Dog-Friendly Tallinn: Visiting Tallinn with a Dog

With its charming old town, hip cafes and bars, and affordable prices, it’s no wonder that Tallinn in Estonia an increasingly popular European destination over the summer months. And after spending a delightful week there with our dog, I’m happy to report it’s a very dog-friendly destination and perfect for a getaway with your pup.

Dog-Friendly Sightseeing in Tallinn

Not sure what to do in Tallinn with your dog? Consider these options for your visit. Also feel free to ask nicely at places that generally don’t allow pets – one museum in the centre of Tallinn allowed us inside with our dog carried in our arms.

#1 Explore the Old Town

Tallinn is home to one of the best preserved medieval old towns I’ve come across in Europe. I highly recommend wandering the streets of the old town, including heading up to Toompea Hill and taking in the panorama from some of the viewpoints.

Much of the original city walls have also been preserved and one of the best places to view them is at Toom Park, just to the west of the Old Town. This park is a welcome green oasis on hot days. Even better, it also has an off-leash area!

#2 Hang Out in Telliskivi

If you want to escape the crowds, especially in the summer cruise season, continue west from Toom park and past the train station, to the Telliskivi Creative City district, a former industrial area that has been revitalised in recent years.

Just after the station is Balti Jaama Turg, an excellent outdoor-indoor market, which allowed dogs in most areas when I visited. Further along, many of the former railway buildings now house a variety of funky cafes. There’s also food trucks and lots of street art.

Dining out is already affordable in Tallinn compared to Scandinavia, but your euros will stretch even further at the cafes, restaurants and bars in this precinct.

#3 Hit the Beaches

I regret not finding time to head to the beaches around Tallinn with my pup. (Although I must admit he’s a terrible swimmer, so he’s not that keen on entering the water!)

In Tallinn, dogs are allowed to swim on all stretches of the sea shore and all lakes where this isn’t a public beach and there are no signs prohibiting it.

Two dog-friendly beaches near Tallinn are the strip of beach to the east of the Russalka Memorial and the promenade of the Kopli Lines. More details and a map are provided at the bottom of this page (only in Estonian).

Dog-Friendly Parks in Tallinn

While in Tallinn, all dogs should remain on a leash in public areas, except if they are in a fenced dog park. Luckily, there are a number of such parks in Tallinn, as listed here (only in Estonian).

The closest off-leash dog park to the Old Town is Toom Park, just next to the old city walls and containing the only remains of the old moat. Another great looking dog park is Tiigiveski Park, to the south of the Old Town. It includes some agility equipment for dogs.

Dogs on Public Transport in Tallinn

If you stay close in to the town centre of Tallinn, like we did, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to take public transport. But if you do find yourself catching the trams, trolleys or buses, you’ll be happy to know that dogs travel for free. Note however that if your dog isn’t in a carrier bag that it should wear a muzzle.

Dog-Friendly Dining in Tallinn

We had no problem finding restaurants that allowed our dog to join us in Tallinn, whether inside or out. However, keep an eye out for the below dog-friendly sticker at the door or ask the staff before entering. If you get stuck in summer time, there are plenty of outdoor dining terraces, such as in the Town Square.

One of our favourite cafes was Cafe Boheem. This relaxed and friendly cafe on the edge of the trendy Kalamaja neighbourhood has affordable options from pasta and salads to crepes. We were even allowed to dine inside with our dog on a rainy evening. Unfortunately,, some of the other dog-friendly places we visited have since closed.

I also recommend heading to the Telliskivi Creative City district on the edge of the Tallinn, which has multiple restaurants with outdoor dining areas plus food trucks.

Dog-Friendly Accommodation in Tallinn

You shouldn’t have any issues finding dog-friendly accommodation in Tallinn. If you’re wanting to stay in a hotel, just over 50% of hotels were dog-friendly in my survey, ranking Tallinn in 11th place out of the European cities I investigated.

Many Airbnbs are also dog-friendly, and quite affordable. We enjoyed staying in this Airbnb in the Kalamaja neighbourhood, a predominantly student district next to the Old Town with many traditional wooden houses.

Travelling to Tallinn with a Dog

Despite being part of the European Union, Tallinn and the rest of the Baltic cities aren’t as well connected as many other cities in Central and Western Europe. To find out how to travel to Estonia with your dog, check out my guide covering flights, ferries, and the slow train from Riga.

Head Next To

• Dog-Friendly Riga
• Dog-Friendly Lithuania
• Dog-Friendly Finland

Inspired? Pin this to your Pinterest board!