While we were visiting Helsinki last December, we decided that we wanted to try to experience another Christmas market. So we took a day trip via the ferry to visit Tallinn, Estonia. We visited on December 21 and were treated to a lovely, and NOT crowded market.

Why visit Tallinn’s Christmas Market?

Tallinn is known as the place where the first Christmas tree was erected in a town square- all the way back in 1441. This was the first public Christmas tree ever put on display in Europe, and we can thank Tallinn for the tradition of trees all over Europe and North America.

Tallinn has a small cozy Christmas market that is actually open all the way until New Year’s. It’s also much more affordable than neighboring Helsinki. If you want to do Christmas markets on a budget, this is a great place to visit.

The historic center or old town of Tallinn is also a UNESCO world Heritage site the center of the town dates back to the 13th century.

Tallinn is the oldest capital city in Northern Europe and has one of the best preserved medieval town centres in the world. The first Christmas tree at Tallinn’s Town Hall Square was erected in 1441; this was the first public Christmas Tree ever put on display in Europe.

How to get to Tallinn, Estonia

Ferries run multiple times a day from Helsinki to Tallinn and back. You can book the ferry on the Tallink website. Boarding the ferry was easy; we had our tickets on our phone and it was smoother than going through an airport.

We wanted to make the most of our day so we left Helsinki early in the morning and took a cab to the ferry port. The port is not far from the downtown area, It was quick and easy from our hotel which was right next to Senate Square.

Once we arrived in Tallinn, we then took another cab downtown to the Christmas markets. We probably could have walked, but we wanted to maximize our time in the village, and we were also with our five-year-old, whose legs will not make it that far. You can use Bolt or Uber to get around with ease.

A view of Tallinn from the upper part of town along the wall of the city.

What is the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn like?

The ferry from Helsinki to Estonia is massive and beautiful. The ferry has multiple floors. You can easily keep your family entertained throughout the 2 hour crossing. (However, a lot of people choose to sleep because to make the most of your day trip, you will want to take the first ferry there and the last ferry back).

breakfast (sit down meals and fast food)
a children’s play room
shopping
comfy chairs and tables

Chances are, it will be VERY busy. Once we boarded, we quickly and found a seat; one of us stayed there most of the time until we found other seats closer to the children’s play area.

Activities in Tallinn

Visit the Christmas Market: Walk around and look at the tree, the lights, buy something small from one of the stalls, and get some food! We found the food options to be great here.
Rides for small children: The Tallinn Christmas Market includes small carnival rides for children. These were not free like Helsinki’s carousel, so they were less busy.
Visit Santa: Visiting Santa in Tallinn is free! Santa is inside in a cozy cabin, and you can line up outside the cabin to visit. We did not have to wait too long, and while we were there in December, it started snowing. It was the perfect spot. (We were going to visit Lapland on Christmas, and knew that seeing Santa then would be very challenging, so this was a great alternative.)

Children’s rides- Tallinn Christmas Market

4. Visit Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Aleksander Nevski Katedraal). This beautiful church is free to visit, remember to be respectful. Hats should be removed before entering, and children need to be told to be quiet. Our daughter is pretty calm and knows how to follow rules, but if you have a child who is a runner or is very loud, I would skip this.

5. Visit Estonian Maritime Museum and “Fat Margaret” I realize that the maritime museum might seem like a strange choice, but we were limited on time, and it looked fun, and it was.

Where to eat in Tallinn

As in most Christmas markets, there’s also a good variety of food at the Tallinn Christmas market. (Though if you are vegetarian, you might struggle to find something to eat here.)

However, since we were visiting for the entire day, and it was raining and sleeting, we wanted to have a proper meal so we popped into a local restaurant.

Food stalls in Tallinn- lots of warm and yummy dishes to try.

The main square is surrounded by restaurants, so you will have a few to choose from. However, some will close in the middle of the day or not be open early for lunch.

There are some medieval restaurants in Tallinn that are a bit touristy, but popular. One is Maikrahv and another is Olde Hansa.

Olde Estonia has a diverse menu, including pasta dishes that might work better for vegetarians and children who are pickier eaters.

We visited Tallinn in December of 2024; read more about our travels below to help you plan your next family adventure.

Check out those prices! We stopped and grabbed breakfast on our walk to the Christmas markets.

Where to stay in Tallinn

We did not end up staying in Tallinn; however, we considered it! We even booked a hotel and cancelled it. If you are on a budget, you could fly into Tallinn and stay here and take a day trip to Helsinki instead.

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