Guide to Tartu: 13 Fun Things to Do in Estonia’s Cultural Hub

Tartu, Estonia’s second biggest city, is a place I had wanted to visit for over 5 years. I have been to Tallinn multiple times, but my curiosity to explore other parts of this intriguing country had grown stronger and stronger before I had the opportunity to do that. While it took longer than I’d have hoped to visit Tartu, I can say with confidence that it was well worth the wait. 

*This post was created in collaboration with Visit Tartu. However, all views are my own, and this post is genuine.

While it gets a fraction of Tallinn’s visitors, Tartu more than holds its weight. It was named the European Capital of Culture in 2024, and it’s well-known as Estonia’s cultural hub. This small but intriguing city is home to creative people, the country’s best museums, historic buildings, excellent hotels, and a cozy atmosphere. It’s also home to one of Northern Europe’s oldest universities.

I was invited by Visit Tartu to spend 3 days in Tartu during a wider summer trip around the Baltic states. It was a nice stop between Tallinn and Riga, which was our next destination. Based on my experiences, I’m bringing this full guide with the best things to do in Tartu. 

Besides discovering all the best ways to pack your itinerary, I’ll also give you the practical info you need. You’ll learn how to get to this beautiful university town, where to stay, and more. 

The Best Things to Do in Tartu

Despite being home to just under 100,000 residents, Tartu has more than enough to keep you entertained for at least a weekend. Below are all my favorite things that we did while visiting Estonia’s second-biggest city. 

1. Visit the Estonian National Museum

I said on my Instagram that the Estonian National Museum is the best museum I’ve visited anywhere in Northern Europe. I still stand firmly by that; if you only do one thing in Tartu, visiting this place is an absolute must. 

The Estonian National Museum offers a comprehensive overview of the country’s history and culture. We visited a number of cool temporary exhibitions, including one documenting the lives of Estonia’s Swedish-speaking minority. 

While at the museum, we also visited a huge permanent exhibition that went into depth on the Finno-Ugric languages. Estonian is a Finnic language, and while not mutually intelligible, it is closely related to Finnish. 

Besides the exhibitions, the Estonian National Museum has a nice cafeteria with great cakes. The soup here was also really good. 

The museum is just over 30 minutes from the center of Tartu on foot. It’s very close to the Upside Down House, which we also visited and enjoyed. You can buy tickets for the museum at the main counter in person. 

Prices: 

All exhibitions: €15 

All exhibitions (concession rate): €10

You can also buy tickets for individual exhibitions (though I recommend visiting all of them). Information and prices are available here; family tickets are available, too. 

Address: Muuseumi tee 2, 60532 Tartu, Estonia

2. Get Some Great Pizza and Beer at Ihamaru

I was pretty surprised to see so many good places to eat and drink while we were in Tartu. My top recommendation is Ihamaru, which we found on the last night of our stay in the city. Situated on a photogenic street, this is a great place to try numerous Estonian craft beers.

The pizzas are also really, really good. I had one with various cheeses and pistachios, just to fuel my current pistachio obsession further. It tasted quite sweet, but it was still pretty good. And yes, for anyone about to click off in rage—pistachios *are* allowed on pizza, just like pineapples and peanuts are.

My girlfriend, meanwhile, had a spicy pizza—which was similarly excellent. The menu has a decent number of options to choose from, and the dough’s consistency is great.

We showed up without reserving a table and had no problems. However, you can book a table on the website. The site is in Estonian, but click on “Broneeri Laud” and you can reserve a spot. 

Address: Vallikraavi tn 6, 51003 Tartu, Estonia

3. Walk Around the Supilinn District

Colored wooden houses are a common feature in Estonian cities, and Tartu has a couple of cool districts to explore. We spent an hour or so wandering around the Supilinn neighborhood, which is just outside the main part of the city center. 

The name translates to “Soup Town” in English, and while far from that today, the district used to be a slum. Today, it’s one of the city’s trendiest neighborhoods. 

Supilinn’s main joy is wandering around and enjoying the historic wooden houses from the outside. It reminds me of many districts we saw in other cities, such as parts of Kalamaja in Tallinn. Suplinn is a decent-sized district; I’d actually suggest dedicating a bit more time than we did. 

4. Go to the Estonian Sport & Olympic Museum

When planning our Estonian itinerary, the Estonian Sport & Olympic Museum was one of the main places I wanted to visit. Even though I had lofty expectations, it managed to exceed them. This is another absolute must when you visit Tartu. 

The Estonian Sport & Olympic Museum gave us a comprehensive overview of sports in Estonia. We saw how it has shaped the country’s history, along with seeing the Hall of Fame. For me, it was super interesting to read about these athletes and how they helped put Estonia on the map. 

One thing I loved about this museum was how interactive it was. We got to play basketball, try out a racing car, play fußball, and much more. It’s the largest sports museum in the Baltic states, and we spent around 2 hours here. 

We bought our tickets at the reception with no problems, but you can also purchase them online. Lockers are available at the museum. 

