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Second most populous city in Estonia
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tartu (formerly known as Dorpat or Yuryev) is the second largest city in Estonia with a population of around 96,000. A Hanseatic city and a university town, it dates back to 1030, and as such it's the oldest city in the Baltics. Although large parts of the town were destroyed in World War II, Tartu still has a charming old town surrounded by large parks (some of which used to be fully built-up neighbourhoods before the war). Toomemägi, or Cathedral Hill, towering over the city, hold some of Tartu's major sights.
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Raekoja plats
The main square between Emajõgi River and the pink town hall is probably the iconic view of the city. Right in the front of the town hall you can see the kissing students fountain, which is a symbol of Tartu. When standing at the river end of the square, with the town hall in front of you, on the right hand side is the leaning house - first it doesn't seem to lean so much, but go closer and look at it from a right angle!
One of Tartu's grandest buildings, facing a relatively narrow street. As such if you want to take a photo of the whole building you need to do so at an angle.
Toomemägi
Many monuments, statues and historical buildings
Kirjanike Oscar Wilde ja Eduard Vilde mälestusmärk
Supilinn
Neighbourhood where all of the streets are named after soup ingredients. Features charming old wooden houses.
Raadi
Eesti Rahva Muuseum, ERM
The new building of the Estonian National Museum features a permanent exhibition on Estonian and Finno-Ugric culture, language, and traditions, as well as various temporary installations. Definitely worth visiting. The museum can be easily reached from the city center on foot by following the newly constructed walkway along Roosi street (ca. 2 km total distance).
The Baltics' biggest museum designated to sports, with several interactive exhibits.
In the "leaning house", mainly displaying 20th century art.
the Gray House
This nondescript building was the headquarters of the Estonian KGB. It tells the story of how the prisoners were treated there, and some stories about the Estonian resistance heroes, the Forest Brothers. The museum is small and does not have a very big sign, so look carefully.
Classicist style structure was built as a town palace in 1790. The building is popularly called Catherine's House. The legend has it that Empress Catherine II made a short stay there. It is not true, though. The permanent exhibition provides a good insight into Tartu's long history up to 1920.
Tartu Jaani Church
A 14th-century red brick church, famous for its thousands of medieval terracotta figures.
From the 13th century and were dedicated to apostles St. Peter and Paul. Today the choir part houses the Tartu University History Museum, and the towers are reconstructed to sightseeing platforms.
An outstanding redbrick Finnish National Romanticist style building by the famous Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen.
A Neogothic Lutheran church from 1903, built on the grounds of the first general Estonian song festival, which took place in 1869.
A beautiful revivalist redbrick building from 1899.
Tartu Salemi kirik
A Baptist church.
Dug into the side of the hill in 1767 as part of the complex of the bishop's citadel. It was used as a gunpowder cellar until 1809. Until 1982, it served as a storage room for many different enterprises, and was later developed into an eating place. Today, the building hosts a bar/restaurant of the same name, claiming to have the highest pub ceiling in the world, at 11 metres.
In 1763, a military barracks was erected in this place. Onto its ruins was built the university hospital in 1808, which functioned until 1990. Since 1993, the national court is again in Tartu, which is Estonia's supreme judiciary court.
The observatory, designed by university architect J.W. Krause, was built at the beginning of the 19th century. Working place of many famous astronomers including Struve; indeed the observatory is a point on the world heritage listed Struve Geodetic Arc spanning from the Arctic Sea to the Black Sea.
One of the first buildings of the re-opened Tartu University, built in 1803-1805 according to the drawings of university architect J. Krause.
Late 18th-century building. Duchess Barclay bought the house in 1819 after the death of her husband, Barclay de Tolly. The riverside wall of the building is actually a reused part of the old town wall, while the other side was built on a new foundation. This is why the house is now askew and is popularly called the Tower of Pisa.
Congregates several creative enterprises and creates therefore a creative atmosphere. The three buildings of the centre were built between 1830 and 1913 and represent different architectural styles: historicism and Art Nouveau.
Built in the 19th century and spans Lossi Street.
Built in 1913 in honour of the 300th jubilee of tsarist Russia's Romanov Dynasty, which is memorialised on the bridge by the dates 1613-1913.
