Christmas in Tallinn: town hall square market, fairs and concerts in December
Christmas in Tallinn starts in late November.
From November 20, 2026 to January 6, 2027, Town Hall Square again serves as the country's main market (as of 09/2026, Visit Estonia). A spruce is put up here every year, and the tradition itself dates back to 1441. Tallinn's Christmas tree is considered the first public Christmas tree in Europe.
Advent in Tallinn is not limited to just one market. Design fairs in the Telliskivi district, jazz and organ concerts in old churches, glowing courtyards, and a gingerbread exhibition run throughout December. Below are the places and events worth booking winter tickets for.
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When to go to Tallinn and how many days you need
💡 In short:
- The market on Town Hall Square runs for almost a month and a half, from late November to early January.
- The best time for photos and glögi is the evening, when the holiday lights come on.
- Plan for at least two nights, otherwise December events won't fit into the trip.
- Market dates: 09/2026, verified on the official Visit Estonia website.
Beyond the market, December is packed with fairs, concerts, and exhibitions, and each event has its own schedule. The table below helps you plan the trip: what exactly to see, in which month, and how much time to allow for it.
Event | When | How much time to allow |
|---|---|---|
Town Hall Square market | late November - early January | an evening |
Telliskivi and EKA design fairs | the weekend before Christmas | half a day |
Christmas Jazz Festival | first half of December | an evening |
Fairytale Courtyards | all December | a couple of hours |
Põhjala Factory | December | half a day |
Christmas tour | December - early January | a couple of hours |
Piparkoogimaania gingerbread exhibition | late November - early January | an hour |
The market is quietest on weekday afternoons. Opening and closing dates can easily shift by a day or two, so check the city's event calendar before your trip.
Christmas market on town hall square
The country's main market spreads out right by the town hall, in the very heart of the Old Town. Wooden stalls, garlands on facades, and a tall spruce decorated differently every year. A Christmas gnome wanders among the stalls, and children happily take photos with him.
The menu features Estonian winter classics: blood sausage with sauerkraut, gingerbread, and hot glögi. Artisans sell woolen goods, ceramics, and wooden toys, and there's a carousel for children (as of 09/2026, Visit Estonia calendar).
Entry to the square is free. You only pay for food, drinks, and gifts, so an evening here is inexpensive.
© Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar · CC BYPhoto: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsDesign fairs in Telliskivi and at the Academy of Arts
Telliskivi Creative City grew out of old factory buildings behind the railway station. It's about a twenty-minute walk from Town Hall Square (on the map), passing the Baltic Station along the way.
© Liilia Moroz · CC BY-SAPhoto: Liilia Moroz, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsOn the weekend before Christmas, ateliers and design studios open their doors, and the courtyard turns into a lively winter fair. The atmosphere is more creative than polished: brick workshops, graffiti, and studios with wide-open doors.
The second venue, Eesti Kunstiakadeemia (EKA), spans several floors. Students and graduates showcase fashion, graphic design, and design, and some of the work is for sale.
- Who it's for: if you're more into craft and design than a classic market.
Christmas Jazz Festival and concerts in churches
December in Tallinn is full of sound. As part of the Christmas Jazz Festival, international musicians and local ensembles perform at various venues across the city, from chamber groups to big bands (as of 09/2026, Jazzkaar). Several concerts also take place in nearby Haapsalu.
© Ivar Leidus · CC BY-SAPhoto: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ee/deed.en), Wikimedia CommonsIf you love classical music, check out the old churches. In Niguliste, Toomkirik, and Pühavaimu, organ concerts and choral programs are held in winter, and the stone walls create a special acoustic. Book tickets for popular evenings in advance, otherwise only side seats will be left.
AIIllustrative image: AI-generatedFairytale Courtyards
In parallel with the market, Fairytale Courtyards opens in December, a project in the Old Town's inner courtyards (as of 09/2026, Visit Tallinn). Several courtyards are turned into fairy-tale settings for a couple of weeks, and almost every one has a scene you can activate via a QR code.
