Visit Tartu

City of good thoughts

Tartu is a unique university and cultural city in southern Estonia, and the country's second-largest city. Year-round, you'll find a rich calendar of cultural events and festivals, distinctive local markets, and plenty more to explore and enjoy.

Wander through Tartu's Old Town and discover architectural styles spanning from the Middle Ages to sleek modern design. This youthful, safe city — compact enough to explore with ease — is ideal for families traveling with children.

Immerse in Estonian culture

Tartu's most famous symbol as a city of culture is, without question, the University of Tartu. As befits a true student town, great ideas are born here — you can feel it in the bohemian atmosphere, the distinctive street art, and the charming wooden-architecture neighborhoods.

One of the cornerstones of Tartu's cultural life is undoubtedly Vanemuine Theatre, home to three genres side by side: drama, dance, and music. Beyond theatre experiences, the city also boasts numerous museums. Well worth a visit are the University of Tartu Museum, housed in the historic Dome Church ruins on Toome Hill, the Tartu Observatory, and the local A. Le Coq Beer Museum. The grandest of them all, though, is the Estonian National Museum, which offers a fascinating look into the everyday life, culture, and traditions of Estonians and other Finno-Ugric people. Just outside Tartu, you can get up close with aircrafts at the Estonian Aviation Museum, explore rural life at the Estonian Agricultural Museum, and come face-to-face with a life-size mammoth at the Estonian Ice Age Centre.

What's happening in Tartu?

Exciting events, concerts, festivals, and markets take place in Tartu all year round. If you're looking for inspiration on what to see during your visit, check out the Culture Window (Kultuuriaken) on the Tartu city website, where all the activities happening in and around Tartu are gathered in one place.

You can also find inspiration on Tartu city's Instagram accounts, @tartukorraldab and @visittartu.

Shopping in Tartu

Tartu offers plenty of options for shopping. In its shopping centers and boutiques, you'll find everything from local handicrafts and eco-friendly products to creations by world-renowned and local clothing brands. Many shopping centers also offer dining, beauty, and entertainment services alongside shopping.

The largest shopping centers in Tartu are Tasku, Lõunakeskus, Kvartal, and Tartu Kaubamaja. By the way, Tasku shopping center is located right next to Hotel Dorpat.

For products by Estonian designers, check out places like HOPP Design Gallery, LEVI Design Store, and Kiiks ja Knihv.

Exploring Tartu with family

Wther your young or a bit older, you'll will find plenty of discovery and fun at the AHHAA Science Centre and Aura Water Park, located only afew steps from Hotel Dorpat. A bit further from the hotel, you'll find Tagurpidi Maja (the Upside-Down House), Tartu Adventure Park, Estonian Sports and Olympic Museum, the Tartu Toy Museum, and a variety of escape rooms. Just a 10-minute drive from Tartu is Lange Motorsport Centre, home to southern Estonia's longest go-kart track and a modern motocross track.

During summer, the Pegasus River Boat invites you and your whole family to sail along the Emajõgi River, taking in the city from a whole new perspective.

Be sure to check out our packages, where we've combined accommodation with a range of exciting family adventures.

How to move around Tartu?

Tartu is compact enough that, if you like, you can get from one point to another entirely on foot. The city of Tartu has even created a handy walking map for pedestrians.

If you'd rather get around on wheels, Tartu has its own bike-share system, as well as Bolt e-scooters and bicycles.

Tartu also has a convenient and reliable bus network. You can read more about Tartu's city bus lines here. The bus stops closest to Hotel Dorpat are Turu, Soola, and Kesklinn. When traveling by city bus, you can also use the dedicated app.

There are several taxi providers in Tartu — the most popular being Bolt, where you can conveniently order a taxi through the mobile app. You can read more about other taxi providers (such as Elektritakso, Forus Takso, Takso Üks, and others) here.