A Magical Medieval Christmas Market Break In Tallinn

There’s something magical about Christmas markets in a medieval city, and last month I headed off to Tallinn for the ultimate medieval festive break.

The Baltics have been growing in popularity for their Christmas markets in recent years, and I’ve now been to Christmas markets in all three Baltic countries – Kaunas in Lithuania in 2022, Riga in Latvia in 2023, and now Tallinn in Estonia in 2025. I guess I just missed a year! (2024 was Wroclaw.)

These have all been quite different trips; Kaunas was a relatively spontaneous solo adventure, Riga was booked with a friend from work, and Tallinn was a collaboration with a surprise: my Dad decided to join me! Other than a brief day trip to Belgium by car about 15 years ago, my Dad, who’s now in his 80’s, hasn’t been abroad in about 50 years! So this ended up being a special trip for many reasons.

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Disclaimer: this trip was provided by Jet2holidays on their inaugural flight to Tallinn, but I was free to create my own itinerary, and all content, ideas and opinions are my own, as always.

I went to Tallinn last year (not for the Christmas markets!), but one of the major shortfalls of the trip was that there was no direct flight – which meant a super early flight to Stockholm to then get home, instead of being able to enjoy a second day in the city. Thankfully, there are now flights to Tallinn with Jet2 from Edinburgh!

These run on Thursdays and Sundays over the festive period, giving three nights in Tallinn over a long weekend. After managing to see so much in a single day last time, I wondered if three nights would be too many – but while we managed to do even more on this trip, we also had time to relax. If we’d wanted, we could have easily used one day to go to Helsinki.

This makes it really easy to do city breaks to Tallinn with Jet2holidays and also means that if you have flights only with Jet2, you could even stay overnight in Helsinki and really split your time between the two cities to have two city breaks in one.

I visited Helsinki last time, and I’ve got a whole list of things you can do in a day there.

So this time, it was all about Tallinn – and more importantly, the Christmas markets!

Here’s everything we got up to, plus everything I recommend that you do on a winter break to Tallinn.

This post contains affiliate links. Please note if you buy or book anything through my links, I may earn a little commission that helps keep this site running, at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!

Visiting Tallinn for the Christmas markets

I’ve always heard great things about Tallinn’s Christmas markets, and I can confirm it lives up to the hype. The setting is gorgeous, right in the beautiful town square, and the towering Christmas tree puts you straight in the mood.

Estonia has a long history with Christmas trees, as they claim to be the first place to display a public Christmas tree in 1441 (a claim disputed by Riga). Regardless, it’s an important tradition in Tallinn, with the Tallinn tree so revered that many Estonians don’t put one up in their own home, and there is even a contest each year to find the perfect Christmas tree. Apparently the tree is then delivered to the town square by Santa Claus, who gives out candy during a ceremony! It almost sounds made up.

We arrived in Tallinn mid-afternoon on the Thursday, which meant by the time we were settled into the hotel and ready to go out, it was starting to get dark – perfect timing to explore the Christmas markets, and early enough that it wasn’t too crowded!

We also watched a brilliant concert on our first night, with an incredible woman playing an electric cello that lit up neon colours. It was SO good! It beat the concert that we caught part of in Riga, where the prime minister addressed the crowd on live TV. So funnily enough, I’ve had pretty unique Christmas concert experiences in both Riga and Tallinn!

Riga and Tallinn both host excellent Christmas markets, and it’s hard to say which one is better. I loved Riga’s for having a few different activities, like pony rides and feeding rabbits, plus a unique drink in an ice glass, which was fun! I felt like Tallinn was more of a traditional market without too many bells and whistles, BUT they had a huge variety of mulled wine flavours. Staying three nights meant that we were able to try several of them!

My favourites were the Vana Tallinn (with the local spirit) and cherry. We were excited to try a limoncello one, but it wasn’t as strong as we thought it would be. I also spotted lingonberry and chili, which I didn’t try… and apple pie!

The only disappointment? No Tallinn Christmas mugs to bring home! You had to pay a 2€ deposit but it was just a plain red plastic cup, so we held on to them until the end of the trip and then returned them.

