Restored neighbourhoods and a wild past: a self-guided journey through Kopli
Kopli is a hidden treasure worth visiting all year round, with a fascinating industrial legacy that’s visible in its unique housing and city planning dating back to the early 20th century. Today, Kopli is also a developing cultural hub with concerts and events, restaurants, cafes and bakeries, and shops.
This guide combines walking directions with descriptions and historical context, allowing you to set your own pace while you learn about the urban nature, architecture and history of Kopli peninsula. The walk in Kopli is around 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) long and will take between 1 to 1.5 hours to complete, depending on your pace.
Here's a teaser for what you'll see and do on your journey:
- Begin your journey from Balti Jaam and hop on a tram towards Kopli - an area with a wild past and one of Tallinn's best kept secrets.
- See the regeneration of Kopli in the Kopli Liinid neighbourhood and seaside promenade.
- Take a stroll through Kase Park and discover its ice age legacy.
- Then head to Põhjala tehas for a good meal, some rest and some local retail therapy.
In addition to the main route, you’ll get recommendations for more places to see and experience, if you feel like expanding your journey.
Starting point: Balti Jaam
Your journey starts at the main train station in Tallinn, which the locals call Balti Jaam. Across the street lies the aptly named Balti Jaam Market and next to it, to your right when coming from the train station, is tram stop Balti Jaam. Take any tram (numbers 1, 2 or 5) in the direction Kopli.
These three tramlines will take you to the tip of the Kopli peninsula, until the final stop also named Kopli, where you can set off on your self-guided walk. The journey from Balti Jaam to Kopli takes around 15 minutes by tram.
Transport tickets: The easiest way to travel on public transport in Tallinn is to tap your contactless payment card on the validator at the front entrance of the vehicle at the start of every ride. A single 1-hour ticket is €2, and the maximum you pay in a day is €5.50, which means no more money will be taken from your account. Read more about public transportation in Tallinn.
Discover more: On the way to or from Kopli, it is worth making a quick detour at Volta stop to explore the area of the former Volta Factory and the quickly developing Krulli Quarter. The former industrial area is also home to popular eateries such as The Kurze with Dagestani roots and restaurant Sadu for Korean flavours, which shares its space during lunch hours with café-restaurant Raba.
Arrive at Kopli and set off on your walk
This walking journey starts right at the final tram stop at Kopli. As you get off the tram, take the road to your right - a large yellow building will be to your left and the quaint wooden church, Saint Nicholas, to the right side of the road. The path turns right after you've passed the church - continue along the cobblestone road.
Continuing along the road, you’ll find yourself next to a railroad, and the path will continue across it on the other side, down a small hill. Don’t hesitate to cross the railway but take care not to trip. The railroad is currently not in use, although it's always a good idea to be careful when crossing.
Coming down the hill, you’ll notice the ruins of a large wooden building. The only parts of it still standing are the stone staircases and chimneys. This used to be a dormitory for the single men working in the nearby shipyards. The building used to also house a laundry. Once, an identical house stood next to it further towards the seashore and functioned as a school for local children.
Explore Kopli liinid and the seaside promenade
As you walk past the wooden building towards the sea and head right, you’ll soon reach a paved seaside promenade with benches to enjoy the serene view of Tallinn Bay.
The neighbourhood of wooden houses to your right were originally built in the beginning of the 20th century. The area is known as Kopli liinid (Kopli lines) and the buldings first housed families who worked for the shipyards.
These buildings sadly became run down during the soviet era and instead of shipyard workers, the inhabitants of Kopli liinid were a colourful mixture of people. The most famous person who grew up in Kopli is Tommy Cash, an internationally popular musician and visual artist who is set to represent Estonia in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest with his earworm "Espresso Macchiato".
The restoration of the neighbourhood began in the 2010s and is still ongoing. The houses with a modern exterior are completely new, built on the locations of houses that had burned down and could not be renovated. Their black colour symbolises ash and the fate of the previous houses. The white houses have been rebuilt around the original surviving stone staircase. Some houses, however, were in good enough condition to be renovated – these houses are coloured red, yellow, or green.
When you reach the end of the promenade, head up Sepa street with modern buildings to your left and wooden houses to the right. At the end of the street you'll reach a crossing of roads and a railroad. Cross the railroad tracks and then head left at the crossing towards Kase park.
Take a stroll through Kase park
Kase park is a fascinating piece of urban nature. Named after the old birch trees that give the park an air of magic, you’ll also notice large stones on the ground. These are naturally occurring boulders – a remnant of the last Ice Age. When the ice retreated, it shifted the terrain under it, moving huge stones from the current lands of Finland into Estonia. This means that these stones have stood here in Kopli for over 10,000 years!
