September 2026

I took a day cruise from Helsinki, Finland, to Tallinn, Estonia, and the five or six hours there was awesome! Definitely one of my top highlights of this September 2026 trip to Europe.

I have listed the things to see and do, along with places to eat, in alphabetical order below, accompanied by some photos and details about my experience.

How to Get Around Tallinn?
Walking! But the MAIN question is… how did I get to Tallinn?

I booked my tickets online through my phone with Tallink Silja Line (don’t worry, it’s not a sponsored link… haha, I wish it was though 😉). I booked it the day before I went. You can also book in person at the port. The Tallink Silja line cruises in and out of West Terminal 2. There are two other cruise lines that go from Helsinki to Tallinn and back (and their departure location is at another port), but I went with Tallink since it was close to my Helsinki hotel. You will need to check into your cruise online or in person to receive a QR code. You’ll scan the QR code at the port and the gates will open for you to go through (kind of like going through the metro/train gates).

I arrived at West Terminal 2 about 30–45 minutes before boarding because I read that the cruise boards early. When I got there, the terminal was much bigger than I thought! There were a ton of seats, mini food areas, etc. There were a lot of people in line already, too. I wasn’t worried because we were all going to get on the cruise… I think people lined up early because they wanted to claim their spots on the ship (however, there is plenty of seating everywhere, which I’ll go into more in a few seconds… keep reading!).

Boarding began, you scan your QR code one more time, and then you head onto the ship! The cruise ship was massive! This was my second time on a cruise ship—the first time was when I studied abroad in Greece and went from Athens to Lesbos. You can read about that experience here. The cruise ship was called “Megastar,” and when you get on, the employees greet you before you head off to roam wherever you want. I was on the 8th floor of the cruise ship, which had a Traveler Store/Market, Coffee Shop, and Business + Comfort Lounge. You need to pay extra for those lounges. I did not since it was only a two-hour cruise. On the 9th floor, they had a buffet (for an extra fee), a food court (where you get your food and then pay at the cashier), Burger King, a mini game room, two bars, tons of seating (airplane/train style), and a mini outdoor area (you can purchase drinks out there, too). The 10th floor is just a small deck for people to see the view outside… but honestly, I think it was mainly for people who needed to smoke a cigarette. Floors 8 and 9 had restrooms as well, and they were super clean, thank goodness! All of the seating areas that I saw had chargers nearby, so there are plenty of places to sit! I even saw people grabbing the longer benches to lie down and take a nap, haha. They also have large windows for you to look out into the sea. Plus, the Wi-Fi was AMAZING and so strong. Throughout the cruise, they will make a few announcements and alert you when they are going to dock. I really enjoyed the cruise; the two hours flew by, and the next thing I knew, I was in Tallinn!

Once I got off, they did not check for passports, but I brought mine just in case. I got back to Tallinn’s port about 1 hour before boarding, which was just enough time to use the restroom, eat, relax, etc. You only need to scan your QR code once and that’s it. Boarding was faster from Tallinn to Helsinki than from Helsinki to Tallinn.

I highly recommend this cruise line if you’re planning to go from Helsinki to Tallinn or vice versa. You can also bring your own food and drinks. I saw a ton of people bringing their luggage, too. I don’t think there’s a limit… but don’t quote me on that. There are lockers on the ship as well.

Here are some photos from the cruise.

Now… continuing with my experience in Tallinn 🙂

Where Did I Stay?
I did not stay in Tallinn, Estonia since it was a day trip.

How Was the Weather?
Warm! Since it was a day trip, I wore a long-sleeve shirt and a rain jacket. I didn’t end up needing the rain jacket since it didn’t rain.

What Is the Currency?
Euros! They took cards everywhere so you do not need to carry cash.

Things to Do / See
Danish King’s Garden / 3 Monks Statue
Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform
Old Town
Raeapteek, Old Town Hall Pharmacy (1422)
St. Catherine’s Passage (Katariina Käik)
Tallinn Town Hall
Three Sisters Hotel
Viru Gate

Places to Eat / Drink
III Draakon
Karu Talu Šokolaad

Things to Do / See
Danish King’s Garden / 3 Monks Statue
I stumbled upon this place… it was not on my itinerary, and I am so glad I saw the 3 Monks Statue. I don’t know if I explored the entire King’s Garden, but I was there! I liked the 3 Monks Statue; it was unique. The three monks represent The Waiting Monk, The Observing Monk, and The Praying Monk. I did not take a photo of/with the Waiting Monk.

Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform
I would say that this should be one of the first things you see in Tallinn. Once I got off the ship, I walked towards here, but I also stopped by souvenir shops along the way. That delayed me a bit because this platform is uphill (with all of the cobblestones), and by the time I got up there, it was a bit packed. The views were nice, though!

Old Town
A large plaza filled with souvenir stores and restaurants! The town hall is here, too!

Raeapteek, Old Town Hall Pharmacy
This is the oldest continuously running pharmacy in Europe! It opened in 1422! It’s small, with a free mini museum inside that displays old medicine, medical books, measurement tools, notes, etc. You can also purchase items here. It was very cool! It is located on a corner in Old Town.

St. Catherine’s Passage (Katariina Käik)
An old and unique walkway with a nice cobblestone arch. There were a few restaurants and shops, and it led me to a small art plaza with jewelry and painting stores.

Tallinn Town Hall
I did not go inside, but this is located in Old Town.

Three Sisters Hotel
I stumbled upon this hotel while walking back to the port. The Three Sisters Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel with 23 rooms that was built in the 1300s.

Viru Gate
The Viru Gate was part of the defense system of the Tallinn City Wall. It’s near Old Town and surrounded by shops and restaurants. The Viru Gate looks like it’s part of a castle, and it was near a flower shop!

Places to Eat / Drink
III Draakon
This is a small medieval tavern connected to City Hall. There was a small line out the doorway, so I was curious. Once I stepped inside, I saw low ceilings, rough stone walls, simple wooden tables, and dim candlelight. They had elk soup, pies, sausage pastries, and other small dishes. The waitress/cashier was in “character,” and she was great, though she did pressure us quite a bit for tips. You order and pay first, then receive your food. The soup was served in a small bowl (without a spoon), and both the soup and pie were delicious. There was seating indoors and outdoors, but I wanted to sit inside for the experience. Once you finish eating, you clear your own bowl. There was a very small bathroom inside, too.

Karu Talu Šokolaad
I stumbled upon this bakery! I got a gigantic cookie for only €3. The store is only open a few hours a day, and they take a mid-day break as well. The cookie was delicious, especially the chocolate chip parts! Obviously, I couldn’t eat it all in one day, so I saved some for the next day, and it was still good!

Overall, Tallinn was a cute and charming little medieval town! I wished I could have stayed a bit later for the nightlife, but it was all good! Here’s two more photos of the cruise back to Helsinki.

As always, thank you for visiting Vivian’s Ventures. Have you been to Tallinn? If so, tell me in the comments about your experience. What should I do when I go back? If you haven’t been, tell me what you plan to do there. If you have any questions or comments, let me know. Let’s chat! #viviansventures