There is also a wee tourist train which runs all year round, but looks particularly magical amongst the markets. I read conflicting information online about where it runs from, so we went to the wrong place (near Viru Gate), but during the markets it leaves from right next to the town square.

This is more fun to see than to ride on, if I’m honest. We decided to give it a go, but there was zero information about the places we passed, which seemed like a shame especially as it costs 7€ for a 25 minute ride. We were the only people on there without kids, too! It was also impossible to get any photos because it’s so bumpy on the cobblestone streets.

So all in all, a successful trip haha. But it DOES look really cool lit up at night, especially as it drives past the markets! So make sure to keep an eye out for it.

Overall, I thought the Christmas markets in Tallinn were brilliant to browse, though not all that cheap. Mulled wine was 7€ (be careful with all the adverts for cheaper ones because they were always alcohol-free), and we had filled pretzels one evening for just under 10€. They were delicious, though.

There’s a good mix of handmade wares and tourist souvenirs, so we managed to find some gifts, including some nice decorations with amber, which is a popular souvenir across the Baltics.

The best museums to visit on a winter break to Tallinn

There are a lot of museums in Tallinn, which is great for a winter break where the weather might not be so good. Regardless of the weather, these are the indoor attractions I recommend, and I’ll go into more detail below:

📌 Kiek In De Kok
📌 Fat Margaret maritime museum
📌 Lennusadam maritime museum – if you have kids!
📌 Hellemann Tower & the city walls
📌 Hotel Viru KGB tour

The last time I came to Tallinn, it was glorious sunshine and I aimlessly wandered the medieval streets until I’d done 26,000 steps and seen virtually everything in the Old Town – from the outside.

The only museum I visited on that trip was the brilliantly named Kiek in de Kok, and I highly recommend it. It’s more than a museum, as you get to explore a couple of towers and a portion of the city walls, and then walk through a tunnel back to the Old Town! The museum itself is really interesting, though it does feel like a mish-mash of themes. While the main part focuses on the history of the fortifications (which is what you’d expect), there was also a (temporary?) exhibit on the historic café culture in the city, as well as a room dedicated to artists who had been squatting in the towers. One of my favourite parts was the tunnels, where you learn about some of the people who spent time there.

This time, we decided to get a combined ticket for the maritime museums, comprising of another tower with a great name, Fat Margaret, and a larger museum inside a seaplane hangar (pictured above).

We also visited the Hellemann Tower, which leads to the largest remaining section of the city walls that you can walk along. This was only 4€ so it was well worth doing!

Anyway, the maritime museums – did you know you can go into a submarine in Tallinn?! Neither did I.

This was a highlight of the larger Lennusadam museum, however there is SO MUCH cool stuff for kids here! It’s definitely more a family-oriented museum with things like remote-control boats, climbing a huge bridge, or you can even climb a mast!

That’s not to say Fat Margaret doesn’t have her own fun, though. I’ve got a video of Dad pretending to be working on a ship while singing along to a sea shanty, and another of him running across a screen to set off a wave. I couldn’t stop laughing at an interactive display where you can find out how many oxen you can swap for your weight in corn, causing cows to fly all over the screen. And I designed a boat which you can then send off to a destination and they send you logbook updates until it “arrives”! So cool. I was fully expecting an email within a day to let me know it had sunk. 😂

I only sent mine to Gdansk, so it arrived successfully, but Dad’s is still on its way to Antarctica! (Update: it’s just arrived in February 2026!)

It’s also got a lot more actual information, for example Estonia’s involvement with the Hanseatic League trade, and the highlight is the amazing medieval cog boat that they discovered in 2015; the most well-preserved and complete boat of its type in Europe. I was fascinated by how they even managed to get it in here!

I highly recommend Fat Margaret. The museum; not whatever else you’re thinking. The Lennusadam maritime museum? Go if you have kids! But maybe give it a miss if you don’t, especially as it’s outside the main tourist area of Tallinn. I honestly think we even had more fun at Fat Margaret.

