Where to stay in Tallinn
Tallinn is small. The Old Town, the Rotermann Quarter and the ferry harbor sit within fifteen minutes of each other on foot, so you choose on feel more than distance. Stay in the Old Town for a first short visit, in Rotermann for a modern, quieter base beside it, and in Kalamaja or Telliskivi for wooden houses, cafes and a local feel. The cobbled lanes of the Old Town are loud on Friday and Saturday nights, and the one to choose with care.
The short answer
- First trip
- The Old Town, on a side street, or Rotermann for a quieter base next to it.
- Couples
- Old Town for candlelit lanes, or Kalamaja for wooden houses and good cafes.
- Families
- Kadriorg for the park and museums, or Rotermann for space and shops.
- Tight budget
- Telliskivi and Balti Jaam or Kalamaja, a short walk or tram ride from the center.
- Food and evenings
- Telliskivi for bars and the market, Noblessner for a harborside dinner.
How we judge an area of Tallinn: walking time to the sights, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Tallinn's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Town Hall Square | Alexander Nevsky Cathedral | Old City Harbour ferries | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Vanalinn) | A first, short visit | Busy; loud at weekends | 5 min | 10 min | 15 min | On foot; ferry harbor 10 to 15 minutes | €€€ |
| Toompea (Upper Town) | Views, quiet nights | Very quiet | 5 min | 5 min | 25 min | On foot; steep lanes to the Lower Town | €€€ |
| Rotermann Quarter and Viru | Ferry arrivals, modern comfort | Quiet; roads nearby | 10 min | 15 min | 5 min | On foot; trams on Mere pst | €€€ |
| Kalamaja | Wooden houses, cafes | Quiet | 15 min | 15 min | 25 min | Trams; walk or tram to the Old Town | €€ |
| Telliskivi and Balti Jaam | Food, bars, value | Lively at weekends | 15 min | 10 min | 30 min | Balti Jaam station; trams | €€ |
| Noblessner and the harbor | Dinner by the water, calm | Quiet | 35 min | 30 min | 40 min | Trams, taxis; coastal path | €€€ |
| Kadriorg | Parkland, museums, calm | Very quiet | 40 min | 45 min | 30 min | Trams to the center | €€ |
Walking times run from the middle of each area: the straight line plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. Most of the center is flat; the climb is up to Toompea, and the Old Town's lanes are cobbled. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest), until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
The Old Town, for a first short visit
The medieval Lower Town behind its walls, with the sights at the door and the lanes loud at weekends.
The Old Town is the walled medieval center, built around Town Hall Square and the lanes of Pikk, Vene and Rataskaevu streets. Churches, the town wall, the best known restaurants and most of the guesthouses sit inside it, and the ferry harbor is about ten to fifteen minutes' walk away. Streets are cobbled and some are steep, so wheeled luggage is hard work.
It is the busiest part of the city. Cruise and ferry day-trippers fill the lanes from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, and bars keep the streets loud on Friday and Saturday nights. Choose a room on a side street or facing a courtyard, ask whether it has a lift, and check whether a bar sits below.
Good for
- A first trip of two or three nights
- Walking to every main sight
- Seeing the lanes early or late, away from the day-trippers
Think twice if
- You sleep lightly and the room faces a bar street
- You have heavy luggage and the building has no lift
- You want to feel somewhere local
Staying in Old Town (Vanalinn): nearby sights, food and getting around
Toompea, for views and quiet
The hill above the Old Town, with Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the viewing platforms, and few places to stay or eat.
Toompea is the hill at the west end of the Old Town, home to the national parliament, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Toompea Castle and the Dome Church. Two viewing platforms look out over the red roofs. The Lower Town and Town Hall Square are five to ten minutes downhill.
Nights are quiet, because there are few bars and almost no late traffic. The cost is the climb back up at the end of the day, and the short list of restaurants and shops on the hill. Day visitors pass through in the morning, so early starts are easy. It suits people who care more about views and calm than about a choice of dinners.
Good for
- Early starts at the cathedral and the viewing platforms
- Quiet nights in the middle of the Old Town
- Short, downhill walks to the Lower Town
Think twice if
- You do not want a steep walk back up
- You want a choice of restaurants at the door
Staying in Toompea (Upper Town): nearby sights, food and getting around
Rotermann and Viru, for a modern base beside the Old Town
Converted warehouses, shops and restaurants just east of the Old Town, with the ferry harbor on the other side.
