Weather lowdown
September initiates autumn in Tallinn, Estonia. The previous months of July and August were the warmest and sunniest, and also the wettest, of the entire year, but September sees temperatures decrease and cloud cover increase. That being said; it still is a great time to visit this extraordinary historic capital city. The hordes of summer tourists are gone, yet the weather is still quite enjoyable.
The average temperature in September is 12°C, which is definitely a significant drop since the 17°C average in August. The afternoons are still pleasant, though, with an average high of 17°C. At night, the mercury falls to an average low of 7°C. The beginning of the month is the warmest parteptember 1 enjoys afternoon temperatures up to 19°C. It can get chilly toward the end of the month, especially at night.
The sea temperature is well above the average air temperature this time of year, averaging 16°C, but swimming is generally not the most comfortable thing to do in September. However, the first week of the month may still have weather conditions that allow for dips in the Baltic Sea.
September is characterised by quickly decreasing day length. While September 1 has 14.04 hours of daylight, September 30 has 11.31 daylight hours. This is a decrease of no fewer than 2.33 hours, which implies that every day in September is 5.1 minutes shorter than the day before. Combined with cloud cover that increases from 79% to 88%, it can be concluded that this month is much less sunny than the previous summer months.
September receives 40mm of rainfall in total, which makes it the fourth wettest month of the year. This rainfall is spread out over 15 days. The chance that you will see some rainfall increases in the course of the month. September 1 is generally the driest day with a 60% chance, while September 30 is the wettest day with a chance of 68%. Moderate rain and light rain are the two main types of rainfall, respectively being recorded on 45% and 36% of the days with rainfall. Thunderstorms are occasionally observed as well.
For a detailed weather forecast for Tallinn, you are encouraged to visit this up-to-date page.
Where to stay
Housed in a striking building that dates from the 1930s, Hotel Palace is a great four-star hotel in the heart of Tallinn, right next to Freedom Square, the city's main square. Both the modernity of central Tallinn and the overwhelming historic charm of the Old Town lie a short stroll from the hotel's front door. In addition to the 86 comfortable rooms, Hotel Palace boasts a health centre, gym, a restaurant and meeting rooms.
When visiting Tallinn in September, you might want to enjoy the last real warm weather of the year by exploring the city on foot. Consider staying at the wonderful PK Ilmarine Hotel, which is situated close to both the Old Town and the ferry terminal that has connections to Helsinki, Finland. It has plenty of facilities, including a restaurant, fitness centre, beauty salon, parking, free Wi-Fi and meeting spaces.
Kalev Spa Hotell is a modern hotel that lies right next to Tallinn's Old Town. As a spa hotel, this is an amazing place to both explore one of Europe's most photogenic capital cities, and unwind and relax. It boasts a superb beauty and health centre as well as a gym. Additionally, there's also the largest waterpark in the northern part Estonia!
Eating and drinking out
With its exceptionally well restored medieval interior, Dominic is a so-called wine restaurant offering remarkable European dining. Located in the very heart of the Old Town, this is the place to go if you want food that's something more than the ordinary. It's a self-proclaimed wine restaurant, but there's a good reason for thathe sommelier has many of the best wines in the city.
Although it's part of a chain restaurant, Lido Solaris is a surprisingly good restaurant, respected throughout the country and other Baltic nationst's originally from Latviaor its great service, cosy décor and sheer variety of food on offer. This is a self-service buffet-style restaurant, offering no fewer than 180 dishes each and every day.
For drinks, visit the Butterfly Lounge, which is a popular cocktail bar in downtown Tallinn. Famous for its wide selection of cocktails, eclectic interior and colourful decorations, this is much visited place among young locals and tourists alike.
Things to do
One of the greatest attractions in Tallinn is the Kadriog Palace. Take advantage of the afternoon temperatures in the high 10s in the beginning of September to wander over to this spectacular 18th-century palace, built for Peter the Great. Designed by an Italian architect, this gorgeous baroque building and its huge landscaped gardens are a testimony to the extravagance, even decadence, that characterised the tsars of the Russian Empire.
Nowadays, Kadriog Palace houses the foreign collection of the Art Museum of Estonia. It exhibits many hundreds of works of art by Russian and Western artists from the 16th to the 20th century. Its collection features everything from paintings and prints to sculptures. In addition to art, make sure to visit the elaborate two-floor main hall, featuring impressive stuccos and painted ceilings. This was, in fact, the office of Estonia's president before the Presidential Palace, which is located not too far away, was finished.
Also dedicate some time to stroll around the beautifully manicured gardens around the palace. Additionally, the palace grounds house a few other museums as wellhe Mikkel Museum, the Peter I House Museum and the Kastellaanimaja Gallery, for example.
