leading to the president's palace.
Tip: Walk through the park to Kumu afterwards, since both sit in Kadriorg, and check the palace hours first because they change between seasons.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Kadriorg Art Museum: €15 (about $17) · Buy at the door or onlineLast verified
- 8Tallinn
Trace Estonian art through to 1991 at Kumu
Kumu is the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia and the largest and most representative exhibition space in the country. It opened in 2006 and sits in Kadriorg Park. The permanent exhibition follows Estonian art from the beginning of the 18th century to 1991, while the gallery of contemporary art and the temporary shows also include international work. The museum lists regular hours of Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 6 PM all year round, and it is easy to pair with Kadriorg Palace on the same day.
Tip: Check the Kumu calendar for events and exhibitions before you go, and plan on a rainy day since most of the visit is indoors.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Entry: €16 (about $18) · Buy at the door or onlineLast verified
- 9Tallinn
Climb aboard a submarine at Seaplane Harbour
The Seaplane Harbour houses one of Northern Europe's most impressive maritime museums, set in historic seaplane hangars. Nearly 200 authentic exhibits tell the story of Estonian navigation, shipping and sea defense. Highlights include Lembit, a real submarine, the century-old icebreaker Suur Tõll, the Short 184 seaplane and the oldest known shipwreck of Estonian origin. Simulators, play areas and hands-on exhibits make it a strong choice for families, and a trail following Kipper the Cat keeps younger visitors busy. There is a cafe inside. The museum sits in the Noblessner harbor district, a former submarine factory site where the waterfront promenade is good for a walk afterwards.
Tip: The museum opens daily from May to August and is closed on Mondays from September to April, so check the month before you go.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Combined ticket (hangar, exhibition, ships): €22 (about $25) · Buy at the door or onlineLast verified
- 10Tallinn
Learn the story of occupation at Vabamu
Vabamu is the Museum of Occupations and Freedom, on the slope of Toompea in central Tallinn. It tells Estonia's recent history through personal stories, covering the occupations, resistance, the restoration of independence and the value of freedom. The permanent exhibition, Freedom Without Borders, shows life during and after the occupations, and an e-guide is available in ten languages. A separate audio journey covers the stories of LGBT people and is described as the only one of its kind in museums in the Baltic states. A family level lets children approach the history in a way that suits them. It is a sober but useful stop before you see the rest of the country.
Tip: Download or open the e-guide in your language before you start, since it makes the exhibition much easier to follow.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Vabamu museum: €15 (about $17) · Buy at the doorLast verified
- 11Tallinn
Stand where Estonians sang at the Song Festival Grounds
Tallinn's Song Festival Grounds are a symbol of Estonian national pride and the home of the Song Celebration, a tradition on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Finished in 1960, the grounds are one of the most outstanding examples of Soviet-era architecture in Estonia, and the arched shell gives powerful, natural acoustics. They can hold nearly 15,000 singers and up to 100,000 spectators. In the 1980s, mass gatherings here during the Singing Revolution helped demand the restoration of independence. The surrounding park is open for walking, and with advance booking you can visit the visitor center and climb the 42-meter lighthouse for a view of the Old Town and the sea.
Tip: Book the visitor center and lighthouse climb in advance; the grounds and the surrounding park are open round the clock.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (official)Park open all year; book the tower - 12Tallinn
Browse the converted factories of Telliskivi
Telliskivi Creative City is a former industrial complex that now holds galleries, studios, cafes, restaurants and independent shops. The old factory buildings are known for colorful murals and street art, and the area hosts changing exhibitions plus concerts and festivals through the year. At its heart are Fotografiska Tallinn, an internationally recognized photography museum, and the Von Krahl Theater. Telliskivi sits next to Balti Jaam, Tallinn's main railway station, and has a green courtyard for resting between visits. The district is open round the clock to wander. Balti Jaam Market is a separate market with nearly 300 traders on three floors and a street food area.
Tip: Pair it with Fotografiska for photography or Balti Jaam Market for a food stop, depending on your mood.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official)Pay as you go - 13Tallinn
Visit rural Estonia at the Open Air Museum
The Estonian Open Air Museum sits just a 15-minute drive from central Tallinn and shows the country's rural architecture and way of life. Fourteen farms give an overview of how families from different parts of society lived from the 18th to the 20th century. As in a proper village, there is a church, an inn, a schoolhouse, mills, a fire station, a shop and fishing sheds by the sea. You can buy handicrafts, ride horses and try traditional Estonian dishes at the inn. The museum is open year round and runs workshops and events.
