WhereToGoForMyHoliday.com

The best destination comparison site!

WhereToGoForMyHoliday.com

The best destination comparison site!

Tallinn or Madrid, which is better for your holiday in 2024?

Madrid and Tallinn are fantastic cities, but which is better for your city-break or holiday?
We understand your dilemma. There is an abundance of travel guides for both cities, but few actually comparing them, and advising you which is the better for your trip.
This article will provide our unbiased and independent views of Madrid and Tallinn, hopefully making your choice that little easier.

The article is structured into several sections, each of which can be directly accessed through the following links:
• Introduction to the cities
• Scores and ratings
• Which one should I, friends, or family visit?
• When to visit and weather
• Who is the city suited for?
• The perfect 48hours (with map)
• Tourism details (where to stay? airport details?)

Introduction to Madrid and Tallinn

Being the original artisan city of western Europe, Madrid’s galleries and museums are unrivalled, and are a staple for any cultural holiday.
However beneath this formal exterior is a young and passionate city, with thrilling nightlife, delicious food and genuinely welcoming locals.

The visitors who rave most about Madrid are the long-stay residents – and there is something captivating about the city. The Museo del Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Bernabéu Stadium, for a different type of culture. Just avoid Madrid in August, when the entire city shuts down for the summer holidays.

You could be forgiven for thinking you'd been plucked from the 21st century and dropped back in the 1300s when you step foot in Old Town Tallinn. Cobblestone lanes braid their way through stooped taverns with drooping roofs, chimney stacks, and grey stone keeps that echo The Lord of the Rings.
Aged Toompea Hill is the anchor of it all, erupting above the capital with its muscular castles and onion-domed churches. Below, the Lower Town buzzes with energy, pitting beer bars next to Baltic eateries and church steeples.

Tallinn has also established itself as one of Europe's most cutting-edge cities in recent years. It's a digital powerhouse with start-ups and creative agencies galore. They fuel areas like Kalamaja, which is all roaster coffee joints in Soviet tenements and funky bars in rundown prisons that spill into the Baltic Sea, proving it's not all about the history in these parts…

Tallinn Estonia

Medieval towers dominate the skyline of central Tallin

Plaza Mayor madrid

The Plaza Mayor and the historic centre of Madrid

Madrid vs Tallinn: City Ratings

Summary
Where would I journey for a personal escape?
Madrid
Where would I send my parents for a memorable visit?
Madrid
Where's the ideal destination for my adventurous 19-year-old cousin?
Madrid
Where should my food-obsessed friend indulge their culinary passions?
Madrid
Note: The above comparisons are weather-independent and are based on travel during the most opportune times of the year. Details about the ideal travel seasons are elaborated upon later in this article.

In the sections that follow, you'll find a comprehensive comparison between these two fascinating cities. This includes recommendations on the duration of stay, the best times to visit, and tailored 48-hour itineraries for each city.
The final segment delves into practicalities for your travels, such as the best airport to fly into, the optimal districts for your accommodation, and insider tips, for when you come to explore the city.

We hope that you find all of this information useful, in planning your next exciting trip!

Destination details

How long to spend each city?

Tallinn might not be the biggest European capital, but it's a place that always seems to have another secret up its sleeve. Yes, two days might be enough to see the old city walls, wander Toompea Hill and sample the delights of the Estonian kitchen, but there's certainly enough to fill trips of four, five or even more nights.

Have a think about what you're after from your travels and then decide. If you're eager to squeeze in a few nights on the town (a good shout, as Tallinn is downright hedonistic), daytrips to the wonderful forests and coast swamps of Lahemaa, and a couple of the museums, you'll probably want to give yourself some extra time.

For Madrid, the length of stay greatly depends on how much you want to devote to visit the three famed art galleries (Prado Museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía), or immerse into Spanish culture. The city can be seen in two days of sightseeing, and a third day is often given to the galleries.

There are many outstanding day trips from Madrid and a trip can be easily extended to 5 or 6 days. A selection of the best day trips includes the medieval town of Segovia, charming Toledo, and the magnificent El Escorial. Madrid makes for a good base from which to explore the region, and is served by inexpensive public transport

Suur Rannavärav Tallinn

The Suur Rannavärav (Great Coastal Gate) protected Tallinn from seaward invasion

Palacio Real Madrid

The magnificent Palacio Real in Madrid

The summer is considered to be the finest time in the Tallinn. From around May onwards, the temperature picks up to the high teens and early 20s, there's more sun, and the days are longer. From June onwards, the travellers and the crowds come, lending a buzz to the bars of the Lower Town.

