10 Things to do in Tartu That You Shouldn't Miss

June 15, 2021 Kandra Bartel

Tartu (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈtɑrtˑu], South Estonian: Tarto) is the second largest city of Estonia, after Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn.
Restaurants in Tartu

1. Typa

Kastani 48F, Tartu 50410 Estonia +372 5682 8117 [email protected] http://www.typa.ee/
Excellent
98%
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5.0 based on 111 reviews

Typa

TYPA is a design centre for print and paper art where we display a host of historic presses and traditional techniques from papermaking to letterpress book printing. Old machinery is complemented by contemporary architectural paper objects and folded designs. Artists from all around the world work in the studio and display their works in the on-site gallery. As a visitor, you will be given a tour around the centre, during which you will be able to experience work both as a papermaker and a printer. We will take you 2000 years back in history and work our way back into the modern digital world. The tour is included in the price of the ticket, lasts for about 1-1,5 h and is suitable for kids as well as adults. In addition to the tour, we can host various workshops. Ask your tour guide for more information. In our shop corner, you can find a selection of journals and notebooks that we manufacture by hand and we also take custom orders for diaries and albums, as well as custom prints.

Reviewed By Z4466OCjimc

Our guide Aydan, she is amazing and very cultivated artist. Thanks to her guiding, we discovered a lot about Heildelberg, Gutenberg and other paper printing procedures. Thanks a lot Aydan, and Typa!

2. Tartu University

Uelikooli 18, Tartu 51014 Estonia +372 737 5100 [email protected] http://www.ut.ee/index.aw/set_lang_id=2
Excellent
56%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
8%
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4.5 based on 131 reviews

Tartu University

3. Tartu Old City

Tartu 50089 Estonia http://tartu.ee/
Excellent
54%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
8%
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4.5 based on 544 reviews

Tartu Old City

Reviewed By Katja2018062018

The old town with narrow pedestrian streets has a lot of interesting places: the Leaning house-, the Kissing Students fountain , the well-restored Town hall and houses on Town Hall square, a statue of Oscar Wilde, well-preserved wooden houses of the mid-18th century - Tartu toy museum and Theatre House. No less impressive is the Toome Hill Park with memorials to the university's best persons, the Angel's and the Devil's bridges, and the Cathedral ruins in a part of which the museum of Tartu University settles.

4. Tartu Toy Museum

Lutsu 8, Tartu 51006 Estonia +372 746 1777 [email protected] http://www.mm.ee/en
Excellent
78%
Good
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Satisfactory
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4.5 based on 162 reviews

Tartu Toy Museum

Located in an old wooden building in the heart of Tartu’s Old Town, the Toy Museum transports its adult visitors back to their most joyous childhood days and offers children plenty to see and do. The permanent exhibit displays toys that children in Estonia have played with throughout the ages. The display also includes artist-made dolls, souvenir dolls from around the globe and traditional Finno-Ugric toys. The museum has play and workshop rooms, and the exhibit rooms also offer plenty to keep one busy. Alternating exhibits and children’s activities are organized at the museum. In Theatre House there is a theatre stage, Children’s Studio, and dollhouse museum. Theatre House is a unique theatre which gets its inspiration from the Toy Museum, childhood, games and memories.

Reviewed By ZaneJek - Valmiera, Latvia

The playroom was wow for our 4year old daughter! And we also liked the exposition. Good memories about our own childhood

5. AHHAA Science Centre

Sadama 1, Tartu 51004 Estonia +372 745 6789 [email protected] http://www.ahhaa.ee/
Excellent
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Good
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Satisfactory
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4.5 based on 580 reviews

AHHAA Science Centre

New temporary exhibition "Aha, Phobias!" open from 5 June! A perfect place for a family holiday, AHHAA is the biggest science centre in Estonia and the Baltic states, located in Tartu. Physics, chemistry, biology and technology have never been made so simple and fun. In addition to three large exhibition halls, you're welcome to our workshops, science theatre shows and one-of-a-kind fully spherical planetarium. AHHAA is open 363 days a year, which means you're always welcome to visit us!

Reviewed By ElisPold - Tallinn, Estonia

Us two adults went for the very first time and I gotta say we didn't expect to get stuck in there for 4 hours with so much still to see! You'll need way more time to experience all :) We loved it and had lots of fun learning new things and also reconnecting to our inner-child. The range of exhibitions and stuff to do was wide and the info about things was plentyful. This is a place for discovering through trying stuff out not just looking or reading, which was really cool. There were enough options to desinfect hands at every step also. Great place, hoping to visit again next year!

6. Tartu University Botanical Garden

Lai 38, Tartu 51005 Estonia +372 737 6180 [email protected] http://www.botaanikaaed.ut.ee/en
Excellent
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4.5 based on 288 reviews

Tartu University Botanical Garden

Come and visit one of the oldest Botanical Gardens in the world (founded in 1803). The Botanical Gardens were designed under the supervision of world-famous botanists, Prof Ledebour and Prof Bunge.The Botanical Gardens currently belong to the University of Tartu and they are used as a study base for students. The Botanical Gardens introduce new decorative plans and different methods of landscaping.Interesting facts:- there are 6500 species of plants from all climatic belts of the world in the Botanical Gardens, which makes it the most species-rich area in Estonia;- the palm house of the Botanical Gardens is the biggest in the Baltic States and also the richest in species.