Tip: Check the season before you go: from late September to late April it closes on Mondays and closes earlier in the day.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)€[fee] - 14Lahemaa National Park
Take a day trip to Palmse Manor in Lahemaa
Palmse Manor is one of the grandest baroque mansions in Estonia and the first fully restored manor complex in the country. It sits in Lahemaa National Park, which was founded in 1971 and covers 725 square kilometers of forest, wetland and coast on the Gulf of Finland. The manor and open-air museum give an overview of Estonian manor life and architecture, with parks, gardens, historical buildings, a wine cellar, a cafe and a tavern serving national dishes. The park's information point, in the manor's stable-carriage house, has publications and an exhibition. Lahemaa is only about an hour's drive from Tallinn, so it works well as a day out.
Tip: Combine Palmse with nearby Sagadi Manor and the fishing village of Altja, and check winter hours, when the complex opens fewer days.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)€[fee] - 15Lahemaa National Park
Walk the boardwalk to the Viru Bog tower
The Viru Bog Study Trail is one of the most accessible bog trails in Estonia, in Lahemaa National Park. The 3.5 km path moves between forest, former sand dunes, ridges and open bog fields, with information boards on how the bog formed and on plants such as moor grass and cloudberries. An 11-meter observation tower in the middle of the trail looks over the whole bog. A wide boardwalk runs 1.3 km to the tower and suits wheelchairs and strollers, and the first platform has no stairs. The boardwalk narrows further on. Walking the trail as a circle makes it 5.5 km. It is open round the clock.
Tip: The wide boardwalk to the tower is the easy part and it narrows beyond that, so watch your footing if you continue; by bus, expect a walk of just under a kilometer to the trailhead.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official)Free to visit - 16Tartu
Meet the students at Tartu Town Hall Square
Tartu's Town Hall Square is the heart of Estonia's second-largest city, surrounded by pastel-colored historical buildings with the 18th-century Town Hall at its center. The Kissing Students Fountain is the city's symbol and a popular meeting spot, and the carillon bells in the Town Hall tower are the oldest and largest in Estonia. The leaning house on the square, built in 1793 and tilting 5.8 degrees, holds the Tartu Art Museum. A huge fire in 1775 destroyed nearly the whole city center, so most historic buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries. The University of Tartu, founded in 1632, gives the town its student energy.
Tip: The square has cafe terraces and street music in summer and turns into Christmas City with an ice rink in winter, and Tartu is compact enough to walk between the other sights.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (official)Free to visit - 17Tartu
Climb Toome Hill to Tartu Cathedral's towers
Toome Hill is a green hill above Tartu's Old Town, and locals use it to enjoy greenery without leaving the city. The English-style park has the Angel Bridge with its twin, the Devil's Bridge, statues and outdoor exhibitions, plus university buildings such as the observatory. At the top stand the ruins of Tartu Cathedral, one of the largest medieval structures in Estonia and the only church there with two towers. Construction began in the 13th century, and the cathedral fell into ruin after the Reformation. Today the University of Tartu Museum operates inside, and you can climb the towers for views over the town and the Emajõgi valley.
Tip: Come back after dark, since a light installation adds atmosphere in the evenings, and check the museum's hours before you climb the towers.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Free to visit - 18Tartu
Explore Estonian life at the National Museum
The Estonian National Museum is the largest museum in Estonia, with nearly 6,000 square meters of exhibition space. The permanent exhibition Encounters follows the everyday life of Estonians through history, while Echo of the Urals introduces the Finno-Ugric peoples. The museum was founded in 1909 and sits on the shore of Lake Raadi, with outdoor areas that suit a picnic, a rotunda and a glass-roofed distillery. Workshops, educational programs and guided tours in 11 languages are on offer, and there is a restaurant and shop on site. It is a strong first stop in Tartu if you want to understand the country beyond its medieval towers.
