1 Balti Jaama Turg
This wonderful Russian market is a must-see. Every day, 50 or so stalls fill the streets opposite Balti Jaam, Tallinn's main railway station, selling anything from antiques to locally made jam. You can buy beautiful second-hand plates and dishes here.
2 Saint Olav's Church
This 12th-century church, at the end of Pikk street, is the most beautiful in Tallinn. It's also the most unlucky: it has been hit by lightning at least eight times and burned down three times. Once the tallest structure in the world, its 124-metre spire can been seen from all over the city. Climb the narrow stairs to the observation deck at the base of the spire for sweeping views.
3 Kiek in de Kök
The museum inside this great artillery tower (whose name means "peep into the kitchen" in low German because, from the upper floors, soldiers could peer into the houses of the lower town) is interesting but don't miss a guided tour of its limestone bastion passages, which reopened earlier this year, with new video and sound effects. Built to conceal the movement of soldiers, the 500 metres of passages (half are still being dug out) were used as a bomb shelter during the 1944 Soviet bombings and inhabited by a large community of homeless people in the 1990s.
4 Old Town
Katariina Kik (St Catherine's Passage) in the Old Town, lined with craftsmen's workshops, is a favourite with many visitors but the Pikk Jalg, or Long Leg is better (there is also a short, steep alley called Lhige Jalg, or Short Leg). It winds up to Toompea Hill. Stop on the way for coffee and a croissant at Bonaparte, a charming French bistro. At Toompea Hill are the great Russian Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St Mary's Cathedral (the oldest church in Estonia, founded in 1219) and several viewing platforms, where you can see over red-tiled roofs to the Baltic sea.
5 Von Krahl Theatre
Watch a show at this wonderful avant-garde theatre in a back street of the Old Town. The performances, by Estonian and foreign troupes, range from contemporary opera and dance to theatre and musicals.
6 Kumu Art Museum
Housed in a striking limestone and glass building in Kadriorg, Kumu is Estonia's largest art museum. It houses several permanent exhibitions, besides temporary modern paintings and sculpture exhibits. Next summer, as part of the Capital of Culture line-up, it will host Gateways, presenting experimental art by younger artists.
7 Open Air Museum
For an insight into old Estonian life, head to this open-air museum — a reconstructed rural village in a forest park on Kopli Bay, a short drive from Tallinn. Open in winter, its buildings include 12 farms, windmills, watermills, a church, a fire station, a tavern and a schoolhouse.
8 Kadriorg Park
It is a leafy park a few tram stops from the centre, filled with oak and lilac trees and surrounded by wooden houses — many of which house small museums. It is also home to one of Tallinn's greatest buildings — the Kadriorg Palace (built by Peter the Great in the early 18th century for his wife Catherine I), which also houses the Estonian Art Museum.
9 Song Festival Grounds
This stadium, just east of Kadriorg, is an amazing sight. The stage can hold up to 15,000 singers. Song festivals mean a lot to Estonians. In 1988, thousands gathered here to sing patriotic hymns in what became known as the Estonian Singing Revolution, which overthrew the Soviet rule. Next year, from July 1-3, a youth song-and-dance celebration will be a highlight of the Capital of Culture calendar, with more than 35,000 performers.
10 Katusekino
This cinema is on top of the Viru shopping centre. Although it's closed until May, the highlight of this cinema is that it has an inflatable screen and deckchairs for up to 300 viewers. Movie screenings in the Estonian capital will get more exciting next year: from May to September, as part of the Capital of Culture line-up, films will be screened in many museums and parks.
Where to stay: the Meriton Old Town Garden Hotel has doubles from £60 (Dh341). Visit www.meritonhotels.com for details.
Tip: the Tallinn Card, offering entrance to most museums and attractions for a day, discounts in shops and restaurants and free travel on local transport, costs £24 (Dh136) for adults and £13 (Dh74) children. Visit www.tourism.tallinn.ee for details.
For more information, seewww.visitestonia.com and www.tourism.tallinn.ee
