Riga vs Tallinn, which city break should you choose to visit in 2025?
As Baltic neighbours, the capitals of Estonia and Latvia are often (and some might say unfairly) pitted against one another. Offering their own unique experiences to tourists, I would argue that both Riga and Tallinn are well worth a visit, as standalone destinations in their own right.
If time doesn’t allow for a double city tour, however, I’ve compiled a pros and cons list to visiting both cities. Dependent on whether you’re looking for a break with friends, or a romantic escape, a budget weekender or a lavish Christmas adventure, each city can offer something different to suit tastes and needs.
Tallinn, a tourist hot spot in summer, offers a picture-perfect Old Town and is a city for those looking for romance and beauty. Riga, on the other hand, is a cosmopolitan city offering brilliant dining and drinking options, making it an ideal trip with friends.
Want to learn more? Read on to find out my thoughts on Riga vs Tallinn – and I promise, I will provide a definitive verdict.
Riga vs Tallinn: Which City is Best to Visit in 2025?
1. Is Riga or Tallinn prettier?
Let me start by saying that both Riga and Tallinn have incredibly beautiful Old Towns. Offering perfectly preserved merchant houses, cobbled streets and atmospheric cafes, you’re not going to be disappointed by either city when it comes to how photogenic they are.
I have to say, however, that Tallinn’s UNESCO recognised Old Town swung it for me in terms of prettiness. Dating back to the 13th century, the city offers the beautiful Toompea on the top of the hill, with breathtaking lookout points over the city and to the Baltic sea. Pikk Street, the city’s Old Town thoroughfare, is also overwhelmingly beautiful, and if you catch it on a quiet morning, you’ll feel like you’re walking a film set.
It’s not just the Old Town of Tallinn that’s pretty, however – the newer parts of the city, such as Telliskivi, are also colourful and fun, in a more urban and modern way. If you enjoy street art, make sure you head to this area/
Verdict: Tallinn for fairytale prettiness and magical views at sunset.
Which is cheaper – Riga or Tallinn?
One of the main questions you may have when deciding whether to visit Riga or Tallinn is which city is cheaper. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice a particular difference in price between the two cities and this applies to accommodation, food, transport and shopping. At a push, I would say that Riga was a little cheaper but nothing that would make me say it’s far more budget friendly. Indeed, if you’re looking for something super cheap but beautiful, I would instead consider a city like Gdansk.
During my visit to both Riga and Tallinn, I stayed in 5* hotels, which were incredibly well priced. In Riga, we stayed at the fabulous Grant Poet Hotel and in Tallinn I stayed at the beautiful Schlössle Hotel.
One thing I did note is that whilst we visited Riga during the Christmas markets, the hotel remained a very reasonable price. Hotel Schlössle, however, almost triples in price over the festive period. If you’re thinking about staying somewhere 5* therefore, consider the time of year that you’re visiting, as you may find accommodation in Tallinn very expensive.
In terms of food and shopping, I found both cities pretty comparable in price – with again, perhaps Riga being that little bit cheaper when dining in restaurants. Looking at my Monzo, I spent around 30% more on food in Tallinn than I did in Riga.
Verdict: Riga (particularly accommodation during peak seasons).
Which has more to see – Riga or Tallinn?
Riga is by far the larger, more cosmopolitan city, with more than enough to see and do. I visited Riga with a group of friends, and the city was ideal for rooftop cocktails, shopping and dining, as well as sight seeing.
Tallinn, on the other hand, is more compact and the focus is very much on the Old Town and nearing districts. Having said that, however, I found the sights of Tallinn incredibly interesting and I felt like I actually had more to see and do in the city than in Riga.
I think perhaps they are cities that meet different needs and desires. Riga, for example, was ideal for a Christmas break with friends, and we enjoyed exploring the bars and restaurants of the city, as well as the festive markets. The city also has a much larger and varied club and bar scene.
Tallinn, however, was a romantic break away with my husband, which not only gave us a fairytale Old Town but also plenty of history and culture. I have an interest in Soviet history and found the KGB cells in Tallinn, and the associated (dark) history that came with that era, incredibly fascinating. In this sense, which has “more to do” really depends on your interests and who you’re travelling with.
For me, Tallinn’s medieval charm, up and coming areas such as Telliskivi and its soviet past made it a city that had more to meet my interests.
Verdict: It depends on your tastes and who you’re travelling with. You won’t be short on things to see or do in either Tallinn or Riga.
Which has the best Christmas markets – Riga or Tallinn?
Although there is no denying that Tallinn’s Christmas markets are incredibly beautiful, they also come with the crowds. Recognised by both Forbes and European Best Destinations as one of the top Christmas Markets in Europe, this has resulted in a tourist surge.
When we visited Riga’s Christmas Markets, however, we were incredibly surprised to discover quiet, understated yet beautiful markets, complete with original Latvian products. I was so enamoured, I even dedicated a blog post to why I think Riga’s Christmas Markets are the best in Europe.
As mentioned above, we also heard that Tallinn’s accommodation during the Christmas markets sky rocket, whereas Riga’s hotels remain incredibly affordable. Of course, if you really can’t decide, you could embark on a tour of the Baltic Christmas Markets, even throwing in Vilnius if you want to tick all 3 off at once.
Both cities run their Christmas Markets from late November through to early January, which means you can also visit them post Christmas, to keep the festive spirit alive.
Verdict: Riga for less crowds and cheaper accommodation.