Kase park therefore has a rich prehistory, but its recent past is just as colourful.
Kopli is a fast-changing area with a lot of urban development and new housing. However, even around 10 years ago, the district of Kopli could be quite dodgy, with criminal activity being common. Kase park was no exception and was at one point known by locals as the “run or die” park, where the safest way to traverse it was to run through as fast as you could. Nowadays it is a clean, quiet park loved by local families. The park has coffee machines, ample seating areas and a skatepark and playground for kids.
Once you’ve passed through Kase park, cross the street by the tram stop named Marati, turn left, and take the first street on your right - Marati street - towards Põhjala tehas.
Take a break at the Põhjala factory area
Marati street was named after the French revolutionary politician Jean-Paul Marat – another indication of Kopli’s industrial roots. At the end of the street lies Põhjala tehas (Põhjala factory), a former industrial building complex that has housed many factories throughout its existence, most famously the Põhjala rubber factory. Other industries also had their production buildings in the same area. Most famously Lorup (later Tarbeklaas) glass manufacture and the Bekker shipyard.
Today, Põhjala is a popular cultural hub housing many local designers and artisans. Take a look inside the numerous design and art studios, shop for clothes, freshly roasted coffee or even designer baby accessories.
The area is home to one of the most popular bakeries in Tallinn – Karjase sai. Don’t be put off by the queue that has usually formed by the door. The wait is usually quick, and the pastries are definitely worth it. For a more substantial meal, head to Kopli Köök, a popular lunch spot in the main building of Põhjala. The interior alone makes this place worth a visit – the eclectic retro style perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Kopli’s industrial past.
One of the most instagrammable places in Põhjala is the ReaD bookshop which sells new and old books, both in Estonian, English and other languages. It is also a popular place for events such as book readings and lectures and café Kiosk no. 3 adds an extra level of cosiness to this already quaint space.
Back home, or keep exploring?
By now, you will have spent quite a few hours in Kopli. So, what now? If you feel like you're not quite done with your adventure in Kopli or would like to come back another day and discover more, we have some great options for you.
Option 1 - head back to the city, but make a stop at Telliskivi Creative City
If you feel like heading back towards the city, simply walk back up Marati street and get on any tram (lines 1,2 or 5) which will take you back to the centre. On your way back, you'll pass by Telliskivi Creative City (stop Telliskivi). If you haven't been there yet, we recommend you make a visit - Tellisikivi is home to many design shops, restaurants and bars and therefore a perfect setting for an evening out in Tallinn. Fotografiska Tallinn is an international photography centre, hosting exhibits by renowned visual artists from around the world. Photos don't provide the only great visual experiences in Fotografiska. Its rooftop restaurant is a leader in sustainable culinary arts in Estonia, and the view towards the Old Town is sublime.
Option 2 - go for a hike in a birdwatching paradise and meet some cows
Yes, you read that right: there is a protected birdwatching area with kilometres of nature trails inside the city of Tallinn. Paljassaare Special Conservation Area is right next to Kopli on a separate peninsula, but walkable from the Kopli Liinid promenade. It is also easily accessible by bus no 59 from Balti Jaam. There are several walking trails in Paljassaare, ranging from 3,2 kilometres to up to 10 kilometres if you walk around the whole peninsula.
If birdwatching isn't for you, perhaps meeting some cows sounds more exciting? In summer, Paljassaare is the home and "workplace" for dozens of Scottish Highland cattle. Grazing cattle provide an effective way to restore and preserve the beach meadows of the peninsula, thus helping it become a more attractive nesting and migration area for coastal birds. Please note that feeding the cows or disturbing them in any way is not allowed!
Option 3 - head to Noblessner for museums, galleries and excellent food
The Noblessner area to the south-east of Kopli was one of the three shipyards built in Tallinn at the beginning of the 20th century. At one point Noblessner was a submarine factory and during the Soviet occupation, the area was closed off from the public. Now, Noblessner is a popular public area with stunning sea views and lots of opportunities to have fun. The Seaplane Harbour is a fascinating maritime museum with a full size submarine open for exploring. The nearby PROTO Invention Factory is a treat for children, but the interactive exhibits are educational and fun for all ages. For true gourmands, Noblessner is also home to 180 Degrees by Matthias Diether a marvel of culinary arts - proven by the two Michelin stars it holds.
You can reach Noblessner via bus 73 both from the city centre, as well as from Kopli liinid (the bus stop "Kopli liinid" is near the entrance to Kase park).
