Tallinn or Riga or Vilnius: The Best Baltic City to Visit

Despite their seemingly diminutive size, the three Baltic capitals have unique offerings and cultures and it can be tricky to decide between visiting Riga, Vilnius or Tallinn.

Tallinn has the medieval charm of the Old Town and fantastic craft beer, Riga boasts incredible Art Nouveau architecture and an elegant and cosmopolitan vibe while Vilnius has one of the largest Old Towns in Europe and an inviting laidback culture.

We have spent a lot of time in each capital and while all three are worth visiting, this guide can help you figure out which is the best Baltic city to visit if you only have time for one!

Tallinn, Estonia

Becoming famous the world over for its exquisitely preserved, picture-perfect medieval Old Town, Tallinn is the most sought-after destination in the Baltics.

Accessibility

The city is well-connected with other major cities close by, with frequent bus and train links between cities like Riga, Tartu, and Parnu as well as ferry links to cities like Helsinki and Stockholm.

Tallinn is also only about 80 kilometres south of Helsinki and with ferries departing at least every hour, it is a popular day trip from the Finnish capital (or vice versa). Tallinn is also accessible by ferry from cities like Mariehamn, Finland and the Swedish capital of Stockholm.

Aside from its overland connections, Tallinn also has a relatively high-traffic international airport. There are year-round direct flights from a number of major European cities such as London, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam and more cities are served in the summer months.

The city of Tallinn itself is fairly walkable and, especially if you’re only planning on visiting the Old Town, it is entirely possible to get to a wide array of attractions on foot.

However, if you’re keen to explore some sites a little bit farther afield, there is an extensive, affordable, and easy-to-use bus and tram network.

Things To Do In Tallinn

The main sites in the Old Town including the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Patkuli Viewing Platform, and the Town Hall Square can all be seen in the span of a few hours. However, there is so much more to the city than this.

The trendy neighbourhood of Kalamaja is well worth exploring, with many nice shops, restaurants, and cafes to pop into. This is also where the popular Seaplane Harbour Museum is located, which is a great way to spend a couple of hours learning about Estonia’s maritime history.

Other points of interest outside of the Old Town include the hip Telliskivi Creative City and Balti Jaama Turg, which has both traditional market stalls and some fantastic street food.

If the weather is fine, there is a nice city beach just a short bus ride from the city centre in the suburb called Pirita. The beach also isn’t far from the great Estonian History Museum.

Tallinn has a number of great things to do, so it is easy to spend at least two days in the city — though we would recommend three or four. If you have more time, you can easily go on a day trip to Lahemaa National Park as well.

Cuisine

Traditional Estonian cuisine doesn’t vary much from that found in the other Baltic capitals. Consisting of both Eastern and Nordic influences with a heavy reliance on seafood, the cuisine of Estonia isn’t nearly as heavy as the food found in many other Eastern and Central European countries.

While traditional fare is definitely available in Tallinn, there are also some great restaurants that are doing some very cool things with the local ingredients.

There are a number of affordable eateries and street food options that have given local produce an international flair and, if you dig even just a little, you will find that you will eat very well in Tallinn.

If you are a craft beer fan, you will also be spoilt for choice in Tallinn. The city — and Estonia in general — has a thriving craft beer scene with local brews available on nearly every restaurant menu.

There are also a number of great bars, taprooms, and bottle shops dedicated specifically to Tallinn’s craft beer fetish and one could easily spend an entire weekend purely hopping from place to place sampling the eclectic and inventive breweries throughout the city.

Affordability

It can be helpful to know that Tallinn tends to be the most expensive of the three Baltic capitals.

While prices are still considerably lower than those of large Western European cities, it is worth noting that spending a significant amount of time in the Old Town is not going be much of a budget experience.

Accommodation prices in Tallinn vs Riga and Vilnius are roughly 15-20% more expensive, as are food prices. It is, however, noticeably cheaper even a couple hundred metres outside of the Old Town where we noticed that restaurant prices especially were up to 100% cheaper than in the tourist centre.

Where To Stay In Tallinn

Savoy Boutique Hotel – If you’re after a luxury stay in Tallinn, then this boutique hotel is a great choice. Centrally located in the Old Town, they have a number of plush rooms available all within easy reach of the top sites in the Estonian capital.

Bob W Telliskivi – Located near the creative city of Telliskivi, they have a range of fully-furnished apartments that is perfect if you prefer to cook some of your own meals. 

