Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Tartu?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Tartu?

Many travelers spend one to three days in Tartu during their visit. After all, the cultural university town has plenty to explore such as the historic old town, the nightlife scene, and the gorgeous scenery.

Located in eastern Estonia, Tartu is a beautiful university town with a lively old town and many neoclassical buildings. The city is filled with bustling streets, colorful squares, and an active student population.

Do you have one or two days to visit Tartu? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.

Is one day enough time in Tartu?

Tartu is a great place to visit if you want to avoid the tourist crowds. It has some interesting activities and attractions. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to explore the university area and other attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the cultural university town has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have one to three days to fully enjoy the historic old town, the nightlife scene, and the gorgeous scenery. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.

How to spend a day in Tartu

The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. The old town is where you'll find one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe. There is also Town Hall Square and St. John’s Quarter with many historic buildings and beautiful architecture.

A few tour suggestions include:

Charming Viljandi Walking Tour for Couples ($150)
Spectacular Christmas Walking Tour in Viljandi ($212)

This university town is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. With its huge student population, there is plenty of activity year round. The nightlife scene includes many bars, dance clubs, and pubs that are popular with students and visitors alike. You'll find large parties and music festivals throughout the year that bring crowds to the city.

Tartu is a very walkable city. With only a day in the university town, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. The city is compact with most of its sights and restaurants close together along a couple of streets.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Tartu?

Tartu is a small university town with a some good sights and activities, but still hosts a fairly small number of tourists. A weekend is just the right amount of time to see the university and other activities in Tartu. Most visitors prefer to spend one to three days here, and we have a few suggestions of things to do while you're visiting.

How to spend 2 days in Tartu

With a weekend (two to three days) in Tartu, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the university town has to offer.

After you've explored most of Tartu, take a day trip to one of the many beautiful destinations nearby.

Tartu is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. It's a beautiful city with a long history and a number of unique historical buildings.

A few tour suggestions include:

Charming Viljandi Walking Tour for Couples ($150)
Spectacular Christmas Walking Tour in Viljandi ($212)

Public transit in Tartu is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the university town quite easily. There is a comprehensive bus system around the town.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Tartu, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.