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Tartu (also known as Dorpat or Yuryev) [1] [2] is a Hanseatic city and a nice old university town and the second largest city in Estonia with a population of 100,000. The city is about 1000 years old - the oldest in the Baltics.

part of the old town

[edit] Understand

Tartu, lying 185km south-east of Tallinn, is also the centre of Southern Estonia. The Emajõgi River, which connects the two largest lakes of Estonia, flows for the length of 10km within the city limits and adds colour to the city. The first written records of Tartu date from 1030.

Being a student town, English is pretty widely understood. As usual the older people are more likely to only speak Estonian and Russian but most can understand you if you speak clearly.

Important Phone Numbers

Area code for phone calls from abroad: +372

• Emergency calls 112
• Police 110
• Ambulance 112
• Customs info 880 0814
• Bus station 12550
• City transport 12012
• Airport + 372 7 309 210
• Information of the city government + 372 7 361 101
• Information of South-Estonia: + 372 7 40 40 20

• Tartu Tourist Information Centre +372 7 442 111

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Tartu Airport [3] (IATA: TAY, ICAO: EETU) is located 10km from Tartu downtown. International flights include Riga and Stockholm. The airport's bus stop is located in front of the terminal. Bus travels on the route Ülenurme - Tartu City Centre. The bus fare is 15EEK (about 1EUR) and tickets can be bought from the bus driver.

Tallinn's airport is 170 km away from Tartu road by bus, car or train. Riga Airport, 250 km by Riga-Valga-Tartu road by bus or car.

[edit] By bus

Buses between Tallinn and Tartu depart several times an hour all day long. The bus journey takes a good 2 hours or more depending on road conditions; tickets cost about 9 EUR (140 EEK), discount available with ISIC card. Some buses have free wireless internet and bus attendants available. For timetables please visit Bussireisid.ee [4] or Peatus.ee [5].

N.B.: The Friday afternoon departures from Tartu to Tallinn are usually crowded during academic semester as a lot students go home for the weekend.

There are also 2 buses from Riga to Tartu, one in the morning and one in the evening.

[edit] By train

The train journey between Tallinn and Tartu takes a good three hours with the departures that stop on each station. There are two faster trains a day that make it in good two hours. The travelling times vary, however, especially in summer time when most track improvement works take place.

Paying for the first class ticket in those fast departures is worth while. In the first class you can hook up your laptop to the Internet and coffee and refreshments are served free in the bar. Limited bar services available for a reasonable price.

For timetables and other info please visit the home page of Edelaraudtee at [6] or Peatus.ee [7].

Trains to Riga were resumed in 2008, with a change on the border, at Valga. As of November 2009 the railway is under reconstruction - it's scheduled to be reopened in the beginning of 2010.

[edit] Get around

• Tourist Information Centre [8], Raekoja plats, 50089 Tartu. E-mail: tartu@visitestonia.com, tel +372 744 21 11, fax +372 744 21 11. Hours: Sat 10-17, Sun 10-16.

Tartu's Old Town is pretty much navigable by foot, but if you want to go out of Old Town, then luckily Go Bus Tartu provides a public transport service with Automen.

[edit] Public transport

As said, in Tartu public transport is provided by Go Bus Tartu. There are 19 bus lines, plus an additional 2 night lines that make a circle in Tartu (21 in one direction, 22 in the opposite). Tickets are rather cheap. Single ticket costs 13 EEK from a newsstand, 16 from the driver. 10 single tickets from a newsstand cost 100 EEK. A ticket for 1 day costs 35 EEK, 1-hour ticket costs 16 EEK. 10-day ticket costs 120 EEK. On lines 6A, 31, 32 and 33, which are being operated by Automen, the ticket costs 15 EEK.

Important lines are: 8 to Lõunakeskus and Anne Kanal(popular beach); 32 to Lõunakeskus; 5, 6 and 6A to Tartu Railway Station; 2, 3, 3A, 5, 9 and 14 to Central Market and Bus Station

Town Hall in Tartu

[edit][add listing] See

Especially worth seeing are the old town, the wooden suburbs from the past centuries around the old town, some attractive pieces of contemporary architecture and a former Soviet airfield in Raadi, north of the city.

[edit] Parks and squares

• Town Hall square in the centre. The kissing students fountain is a symbol of Tartu.
• Botanic Garden of the University of Tartu 38/40 Lai St.
• Toome Hill with many monuments, statues and historical buildings.
• Raadi Park

[edit] Churches

• St. John's Church. The probably 14th century church is famous for its thousands of medieval terracotta figures.
• Cathedral ruins, on top of the Dome Hill, are from the 13th century and were dedicated to apostles St. Peter and Paul. Today the choir part houses the Tartu University History Museum, and the towers are reconstructed to sightseeing platforms.
• St. Paul's church is an outstanding redbrick Finnish National Romanticist style building by the famous Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen. (On Riga street)
• St. Peter's Church, a Neogothic Lutheran church from 1903, is built on the grounds of the first general Estonian song festival which took place in 1869. (104Narva St)
• Roman Catholic Church is a beautiful neo-Historical redbrick building from 1899. (1 Veski St)
• St. Alexander`s Orthodox Church A two- storey church (architect V. Lunski) with cupolas inspired by the Old Russian church architecture. The congregation was driven out 40 years ago. The church was reconsecrated in summer 2003. (19aSõbra St)
• Uspensky Orthodox Church is an early classical church built in 1783 with typical Russian classical elements. It´s located on the same place as the St. Mary Magdalene Church of a Dominican cloister founded before 1300. (1 Magasini St)