The Rotermann Quarter is a block of restored salt and grain warehouses and new buildings between the Old Town and the harbor. It has restaurants, a food hall, shops and hotels, and the Viru shopping area is next to it. The Old Town's Viru Gate is five to ten minutes on foot, and the ferry terminals are about ten.
It is calmer at night than the Old Town and has plenty of places to eat. The streets are wide and mostly flat, so luggage is easy. It has less atmosphere than the Old Town, with busy roads and a lot of glass and concrete in the blocks around it. It suits arrivals by ferry, and people who want modern comforts and a short walk to the lanes.
Good for
- Arriving or leaving by ferry
- Flat streets and easy luggage
- Shops, restaurants and a short walk to the Old Town
Think twice if
- You want old streets outside the door
- You want a very quiet room: roads and trams run nearby
Staying in Rotermann Quarter and Viru: nearby sights, food and getting around
Kalamaja, for wooden houses and cafes
A former fishermen's district of painted wooden houses, with cafes and bakeries, and a walk of about twenty minutes to the Old Town.
Kalamaja lies north-west of the Old Town, between the railway line and the sea. Its streets are lined with wooden houses from the 19th century, many restored, with cafes, bakeries and small restaurants between them. The Seaplane Harbour museum and the coast are a short walk north.
It is calm and residential, and it feels local. The Old Town is a walk of fifteen to twenty minutes, or a short tram ride, and Telliskivi is five minutes away. There are fewer hotels than in the center, and rooms are mostly in guesthouses and apartments. Some streets are quiet, and a few near the railway are not, so check where your room faces.
Good for
- A local feel, with cafes and bakeries at the door
- Walking to Telliskivi and the sea
- Calmer nights at a lower price than the Old Town
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the Old Town in five minutes
- You want a hotel with a front desk and a lift
Telliskivi and Balti Jaam, for food, bars and value
The creative district next to the railway station, with bars, a market and street food, and a fifteen minute walk to the Old Town.
Telliskivi Creative City is a group of former factory buildings holding cafes, studios, a flea market and bars. The Balti Jaam station and its covered market are next door, with a street food area and stalls. The Old Town's edge is about ten minutes' walk, and Town Hall Square about fifteen.
It is the liveliest part of town outside the walls. Weekend evenings are busy, so ask for a room away from the main courtyards. Rooms cost less than in the Old Town. Some blocks around the station are plain and run-down, and the area is better for the cafes and bars than for a scenic walk. It suits a budget trip, or a stay built around trains and food.
Good for
- Food, bars and a market within a few minutes
- Arriving by train or bus
- A lower price within a short walk of the Old Town
Think twice if
- You want historic streets outside the door
- Your room faces a courtyard bar on a weekend
Staying in Telliskivi and Balti Jaam: nearby sights, food and getting around
Noblessner, for dinner by the water
A former submarine yard turned into a seafront district of restaurants and apartments, a half hour walk from the Old Town.
Noblessner is a harbor district west of Kalamaja, built in the old submarine factory buildings. It now has restaurants on the water, apartments, a photography museum and a marina, and the coastal path leads east to the Seaplane Harbour. The Old Town is about thirty minutes' walk or a short ride.
It is quiet in the evenings once the restaurants close, and rooms are mostly apartments rather than hotels. In winter the wind off the bay is cold, and the area is out of the way. It makes sense for people who want views, a good dinner on their doorstep and a calmer stay, and who are happy to use trams, taxis and ride-hailing apps.
Good for
- Dinner by the water without leaving the block
- Calm, open views of the bay
- Walking the coastal path
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the Old Town
- You are visiting in winter and want to stay out of the wind
Staying in Noblessner and the harbor: nearby sights, food and getting around
Kadriorg, for the park and museums
A calm residential district around a baroque palace park, with museums and old villas, and a tram ride from the center.
Kadriorg is the district east of the center, around the park laid out for Peter the Great, with the palace, the Kumu art museum and streets of old wooden villas and embassies. It is green, calm and handsome, and the seafront path to Pirita is close. Trams run to the center in a short ride, and the Old Town is about forty minutes on foot.
Nights are very quiet. There are fewer restaurants and shops than in the other areas, so you will often take a tram for dinner. It suits families, people who like walking in parks, and anyone who wants the museums and the calm more than the lanes.
Good for
- Families, with park space and museums
- Quiet nights and old villas
- Walks along the seafront
Think twice if
- You want to walk back from the Old Town after dinner
- You want many restaurants at the door
Where not to stay in Tallinn, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Tallinn. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room above a bar in the Old Town on a weekend
Friday and Saturday nights run late on the lanes, and the noise carries up. Ask for a courtyard or a high floor, and read recent reviews for the word noise.
