The Tallinn Christmas Market runs from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 on Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats), in the middle of the medieval Old Town. Visit Tallinn, the city’s tourism office, has confirmed the dates. Wooden huts ring the square around a tall Christmas tree, with the Gothic Town Hall on one side, and the market stays open over Christmas and New Year. Below you’ll find opening hours, food, how to get there from the airport and ferry port, and where to leave your bags.
Coming off the ferry or train? Drop your bags near Town Hall Square and walk around the Old Town with your hands free.
Tallinn Christmas Market 2026: Key Facts
| Dates | 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 |
| Usual hours | Stalls about 10:00–20:00; drinks stalls open later in the evening |
| Location | Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats), Old Town |
| Tree lighting | First Sunday of Advent (29 November 2026) |
| Entry | Free |
Daily hours for 2026 haven’t been published, so treat the times above as the usual pattern. The Visit Tallinn Christmas page lists the dates and seasonal events.
Where to Find It: Town Hall Square
Raekoja plats has been Tallinn’s main square since the Middle Ages. The Town Hall, finished in the early 1400s, takes up the south side, and the Town Hall Pharmacy, one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe still working, sits in the north-east corner. The market huts fill the cobbled square around the tree.
Tallinn says it put up one of the first public Christmas trees in Europe here in 1441. Riga makes a similar claim, and the two cities have argued about it for years. Either way, the tree lighting on the first Sunday of Advent is the big evening of the season.
What to See and Buy
The market is small compared with the big German ones, and that’s part of the appeal. You can walk the whole square in 20 minutes. Stalls sell wool mittens and socks, felted slippers, wooden toys, ceramics, candles and Estonian souvenirs, and roughly half of them sell food and hot drinks.
Families should look for Santa’s house on the square. There’s also a seasonal ice rink on Harju Street next to St Nicholas’ Church, a few minutes’ walk away. It’s run separately from the market and usually opens in late November.
Food and Drink at the Tallinn Christmas Market
- Glögi: Estonian mulled wine. Most stalls also sell an alcohol-free version.
- Verivorst: blood sausage, usually with sauerkraut and lingonberry jam. It’s the classic Estonian Christmas dish.
- Kapsarullid: cabbage rolls, plus roast pork and potatoes from the bigger food huts.
- Piparkoogid: thin gingerbread biscuits, sold plain or decorated.
- Piroshki: baked buns stuffed with meat, cabbage or rice and egg.
Vegetarians will find plenty to eat; vegan and gluten-free choices are more limited. Estonia uses the euro, and cards work almost everywhere. To plan a budget for the trip, see our guide on what things cost in Tallinn.
Getting to the Tallinn Christmas Market
| From | How |
|---|---|
| Tallinn Airport | Tram 4 to the city centre (about 20 minutes), then a short walk into the Old Town |
| Balti jaam (train station) | About 10 minutes on foot through the Old Town |
| Ferry from Helsinki | Ferries take about 2 to 2.5 hours; from the Old City Harbour it’s a 15 to 20 minute walk |
| By car | The Old Town is mostly car-free; park outside the walls and walk |
The Helsinki ferry makes a two-capital trip easy in December. Helsinki’s own market on Senate Square runs from late November to just before Christmas.
Tips for Visiting
- It’s dark by about 15:30 in December, so you’ll see the lights even on an afternoon visit.
- Dress for real cold and wear shoes with grip. The Old Town cobbles get icy.
- Weekday mornings are the quietest. Saturdays bring day-trippers from Helsinki.
- The market stays open after Christmas, which makes Tallinn a good choice for a New Year trip.
- Walk up to the Toompea viewing platforms for a view over the lit-up Old Town roofs.
Luggage Storage Near the Tallinn Christmas Market
Many visitors come to Tallinn for the day on the ferry from Helsinki, or arrive in the morning before hotel check-in. A suitcase on frozen cobbles and narrow lanes slows you down fast.
Radical Storage works with verified local businesses in Tallinn, including spots near the Old Town, Balti jaam station and the port. Book online in a minute, drop your bags and pick them up later. Every bag is protected up to €10,000, cancellation is free, and travellers rate the service 4.8/5 across more than 16.5K locations in 2.3K+ cities.
- Luggage storage near Town Hall Square, closest to the stalls.
- Luggage storage near Balti jaam for train and bus arrivals.
- Luggage storage near the Old City Harbour for ferry passengers.
Tallinn Christmas Market 2026 FAQ
It runs from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, according to Visit Tallinn.
On Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) in the medieval Old Town, around the big Christmas tree in front of the Town Hall.
The 2026 hours haven’t been published. In recent years the stalls opened around 10:00 to 20:00, with drinks stalls staying open later in the evening.
The market runs through the holidays until 6 January, though some stalls may keep shorter hours on 24 and 25 December and 1 January.
Yes. Ferries from Helsinki take about 2 to 2.5 hours, and the Old Town is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the Old City Harbour.
Radical Storage has partner locations near the Old Town, Balti jaam station and the port. Book online, drop your bags at a verified local business and collect them later, with protection up to €10,000 per bag.