There's no question that Tallinn looks downright gorgeous under plumes of snow in the midwinter. Some say it's the most enchanting time of all, as the nights draw in and there's ice glinting like diamonds on the roofs of the old churches. On the main Town Hall Square, you'll also be able to enjoy the delights of the Tallinn Christmas Market from early December onwards – think handmade Estonian decorations, hot wine, and traditional pastries. Don't expect to be warm, though. The Baltic gets sub-zero and bitter winds all throughout the season.

The major consideration for Madrid, is to avoid August. The entire city shuts down for the month, and everyone heads to the slightly cooler coastal towns.
The best time of year for Madrid is late spring (Jun/Jul) or early autumn. Madrid can be surprisingly chilly in the winter, but is comparatively drier and milder than the rest of northern Europe. As Madrid is in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, it tends to get more extreme weather than the coastal cities.

Madrid is one of the finest cities in Europe. The city may not have the iconic monuments and attention-grabbing tourist attractions, but in reality, there is a lot to see during a city break.
Much of Madrid’s tourist literature focuses on the museums and galleries (which are world-class), but this should not deter you; this is a fun-loving city, which has the best nightlife in Europe. No matter your style of trip, there will be something to love about the Spanish capital.
Madrid excels as a long-stay destination, and if you can work here, the city offers the perfect work/life balance.

If you're keen to go a little off the beaten path and discover somewhere laced with rich history and culture, Tallinn is beckoning. With more and more low-cost flights now serving the local airport, a trip to this north-eastern corner of the continent isn't the chore it once was.
So, anyone eager to ditch the mainstay cities of Western Europe is in luck. Adding to that is an Old Town that's been called the best-preserved medieval quarter in the world, so there's loads for fans of original architecture and atmospheric neighborhoods.

Being so far north means there's nothing like the warmth of the Med or southern Europe up in these reaches of the Baltic. Yes, the summer months can get hot and the sea is only a stone's throw from the city, but Tallinn is hardly a beach destination.
Also remember that this is a small capital by global standards. It's certainly not the pick for anyone on the hunt for a colossal, electrifying metropolis.

Museo Nacional del Prado madrid

The Museo Nacional del Prado, is one of the finest art galleries in the world

Toompea Castle Tallinn

The Baroque wing of the Toompea Castle, is also the parliament building for Estonia

48hours in Tallinn
Wander the Lower Town, see Russian-style cathedrals, taste medieval broths in immersive eateries, gaze at the frothing Baltic waves, duck under ancient fortification walls – all that and more should be a part of any two-day itinerary for the Estonian capital…

Day 1: The Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) at the very core of the city is always the perfect place to begin. Go there and the sightseeing will start immediately. The eponymous Town Hall itself is the main attraction. It's a beautiful 36-meter structure with a tower that's topped with the Old Thomas weathervane, now a symbol of the city. You're also at the perfect starting point to get lost in the Lower Town of Tallinn.

That's the largest part of the historic center, a UNESCO site, and the place where merchants and guilds would once have plied their trade. Viru Street is one not to miss within. It's a hubbub of shops and eateries, all leading to the handsome Viru Gate, which dates all the way back to the 14th century. A whisker to the north is the Hellemann Tower, offering travellers access to a high lookout point and a 200-metre stretch of the City Walls.

Once you're back on dry ground, delve into the Lower Town once again, going north via Pikk Street. At its end you'll emerge into the hipster area of Kalamaja. Boho coffee shops and Mexican eateries combine there, but the best way to spend the evening is in the block behind Tallinn's train station, where industrial-chic cocktail bars like St. Vitus mix up creative long drinks.

Raekoja plats Tallinn

The Raekoja plats plaza is at the heart of Tallinn

Day 2: The early hours see you head above the Lower Town to Toompea Hill. Once the main keep and most fortified part of the historic city, it's still one of the most important postcodes in Estonia. On one side is the soaring Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, sporting onion domes and filigrees that evoke the Russian Empire.