[edit] Other buildings

• Vanemuine theatre (Programme at [9])
• Small Building of the Vanemuine (former German) Theatre A gorgeous Romanticist building in 45a Vanemuise St.
• Catherine´s House The Classicist style structure is built as a town palace in 1790 and houses nowadays Tartu City Museum. The building is popularly called Catherine´s House. The legend has it that Empress Catherine II made a short stay there. However, this legend is not true. Narva Road 23
• Gunpowder Cellar The Gunpowder Cellar was dug into the side of the hill in 1767 as part of the complex of the bishop’s citadel. It was used as a gunpowder cellar until 1809. Until 1982 it served as a storage room for many different enterprises, and was later developed into a eating place. Today the building hosts a beer restaurant carrying the same name.
• Tartu University. Established in 1632, it's one of the oldest universities in Europe. (Official website: [10]).The main building was built in 1804-1809 according to university architect Johann Wilhelm Krause’s plans in classical architecture. It includes the historic lock-up on the basement, Mainhall and the Tartu University Art Museum which displays ancient art. Ülikooli 18
• National Court Construction of the building began in 1763 as military barracks. Onto its ruins was built the university hospital in 1808, which functioned until 1990. Since 1993, the national court is again in Tartu, which is Estonia’s supreme judiciary court. On the Dome Hill, 17 Lossi.
• Tartu Old Observatory The observatory, designed by university architect J.W. Krause, was built at the beginning of the 19th century. Working place of many famous astronomers including Struve. The building lies on the old castle ruins on the Dome Hill. Lossi 40 [11]
• Old Anatomical Theatre One of the first buildings of the re-opened Tartu University which was built in 1803-1805 according to the drawings of university architect J. Krause. Today the visitors are offered an exhibition of the history of medicine with preparates. On the Dome Hill, 38 Lossi St.
• Aristocratic dwellings and former teacher’s college on Lai Street
• 18 Raekoja Square The late 18th century building is called the Barclay House after Duchess Barclay who bought the house in 1819 after the death of her husband, Barclay de Tolly. The longitudinal wall of the building toward the river was built on the basis of the old town wall, while the other side was built on a new foundation. This is why the house is now askew and is popularly called the Tower of Pisa.
• Remains of the Town Wall
• Angel´s Bridge on Dome Hill The Angel’s Bridge, located on Toome hill, was built in the 19th century and spans Lossi Street.
• Devil´s Bridge The Devil’s Bridge was built in 1913 in honour of the 300th jubilee of tsarist Russia’s Romanov Dynasty, which is memorialised on the bridge by the dates 1613-1913.
• Arched Bridge Stand in the main square and look towards the river, this is the Arched Bridge of Tartu. It stands on the site of the original stone bridge of Tartu which was built in 1784 and blown up by the Soviets in WWII. This new bridge is only for pedestrians and allows you to do one of the most loved cultural activities of Tartu, walk over the top of the arch after a big night in the club. Just don't let the cops catch you.

[edit] Modern architecture

During the last decade Tartu has seen several interesting pieces of modern architecture being built. They are well worth a visit and give an insight of how people in modern Tartu think and live, in addition to traditionally history-driven image of the city. Some of them are right in the city-centre. See Yellow markers on official Tartu Modern Architecture map: [12]. The map is in Estonian only, but selected images speak louder than words.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Visit this year's Tartu Hanseatic Days

Tartu Hanseatic Days - Wisdom is more than richness

17-19 July 2009

The Hanseatic Days is a summer party for the people of Tartu and also for the visitors to our city. Exciting to see and experience can be found for younger and older.

In addition to fairs and festivities, Tartu Hanseatic Days also feature various workshops where festival goers get the chance to test their creativity and skills as well as ponder over the present and the future.


As tradition goes, the festival also includes several exhibitions, concerts and dances. This year, the Museum Year and Design Year will also be reflected in the festival events.



As in the previous years, Jaani Town, River Town, the Town of Children and Future, Town Hall Town and Hanseatic Town will emerge this time as well, bearing different historical atmospheres: the Mediaeval times will be reanimated in Jaani Town, the antiquity in River Town, the present in Town Hall Town and the present as well as future in the Town of Children and Future.

Merchants and tradesmen from all over Estonia will come together and attend Tartu Hanseatic Days in order to bring to life the Hanseatic Fair. For centuries trading has united different eras and cultures.



All events are free except for evening concerts in Jaani Church and Glass Bead Game Festival.