Tip: Allow half a day, and note that the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, so it is closed on Mondays.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Estonian National Museum (official)€[fee]
Every sight, city by city
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
A richly decorated Orthodox cathedral finished in 1900 on Toompea, with 11 bells including the largest in Tallinn.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsAltja fishing village
A coastal village along a single street, with restored farms, reconstructed fishing net sheds and a swing.Entry: Free to visitBalti Jaam Market
A market of nearly 300 traders across three floors, with a street food area, fish and meat hall, and design stalls.Entry: Pay as you goCafé Maiasmokk
A cafe open since 1864 with its first-floor interior largely unchanged, selling pastries, handmade candies and marzipan.Entry: Pay as you goCafé-restaurant Katharinenthal
A historic cafe-restaurant by the Swan Pond in Kadriorg, with cakes, coffee, pastries and a summer terrace.Entry: Pay as you goEstonian Open Air Museum
A village museum by the sea with 14 farms, a church, an inn and a school from the 18th to 20th centuries.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsFotografiska Tallinn
A photography museum in the Telliskivi Creative City with changing exhibitions, open late on Fridays.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsKadriorg Palace
Peter the Great's Roman Baroque palace, now the Kadriorg Art Museum of early European and Russian art.Entry: Buy at the door or onlineSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsKadriorg Park
A 70-hectare palace park begun in 1718, with flower beds around the Swan Pond and several museums.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsKiek in de Kök
The tall cannon tower of Tallinn's city wall, now a fortifications museum with underground bastion passages.Entry: Buy at the doorSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsKohtuotsa viewing platform
A viewing platform on the north side of Toompea overlooking the red roofs, spires and harbor of the Old Town.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsKumu Art Museum
The Estonian art museum beside Kadriorg Park, open until 8 PM on Thursdays.Entry: Buy at the door or online. Closed MondaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsNiguliste Museum
A 13th-century Gothic church turned art museum, home to Bernt Notke's Danse Macabre.Entry: Buy at the door or onlineSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsNoblessner
A harbor district in a former submarine factory, with a marina promenade, sunset views and several restaurants.Entry: Pay as you goPalmse Manor
One of the grandest baroque manors in Estonia, restored with an open-air museum, parks and gardens, a cafe and a tavern.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsPalmse Manor tavern
The tavern and cafe in the Palmse manor complex, serving national dishes.Entry: Pay as you goPirita Beach
The largest beach in Tallinn, reached by bus from the center, with changing cabins and a beach bar in summer.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsSagadi Manor
A restored manor complex in Lahemaa run by foresters, with a forest and manor museum, park and ponds.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSeaplane Harbour
The Estonian Maritime Museum in a seaplane hangar, with the museum ships Suur Tõll and Valvas.Entry: Buy at the door or onlineSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSong Festival Grounds
The 1960 arched stage where Estonia's song celebrations are held, with a park and a 42 m lighthouse reached by booking.Entry: Park open all year; book the towerSt Catherine's Passage
A medieval lane lined with 15th to 17th-century houses and artisan workshops, running from Vene to Muurivahe Street.Entry: Free to visitSt Olaf's Church Tower
A 60 m viewing platform on the tower of Tallinn's largest medieval building, open from April to October.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsTallinn TV Tower
A TV tower in Pirita with an observation deck at 170 m and a restaurant, looking over Tallinn and the sea.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsTelliskivi Creative City
Former factory buildings now holding galleries, studios, murals, cafes and restaurants, beside Fotografiska Tallinn.Entry: Pay as you goTown Hall Square
The medieval marketplace at the center of the Lower Town, with cafe terraces in summer and a Christmas market in winter.Entry: Free to visitVabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom
A museum on the slope of Toompea telling Estonia's recent history through personal stories of occupation and freedom.Entry: Buy at the doorSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsViru Bog Study Trail
A boardwalk trail of 3.5 km through forest and open bog to an 11 m observation tower.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsViru Gate
Two surviving towers of the 14th-century city wall gate that leads into the busy pedestrian Viru Street.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsAHHAA Science Centre
A hands-on science center with interactive exhibitions, science shows and planetarium sessions.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsAparaaditehas Creative City
A former factory with restaurants, cafes, a bakery, small shops, galleries and a printing and paper arts center.Entry: Pay as you goEstonian National Museum
Estonia's largest museum, in Raadi manor park, covering everyday Estonian life and the Finno-Ugric peoples.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsKGB Cells Museum
The restored basement cells of the Grey House, where the NKVD and KGB held prisoners in the 1940s and 1950s.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsTartu Art Museum
Contemporary Estonian and international art in the leaning house of 1793, which tilts 5.8 degrees.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsTartu Cathedral and University Museum
Brick Gothic cathedral ruins with two towers, housing the University of Tartu Museum.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsTartu Market Hall
An indoor market with the largest range of fresh food in South Estonia, plus cafes.Entry: Pay as you goTartu Town Hall Square
The pastel-colored heart of Tartu, with the Town Hall, the Kissing Students fountain and the leaning house.Entry: Free to visitTartu Toy Museum
Estonian toys, artist-made dolls and puppets from animated films, with playrooms and workshops for children.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsToome Hill
An English-style park on a hill above the Old Town, with Angel Bridge, statues and old university buildings.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsUniversity of Tartu Botanical Garden
A garden of more than 10,000 plant species, with greenhouses of rainforest and desert plants.Entry: €[fee]Search tickets and tours on TiqetsQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Estonia for a first trip?