Fat Margaret’s Hostel – Located between Kalamaja and the Old Town, this hostel is a great budget option in Tallinn — offering both private and dorm rooms. Like many other homes in Estonia, they also have their own sauna on site! 

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Tallinn!

Riga, Latvia

Where Tallinn mixes medieval charms with Silicon Valley-like innovation almost seamlessly, Latvia’s capital city of Riga is a bustling metropolis filled to the brims with gorgeous Art Nouveau architecture and an inescapable energy.

Accessibility

Riga has frequent bus connections between most major Baltic cities and also cities like Warsaw and St Petersburg. There is also a daily ferry connection with Stockholm, Sweden.

Riga also has an international airport that serves as the hub to airBaltic and also welcomes budget airlines such as WizzAir and Ryanair, along with other carriers such as Norwegian, Lufthansa, and SAS. There are direct connections to Riga from most major European cities.

In the city itself, there is an extensive bus and tram network that will easily and affordably take you anywhere you might want to go. However, the centre and old town are very walkable and it is best to get around on foot.

The main bus and train stations also aren’t located far from the centre of Riga. If you plan to only spend your time here, you will likely only need to use public transport to get to and from the airport.

Things To Do In Riga

Riga is the most populous city in the Baltic states and has a much more cosmopolitan atmosphere than either of the other capitals, which is a good deciding factor if you’re finding it difficult to choose between the three capital cities. Because of its big-city vibe and history dating back a thousand or more years, there are a number of interesting and fun things to do in Riga.

The most popular area of Riga would be its Old Town, where attractions such as the Gunpowder Tower, the House of the Blackheads, and the Riga Castle draw tourists in with their historical significance and stunning architecture.

The Riga Central Market is also a fantastic place to browse through, especially to learn a little bit more about the local produce of Latvia. This is the largest market of its type in the Baltics.

While the Old Town is certainly worth wandering through, the entire central area of Riga has numerous points of interest and has the largest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture in the world.

Due to its proximity to the coast, Riga is also the perfect place to have a taste of the Baltic Sea. The popular resort town of Jurmala is only a 30-minute train ride from the city centre and can be the perfect escape.

Cuisine

Latvian food differs slightly from that of Estonia and is more heavily influenced by its Eastern neighbours rather than those to the north.

Alongside Latvian food, other cuisines you can find in Riga that aren’t as easy to find in the West are Georgian, Uzbek and Armenian, which are all popular choices amongst locals.

There are also a number of hip and trendy restaurants throughout the city which have “reimagined” traditional Latvian cuisine alongside old favourites such as the cafeteria chain, Lido.

Altogether, there are a lot of great places to eat in Riga, however, if you’re after a foodie destination with an endless choice of ultra-hip and trendy restaurants, then Tallinn might be more your speed.

Affordability

Luckily for the budget-minded traveller, Riga is quite an affordable place to travel!

Just like most every other major city in Europe, the Old Town does tend to be a bit more expensive than the other city purely because it is where most tourists tend to spend their money.

However, the prices in Riga’s Old Town are significantly less expensive when compared to Tallinn. That being said, if you’re trying to save some money, we would recommend looking for accommodation and restaurants away from the main tourist centre — it will both be more affordable and likely of better quality.

Entry into museums and historical sites in Riga will rarely cost more than €5 for a full-priced ticket and these are often up to 50% discounted if you happen to be a student, under the age of 26 or over 65. There is also ample accommodation available that will also fit any type of budget.

Where to Stay in Riga

Forums Boutique Hotel – Situated very close to all of Riga’s top attractions, this boutique hotel is a fantastic choice for those visiting the Latvian capital. They have a range of classically designed rooms available and include breakfast each morning.

Greystone Suites & Apartments – If you’re visiting Riga for a romantic getaway, then this hotel is a great option. It is centrally located and within walking distance of all of the main sites in the Old Town and Central Riga, they have a range of rooms and apartments on offer.

Cinnamon Sally Backpacker’s Hostel – Located in the centre of Riga close to the main bus and train stations and the Central Market, this small hostel is one of the best places to stay in Riga if you’re on a budget. They offer both dorms and private rooms and also organise social events.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Riga!

Vilnius, Lithuania

Lithuania’s baroque capital of Vilnius boasts one of the largest Old Towns in all of Europe, an excellent restaurant scene, fascinating history, and is even home to its own “independent republic!”