Is Riga or Tallinn most romantic to visit?
This is an easy one to answer – Tallinn is, hands down, the most romantic city to visit.
The Old Town, with its cobbled streets, flickering street lamps and cosy restaurants make it an ideal romantic break. Admittedly, I did travel to Riga with a group of friends, so wasn’t looking for romance, but it definitely felt more like a city you’d go for cocktails and fun.
In fact, I wasn’t expecting Tallinn to be as romantic as it was, and I’m now suggesting it to all my weary parent friends as an excellent, achievable and affordable escape from the kids.
Verdict: Tallinn
Is Riga or Tallinn better for shopping?
Although Riga is a larger city, I actually found shopping for authentic goods easier in Tallinn. In Riga, we did explore lots of independent shops selling Latvian goods but, surprisingly, found most of them were selling UK brands. I was actually surprised at how little there was to buy from the independent stores, which was a little disappointing. The one exception to this was the brilliant stalls and shops in the Āgenskalna Market, which is home to local products from traders, producers and farmers.
In Tallinn, however, the shops were truly unique, with beautiful gifts and food options available to take home. I highly recommend picking up a pot of the blueberry jam! There was also a huge array of unique concept stores in the Telliskivi area, which had quirky products on offer, including clothes and art stores. The shop within Fotografiska is also brilliant, for any photography lovers.
Verdict: similar offerings but I bought more in Tallinn.
Do Riga and Tallinn have different weather?
Despite Estonia and Latvia being close neighbours, their climates are slightly different. You’ll find that Riga will be a few degrees warmer than Tallinn in the winter due to Tallinn’s northern, coastal location. I definitely discovered this when visiting Tallinn in March, when it was actually colder than Riga had been in December.
Both, however, are pretty similar with pleasant long summer days, and cold, often snowy winters. When we visited Riga, we were a little disappointed to find very little snow and locals told us that the winters are becoming milder, with less snow as a result of climate change.
Is Riga or Tallinn easier to get around?
Both Riga and Tallinn are easy to get around, with most places walkable or easy to get to by public transport or using a Bolt taxi.
Tallinn, however, is far more compact and easier to walk around, if you want to avoid public transport. In fact, we only used public transport once in Tallinn, and even the destination we went to would have been walkable. Riga is a far bigger city, so using transport is necessary for certain destinations if you’re staying in the centre of the city, such as the beautiful National Library of Latvia or Āgenskalna Market. These are both across the river from the Old Town and would have taken over 50 minutes to walk to, had we chosen to go by foot.
Which has better nightlife? Riga vs Tallinn
It’ll come as no surprise that Riga, as the larger city, offers more in terms of bars and clubs for its visitors. When I visited with a group of friends, we made the most of the colourful nightlife scene and enjoyed many cocktails at different bars across the city. One of our favourite spots was the Skyline Bar, which is located on the 26th floor of Radisson Blu Latvija Conference and Spa Hotel.
We sipped the countries signature drink – Black Balsam cocktails, as we watched the festive lights of the city twinkle below us.
Watch our review of Skyline Bar, Riga:
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Riga vs Tallinn: which has better restaurants?
As a larger, more cosmopolitan city, Riga does offer more in terms of restaurants. As a city that’s not simply geared around tourism, Riga has some brilliant dining options and we really enjoyed trying to Latvian food on offer. Traditional dishes that you must try include warming stews, pelmeni dumplings, cold soup and delicious, home cooked rye bread.
Our favourite restaurant in Riga was Dom, which is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. This incredibly photogenic restaurant offers the cosiest, loveliest spot for dining and we enjoyed traditional game main courses, such as oven-baked partridge or slow cooked rabbit. The desserts are also delicious, and I highly recommend the Latvian traditional wedding cake.
Tallinn, however, still has some brilliant dining options and I highly recommend booking a table at Restaurant Rataskaevu 16 for high-quality, authentic Estonian food. Be sure to order the traditional Estonian bread pudding for dessert, which is out of this world. If you’re looking for something a little quirkier, you must also pay a visit to Olde Hansa.
Olde Hansa is something of an institution in Tallinn, offering diners the opportunity to experience a 15th century feast in an old merchant’s house. Expect candle light dining over dishes such as Elk, Wild Boar and even Bear (although, I couldn’t personally bring myself to try it). I was worried this would be a bit of a tacky, tourist-focused experience but our dinner at Olde Hansa in Tallinn was probably my favourite experience of the whole trip.
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Riga vs Tallinn: My Favourite
I adored my visits to both Tallinn and Riga – both cities providing the ideal long weekend break. If I had to pick a favourite, however, I would choose Tallinn.
For me, this more compact city made for an easy, slow and romantic break amongst its pastel coloured Old Town and breezy Baltic shores. I adored wondering the streets of the Old Town by day, and then eating and drinking up a storm in its thriving new urban areas such as Telliviski by night. I also found the concept stores in Tallinn to be better than in Riga, where I was able to buy more authentic Estonian goods.
Having said that, however, I do think that it really depends on what type of break you’re looking for. Riga, for instance, was ideal for both a Christmas escape and a trip with friends. Furthermore, with the cruise liners rolling in to Tallinn in the summer months, I’m sure those empty cobbled streets of Tallinn will be a very different experience later in the year.
So, perhaps, take my experience and views of the cities with a pinch of salt – both destinations are fantastic but on this occassion, Tallinn stole my heart.
Verdict: Tallinn for the best city break in 2025.
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