Lahemaa National Park, Tallinn

Roughly 31 miles (50km) east of Tallinn, Lahemaa National Park is a popular day trip for tourists looking to explore the Estonian countryside. The park contains varied terrain and ecosystems that include forests, swamps, bogs and even beaches. A number of marked trails make hiking a good activity, and visitors can take a rest at Sagadi Manor, a 500-year-old building that is now an education centre with a forest museum, hotel and restaurant.

Tallinn Botanical Gardens, Tallinn

Tallinn's magnificent Botanical Garden covers 110 hectares and contains more than 8,000 plant species. The flora comes from all around the world, displayed in arboretums, glasshouses, open fields and thematic gardens. In just a few steps visitors are transported from European meadows to African tundra, or from desert to rainforest. Specialised exhibits change every month, and thematic tours are offered all year round, the most popular being the summer night aroma tours, and the rose days. A nature trail traverses the different habitats.

Getting There:
Take bus 34A or 38 to the Kloostrimetsa stop

Opening Times:
Glasshouses and Palm House: daily 11am to 6pm; outdoor collections: 11am to 7pm (May to September)

Admission:
EUR3.50 adults, EUR1.60 (students). Other concessions available, children under 7 are free. Free entry with Tallinn Card.

Tallinn Zoo, Tallinn

The Estonian capital's most popular family attraction is the zoo, crammed with close on 6,000 animals from Polar bears to Siberian Tigers, as well as species from warmer climates, like crocodiles and chimpanzees frolicking in the Tropical House. There is also a delightful petting zoo.

Getting There:
Trolley 6 or bus 22 from the city centre

Opening Times:
Indoor exhibits are closed Mondays, but the zoo is open daily all year round from 9am-3pm (November to February), 9am-5pm (March to April, and September to October), and 9am-7pm (May to August)

Admission:
EUR5.80 (adults), EUR2.90 (students and scholars), EUR0.65 (children). Free entry with Tallinn Card.

The Old Town, Tallinn

The winding, cobbled streets of Tallinn's historic centre are the focus for most visitors to the city and the hub of the major tourist attractions, which can all be enjoyed on a walking tour. The walled old town is divided into two parts: Toompea Hill was the residential area of the aristocracy and gentry in days of yore, while the Lower Town operated independently. The Old Town, much of it dating from the 11th century, is extremely well preserved and complete, its powerful defensive stone buildings having ensured that it was not destroyed despite frequent invasions over the centuries.

Visitors revel in Town Hall Square, ringed by the beautiful Town Hall and its adjacent pharmacy, which is still operating on the site it has occupied since 1422. The Old Town is also full of churches, like St Olav's, which was the tallest church in Medieval Europe, dating from the early 13th century. The old town walls and its many fortresses made up one of the strongest defence systems in northern Europe by the 16th century. The dominating landmark on Toompea is the magnificent Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral. The medieval atmosphere is particularly evident in St Catherine's passage, between Vene and Muurivahe Streets, where visitors can stroll past the open studios of artists and craftsmen who have laboured here for centuries.

Admission:
A Tallinn Tourist Card provides free admission to the museums and sights, free use of public transport and free tours; available for 6, 24, 48 and 72 hours (from KR130 to KR450)

Estonian Open Air Museum, Tallinn

On a picturesque expanse of forest parkland on Kopli Bay is preserved a collection of historic Estonian buildings, transplanted from around the country to represent rural life through the centuries. Exhibits consist of various farm buildings, windmills, watermills and other country clutter offering pleasant and informative escape from the hubbub of the nearby city. Handcrafts are on sale, horseback rides on offer, and a village inn caters for visitors keen to sample local fare. Folk music and dancing displays are scheduled regularly, and most national holidays are celebrated here in grand style.

Getting There:
Bus 21 from Baltic railway station

Opening Times:
Open daily 10am to 8pm (May to September), 10am to 5pm (October to April)

Admission:
EUR6 (adults) in summer, and EUR3 in winter. Concessions available. Free entry with Tallinn Card, and on last Tuesday of every month

Kadriorg Palace and Park, Tallinn

The beautiful pink baroque Kadriorg Palace was the summer residence of Russian Tsar, Peter 1, and today stands proudly in the centre of its namesake seaside resort suburb of Tallinn, where the streets are lined with noble villas and summer estates. The Palace today houses the Estonian Art Museum's foreign collection, featuring thousands of western European and Russian works from the 16th to 20th centuries, ranging from prints and paintings to sculpture and furniture. The palace is also the venue for concerts and theatrical performances, lectures and receptions. The park surrounding the palace is a popular recreational spot for visitors and locals alike, consisting of formal gardens, the symmetrical Swan Lake, as well as meadows and forest groves traversed by paths.

Getting There:
Bus to J. Poska stop

Opening Times:
Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (May to September); Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm (October to April). Flower garden: daily 9am to 8pm, until 9pm in September and October

Admission:
Palace: KR65 (concessions available). Mikkel Museum: KR35 (concessions available). Free entry with Tallinn Card