Often overlooked for its more high-profile neighbours, Vilnius is just climbing on the scene and getting some international attention for being an interesting place to visit.

Accessibility

Contrary to the other Baltic capitals, Vilnius is located about 300 kilometres inland and therefore cannot be reached by ferry. However, there are frequent direct bus and train connections from just about every major city nearby.

Vilnius also has an international airport that serves a number of major European destinations and airlines. Another popular choice for those looking for a city break in Vilnius is to fly into Kaunas airport.

Lithuania’s second-largest city is only a 1.5-hour bus ride from the capital and the airport serves mostly budget airlines from a handful of large European hubs.

In Vilnius, there is an extensive bus and tram network that is affordable and fairly easy to navigate. There are ride-share apps like Bolt that operate here, and fares are generally very affordable.

Things to do in Vilnius

Compared to Tallinn and Riga, the Old Town of Vilnius will seem positively gargantuan. As mentioned earlier, the Old Town is one of the largest in Europe and it won’t seem nearly as congested as the other Baltic capitals.

There are a number of things to do in the city, but certainly one of the best things is to just get lost and wander through the wonderful cobbled streets.

There are several lush, green parks, great streetside cafes in the summer, and interesting museums to pop into as well. Vilnius is also famous for its myriad churches, the most notable of which is the gothic St Anne’s Church, which stands in contrast to the rest of the architecture of the city.

The Republic of Uzupis, a neighbourhood on the other side of the river and within easy reach of the Old Town, is another tourist highlight, especially if you’re interested in seeing Vilnius’ alternative side.

Seen as the bohemian part of town, there is a lot of street art in this area along with some cool, independent shops, trendy cafes and craft beer bars, and some of the best restaurants in the city.

Cuisine

Much like the other capitals, it is incredibly easy to visit Vilnius and not once sample Lithuanian cuisine. There is a fantastic restaurant scene in the city and you can eat at some very high-end and innovative restaurants for much less than you would pay in Western European cities.

If it is traditional food you are after, however, you will find that Lithuanian food doesn’t differ all that much from that of its Latvian neighbours to the north. However, there is also a significant Polish influence in Lithuanian cuisine that will certainly make itself known early on.

There is also potential to eat great international food, from fantastic pizza to Georgian cuisine. Vilnius has a lot of choices and has the potential to become something of a “foodie capital” in the next couple of years, so come now before the masses discover it!

Affordability

The final straw in comparing the Baltic capitals will likely come down to affordability and for that, Vilnius will probably take the cake.

In general, prices in Lithuania’s capital are roughly 10% less expensive than Riga and 15-20% less expensive than Tallinn.

Another selling point for visiting Vilnius over the other Baltic capitals is that there isn’t much of a price difference in or outside of the Old Town. Basically, that means that you can eat or stay in there without sacrificing quality or taking a significant hit to your bank account.

Accommodation in Vilnius is also affordable with a lot of options for both the ultra-budget or the more high-end traveller.

Where to Stay in Vilnius

Hotel Rinno – Centrally located within the Vilnius Old Town, this boutique hotel comes very highly rated. They have a range of rooms on offer and also have breakfast included in the room rate.

Old Town Trio – If you’re looking for a great hotel located at the edge of Vilnius’ Old Town, then this is a great choice for you. They have a number of stylish and modern rooms to choose from and there is even an option to include breakfast!

Jimmy Jumps House/Hostel – Located on a quiet street just off the Town Hall Square, this small hostel is the perfect place to stay if you’re travelling on a budget. They have both dorm and private rooms at affordable prices and also include breakfast in the room rate. They also organise social events in the evening.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Vilnius!

Tallinn or Riga or Vilnius? The Verdict

All in all, if you’re looking for Nordic charms without making a massive dent in your bank account, then Tallinn is the choice for you.

If you love beautiful architecture and are looking to spend your weekend partying until dawn, then it’s time to book that flight to Riga!

If neither of these options appeals to you and you’re looking for the best value-for-money city break where you won’t get bored, then Vilnius certainly won’t disappoint.

No matter which Baltic capital you choose to visit, one thing is certain: you will have a hard time heading home once your short trip is over.

Choosing between Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius can be a daunting task, with each city having so much to offer travellers. If you can only choose one, take the time to figure out exactly what it is you want from a city break to figure out the best Baltic city to visit!

Are you trying to decide between Baltic capitals? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments!