What to Wear in Tallinn
Estonia · 8 monthly packing guides
Tallinn runs medieval-Hanseatic UNESCO Old Town with a contemporary Estonian-Nordic minimalist register layered on top — the heritage 13th-century Hanseatic League city walls (the most-intact medieval town walls in Northern Europe, 1.85km / 1.15 miles preserved), Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats, the heritage Old Town center, hosts Christmas Market December and summer cafés May-August). Estonian Old Town walking is uneven: cobblestones throughout, slippery in rain, hill climbs to Toompea (the heritage Upper Town with Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Toompea Castle, and the Kiek-in-de-Kök tower viewing platform). Local Estonian heritage: Reet Aus (Tallinn upcycled couture since 1995 — the most-recognized Estonian designer, the heritage Estonian sustainable-fashion pioneer), Liivi Leppik knitwear, Tanel Veenre jewelry (the heritage Estonian art jeweler, sea-glass + amber + silver), Aldo Järvsoo, Kärt Ojavee textile, plus the heritage Estonian wool-knit Muhu and Kihnu island sweaters, Saaremaa juniper-wood crafts (the heritage Estonian island woodwork). The Estonian Song Festival (Laulupidu, the heritage national choral festival first held in 1869) takes place at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds; the next is in 2028, together with the youth celebration. Daylight about 18h 40m on summer solstice; sauna culture shared with Finland. Cooler than Stockholm and Copenhagen — summer means 19-22°C / 66-72°F afternoons.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach -6°C / 21°F in January; average highs reach 22°C / 72°F in July.
Compare Tallinn by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | -6°C / 21°F | -1°C / 30°F | 14 | 6h 50m |
| May packing guide | 5°C / 41°F | 15°C / 59°F | 7 | 17h 5m |
| June packing guide | 10°C / 50°F | 19°C / 66°F | 10 | 18h 30m |
| July packing guide | 13°C / 55°F | 22°C / 72°F | 9 | 17h 50m |
| August packing guide | 12°C / 54°F | 21°C / 70°F | 10 | 15h 25m |
| October packing guide | 4°C / 39°F | 10°C / 50°F | 13 | 10h 20m |
| November packing guide | 0°C / 32°F | 4°C / 39°F | 13 | 7h 40m |
| December packing guide | -3°C / 27°F | 1°C / 34°F | 14 | 6h 05m |
Choose your Tallinn packing list
Tallinn in January: -1°C / 30°F days, -6°C / 21°F nights, and six bachFest concerts in the first six days, every one after sunset.
In this capsule: Grey-blue wool wrap coat, collarless, tied at the chest, below the knee; Black fine merino roll-neck; Cream fine-knit cardigan, crew neck, wooden buttons.
Tallinn in May is late Nordic-Baltic spring — 15°C / 59°F afternoons, 5°C / 41°F mornings, 7 rain days. Daylight 17h 5m, white-night season starting; UNESCO Old Town at peak walking weather.
In this capsule: Wool sweater or merino base layer; Layered cotton tee + cardigan or button-down; Tailored trousers or dark denim.
Tallinn in June is summer solstice + Jaanipäev — 19°C / 66°F afternoons, 10°C / 50°F mornings, 10 rain days. Daylight 18h 30m peak; locals leave Tallinn June 23-24.
In this capsule: Layered cotton tee + light wool-blend or merino sweater; Tailored trousers or dark denim; Comfortable closed-toe leather sneakers.
Tallinn in July is peak Nordic-Baltic summer — 22°C / 72°F afternoons, 13°C / 55°F mornings, 9 rain days. Tallinn Maritime Days mid-July; sauna + Baltic-sea-swim peak.
In this capsule: Layered cotton tee + light wool-blend or merino sweater; Tailored trousers or dark denim; Comfortable closed-toe leather sneakers.
Tallinn in August is late Nordic-Baltic summer + Tallinn Old Town Days — 21°C / 70°F afternoons, 12°C / 54°F mornings, 10 rain days. Early-August medieval festival; Restoration of Independence Day August 20.
In this capsule: Layered cotton tee + wool-blend or merino sweater; Tailored trousers or dark denim; Comfortable closed-toe leather sneakers.
Tallinn in October: 10°C / 50°F afternoons, 4°C / 39°F nights, about 13 wet days, and an Old Town with three cruise calls all month.
In this capsule: Charcoal slim wool coat, knee length, single-breasted; Navy chunky knit, raised red rose and green leaf appliqués, red rib collar and cuffs; Sage merino long-sleeve base top.
Tallinn in November: 4°C / 39°F afternoons, 0°C / 32°F nights, rain or sleet on about 13 days, and 29 hours of sunshine in the whole month.
In this capsule: Charcoal short hooded puffer, hip length; Rust lambswool crew; Oat wool button-down shirt, chest pocket, worn open as an overshirt.
Tallinn in December: 1°C / 34°F afternoons, −3°C / 27°F nights, about 14 wet days, 21 hours of sunshine all month and the year's strongest wind.
In this capsule: Deep forest-green loden coat, stand collar, knee length; Coral-red ribbed knit cardigan, V-neck, cropped; Cream cotton-wool long-sleeve base layer.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normalsTemperatures, the 56 mm monthly total, the 30 hours of sunshine and the 3.7 m/s mean wind are the Estonian Weather Service's normals for Tallinn-Harku. The count of days with 1 mm or more was computed by NOAA NCEI from the same station's global-summary-of-the-day record, because the Estonian Weather Service's normals tables do not publish it.
- May: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normals
- June: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normals
- July: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normals
- August: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normals
- October: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normalsTemperatures and the 78 mm monthly total are the Estonian Weather Service's normals for Tallinn-Harku. The count of days with 1 mm or more was computed by NOAA NCEI from the same station's global-summary-of-the-day record, because the Estonian Weather Service's normals tables do not publish it.
- November: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normalsTemperatures, the 66 mm monthly total and the 29 hours of sunshine are the Estonian Weather Service's normals for Tallinn-Harku. The count of days with 1 mm or more was computed by NOAA NCEI from the same station's global-summary-of-the-day record, because the Estonian Weather Service's normals tables do not publish it.
- December: Estonian Weather Service (Riigi Ilmateenistus) · Tallinn-Harku · 1991–2020 normalsTemperatures, the 59 mm monthly total, the 21 hours of sunshine and the 3.8 m/s mean wind are the Estonian Weather Service's normals for Tallinn-Harku. The count of days with 1 mm or more was computed by NOAA NCEI from the same station's global-summary-of-the-day record, because the Estonian Weather Service's normals tables do not publish it.
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 8 published guides cover January, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at -6°C / 21°F, while July has the highest average high at 22°C / 72°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.