10 Best things to do in Tartu
In June 2022 we made a 2-week road trip in the Baltic States. We started in Vilnius (Lithuania), rented a car, and explored as much as we could on the way to Tallinn (Estonia) while stopping by Latvia.
Tartu was our 1st stop in Estonia during our 10th and 11th day of travel in the Baltic states.
Tartu is a small city even though it ranks 2nd in Estonia. It has 91 407 inhabitants for 38.80km².
Tartu is one of the most famous cities in Estonia due to its 17th-century University of Tartu. But it is also known for its cafe-filled Town Hall Square, home to the Kissing Students fountain. And its ruined Tartu Cathedral, in hilltop Toomemägi Park.
If you too are planning a trip to the Baltic states and to Tartu, then let ‘s dive in these best things to do in Tartu.
Table of Contents
Mapping the day
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Getting there
Getting to Tartu is quite easy. If you are coming by car then all the main road in Estonia and Latvia are leading there.
But you can also get there by public transportation. You can fly to Tartu Airport from all the main nearby airports (Tallin, Riga, Vilnius, Helsinki…). From there you can take the Airport Shuttle Bus that departs about 15 minutes after a plane lands. The shuttle will drop you off at any place in the city, and a ticket costs €5.
You can also use local bus. The station is located in the city center and there are more than 50 buses that run between Tallinn and Tartu per day. You can check here for Estonia or there for international routes.
Or there is always the train option, Tartu Railway Station is located in a historical station building 1.5 km from the city centre, and daily train service operates on the routes to Tallinn, Valga and Koidula. You can check more here
Moving Around
Once in the city center, as it is quite small. You can walk from place to place. Even if you opt to do a bit more than our main guide. The additional places are not too far out.
When to Visit
You can visit Tartu all year round but be aware that temperature varies from the extreme 30°C in summer to freezing -25°C in winter. Also, the length of the day varies a lot from 4h in winter to almost 18h in summer.
The touristic season is mostly July and August and is made of local tourism. Generally, the Baltic states are not the most touristic countries in the world nor in EU.
The best time to visit it in term of weather are from May to September but we would without a doubt recommend June as the best month to visit it. Out of 16 days in the Baltic states, we only got 2 of them with rain. It wasn’t yet too hot and wasn’t too cold and really enjoyed it.
Where to Stay
We stayed 1 night in Tartu which gave us plenty of time to explore the city. The first visited some part when we arrived in the afternoon and then the next morning. As we stayed only one night, we used a street parking right in front the hotel we stayed.
- (€): Looming Hostel
- (€€): Estonishing Stay Premium Lofts
- (€€€): Antonius Hotel
What to Eat
While we were in Tartu, we found out a nice place to try out: Gunpowder Cellar of Tartu, a unique beer restaurant located in an historical cellar made of brick arches with 300 years of age and 10.2m of height. It is the highest pub ceiling in the world.
Best things to do in Tartu
Town Hall square
One of the best things to do in Tartu is to start with the really cute town hall square. A place filled with bars and restaurants on each side and a venue for numerous festivals like Tartu Hanseatic Days. At the end of the square, you can find a national geographic sign to see where the photo they featured.
The Kissing Students
This fountain located on the town hall square is one of the most recognised symbols of Tartu. Built in 1948, it was especially used by newlyweds who sought to find luck for future when standing there.
Tartu city center
From the town hall square, you can just stroll around the city center. Walk in the small streets for a while, cross the bridge to visit Ulejoe park.
University of Tartu
The University of Tartu is the oldest and largest higher education institution in Estonia and has been the centre of Estonian academic life for almost four centuries. The building is one of the most notable examples of classical style in Estonia. Built in 1632 under the Swedes Rule in Estonia.
St. John Church
Every visit in a city deserves a visit in the local church. St. John’s Church is a Brick Gothic Lutheran church dedicated to John the Baptist.
Botanical Garden of the University of Tartu
The botanical garden was one our best things to do in Tartu. The University of Tartu Botanical Garden offers a free botanical garden outside and a paid entrance one inside.
There are more than 10,000 species and varieties of plants in the garden. In addition to natural plants, including rare, protected plants, it also has new decorative plants. In the greenhouses, rainforest and desert plants can be seen.
We only did the part outside and it was already amazing and super HUGE!
Toomemägi / Cathedral Hill Park
Toomemägi is the small hill in Tartu. It is also known as Cathedral hill park. Toomemägi is site of Tartu’s beginnings. By the 7th century CE, local inhabitants had built wooden fortifications on the east side of Toomemägi. In medieval times, there was also a bishop’s castle.
Tartu Rivik Church
Tartu Rivik Church or Tartu Cathedral or Dorpart Cathedral is a former Catholic church and is now only a ruin. It is the top things to do in Tartu.
There are 3 things to see at this stage. The ruins of the cathedral (free), the towers (paid entrance) and the museum of the University of Tartu, which the university also uses for major receptions
More things to do in Tartu
If you want to do more things to do Tartu, here are 2 other spots we had on our list:
- Supilinn: a unique district where wooden buildings with colourful decorations can be seen.
- Jänese matkarada: Walk along the river in Tartu and get to the park in the north where you can even swim.
An incredible 1-day Tartu Itinerary
- Start with the Town Hall square
- Stop by the The Kissing Students
- Enter inside the University of Tartu
- Visit the St. John Church
- Admire the Botanical Garden of the University of Tartu
- Walk to Toomemägi / Cathedral Hill Park
- Enjoy the Tartu Rivik Church
“Pill tuleb pika ilu peale” – don’t have too much fun, there will be tears later
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