Visit Tartu

Tartu, with its population of around 100,000 in an area of 154 square kilometres, is the second largest city in Estonia. The first written records of Tartu date from 1030, making it the oldest city in the Baltic States. Tartu has played an important role in the development of Estonian culture and national consciousness: the first national elite stemmed from the local university, the first newspapers and cultural societies, the first national theater – all began their work here, and the first national song festival took place here as well.

Tartu has all the best of the globally new but with the local advantage – the costs are lower, security is higher and the air is cleaner than in Tallinn, Helsinki or New York. The city successfully combines modern infrastructure and facilities with a green and friendly environment. A serene park with medieval ruins and a river running through the city give it a romantic allure. Part of its appeal is the way Tartu blends old and new – walking through the city, one can literally touch its history, at the same time feeling a renewed energy and curiosity about what the future will bring.

At every corner in Tartu, there are concert venues, exhibition halls, theatres, churches, museums and charming little cafés as well as various pubs and restaurants. An inseparable part of the city is its students who comprise around a quarter of the population and generate a lot of fun and energy. There is a lively cultural scene with something for every taste as exciting events and festivals take place all year round.

All the exciting facts and best tips for a memorable vacation in Tartu can be found on this website as well as on our social media accounts. Use #visittartu to find content or share your own wow moments.

Smart Bike Share https://ratas.tartu.ee

From June 2019, Tartu has a bike share system, comprised of 750 bikes in 94 bike share stations across the city and nearby municipalities. A total of 500 bikes are electric and the remaining 250 are regular bikes. Tartu Smart Bike share system is included into city’s public transportation network which gives the city a modern and integrated public transportation network, where users will be able to combine bicycle riding with bus rides.

Top places not to miss…

Science centre AHHAA https://www.ahhaa.ee/en

Estonian Nationa Museum https://erm.ee/en

Upside Down House https://tagurpidimaja.ee/en

Tartu Toy Museum https://www.mm.ee/en

The Estonian Sports and Olympic Museum https://www.spordimuuseum.ee/en

The Museums of the University of Tartu https://muuseum.ut.ee/en

TYPA printing and Paper Arts Centre https://typa.ee/en/

A.LeCoq Beer museum https://ollemaailm.alecoq.ee/en/

To get to know City of Good Thoughts Tartu go to the homepage – https://visittartu.com