Estonia
Tallinn
Away-day guide
unverified draftTallinn is a walled medieval old town with a tech-startup city bolted onto it, and one of the easiest arrivals in Europe — the airport is four kilometres from the centre and a tram runs between them. Three Estonian clubs stage European ties at the Lilleküla Stadium, so the fixture list here is busy.
🚺 To Lilleküla Stadium
The A. Le Coq Arena is about 3 km south-west of the Old Town in the Lilleküla district — a 30-minute walk, a €5 Bolt, or a short bus ride from the centre. Elron commuter trains stop at Lilleküla station, a few minutes from the ground.
- Nearest stop
- Lilleküla railway station; bus stops on Asula and Tehnika
- Lines
- TLT buses towards Lilleküla; Elron commuter trains
- Walk from centre
- 30 min
- Parking
- Some parking at the ground and on the surrounding streets; rarely a problem at these crowds.
Public transport
TLT runs trams and buses and the whole city is small: the Old Town, Telliskivi and the ferry terminals are all within a 25-minute walk. Public transport is free for registered residents but not for visitors — buy a ticket from the driver (about €2) or, cheaper, load a Ühiskaart smartcard from a kiosk. Tram 4 links the airport with the centre in around 15 minutes, which is as good as airport transfers get. Bolt was founded here and is everywhere: €5–8 across the city.
Typical prices
- Beer (0.5L)
- EUR 5.5
- Coffee
- EUR 3.5
- Meal, mid-range
- EUR 24
- Taxi from airport
- EUR 12
- Single transit ticket
- EUR 2
✈ Airports & cheaper alternatives
- Tallinn Airport (Lennart Meri) TLL primary 4 km Tram 4 runs from outside the terminal into the centre in about 15 minutes for a standard fare; a Bolt is €8–12 and takes ten minutes. One of the closest airports to any European capital centre, and small enough to clear in minutes. Ryanair, Wizz and airBaltic all fly here.
- Helsinki-Vantaa Airport HEL alternative 100 km Ring-rail train into Helsinki, then a two-hour ferry to Tallinn's passenger terminal, which is a 15-minute walk from the Old Town. Only worth it if you are travelling from somewhere with no Tallinn route — but it works, and the ferry is cheap.
🍺 Supporters' pubs
Flora Tallinn
Home fans: Estonian club crowds are small and there is no pub tradition around them — supporters meet at the ground, where the bar opens before kick-off. In town, the Telliskivi bars are the nearest thing to a gathering point.
Away fans: The Old Town and Telliskivi are both entirely neutral; a visiting group can wear what it likes anywhere in this city.
Estonia's dominant club and the tenant of the Lilleküla Stadium, which they share with the national team.
Levadia Tallinn
Home fans: As with Flora: a small support with no established matchday pub, gathering at the stadium itself.
Away fans: Anywhere central. The two Tallinn clubs share the same ground, so the trip is identical whichever is at home.
The city's other big club, also playing European ties at the Lilleküla Stadium.
Paide Linnameeskond
Home fans: Paide are from a small town 90 minutes inland and bring a modest travelling support; there is no home scene in Tallinn.
Away fans: Drink in the Old Town or Telliskivi as for any Tallinn tie.
Playing home European ties at the Lilleküla Stadium in Tallinn rather than at their own ground — so this is a Tallinn trip in practice.
Sourced from supporters' forums — always follow your club's and police advice for the fixture.
Nightlife
Two districts matter. The Old Town has the tourist bars and a few genuinely good survivors — Hell Hunt is the long-standing pub of choice, Levist Väljas the dive bar in a cellar. Telliskivi Creative City, a converted factory quarter ten minutes from the station, is where the locals go: bars, street food and Põhjala's taproom over at Noblessner nearby, which is the best beer in the city. Kalamaja around them is the wooden-house neighbourhood worth wandering. Things close at 02:00 midweek and later at weekends.
Food & drink
Estonian food is black rye bread, sprats, smoked fish, sour cream on everything, and game — elk and wild boar on the smarter menus. Rataskaevu 16 is the Old Town restaurant everyone recommends and needs booking; Olde Hansa is the full medieval-banquet tourist experience if you want it. The Baltic Station Market (Balti Jaama Turg) behind the station is the best-value eating in the city, with a street-food hall over the market stalls. Drink Estonian craft beer (Põhjala, Lehe) and try Vana Tallinn liqueur once.
Cheap eats & beer
Kompressor near the Old Town does enormous stuffed pancakes for around €7 and has fed backpackers for twenty years. The Baltic Station Market's hall serves everything from dumplings to Georgian food for €8–12. A half-litre is €4.50–6 in the Old Town, a euro less in Telliskivi and Kalamaja, and around €2 from a supermarket — note that shops stop selling alcohol at 22:00 and do not start before 10:00. Lunch specials (päevapraad) run €8–10 on weekdays.
Staying safe
Tallinn is safe and orderly, with the usual caveats for a city that gets stag groups: the Old Town has a few bars that overcharge tourists, so check prices, and pickpockets work the crowds around Viru Gate and the ferry terminals in season. Use Bolt rather than the taxis idling by the Old Town, where meters have been known to be creative. Estonia is card-first, so you barely need cash. If you are ferrying over from Helsinki, expect boisterous company on the evening sailings.
On matchday
All three Estonian clubs in Europe this season play at the Lilleküla Stadium (the A. Le Coq Arena), the national ground about 3 km south-west of the Old Town — including Paide Linnameeskond, who are from Paide, an hour and a half away, and stage their home ties in the capital. Check which club is at home before you book. Crowds are small, tickets are a few euros and available on the day, and the atmosphere is friendly with light-touch segregation. A Bolt from the centre is €5; walking takes half an hour.
This city guide is still being fact-checked — some details may be inaccurate.