On the other is St Mary's Cathedral, the oldest in the city. This is also the home of the modern Parliament of Estonia. On sunny days, the views across the historic town from Kohtuotsa are some of the best going, taking in the Paks Margareeta tower in the distance and Town Hall Square below.
Descend from Toompea and go back to the centre to find the immersive tavern of III Draakon. A fun-filled character pub, it's got food that mimics the diet of the 1400s and curt service to match. As evening draws in, pinpoint the nightlife hubs of Rataskaevu and Voorimehe for something a little hedonistic!

Tallinn view point

The view over the historic centre of Tallin

Madrid
48 hours in Madrid is not just the sights but also the atmosphere of the city. Below is an interactive tour map - day 1 is highlighted in green and day 2 in yellow, with optional sights marked grey.

Day 1 - 1) Puerta del Sol 2) Plaza Mayor 3) Plaza de la Villa 4) Mercado de San Miguel 5) Plaza de Oriente 7) Palacio Real 8) Almudena cathedral 9) Basílica de san Francisco 10) Calle de la Cava Alta
Day 2 - 11) Prado museum 12) Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum13) Museo Nacional Reina Sofía 14) Parque de El Retiro 15) Puerta de Alcalá 16) Palacio de Cibeles 17) Gran Vía 18) Malasaña district 19) Plaza de España 20) Templo de Debod

The 48 hours in Madrid begins in the Puerta del Sol, then wanders through charming streets of the El Madrid de los Austrias, which is the oldest section of the city. This leads to the Palacio Real, surrounded by its formal gardens and the Catedral de la Almudena to the south.
For the last part of the day explore the La Latina district and have a delicious tapas meal at one of the restaurants along the Cava Alta or Cava Baja. La Latina boasts numerous bars and is always a great place to start a night in Madrid.

The morning of the second focuses on the three art-museums, the Prado Museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía. Close to the museums is the pretty the El Retiro Park.
For the afternoon head down the Gran Vía, the main shopping street of Madrid, and visit the Malasaña district, with its artisan vibe, independent shops and trendy nightlife. For sunset watch it at the Templo de Debod, and then head back to Malasaña for a memorable meal and evening.

Templo de Debod madrid

The atmospheric Templo de Debod, is Egyptian temple which was moved to Madrid in 1968, due to the construction of the Aswan dam (which would have flooded the temple)

Gran Vía madrid

The Gran Vía is the bustling main avenue of Madrid

If you choose a good season to visit, then Madrid is ideal for a city break. There is just one airport severing Madrid and is only 13km from the historic centre. For onward travel take the metro (€1.50 single – 30 minutes). For flights, there is always high demand for Friday/Sunday flights to/from Madrid, so if planning a city break always book at least 6-8 weeks in advance.

On initial appearance Madrid seems to have ample supply of hotel and rental rooms, but this is slightly misleading, as the city is so sprawling.

Catedral de la Almudena madrid

The Catedral de la Almudena

For your first visit, you would want to be based in the Centro or Retiro districts, and this will limit accommodation options. If you do wish a more remote, budget option always ensure it is close to a metro station. While exploring Madrid, you will do a surprising amount of walking.

Tallinn Airport is small, but it's served by low-cost carriers coming in from Scandinavia, Russia, and Western Europe. It's only a few miles from the Old Town, and the trip can be done on bus number 2 or with a private taxi – expect to pay in the region of €7-11 for that. Other travellers might come across the Baltic on ferries from Helsinki. They cost about €20 and go several times throughout the day from the port in Finland.

For hotels, the ideal location is the Lower Town. Generally speaking, the closer you get to Town Hall Square, the pricier the establishments become. But you might not even want to be there – it's buzzy and loud. The streets further north and east are laced with other B&Bs and even hostels and are still within walking distance of the monuments. The areas of Tonismagi and Tatari are good alternatives if you're really looking to keep costs low.

The ferry terminal in Tallinn

The ferry terminal in Tallinn

Tallinn is a very safe place to travel. It's got low crime rates, and, aside from the ubiquitous pickpockets and taxi scammers, there's rarely any serious issues. Some people have reported extortion scams in nightclubs, but that tends to be limited to the more unsavoury establishments that we think it's best to avoid anyway.

Tallinn is pretty compact and small for a European capital. It's long since burst the seams of its old core, but most of the main sights, bars, pubs, cafés, and museums are still hemmed in by the medieval walls. That means you'll usually be able to walk pretty much anywhere you want. Just be wary of cyclists in the narrow Lower Town streets and icy cobbles in the winter months. Both can be dangers.

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