When the media publishes an article about the most beautiful Christmas markets in Europe, the Tallinn Christmas Market (Estonian: Tallinna Jõuluturg) is usually at the top of the list. And it’s a well-deserved accolade: like many things in Estonia, the market is small, but super cute.
Today, we take a look at the basic and not-so-basic things you need to know about it: what exactly it’s like, where and when it’s held, and some tips and trivia about it.
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Tallinn Christmas Market: When and where?
- Address: Town Hall Square (Raekoja Plats) 10146 Tallinn, Estonia
- Dates: 21.11 – 28.12
- Open from 10 am to 8 pm
Tallinn Christmas Market – the best Christmas market in Europe in 2019, will continue to delight visitors this year, opening its doors on 22 November 2024.
With the arrival of Christmas, the Estonia’s capital changes completely. Tallinn Christmas market, envelops the medieval city in a fairy-tale atmosphere. Shops and shop windows are filled with light and colour. From different perspectives, we can see that all the roofs are covered with snow. The cafés in the square are filled with live music and become the ideal place to relax and spend a pleasant and romantic time by candlelight. There is nothing better than enjoying this city by strolling through its winding streets. According to Christmas tradition, the colder it gets, the more celebrations will follow.
What exactly is it like?
Broadly speaking, the Tallinn Christmas Market can be divided into four main areas:
- The Christmas tree
- The shopping area
- The food and drink area
- The activity area, with Santa’s hut and concert stage
If you look at it from the sky, put the tree in the centre, and take into account that there may be some variations from year to year, let’s look at them one by one:
The Christmas tree
In the central square of the market is one of its main attractions: the Christmas tree. And the Tallinn Christmas tree is no ordinary tree: it has the pedigree of being the heir to the first public Christmas tree in history, which was put up in this very square in 1441.
Every year a competition is held to select the specific tree to be used. Anyone can nominate a tree, as long as it fulfils a number of conditions: it has to be a pine or fir tree that is between 15 and 18 metres tall, symmetrical, and very dense in foliage. The winner is then selected by a committee of experts from the city council.
Once selected, the tree is placed in the square a few days before the market opens. The exact date is announced in advance, and on that day a small event is held where Father Christmas personally carries the tree, and then spends some time greeting passers-by and visitors.
The shopping area
As I’m sure you can imagine, the huts in the shopping area of the Tallinn Christmas market are mostly filled with winter and Estonian-related souvenirs.
It is quite common to see handmade winter clothes for sale, such as the typical winter mittens, but also chocolates and chocolate, ceramics, Christmas decorations , sauna stuff, or wooden toys .
It has to be said that, in general, the prices are a bit more expensive than they would be if you bought them in a normal shop, but I suppose that, given the special nature of the event, this is to be expected.
The food and drink area
I’m sure you can also imagine what’s on offer here: mostly traditional Estonian food.
Typical Estonian dishes tend to be calorific and heavy, designed to gain energy when the weather is cold and the temperature is below freezing. They rely heavily on pork, sausages and cabbage, and are usually prepared oven-roasted. For example, some of the traditional dishes you can find at the Christmas market are:
- Roast pork with mashed potatoes, beer-roasted sauerkraut, and black pudding with cranberry jam.
- Estoniansausage with potatoes
- Mushroom soup in bread (in Estonian, saiapätsis supp)
If you fancy a drink, Tallinna Jõuluturg sells the quintessential traditional Estonian Christmas drink, glögi, a spiced mulled wine. It usually contains the same alcohol as a wine, but is also sold without alcohol (look for a stall with alcoholivaba glögi on it).
For the little ones but with a sweet tooth, there are gingerbread biscuits in fun Christmas shapes, marzipan, local honeys and traditional savoury treats.
Again, prices were relatively expensive, especially compared to other Tallinn restaurants outside the old town and tourist area. However, given that a day is a day, many Estonians willingly opt for lunch or dinner at the flea market.
Activities
Finally, we have the activity area. There are two things there, Santa’s hut, and the stage.
Santa’s hut 
Santa’s hut is exactly what you’d expect: it’s where children go to ask Santa for their Christmas presents. There is usually quite a long queue, so if you want to take your children there, go with some time to spare.
Christmas stage
Then there is the stage, which is where the cultural programme takes place. Concerts of all kinds are held there on weekends. They range from children’s songs to electronic music DJ’s, choral music, Irish dances and Estonian pop music. If you want to see the full programme you can check it out on the official website.
It is also here that one of the highlights of the Tallinn Christmas market takes place, something that has been going on for over 300 years: the Christmas declaration of peace, which is basically the mayor’s Christmas speech. This is the second of the mayor’s speeches at the market, after the one on the first day of Advent.
Ice skating
Behind the Town Hall Square, on Haru Street and next to St. Nicholas Church, a large ice skating rink is temporarily installed. The hustle and bustle of Tallinn’s medieval centre intensifies at this time of year, both in the streets and in the restaurants and taverns of the city centre. A Christmas atmosphere in an exclusive atmosphere makes the Tallinn Christmas market a unique experience in Europe.
Is it worth going to the Tallinn Christmas Market?
Yes, definitely, especially if it has snowed.
It tends to be busier in the evenings and at weekends, so my recommendation is to go at lunchtime. As I say, the market is very cute, but it’s not very big: you can do everything there is to do in an hour and a half or two hours.
This, which in any other market of this type would be a disappointment, is a great advantage in Estonia.
Remember that here, at Christmas time, the temperature is usually around -10 degrees Celsius, so you can’t spend too much time outdoors. So dress warmly.
Come and experience a fairytale Christmas in Tallinn Old Town!