Find these courtyards on the map and come at dusk, when the string lights come on. The project is designed as a walk: you go from courtyard to courtyard through the narrow lanes of the Old Town.
- The catch: the sound only plays from your smartphone, so without a charged phone you'll miss part of the experience.
Põhjala Factory: Christmas at a former factory
In the Kopli district, the former Põhjala factory operates as a Christmas Wonderland for a few days (as of 09/2026, Visit Tallinn). Resident artists open their workshop doors, DIY courses run, live music plays, and the courtyard offers home-baked treats. Sometimes the Christmas gnome himself shows up on the grounds.
You can get there by bus or car; the trip from the center takes only a short time. Here you'll find handmade gifts you won't see in tourist shops.
© Vicky Brock from Tallinn, UK · CC BY-SAPhoto: Vicky Brock from Tallinn, UK, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons- The catch: the factory is on the outskirts, so you can't walk there from the center.
Christmas tour of the Old Town
A separate format for those who want not just to look but also to understand. A guide leads a group through the Old Town and talks about the first Christmas trees, the cold winters when people walked across the ice to Finland, and traditions like baking Christmas bread (as of 09/2026, Visit Tallinn tour office website).
The route starts at Town Hall Square and ends at the same market, now lit up with string lights. Advance booking is required, so you reserve your spot ahead of time.
Piparkoogimaania gingerbread exhibition
If you want something sweet and magical, go to the Piparkoogimaania exhibition. Around a hundred Estonian artists build entire scenes out of dough and icing every year, from fairy-tale to almost surreal (as of 09/2026, Piparkoogimaania).
© Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar · CC BYPhoto: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), FlickrThe exhibition has been running since 2006 and takes place at the Design and Architecture Gallery on Pärnu mnt (as of 09/2026, exhibition website). There's a small cafe inside, and the smell of spices hits you before you even walk in.
- Who it's for: if you're traveling with kids or enjoy unusual exhibitions.
AIIllustrative image: AI-generatedIn the evening, add a walk: different parts of Tallinn set up public ice rinks in winter, and half an hour on the ice is a great way to wrap up the day.
It's easier to book tours and tickets around the city in advance, before your trip.
Tours and tickets in Tallinn
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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
When does the Tallinn Christmas market open?
The market on Town Hall Square runs from November 20, 2026 to January 6, 2027 (As of 09/2026, Visit Estonia market page). Opening always falls at the end of November, and closing in the first days of January, after New Year's. Check exact hours on site: on weekends the stalls stay open longer than on weekdays.
How much does it cost to enter the market?
There is no fee to enter Town Hall Square. You only pay for food and souvenirs: mulled wine, blood sausage, gingerbread, and artisan crafts. So an evening at the market costs less than dinner at a restaurant in the center.
What should you try at the Christmas market?
Estonian winter food is simple and hearty. Get blood sausage with sauerkraut, potatoes with flaxseed oil, and definitely gingerbread. Spiced mulled wine helps you warm up, and kids love hot juice. Portions are large, one plate is often enough for two.
Is one day enough for Tallinn?
One day is not enough. You can walk around the market itself in an evening, but jazz performances, a gingerbread exhibition, fairs in Telliskivi, and illuminated courtyards are all happening at the same time. Plan for two or three nights, so you can fit in both the market and the concerts without rushing.
How do you get from the airport to the Old Town?
Tallinn Airport is located close to the center. A tram and a bus will take you to the Old Town, the trip takes no more than half an hour, and a taxi is inexpensive. From the Baltic Station and the bus station you can walk to Town Hall Square.
In short: what to book
December in Tallinn can be spent almost without leaving the Old Town.
If you only have one evening, go for the market on Town Hall Square and glögg by the Christmas tree. If you have two or three days, add the Telliskivi fairs and an organ concert in a church. If you're traveling with kids, don't miss the gingerbread exhibition and the carousel at the market.
Book your hotel for the holidays in advance: in late December the center fills up quickly. Check prices on Trip.com.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.