Start in Tallinn, where the UNESCO-listed Old Town has Town Hall Square, medieval towers and viewing platforms such as Kohtuotsa and St Olaf's. Add Kadriorg Palace and park, the Seaplane Harbour museum and the Song Festival Grounds. Then take a day trip to Lahemaa National Park for Palmse Manor and the Viru Bog boardwalk, and spend a day or two in Tartu for the Estonian National Museum and Toome Hill. Both Tallinn and Tartu are compact enough to cover on foot.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official)How many days do you need in Estonia?
Visit Estonia suggests two to three days for Tallinn's Old Town, Kadriorg Palace, museums and waterfront, with extra days for Lahemaa National Park and nearby islands. It is possible to see Tallinn in three days. To reach Tartu, Pärnu or Saaremaa as well, plan five to seven days. A full week also gives you time for nature, such as a bog walk or a manor visit in Lahemaa.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)When is the best time of year to go sightseeing in Estonia?
June to August brings the most visitors thanks to pleasant weather and outdoor events, with average temperatures of about 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. Spring and autumn are quieter, with fewer crowds and lower prices. Winter has Christmas markets in Tallinn and Tartu. Some lookouts follow the seasons: the Town Hall tower is listed as open from June to August and St Olaf's tower from April to October, so check hours if you want the views.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Which Estonian attractions should you book ahead?
Most Tallinn and Tartu museums take walk-ins, but a few things need planning. The visitor center and lighthouse at the Song Festival Grounds are open by advance booking, and group guided tours at Kiek in de Kök are offered by reservation. If you want to see the national Song and Dance Celebration, tickets go on sale about six months before it starts, and the next general celebration is planned for 30 June to 9 July 2028.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official)How do you get around Estonia and between Tallinn and Tartu?
Tallinn Airport is 4 km from the center, and buses 2 and 15 run into the city. In Tallinn, visitors can pay by card at the validator next to the driver, or use a Tallinn Card for unlimited public transport. Between Tallinn and Tartu, train and bus both have WiFi and take about two hours. Intercity buses are sold at tpilet.ee and bus stations. Rural areas and national parks such as Lahemaa are easier by car.
Sources: Visit Estonia (official); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board)Is Estonia safe, and what sauna etiquette should you know?
Estonia is considered very safe: Tallinn is described as one of the safest capital cities in Europe, with pickpocketing possible in crowded places but infrequent. Tap water is safe to drink, and English is widely spoken by people working with tourists. If you try a traditional sauna, men and women often go separately, swimsuits are frowned upon and towels are more accepted. Cool down in water or fresh air.
Sources: Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (visitestonia.com, Estonian Tourist Board); Visit Estonia (official)Do you need a visa to visit Estonia?
It depends on your citizenship. Citizens of EU, EEA and Schengen countries and many other countries can visit Estonia as tourists without a visa. If your country is not visa-free, you need a short-term Schengen visa, which allows up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Check the official Estonian foreign ministry or Visit Estonia guidance for your passport before booking, since rules can change.
Sources: Visit Estonia (official)