Reviewed By connierideout16 - Playa del Carmen, Mexico

If you love nature, gardens and flowers be sure to wander around these gardens. Serene, well kept and filled with plants and flowers sure to make you smile.

7. Tartu Town Hall Square

Raekoja Plats, Tartu 51003 Estonia +372 744 2111 [email protected] http://visittartu.com/town-hall-square-tartu
Excellent
58%
Good
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Satisfactory
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4.5 based on 223 reviews

Tartu Town Hall Square

Tartu Town Hall Square is the trapeze-shaped central square of Tartu, surrounded by classical buildings. The current town hall is the third building that has been erected to that spot. In the 18th century, the square was the location of the most important market in the city – der Grosse Markt, or the Great Market. Since 1998, it has been adorned by the fountain known as the Kissing Students. Every day, bells ring out from the tower of the Town Hall; its 18 bells were manufactured in the bell foundry in Karlsruhe, Germany, and 16 bells were cast for the 15th anniversary of bell-ringing at the Royal Eijsbouts Belfry in the Netherlands. A yellow National Geographic window erected in the Town Hall Square represents Tartu as one of the places in Southern Estonia worth discovering.

Reviewed By grahamc894 - Dunton Green, United Kingdom

The Town Hall Square or Raekoja Plats is the place to go to appreciate the history of Tartu, Estonia's second city and home to its famous University. Tartu like Tallinn has an OId Town and a modern one, with Town Hall Square being the heart and soul of the Old Town. Buildings such as The Leaning House (1793 ) and the Kissing Students statue adorn this picturesque area which leads you into the University campus. The Town Hall ( post 1775 ) itself houses the Information Centre ( side entrance ) where you should pick up the pamphlet 'Strolls in Tartu' which will give you an excellent insight into this classicist city's history and you can follow all or parts of its recommended routes. Highly recommended and enjoy.

8. 'The Kissing Students' sculpture and fountain

Raekoja Plats In front of the City Hall, Tartu 51004 Estonia +372 744 2111 [email protected] http://visittartu.com/kissing-students-sculpture-and-fountain
Excellent
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Good
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4.5 based on 306 reviews

'The Kissing Students' sculpture and fountain

The Kissing Students' sculpture and fountain is one of the most recognised symbols of Tartu. A fountain has stood in the same place since 1948, when newlyweds and their guests would visit it for luck, and people would also take a dip in it. The sculpture was created by Mati Karmin and completed in 1998. Since 2006 the fountain has been surrounded by tiles bearing the names of Tartu's sister cities: Bærum, Deventer, Ferrara, Fredriksberg, Hafnarfjorður, Hameenlinna, Kaunas, Luneburg, Pihkva, Riia, Salisbury, Tampere, Turu, Uppsala, Veszprem and Zutphen. They are situated in the direction that the cities lie from Tartu, marking the distances.

Reviewed By PBTravelstheWorld - Woodinville, United States

Fun statue of a young couple in this University town. Right in the middle of the pedestrian district, it is a quick stop as you stroll through the town.

9. Tagurpidi Maja

Roosi 86, Tartu 51009 Estonia +372 5688 1811 [email protected] http://www.tagurpidimaja.ee
Excellent
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Satisfactory
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Poor
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4.5 based on 69 reviews

Tagurpidi Maja

Reviewed By AnureetR - London, United Kingdom

Yes besides the many Instagram likes you’ll get, this place is also a lot of fun to explore. The attention to detail, even the small ones is amazing and would definitely recommend a day trip to Tartu to see this. Would recommend going in the morning when it opens to avoid crowds in your photos inside the house.

10. Estonian National Museum

Muuseumi tee 2, Tartu 60532 Estonia +372 736 3051 [email protected] http://www.erm.ee/en
Excellent
75%
Good
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4.5 based on 226 reviews

Estonian National Museum

In Estonia’s biggest museum there’s more than ever before, and indeed more than anywhere else: more space, more stories, more information and more events. All of this provides new answers to the questions: Who are Estonians? Why are they the way they are? What do they do? What do they think? How do they express themselves? What do they look like? The museum’s exhibitions are underpinned by cutting-edge science and technology, but are all about creating mood and stirring emotions. Echo of the Urals, named Best Permanent Exhibition in Estonia 2016, introduces the culture of Estonians and the other Finno-Ugric peoples of Northern Eurasia. Encounters details the daily lives of Estonians, from the Ice Age to today. Audiovisual elements bring the exhibits to life with song and movement, while electronic information placards change languages with the touch of a keycard. This medley of history, design, art, technology and entertainment creates an engaging place for children and adults alike.

Reviewed By domil_959 - Vilnius, Lithuania

In a pleasant surrounding of great contemporary architecture you can explore truly interactive expositions and well arranged spaces, all made with care for detail and quality. Great experience design, well thought through journey for the visitor. I had pleasure exploring and not once felt bored during the 4 hour tour. Additional temporary exhibition about folk fairytales was amazingly designed to the smallest detail like handmade headphone embroidery sculptures and the space was filled with stage-design-like objects that were truly beautiful, such as large mushrooms to sit under or the ceiling of hell made of real tree roots. Worth visiting! Plan 3-5 hours, possible to have a salad lunch and coffee.

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