The museum is right in the city center and on one of Tartu’s main streets. It’s worth noting that some rooms do not have air conditioning; keep this in mind if you’re visiting in the summer. 

Prices:

Adults: €12

Concessions: €8 

Family (2 adults and 2 children): €28

Address: Rüütli tn 15, 51007 Tartu, Estonia

5. Check Out Tartu’s Street Art

Tartu’s creativity is undeniable, and you will feel its edgy nature when you visit. The city has a lot of street art for you to see, which gives Tartu a nice extra dose of color. 

As you walk from the station to the city center, you’ll see some street art on the sides of apartment buildings. However, there’s plenty more to find. You can see street art in the center of town, along with other districts like Supilinn. 

Tartu’s street art features various local artists. In addition to finding it yourself, you can join guided tours. This page features some of the best street art examples to look out for in Tartu; I quite liked the ones I saw walking into town from the station. 

6. Go to the Botanical Garden

The University of Tartu has a large botanical garden, and it’s a nice place to spend an hour or so. Throughout the botanical garden, you’ll see over 10,000 plant species. 

While the botanical garden is very close to the city center, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported elsewhere. There’s a large outdoor garden that’s free to walk around, and you can see the greenhouse for €6. Concession (€3) and family (€13) tickets are also available. 

I recommend visiting early in the morning; when I was there, there was hardly anyone else. Remember to be respectful of the plants and spaces as you wander around. 

Address: Lai tn 38, 51005 Tartu, Estonia

7. Unleash Your Inner Child at the AHHAA Science Center

If you’re visiting Tartu with kids, the AHHAA Science Center is an absolute must. The museum is huge, with multiple floors of interactive exhibitions. Even if you’re not visiting with kids, though, this place is a lot of fun.

You’ll find all kinds of exhibitions here related to water, gravity, and much more. There are plenty of shows, too; some are in English, while you will also find some in Estonian, Latvian, and Russian. 

If you only do one exhibition, make it the bicycle that goes above one of the floors. While nerve-wracking at first, it quickly becomes fun. The information for exhibitions is multilingual, and you can reach the museum on foot or by bus from the city center. Parking spots are also available. 

Prices: 

Adults: €20

Family: €45

Concessions: €15

You can buy tickets at the main desk or online. 

Address: Sadama 1, 51004 Tartu, Estonia

8. Raekoja Plats (Town Hall Square)

Raekoja Plats is Tartu’s main square, and in my opinion, it’s even prettier than the one in Tallinn. The view in front of the town hall is great for photography, and the same goes for the view going down the street. 

Tartu’s town hall itself is very beautiful, and you’ll find a handful of hotels nearby. We stayed on just the other side, and it was nice to go for a walk here before the rest of Tartu woke up. 

While at Raekoja Plats, you’ll also find the Tartu tourism board’s office. Here, you can get a city map and plenty of useful books, leaflets, and more information. 

9. Walk Around Tartu’s Old Town

Tartu, like other cities in Estonia, has an interesting mix of architecture. The areas around the main square are particularly pretty, and unlike many Old Town areas in Europe, you’ll have some space to breathe. 

While not as big as other cities’ Old Towns, the one in Tartu is nonetheless worth walking around. Many of the main attractions, such as the Estonian Sport & Olympic Museum, will be along here anyway. So, it’s very easy to combine two activities in one. 

You will find a number of restaurants along these streets, in addition to numerous bars. However, it still feels authentic; you won’t find too many souvenir shops, for example. 

10. Visit the Ruins of Tartu Cathedral

Tartu Cathedral was once one of Estonia’s most important places of worship. However, it was destroyed during the Livonian War in the 16th century. After years of neglect, Tartu Cathedral became an abandoned building in beautiful settings. 

While it still is not used as a place of worship (and hasn’t been since the Livonian War), parts of the cathedral have been renovated. We discovered the building while on an evening walk and had a nice walk around the outside. You can do so for free. 

In addition to walking around the outside, you will find the University of Tartu Museum here. During the summer, you can visit the spires and get a nice view over Tartu, too (for an extra fee).

Address: Ülikooli 18 50090 Tartu, Estonia

11. Wander Along the Banks of the Emajõgi River

Tartu’s geography is shaped by the Emajõgi River, which cuts right through the middle of the city. As a result, it makes total sense to wander along its banks. We did this after visiting the AHHAA Science Center on a particularly humid day. 

Parts of the Supilinn neighborhood line the Emajõgi River, and you’ll find the river almost as soon as you leave the main part of Tartu. A footpath will take you along the Emajõgi, with a decent amount of green space on both sides. 

You will find a handful of places to sit and relax along the river, too, which I recommend if you find yourself in Tartu on a warm day. 

12. Go to Toomemägi Park

Toomemägi Park is my favorite park in Tartu, which says a lot considering that the city has quite a lot of them. This is the park where you’ll find the Tartu Cathedral ruins, in addition to plenty of other noteworthy spots. For example, the Old Observatory is here. 

