The stoic towers and stone courtyards of Tallinn, Estonia, contribute to the mystique of what makes this medieval city such a popular destination. When you factor in the nearly hidden passages and city walls built to withstand 13th-century invaders, it’s easy to see why this capital on the Baltic Sea is renowned for its romantic atmosphere. All these things are what drew us back for a second visit.
We arrived via ferry on a day trip from Helsinki to visit the city’s famous Christmas market and a handful of other sites. The dusting of snow on the early December day completed the picture in a way we couldn’t have scripted more perfectly.
What we found was an enchanting place that I loved visiting nearly a decade ago (this was my husband’s first trip) and a market that’s a highlight of any visit.
Before I share our experience at the Tallinn market, it’s important to know that we love Christmas markets. A lot. So much that we’ve visited them in about 25 cities across a dozen countries. From the local foods of nearby Helsinki to the multicultural offerings of Luxembourg City, we have lots of others to compare to. While Tallinn doesn’t quite live up to the hype that has landed it on a few “best of” lists, it’s certainly worth a visit. Why do we think that? Well, read on for our reasons.
The market is scheduled for November 21 through December 28, 2025. It is open daily from 10am to 8pm.
The atmosphere can’t be beat
The historic center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where many of the buildings date from around the 1400s. Spires and domes dot the skyline, and the interiors of some of the churches are filled with gold, gems, and priceless religious items. Everything here is tinged with a little bit of magic.
The backdrop of the Christmas market is Northern Europe’s oldest Town Hall, which has stood in this spot for over 700 years. The brightly colored buildings around the square are alive in Christmas lights and decorations. In fact, to reach the square, we walked down several cobblestone streets with dozens of light arches pointing the way.
Everywhere you go through the aisles of market stalls, you see the Christmas tree at the center of the action. When Tallinn’s tree went up in 1441, it was the first place in Europe to have a public Christmas tree, and the tree maintains that prominent place today.
The food and gift selection is small but mighty
Some Christmas markets require many hours to explore—like Brussels—or traversing a whole city, as in Vienna. We knew that wouldn’t be the case for the Tallinn market, so we decided to time our visit to have some happy hour snacks and drinks and enjoy the lights.
The Christmas market has about 30 stalls in total plus Santa’s hut and several amusement rides for small children. The swings were especially popular.
For many people (ourselves included), sampling the drinks and food is one of the highlights of any Christmas market. While regular mulled wine is available, the flavored and spiked varieties are fun to try. Our top recommendation is Vana Tallinn mulled wine, which is fortified with a local liqueur made with rum, vanilla, citrus, and spices. Beware, though: it packs a punch at 21% alcohol. We also enjoyed trying the buckthorn-orange and white wine-apple mulled wines. Of course, there is hot chocolate, and non-alcoholic cherry and blueberry glogg for those looking for something a little easier on the liver.
When it comes to food, we loved the Estonian dumplings (pelmeenid) topped with sour cream, dill, and fried onions. For something a little more international, we went with raclette drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Who doesn’t love gooey, melted cheese?
In addition to what we ate, several stalls offered a selection of entrees that all seemed to be served with sauerkraut and potatoes. There was duck confit (admittedly, not something we’ve seen at a market before), moose and onion sausage, Christmas ham, salmon filet, and lamb cutlet. Plus, it’s not a proper Christmas market anywhere in the world without bratwurst. Tallinn succeeds when it comes to food options.
The small number of stands means the selection of items and gifts to buy isn’t too broad. Christmas figurines, ceramics, and knitted items like socks and hats are popular. We particularly liked the chocolate truffles (some spiked with liqueurs) and the gingerbread cookies and bought a handmade felt Santa from a local artisan. If you want a food souvenir to bring home, head for the charcuterie that’s vacuum sealed for travel.
Overall, what the Tallinn market lacks in size it makes up for with charm. There is enough to see and eat here that you can easily spend a couple of hours browsing and sampling. While the market alone isn’t reason enough to make the trip, it’s a fun part of a broader visit that includes other winter highlights.
Tips for visiting
Daylight: Tallinn gets about 6-6.5 hours of daylight in December. Sunrise is around 9am, and sunset is around 3:30pm. During our visit, it was fully dark by 4pm, so plan your schedule accordingly.
Money: Credit cards are widely accepted, but it’s a good idea to have some cash, especially for food or lower cost items.
Deposits: Cups and dishes are reusable and require a deposit. Cups are 2€ as are a combination of plates and silverware. Lids for cups are 1€. When you return your items, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re given the correct amount—we were short-changed.
Santa: Every day, you can find Santa and his elves in a cabin on the edge of the market (look for the “Jouluvana” sign). It’s open from 10am-4:30pm.
Language: English is widely spoken at the market. Don’t be surprised to hear and read Russian on the signage. Although Russian tourists have been banned since 2022, there is a Russian-speaking minority population in Estonia.
More things to do in the city
Fairy tale courtyards: Throughout December, 10 courtyards around the city have light or sound installations showcasing classic stories like Cinderella and Rapunzel.
St Nicholas Church and museum: While this medieval church lacks decoration, it houses a massive religious art collection. Its glass elevator and sky deck offer great views of the historic area.
Ice skating: Next to St. Nicholas Church, we loved this pop-up ice skating rink that runs from mid-November through the end of March.
Gingerbread mania: See lots of creative gingerbread sculptures ranging from horse-drawn carriages to the Cheshire cat at this indoor exhibit. You can vote on your favorite works by about 100 local gingerbread sculptors.
Visit Telleskivi Creative City: In the modern part of the city, Telleskivi is known for its street art murals and restaurants. Get lunch at F-Hoone, grab at drink at Junimperium Distillery & Bar, and visit the photography museum, Fotografiska Tallinn.
Laura Longwell is an award-winning travel blogger and photographer. Since founding Travel Addicts in 2008, she has written hundreds of articles that help over 3 million people a year get the most out of their travel. In that time, she has visited nearly 60 countries on 5 continents, often returning to favorite destinations over and over again. She has a deep love of history, uncovering unexpected attractions, and trying all the good food a place has to offer.
In addition to Travel Addicts, Laura runs a site about her hometown of Philadelphia—Guide to Philly—which chronicles unique things to do and places to see around southeastern Pennsylvania. Her travel tips and advice appear across the web.