Every visitor to Tallinn should pass through Raekoja Plats, the center of the Old Town since medieval times. It is, unsurprisingly, the location of the Tallinn Town Hall, the oldest town hall in the Baltics and Scandinavia: there was a building there as early as 1322, though it was rebuilt in its current form at the turn of the 15th century. Even now Raekoja Plats is at the heart of the city’s cultural life–it becomes filled with little cafés in the summer, and hosts many a market and festival.

A large part of the Old Town sits on a hill known as Toompea, closely linked to Estonia’s history and legends. Today it is the center of the country’s government and the location of its Parliament (Riigikogu)—it is even referred to as Toompea just as the American president’s administration is sometimes called the White House. But beyond its political significance, Toompea Hill is simply a beautiful place to visit: most of the buildings date from the 18th and 19th century and the elevation makes for breath-taking views of the rest of the city, especially from the specially arranged viewing platforms.

The oldest sections of Tallinn's city wall were built in the 13th century. During the next three centuries, it became one of the largest and strongest defence systems in the entire Northern Europe. More than a half of the magnificent defence system has been preserved as a city wall - this includes 1.85 km of the wall, 26 defence towers, 2 gates and fragments of two front gates. Patkuli viewing platform is a good place for examining the city wall, and a number of towers are open for visitors. You have a chance to walk on a small section of the wall that connects the Nunne, Sauna and Kuldjala towers. The wall has a wonderful view of the Old Town and Toompea.

he main entrance to the Old Town, Viru Gate’s twin towers were built in the 14th century and were once part of a more extensive system of gates and towers. Very well-preserved, the gate’s towers lead on to Viru Street – a very busy pedestrian street which is home to lots of little boutiques, restaurants, and street stalls. Entering the Old Town through the ivy-covered stone towers certainly makes for a very memorable introduction to Tallinn and is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Located on the outskirts of the city, just a stone’s throw away from the Baltic Sea, the huge Kadriorg Park is a very pretty and picturesque place to stroll around. Commissioned by Peter the Great all the way back in 1718, the park is home to lots of lovely trees and flowerbeds, with sculptures, fountains, and ponds found dotted here and there. Tucked away among all the delightful nature is the gorgeous Petrine Baroque Kadriorg Palace, which now houses an art museum and other fantastic institutions such as the KUMU and Mikkel Museum.