Helsinki is the capital of Finland and is constantly rated as one of the friendliest and most liveable cities in the world. There’s many great things to see and do here like visit islands and enjoy markets. However, one of the most popular things to do is have a day trip to nearby Tallinn. Only a two hour easy ferry away, Tallinn is the capital of and largest city in Estonia. With a beautiful UNESCO-listed medieval old town, it is absolutely worth a visit. Exploring Helsinki and Tallinn in a weekend is more than possible, so read ahead to find out exactly what we recommend!

Helsinki is the most populous city in Finland, with almost 700,000 people living in the city, which is 200,000 more than in Tallinn. There’s lots to see and do so we recommend staying the night here and day tripping to Tallinn.

Start your day in Helsinki by walking down the Esplanadi to Helsinki Market Square. Here you’ll find the Kauppatori Market which is open every day, all year round. This is a great place to get some traditional food like reindeer and seafood, and they also sell art and crafts too. From the market you’ll be able to see the incredible Uspenski Cathedral. It is open every day except Monday, and you can visit for €5 if you’re interested. Right nearby is also the Old Market Hall which is open 8am to 6pm everyday, and 10am to 5pm on Sunday. This hall has more great food options and things for dessert too so it’s definitely worth checking out.

From here, you can walk south through the Tähtitorninvuori hillside park to the Kaivopuisto park. These are nice parks to relax in and get some views of the surrounding city. Near Kaviopuisto park is a walk along the water and a bridge to some beautiful little islands that we recommend heading out too. You can walk around the islands and admire the boats moored there and the view back to Helsinki. There’s also the Uunisaari sauna, a couple of places to eat, and some little beaches.

If you keep walking along the water instead of going across the bridges, you’ll eventually get to the famous Löyly sauna. You will need to pre book, but if you want to visit a sauna while in Helsinki, this is the most popular one.

If you’ve got spare time in Helsinki, we recommend hopping on a tram or bus to the north of the city. There’s a great park called Tölöviksparken that has a lovely walk around Töölö Bay. There’s lots of green spaces to relax along the way and you’ll also pass the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. Just north of Töölö Bay is the Helsinki Winter Garden which is free to visit and has a greenhouse with over 200 different plants inside.

A short walk away is Sibelius Park which has the famous Sibelius Monument in it. You can walk around and then head to Café Regatta for some treats by the water. This is an adorable small wooden hut that’s been on that location since 1887, and serving food since the 1950s. Now it serves amazing sweet and savoury food, and hot and cold drinks. They have lots of outdoor seating including fire pits where you can roast sausages and marshmallows. It’s a lovely little space to hang out for an hour or two and there’s also a nearby island with a dog park on it called Rajasaari Koirapuisto that’s great to walk around after.

The best way to get between the two cities is via the ferry company Tallink. They’re an Estonian company that operate ferries between Finland, Estonia and Sweden on their seven large ships. As well as doing the Helsinki and Tallinn route, they also go to Stockholm, and Turku and the Åland islands in Finland. You can book ferries on their website and you can check in both online or at the self check in desks at the terminals. Boarding usually starts 45 minutes before departure but there’s a HARD close at 20 minutes before departure. Make sure you board in time otherwise you’ll have to buy a new ticket.

For the Helsinki to Tallinn day trip, Tallink has the perfect solution. They’re got a day ticket which costs about £45 return, as opposed to buying a normal return ticket which costs almost double. We recommend either catching the 7:30 or 10:30am ferries from Helsinki, then the 4:30 or 7:30pm ferries back. The ferry is only 2 hours each way and there’s lots to do on board. Either of these options would give you more than enough time to explore Tallinn.

On the ferries themselves, there is lots to do to keep you entertained. Every Tallink ferry has lots of seating areas, with access to charging ports and tables. There’s lots of places to eat with fast food, buffets, cafes and restaurants. There’s also shops including duty free stores and the bigger ships also have kids shops, luxury shops and local designer shops. The bigger ships also have spas, pools, a kids playroom, games rooms and a theatre with live entertainment. All the ships also have cabins if you’d like to be more comfortable, and free WI-FI in all the common spaces.

One of our favourite cities we’ve ever visited, Tallinn truly is such an amazing and underrated place. However it is quite small which means it’s easy to explore in just one day!

The main thing to do with your day is to walk around the beautiful UNESCO-listed medieval old town. While on the cute cobbled streets of Tallinn, every twist and turn is picturesque. After wandering for a bit you’ll find yourself in Raekoja plats which is the local town square. The main feature is the 13th century gothic town hall which you can visit from May to September for only €7. Opposite the town hall is the town hall pharmacy, which is definitely worth a visit. This is the oldest continually operating pharmacy in the world, which has been here since at least 1422. Even if you don’t need to buy anything, there’s a little free museum inside that is very interesting.

Tallinn used to be a completely walled city with gates and towers, and quite a lot of these still remain today. There are two gates remaining into the city, one of these is the Great Coastal Gate, and the other is the Viru Gate. Once in the city, lots of the buildings have signs on them with information about what the buildings used to be. It’s a very interesting way to get a sense of the history of the streets you’re on so keep your eye out.

Another interesting thing to look out for is all the beautiful churches in the old town. You’ll find St Olaf’s church, St. Nicholas’ church, St. Peter and St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Ghost.

As well as all the history and beautiful buildings, there’s also lots of great shops and cafe’s to enjoy. We highly recommend checking out Bear Farm Chocolate which is a small chocolate shop nestled in the streets. It has some of the largest and more delicious cookies we have ever tasted, honestly worth a trip just for them! If chocolate isn’t your thing, right across from it, you’ll find Pulla Bakery which has some incredible cinnamon buns that we also adored.

After walking around the old town, head up Toompea Hill for some great views over Tallinn. The best place to go is the Patkuli Viewing Platform which gives you a great view of the old wall and towers. Just around the corner is another great view at the Kohtuotsa viewing platform. Once you’ve enjoyed all the views, wander around and look at St Mary’s Cathedral and the gorgeous Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Also nearby is Toompea Castle which is used as a parliament building and can be visited if you book ahead. There’s also a couple of nice gardens and then you can head back into the old town via Tallitor’s Tower.

Exploring Helsinki and Tallinn in a weekend really is more than possible! Helsinki has some great sights including a couple of markets, parks and fun islands. There’s also all the saunas and the beautiful Café Regatta just north of the city. For the second day, hope on a Tallink ferry and travel 2 hours to Tallinn. There’s lots to do on board including shops, restaurants, buffets and free Wi-Fi so you won’t get bored on your journey. Once in Tallinn, wandering the beautiful UNESCO old town and heading up Toompea hill is all you’ll need to see the best of the city. There’s also some amazing food, and mixed with all the history you’ll have an amazing time.

If you want to see everything we did during our time in Tallin and Helsinki, check out our vlog:

• How to Make the Most of Riga In One Day
• Is Vilnius Worth Visiting? Our Complete and Real Review
• Best Things To Do in Oslo For Free
• Navigating the Schengen Area: What You Need To Know (Free Tracker Included)