The combined ticket is 30€ but Fat Margaret on its own is 15€.

Overall, I would recommend Kiek in de Kok, Fat Margaret, and perhaps the Helleman Tower if you have time.

The KGB tour at Hotel Viru

I’m dedicating an entire section to this, because although it’s a “KGB museum”, I’d say it’s less of a museum and more of a tour. I didn’t really get much information from the “museum” itself (which only comprises of two rooms and a corridor!).

Hotel Viru was a major hub of activity for the KGB to spy on foreign tourists and particularly foreign politicians and delegates who stayed in the hotel. Cameras and microphones were everywhere – even in plates served in the restaurant, and in ashtrays or furniture. There were spy holes in the rooms, and babushkas (Russian grannies) sat in the corridors taking note of everyone who was coming and going, when and with whom.

Naturally, it was the worst kept secret and most people knew what was really going on. Locals enjoyed a coveted position at the hotel where they could face fewer restrictions for being part of the operation, but also secretly exchange foreign gifts and currency at great risk. Foreign delegates would be careful about how discussions took place, and even the babushkas could be kept quiet with bribes.

Officially, the hotel has 22 floors – but the KGB operations were stationed on the 23rd. This is where the tour takes place, past a locked gate and into locked rooms. Needless to say, this is a very interesting tour.

Our guide, René, also made it entertaining, poking fun at the nature of the operation, and regaling tales that sounded straight out of a Bond film, but which was a reality here in this hotel and across the Soviet states.

One bonus is that you can get a great view of Tallinn from the rooftop terrace, although sadly the weather on our visit was pretty awful!

My main issue is the number of people they have on the tour. Ours was sold out, and I think there were 18 of us. We could barely fit into the rooms, and it was impossible to see anything until we had all dispersed.

My verdict is that this a really cool tour, with a fascinating insight into specific KGB activities, including access to off-limits areas of the hotel. However, the big question is whether it’s worth the money. I think it’s expensive for what it is, and particularly with how many people are on each tour, they must be making a fortune! At 10€ it would be fantastic. At 20€ it’s really pushing it, in my opinion.

But, I’m glad we did it because it’s really interesting, and I like that it’s a tour because it gives you so much more context than it would otherwise.

Exploring Tallinn’s Old Town & Toompea

Tallin’s Old Town is fantastic to just wander. It’s packed with beautiful medieval buildings, cobblestone streets, and lovely independent shops and restaurants.

I didn’t take many repeat photos as the weather wasn’t great this time around, so if you want to see plenty more pictures of just how pretty it is (in better weather!) then check out the post about my last trip.

My highlights of the Old Town are:

• the Old Town square, which if you’re visiting for the Christmas markets, you’ll be seeing anyway! Don’t miss the world’s oldest pharmacy from 1422.
• Katariina Kaik, a very picturesque alleyway which is popular for photos
• Viru Gate, the main entrance to the Old Town
• Fat Margaret, another entrance, and home of the maritime museum

Honestly, though, there are lots of hidden gems that you may just stumble across, like Master’s Courtyard and the Path of History.

We also made it up to Toompea, the upper level of the Old Town, for the views over the city. Make sure to go to both viewpoints (Kohtuotsa and Patluki) as they’re both great and only a five minute walk apart. Apparently one of the seagulls that likes to pose has become fondly known as Steven.

I love the architecture of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral too, and again I have a ton of photos in my other post in much better lighting!

I also really like the Danish King’s Garden (next to Kiek in de Kok) – look out for the creepy statues! There isn’t a whole heap to do in Toompea, but it’s lovely for a wander and, other than the viewpoints, I find it’s generally quieter than the main Old Town.

Read more about Tallinn’s Old Town: 26,000 Steps In Tallinn, A Beautiful Baltic City Break

Telliskivi Creative City

On to something completely different…

On my last visit to Tallinn, I headed to Balti Jaama Turg, a market next to the train station, and then skipped straight through it to a quirky area just beyond.