For more information visit: [13]

• Go to a concert
• "Ekraan" is the most popular movie theatre in Tartu. It has two movie screens and first-rate Dolby SR/DTS sound system.
• Go to a nightclub: Atlantis [14]; Club Illusion [15]; Maasikas (strawbarry) [16]; Club Tallinn [17]
• Go to theatre:

Theatre House Lutsu Teatrimaja Lutsu 2 Tartu, [18] Athena - Conference and Incentive CentreKüütri 1, Tartu [19] Theatre "Vanemuine, Vanemuise 6, Tartu [20] Harbour Theatre (Sadamateater), Soola 5B, Tartu [21]

Ticket Offices: Theatre and Concert Ticket Office Piletipunkt: [22]Vanemuine 6, (+372) 737 7537; Tartu Department Store (+372) 731 5040; Eeden shopping centre, (+372) 740 2430;

• KGB Museum, Riia 15b, ☎ 7461717, [23]. This nondescript building was known as the Gray House and was the headquarters of the Estonian KGB. It tells the story of how the prisoners were treated there, and some stories about the Estonian resistance heroes, the Forest Brothers. The museum is small and does not have a very big sign, so look carefully.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit] Tartu Kaubamaja

Tartu has a new department store "Kaubamaja" [24] since January 2006. Kaubamaja has a great location - it's 100 metres from the Bus Station. It has several floors full of fascinating things to buy. "Kaubamaja" belongs to Kaubamaja concerne.

[edit] Lõunakeskus

Tartu's first big shopping centre was Lõunakeskus [25]. There is a wide range of small boutiques, as well as a big department store Maksimarket. To get there, take bus no. 18 from the city centre. Bus schedules and a map are here: [26].

[edit] Annelinna keskus

At Annelinn, a small suburb of Tartu, there is a big shopping centre Annelinna Keskus [27]. There is a Selver [28](big department store), as well as clothes shop, lots of small boutiques and other small shops. You can get there by taking bus 1, 5, 15, 17 from the city centre, just opposite the Kaubamaja.

[edit] Other department stores

Eeden (buses 1, 3, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16A, 17 stop Emajõe), [29]

Selver (expressbus 33), [30]

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Mid range

• Püssirohukelder (built inside an ancient gunpowder cellar), [31].
• Tsink Plekk Pang (chinese food, also home delivery), [32].
• Krooks (English style pub), [33].
• Suudlevad tudengid, [34].
• Catwalk, [35].
• Gruusia Saatkond, [36].

Pizza parlors:

• Pizzeria La Dolce Vita, [37]. Kompanii 10
• Ruuni Pizza, Rüütli 2.
• Opera Pizza, [38]. Vanemuise 26
• Pappa Pizza, [39]. Riia 7
• Taverna Restaurant/Pizzeria, [40]. Raekoja plats 20

[edit] High-End

• Eesti Restoran, [41].
• Atlantis, [42].

[edit][add listing] Drink

In a typical pub, a 0.5l/16oz beer usually costs 30-35 EEK (1.9 to 2.3 EUR). Almost all popular beers are near or more than 10-proof (5% alcohol content).

[edit] Budget

• Pub "Zavood" Lai 30 [43] Legendary meeting place for students and alternative fashion people. Popular amongst foreingers
• Jazz Club "Illegaard" Ülikooli 5 [44]
• Rock Pub "Underground" Küütri 7 [45]
• Rock Pub "Krooks" Jakobi 34 [46]

[edit] Mid range

• Beer Colors Place [47]
• Café Crepp (french-themed, serves delicious pancakes) [48]

[edit] Clubs

• Club Rock & Roll Tiigi 76A [49]
• Club Tallinn
• Club Illusion

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• "Hotel Dorpat", Soola 6. In 2007 spring opened hotel has 200 standard rooms (twin/double/single) and 5 business class rooms. Twin/double room cost is 1160EEK/74EUR per night. Including rich breakfast buffet. Situated on the banks of the Emajõgi River in the heart of the city, near bus station. [50].

[edit] Budget

Currently there are no "Hostelling International Youth Hostels" in Tartu however there are various other possibilities for cheap accommodation.

• Hostel Terviseks, Ülikooli 1, [51] The only backpacker style hostel in Tartu, owned and run by a Canadian and Australian, a relaxed little place full of useful information (200-250EEK/night 6 bed dorm). Located in the middle of the Old Town.
• Hotell Tartu, Soola 3. Has dormitory rooms with 3 bed in each for 300EEK a night. Situated right across from the bus station [52].
• Hostel Tartu Student Villa, Tähtvere 48 [53] (300 EEK/night) Self-service accommodation in apartments with all comforts.
• Tartu Student Village, 3 different locations: Raatuse 22, Narva mnt. 27 and Pepleri 14, [54]. Has some single rooms available available. Best rooms go quickly so book ahead.
• Hiie Maja B&B, Hiie 10, [55]. Offers individual beds or entire rooms, possibility to bring your own tent also.
• Guesthouse Kastani, Kastani 3, [56]. (350EEK/night single). Small guest house situated on the other side of the cathedral hill. Lady who runs it speaks a little English but she is delightful and you can communicate without too much hassle. Best to email ahead.

[edit] Get out

From here you might wander northwest Tallinn, west Pärnu, northeast Narva or southwest to Riga through Valka/Valga.