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Visual list Archive · September 2018

A day in Tallinn, Estonia (photos)

From the archive. Published September 27, 2018. Details may have changed since.

  1. Don’t miss stunning Alexander Nevsky Cathedral during your visit to Tallinn.
    01 Don’t miss stunning Alexander Nevsky Cathedral during your visit to Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  2. Pikk Hermann or Tall Hermann, a tower of Toompea Castle, dates to the 1500s in Old Tallinn.
    02 Pikk Hermann or Tall Hermann, a tower of Toompea Castle, dates to the 1500s in Old Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  3. An armor helmet in the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn.
    03 An armor helmet in the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  4. Amber in a shop display at Symphony of Amber in Old Tallinn.
    04 Amber in a shop display at Symphony of Amber in Old Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  5. St. Nicholas Church and Museum towers over Old Tallinn, Estonia.
    05 St. Nicholas Church and Museum towers over Old Tallinn, Estonia. © Special to Cruiseable
  6. A cannon outside the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn.
    06 A cannon outside the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  7. A street musician pauses for a visitor in Old Tallinn.
    07 A street musician pauses for a visitor in Old Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  8. Some of the pretty rooftops that travelers can see on a visit to Old Tallinn, Estonia.
    08 Some of the pretty rooftops that travelers can see on a visit to Old Tallinn, Estonia. © Special to Cruiseable
  9. A row of classic buildings in downtown Tallinn, Estonia.
    09 A row of classic buildings in downtown Tallinn, Estonia. © Special to Cruiseable
  10. The centuries-old clock on the side of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tallinn.
    10 The centuries-old clock on the side of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  11. A street vendor sells snacks outside the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn.
    11 A street vendor sells snacks outside the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  12. The spires of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Old Tallinn.
    12 The spires of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Old Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  13. The Walls of Tallinn are the medieval defensive walls constructed around the city of Tallinn, Estonia, in the Middle Ages.
    13 The Walls of Tallinn are the medieval defensive walls constructed around the city of Tallinn, Estonia, in the Middle Ages. © Special to Cruiseable
  14. Flowers bloom in a windowsill along a street in Old Tallinn.
    14 Flowers bloom in a windowsill along a street in Old Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  15. Armor helmets in the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn.
    15 Armor helmets in the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  16. The Raeapteek, in the center of Old Tallinn city, is one of the oldest continuously running pharmacies in Europe, having operated out of the same building since 1415.
    16 The Raeapteek, in the center of Old Tallinn city, is one of the oldest continuously running pharmacies in Europe, having operated out of the same building since 1415. © Special to Cruiseable
  17. Olde Hansa, one of the charming little streetside cafes in Old Tallinn.
    17 Olde Hansa, one of the charming little streetside cafes in Old Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  18. A cannon in the tower of Kiek in de Kök in Tallinn.
    18 A cannon in the tower of Kiek in de Kök in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable
  19. A cobblestone street in Old Tallinn after a rainstorm.
    19 A cobblestone street in Old Tallinn after a rainstorm. © Special to Cruiseable
  20. A look at the charming architecture along a busy street in Tallinn.
    20 A look at the charming architecture along a busy street in Tallinn. © Special to Cruiseable

I'm a sucker for fortresses, medieval landmarks and vibrant, storied cultures, so I've been wanting to visit Tallinn, capital of Estonia, ever since our writer Shannon Kircher wrote about it a few months ago (see: How to spend a perfect day in Tallinn). 

We got the chance during our two-week voyage to Scandinavia and the Baltics aboard the ocean ship Viking Sun. And while we got drenched during a sudden, unexpected rainstorm, the sun finally broke out and we got glorious views of the city's medieval landscapes.

Highlights included stunning Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Tall Hermann tower rising above Toompea Castle, a slick amber shop called Symphony of Amber and St. Nicholas Church and Museum. 

But the best part to me, besides wandering the streets and enjoying the serendipity of making discoveries in back alleyways, was the Kiek in de Kök Fortification Museum, built in 1475. You'll have to pony up 6 Euros but you'll be treated to an hour or two of wandering through the fortifications. 

Inside you'll find a really cool second-story room displaying armor helmets from medieval jousts (I assume they're replicas). Climb the narrow stone stairway and you'll come to the 125-foot-high cannon tower, which houses an extensive museum of thetown's fortifications, weaponsand medieval-era life. You'll also get some of the best views of the city from up there.

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Article How to spend a perfect day in Tallinn, Estonia Shannon Kircher · July 1, 2026 Article · Archive Travel guides: Europe & the Mediterranean Cruiseable team · May 10, 2017 Visual list · Archive Photo gallery of the Viking Sun ocean ship January 10, 2019

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