I somehow missed the coolest part, because I only went as far as the Peatus bar which is in a train carriage. Obviously that was enough to stop me going any further.

But I really should have done. Shortly after returning home, I discovered (on A Brummie Home And Abroad, IIRC) that Bordalo II has a mural there! If you’re not familiar, Bordalo II creates murals from rubbish, and he’s one of my favourite street artists. So on this trip, I was determined to go and find it. For the record, it’s next to Must and F-Hoone.

Now I will admit that Telliskivi probably isn’t an area that I’d go with my 82-year-old Dad – I don’t think an industrial, hipster enclave is his vibe. Therefore I left him in Balti Jaama Turg with a coffee and went off on my little mission.

And what I found is that Telliskivi IS somewhere I’d go with a bunch of friends. There are plenty of places to eat, independent taprooms, highly rated coffee shops and of course lots and lots of street art.

As an aside, we did also grab tea & coffee in Balti Jaama Turg itself, and there’s absolutely loads on offer for lunch. I also recommend going into the Kalev chocolate store, as we bought so many gifts from there, and it was cheaper than duty-free…

Balti Jaama Turg is a great mix of independent stores, local produce, and worldwide cuisine, and I definitely recommend visiting if you want some somewhere a bit less touristy than the Old Town.

Where to eat & drink in Tallinn

I know I’ve only been to Tallinn twice, but I can recommend some absolute baller places to eat & drink!

Here are some of my favourites from both trips.

📌 III Draakon for drinks
📌 Munga Kelder for dinner
📌 Kompressor for lunch!!!
📌 Must Pudel for breakfast or lunch
📌 Balti Jaama Turg (market) for lunch, snacks or coffee
📌 Café Maiasmokk for coffee & cake – the oldest café in Tallinn

Bonus (because we didn’t end up being able to get a table):
📌 Peata Kana for drinks

There are plenty of bars to stumble across, but I absolutely love the medieval tavern-style pubs that Tallinn seems to have an abundance of. Lots of tourists flock to Olde Hansa, a medieval restaurant that serves hearty but pricey food, but even after two visits I still haven’t been there. That’s mostly because we went to III Draakon first.

One of the selling points for me at Olde Hansa is drinking out of traditional clay mugs in a medieval setting, so I wanted to go there for a drink more than the food. It turns out this really isn’t unique to Olde Hansa!

We decided to pop in to III Draakon because it looked more intimate, it’s more of a pub (Olde Hansa is more of a proper restaurant) and there happened to be a table free. Plus hello, it’s inside the historic town hall right on the main town square! Normally that would ring alarm bells, but not in Tallinn. It really felt like we had stepped back in time, and the staff dressed the part and were super friendly.

There’s also Peata Kana (Headless Chicken) which is right on Katariina Kaik, a popular scenic side street, and has a similar dark, medieval theme. Unfortunately it was full when we tried to go in, because it turns out it’s VERY small – about 3 tables! They even serve mead, which sounds like a fantastic reason to pop in.

Speaking of Katariina Kaik, there’s a fantastic restaurant that I’ve recommended before. For dinner on our first night, we returned to the place I went for dinner on my previous visit – Munga Kelder. I actually wrote that I tried to order the Estonian pork roast but they had run out. So for good measure, we BOTH had it this time! And it was delicious.

We also both had starters – Dad couldn’t resist the so-called “peasant’s onion soup” and I had the breaded cheese, and everything was excellent. 100% if you are looking for somewhere for dinner in Tallinn, come here.

Munga Kelder translates to “monk’s cellar”, so yes, this feels very medieval too.

For lunch, we finally went to Kompressor on our last day. This is not medieval, before you ask. I’ve been recommended Kompressor several times now, both by bloggers and multiple friends, and for some reason pancakes in Tallinn seem to be a thing.

…my God.

These are some of the best pancakes I’ve EVER had*. Would go back to Tallinn just for this, to be honest. It’s very popular and we had to queue for about 15 minutes even though we deliberately went at an awkward between-time, so I imagine the queues get mad at peak times. I’ll add that the service wasn’t particularly quick, but even between that and the queue, still ABSOLUTELY worth it!