- An Old Town room up several flights with no lift
Many buildings are centuries old, with narrow stairs. Check the lift and the floor before you book, particularly with heavy bags on cobbles.
- A hotel out by the airport or on a ring road, for a city break
The airport is close to the center and on the tram line, so there is nothing to save by staying out there. Stay in the center and ride the tram in.
- A 'cheap Old Town' rate that turns out to be far from the walls
Some listings say 'Old Town' for places a half hour's walk away. Check the walking time on a map before you pay.
- A room on a road beside the railway or the busiest tram streets
Trams and trains start early. Choose a side street in Kalamaja or Rotermann.
Which neighborhood suits you
A tight budget
Food
Telliskivi for the market and street food, Noblessner for a long dinner.
Nightlife
The Old Town for bars and cellars, Telliskivi for a more local crowd.
Peace and quiet
Toompea, Kadriorg or Noblessner.
Arriving by train or bus
Telliskivi and Balti Jaam, next to the station.
Before you book a room in Tallinn
The practical things that decide whether a good hotel in Tallinn makes a good stay.
- The tourist taxTallinn does not charge a tourist tax, and neither does Estonia. A tax on visitors has been discussed for years, and Tallinn's city government has been of two minds, but councils cannot impose one without a change in national law, and the latest reports we found showed none planned. Check your booking terms for any charge a hotel adds itself.
- From Tallinn AirportTram lines T2 and T4 serve the airport, from a stop at the northern end of the terminal. T2 runs between the airport, the Old City Harbour and Kopli, and T4 between the airport and Tondi. A single ticket costs €2 and is valid for one hour, and you can pay by contactless card on board. A taxi or ride-hailing app is quicker with luggage, and the airport is close to the center.
- From the ferryThe Helsinki ferries arrive at the Old City Harbour, about ten to fifteen minutes' walk from the edge of the Old Town. The fast boats take about two hours. Hotels in the Old Town and Rotermann are the easiest to reach on foot.
- Weekend noiseFriday and Saturday nights are the loudest in the Old Town. If your room faces a street with bars, ask for a courtyard side.
- WinterTallinn is dark and cold from November to February, with snow common in January. A room in the Old Town or Rotermann means a short, sheltered walk. Noblessner and Kadriorg are further and windier.
- Cobbles, hills and stairsThe Old Town's lanes are cobbled, and Toompea is steep. Many old buildings have narrow stairs and small lifts or none. If stairs are hard for you, check before you book, not on arrival.
Where to stay in Tallinn: questions people ask
What is the best area to stay in Tallinn for a first visit?
The Old Town, for a short trip: the town hall square, the churches and the wall are at the door, and the ferry harbor is a short walk. Pick a side street or a courtyard room for quieter nights. Rotermann, next to it, is a calmer, more modern alternative.
Is it better to stay in the Old Town or Rotermann?
The Old Town if you want atmosphere and a short walk to the sights. Rotermann if you would rather have flat streets, modern rooms and quieter nights, with the Old Town about ten minutes away. Rotermann is easier for ferry arrivals.
Is Kalamaja a good place to stay?
Yes, for a local feel, with cafes and wooden houses, at lower prices than the center. It is a fifteen to twenty minute walk to the Old Town, and has fewer hotels, so rooms are mostly in guesthouses and apartments.
Where should I avoid staying in Tallinn?
A room above a bar on a weekend in the Old Town, and a flat in a building with no lift up several flights. Be careful with rooms listed as 'Old Town' that are far from the walls. Most of the center is safe and well lit.
Is Tallinn a walkable city?
Yes. The Old Town, Rotermann and the harbor are all within fifteen minutes of each other. Toompea is a short, steep climb, and Kadriorg and Noblessner are better reached by tram or taxi.
How do I get from Tallinn Airport to the center?
By tram: lines T2 and T4 serve the airport, and a single ticket costs €2 for one hour, payable by contactless card on board. A taxi or ride-hailing app is quicker with luggage, particularly late at night.
Is there a tourist tax in Tallinn?
No. Estonia has no tourist tax, and councils cannot impose one without a change in national law. The idea has been discussed, so check your booking terms for anything a hotel adds.
Should I stay in Tallinn or Helsinki?
Tallinn is cheaper and has the better Old Town. Helsinki is a day trip of about two hours each way by fast ferry. Sleep in Tallinn, and go to Helsinki for the day if you want both.