Stands on the site of the original stone bridge of Tartu which was built in 1784 and blown up by the Soviets in World War II. This new bridge is only for pedestrians and allows you to do one of the most loved cultural activities of Tartu, walk over the top of the arch after a big night in the club. It is said you have to walk over the arch at least once to be a true student in Tartu. Just don't let the cops catch you.
Interactive and entertaining science centre.
Aura Veekeskus
Swimming pool, water park, fitness centre
Offers various cruises for up to 30 people along River Emajõgi. This is the historic type of ship used to carry goods on Emajõgi and the laike Peipus.
Film festival in August. Themes include love and tolerance.
Film festival at the end of November.
A fast food restaurant.
pizzeria
Different pizza and pancake dishes (both as desserts and as main courses), soups, rice dishes, etc.
A fast food restaurant.
A pub restaurant.
Authentic Asian cuisine, good price soups and meals of the day.
Gunpowder Cellar of Tartu
Built inside an ancient gunpowder cellar.
Japanese food.
Italian cuisine.
A small park where consuming light (<6%) alcohol is allowed between 15 March and 15 October until 23 (as it's a designated picnic area). It's the only public place in the city where drinking is legal so in the evenings it's full of students and homeless.
French-themed, serves delicious pancakes.
Kohvik-restoran Werner
Excellent café, in business since 1895. A large selection of baked goods; cakes, pies, buns, sandwiches and so on. They also serve some light dishes.
A cosy café which also offers vegan dishes (breakfast only on Sunday) in which you can apparently get in touch with strangers.
Culture and bar.
Cosy and chilled.
Jazz Club. Many sporting events (mainly football) are broadcasted.
A nice, somewhat (more) alternative-hipstery bar.
An alternative club with concerts, theater performances, seminars, etc. The bar Möku resides on the ground floor.
According to girls more into Genialistide klubi, Illusion is where people get drunk and start fights, and the music is bad. So, the latter basically means main stream music.
Drinking and party, as flat and fun as is it might sound.
An eco-friendly boutique hostel.
English speaking, overlooking the Town Square, Excellent kitchen and bathrooms.
Self-service accommodation in apartments with all comforts.
Best rooms go quickly so book ahead.
Vikerkaare Külalistemaja
Small guest house. The lady who runs it speaks a little English but she is delightful and you can communicate without too much hassle. Best to email ahead.
It is a quality budget hotel. All rooms are equipped with Sat-TV and an internet connection. Located just few minutes by car from Tartu Town Hall square, with frequent bus service from in front of the hotel.
Apartments are located in a historical house on the main square. They offer spacious and clean apartments with all the equipment and privacy needed.
49 rooms including 2 suites with saunas. Amenities include safe-box, hairdryer, cable TV, mini-bar, phone and complimentary wireless internet. Restaurant serves authentic Estonian food.
200 standard rooms and 5 business class rooms.
BBC TV. Wheelchair accessible.
Mid-level hotel. Two blocks away from Raekoja Plats. Has a decent Mexican restaurant in the same premises.
Shopping centre next to Kaubamaja. Has a spa. Opened in 2016.
Features a wide range of small boutiques, as well as big department stores Maksimarket, Lidl and Rimi. Has a hotel, cinema, indoors adventure park as well as a skating rink.
Shopping centre near the bus station. Also has a cinema.
A hypermarket.
Department store with several floors full of fascinating things to buy. "Kaubamaja" belongs to Kaubamaja consortium.
Regular supermarket.
By bus
Regional as well as long-distance buses arrive at the small Tartu Bus Station at Turu 2, which is connected to the Tasku shopping mall, 5-10 min walk from the central square of Tartu.
By train
Elron operates several daily trains between Tartu and Tallinn via Tapa.5 for 1st class on an express train, or 13,5€ for 2nd class and 16€ for 1st class on a regular train.
By car
An excellent day trip is to drive from Tallinn to Tartu. About the first 100 km is motorway, the latter half two-lane highway with some 2+1 sections.5 hours.
By bicycle
Cycling is the best and fastest way to get around Tartu. There is also a quite an extensive network of cycle paths. Tartu has 750 city bikes, and 500 of them are electric.
By bus
Tartu has a network of 14 intracity bus lines and 2 night bus lines. See online information about local buses. You can check the schedules on Google Maps.
By taxi
Use Bolt app to order a taxi. Regular taxis are available as well of course, but more expensive.
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Tartu · Regional · TAY
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