*my Dad actually makes absolutely amazing savoury pancakes, so it’s a close call.

And a great place for coffee, even though it’s touristy, is Café Maiasmokk. Brimming with history, this is Tallinn’s oldest café and doubles as a sweet shop; more specifically, a marzipan shop, where they’ve been making this speciality since 1864. They have some delectable designs on display, so even if you don’t need a cuppa, it’s worth taking a look in the shop and you might even see them working on some.

I also need to mention somewhere we stumbled across on our first night – the Beer House. We popped in because the entrance looked intriguing, and it only continued from there.

Inside, it’s like a bier keller. They serve food, but it’s not the cheapest place in town and we only had a drink. I wouldn’t say this is a must-do, but it’s a cool place and very much worth poking your head in!

I noticed afterwards that the pirate set-up actually says “Korsaar Restoran” – having searched this on Google, this is one of the coolest restaurants I’ve ever seen!!! However we didn’t see any sign of it (other than that flag) and Google says it’s “temporarily closed”. Either we totally missed a gem, or it’s not actually open any more.

Oh, and finally…

Obviously we HAD to eat here!! This was far from the best place we ate, although the food is good – it just feels a bit touristy unlike a lot of places we came across in Tallinn. If it hadn’t been for the name, I don’t think we would have gone in.

Some other places we liked the look of which have great reviews:

• Kaerajaan, a modern Estonian restaurant on the town square. As above, not necessarily a bad thing, although I noticed it’s much pricier than last year
• Pelmen kohvik, serving up the Baltic version of pierogi (dumplings)
• Peppersack, which looks similarly touristy (in a good way!) to Olde Hansa, but a little cheaper. I ended up wishing we’d booked this as we did try to go in before we went to the Clazz restaurant.

Where we stayed in Tallinn

We stayed in the Nordic Hotel Forum, which is a brilliant, modern but not too corporate hotel (if you know what I mean) just a five minute walk from Viru Gate, the entrance to the Old Town.

I chose this largely for the location, but also because it’s got a pool and sauna which my Dad loves, and it meant we could come back and relax each day before the evening festivities. It’s not often that I spend much time at a hotel, especially on a city break, but this did make a huge difference and really made it feel like a holiday.

Travelling with my Dad gave me a good excuse to slow down as well, and the Nordic Hotel Forum was perfect for this type of break.

Last time I came to Tallinn, my main activity was simply wandering the streets in the Old Town, and although we did a reasonable amount of that this time, I felt that a winter trip encouraged us to spend a lot more time indoors, whether that was at a museum, in a bar, or in the pool at our hotel. In short, these were two very different trips.

I’ve also left Tallinn both times feeling differently about returning. Last time, I felt like I’d happily go back because it was nice. This time, I’d go back because it’s cool. There are so many great places to go out to eat and drink. It’s just a beautiful city too, and one begging to be explored.

With the introduction of Tallinn, Jet2 are expanding their flights from Edinburgh Airport as well as Christmas market breaks, which are becoming a favourite across Europe.

And as we all know thanks to the viral sensation this year, nothing beats a Jet2 holiday!

Overall, Tallinn is a fantastic Christmas market destination, while having so much more to offer. I didn’t know how we were going to fill our time when Tallinn is popular as a day trip, but we ended up with loads to do.

And as far as medieval cities go, I think this might be one of the best. Tallinn has a real charm with a few added modern quirks that manage to offer something unique, and it’s a mix that I haven’t quite found elsewhere.

Read more about the Baltics and further north:
⭐ 26,000 Steps In Tallinn, A Beautiful Baltic City Break
⭐ Churches, Parks & Saunas: What To Do In Helsinki If You Only Have One Day
⭐ What’s It Like Taking The Overnight Ferry From Helsinki To Tallinn?
⭐ How To Spend A Festive Winter Weekend In Riga, Latvia
⭐ Photo Friday: Weird & Quirky Sights Around Riga
⭐ Christmas In Kaunas: Feeling Festive In Lithuania