From parts of Toomemägi Park, you can get a nice view toward the town hall. Many of the streets leading into it are beautiful, too. Some are lined with cobblestones, while others feature old architecture. 

Toomemägi Park is right behind the main square and incredibly easy to find. It’s also very close to one of the University of Tartu’s main buildings. 

13. The Upside Down House

Just after visiting the Estonian National Museum, we had a quick stop at the Upside Down House. As the name suggests, it’s a… house that’s upside down. I can say from personal experience that it felt *very* disorienting. 

The house has a number of rooms, and even after acclimatising to it, the upside-down nature still felt weird. As you might expect, you are required to wear non-slippery shoes here. A normal pair of sneakers should be fine. 

You can buy tickets at the house, though it’s also possible to get them online. It would be cool if there were even more buildings as part of the museum, but even so, the house is quite cool. This is another great place to visit with kids.

Address: Roosi tn 86, 51009 Tartu, Estonia

Where to Stay in Tartu

Tartu has a number of hotels, and you can stay in some pretty nice places without spending a huge amount of money. We were lucky enough to stay in Hotell Lydia, a 4-star hotel right next to Raekoja Plats. 

Our bed was incredibly comfortable, and the shower was huge, too. We also had a room with a nice view of the town hall and the surrounding areas. While we visited in the summer, the extra throwover blanket would also have been great to use in the winter. 

The breakfast was great, too, with some of the best potatoes I’ve had. Moreover, we enjoyed the spa area. It had multiple saunas, along with a swimming pool. 

If you’re interested in browsing your other options, you can do so via the map below. 

Getting to Tartu

Tartu is located in Southern Estonia and is the largest city in this region. It’s less than 3 hours away and very easy to reach.

From Other Parts of Estonia

Trains run daily from Tallinn to Tartu; the journey takes around 2 hours and 50 minutes. You can check times and buy tickets via the website of Elron, Estonia’s main train operator. Prices are very affordable; we bought 1st-class tickets the day before for €15.50 each.  

You can also take the bus between Tallinn and Tartu. The journey takes around 2-and-a-half hours, and prices are very similar to the train. LuxExpress is the main operator; their buses were comfortable when I used them on a different trip around the Baltics. 

Driving to Tallinn is also possible. The journey will take around 2 hours and 20 minutes. You don’t need a car if you’re only exploring cities in Estonia; public transport will get you everywhere. But for trips to more rural spots and bigger adventures around the Baltic region, it’s not the worst idea in the world. 

From Latvia

We visited Riga after our stay in Tartu, and if you’re coming the other way, it’s easy to travel between the two cities. You can change in Valga, which is on the Estonian-Latvian border, for another train to Tartu. The journey took us around 4 hours, but it can take longer in some cases.

Direct buses also run between Riga and Tartu thanks to LuxExpress. The journey also takes just under 4 hours. It’s possible to change in other parts of Estonia, such as Pärnu, but I suggest spending a day or 2 in those regions if you are going to do that. 

From Finland

Besides going from Helsinki to Tallinn and then continuing to Tartu, you can actually fly directly from Helsinki to Tartu. Finnair operates a handful of flights; the journey takes 50 minutes. 

From Tartu Airport, it’s a 30-minute ride into the city center by public transport. Alternatively, you can use Bolt. 

Getting Around Tartu

Tartu is not a big city, and everything you need is within 30 minutes’ walking distance. We mainly got around on foot, and this is the way that I recommend navigating the city. You have the added benefit of seeing everything and not just waltzing past it, too. 

When coming back from the Estonian National Museum and Upside Down House, we also booked a taxi through Bolt. This is also how we got from our hotel to the station when heading on to Riga. Bolt is the Baltic region’s version of Uber, and these taxis are very affordable in Tartu. You can download the app on iOS and Android.

When to Visit Tartu

Tartu is worth visiting year-round, and many of the attractions we went to were indoors. So, if you’re frightened about the cold of an Estonian winter, don’t be. You may even get better hotel rates if you visit during the off-season. 

That said, we visited in the summer and had a really good time. Tartu has a number of concerts, festivals, and other events from June to August. While many of the students have gone home, the city still feels lively. There are tourists, but nowhere near as many as in other parts of Europe. 

Our summer trip to Tartu was quite humid, and it was 30ºC (86ºF). While not as hot as Southern Europe, I personally found it quite overwhelming (then again, I sweat profusely the moment the temperature is anywhere above freezing). In the winter, though, it would have been chilly—so you need to decide what pros and cons you’re willing to deal with. 

Final Thoughts

Tartu was well worth the wait, and I’m so happy we added it to our Baltic itinerary. The city has Estonia’s best museums, and despite being named the 2024 European Capital of Culture, it still feels undiscovered. Crowds are thin, and everything feels authentic. The laid-back atmosphere is perfect for a holiday, too. 

While you can visit Tartu on a day trip from Tallinn, I recommend staying for at least 1 night (and preferably, a little longer if you can). I will happily visit Tartu again, and I suggest paying a visit if you want to experience one of Europe’s most underrated cities.

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