Year-round
Dates
4h
Duration
2+
Min group size
Tour in Tallinn and its surroundings: the Soviet Estonia
- Discover the Soviet secrets from behind the former Iron Curtain in Tallinn and its surroundings
- Hear about the Olympic Center built in Tallinn for the Moscow Olympics
- Visit the abandoned Soviet air-defense base and Exhibition of Soviet Monuments in Maarjamäe Palace or the Estonian Coastal Folk museum (depends on the opening times and season).
- Drive along Tallinn’s coast and admire the postcard views from the Tallinn TV tower.
On the Soviet Estonia tour, we see the legacy of Soviet occupation in Tallinn and its surroundings. The tour reveals all the Soviet secrets behind the former Iron Curtain.
On the tour, we take a spectacular drive along Tallinn’s coast to get a feel for the area’s natural beauty and fascinating maritime and Soviet history! You’ll get an introduction about the Olympic Center built in Tallinn for the Moscow Olympics and hear how the yachting competitions were organised during Soviet times.
Read more about 9 Soviet sights to visit in Tallinn.
PRICE INCLUDES: personal pick up and return at your hotel, guide service, transport and museum entrance fees.
FOR EXTRA CHARGE: Lunch or coffee breaks are available on request in Viimsi restaurants or in the TV tower.
PICK UP PLACE AND TIME: hotel or Tallinn Tourist Information Centre
LANGUAGES: English, Spanish
1
Learn about the historical background of soviet times
Starting from the end of the story, we provide an introduction to the historical background of the soviet occupation of Estonia at the symbol of Estonian independence, the “Statue of Liberty,” centrally located in Freedom Square. On the Soviet tour, we will tell you about dramatic and humorous issues and memories (including pictures from the time), which will stay with us for the whole tour.
2
See soviet architecture in Tallinn city center and visit the place where the Estonian people sang themselves to freedom
Heading towards the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, we pass the former Headquarters of the KGB at the legendary Hotel Viru and buildings that represent Stalinist architecture in Tallinn. Stopping at the Song Festival Grounds, we will try to give you a feeling of the emotions that filled the stage in the late 1980s when the Singing Revolution took place here and the Estonian people sang themselves to freedom.
3
Head about the former Olympic Centre, home to the yachting events for the Moscow Olympics in 1980
Continuing the Soviet tour along the Eastern coast from Tallinn, we will tell you the controversial stories about the Memorial of Maarjamäe and the former Olympic Centre, where the yachting for the Moscow Olympics took place in 1980. Soviet monuments are now exhibited in the History Museum’s Maarjamäe Palace. We will go and have a look there. Or, depending on the season, we might visit the Estonian Coastal Folk museum instead.
4
Following the coastline, which was partially closed as part of the border zone established during soviet times, we go and explore an abandoned air force base and get the best view over Tallinn from the TV tower
Ending up at the peninsula of Viimsi, we take a walk to an abandoned air force base in the forest where strategic rockets were installed until the restoration of independence in Estonia in the early 1990s. On our way back to Tallinn city center, we will visit the Tallinn TV tower (also built in 1980 for the Moscow Olympics) to get to know more about the unbelievable building strategies employed by the Soviets, their censorship of the media, and the dangerous events when Estonia declared its independence in 1991. Our drive back to the city center also takes us through the biggest city district built in soviet times, a high-rise area of apartment blocks named Lasnamäe.
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Optional tips to enhance your experience:
- order a yacht for 1 -2 hours to take a sailing cruise on Olympic yachting trails in Pirita;
- order a Soviet-style-food outdoor picnic;
- visit the KGB prison cells for an extra 5 euros per person;
- add a guided Virtual Reality tour on Harju Street from the years 1939 and 1944.
Prices for Behind The Iron Curtain – Secrets Of The Soviets
For families with children we usually offer discounted price. Please ask more information.
| Number of participants: | Price per person: |
| 1 | 270 euros |
| 2-3 | 135 euros |
| 4 | 115 euros |
| 5-7 | 105 euros |
| 8 and more | on request |
©J. Leppmets. Maria's Hill Memorial. Tallinn Old Town in the background
©J. Leppmets. Maria's Hill Memorial in Tallinn
The memorial opened in 2018 in memory of Estonia’s victims of communism.
©J. Leppmets. We visit Tallinn TV Tower
Tallinn TV Tower
©J. Leppmets. We get to admire the beautiful view from Tallinn TV Tower
©J. Leppmets. View from 170 meters above the ground. Tallinn TV Tower
©J. Leppmets. The Olympic Center in Tallinn built for Moscow Olympics in 1980
©J. Leppmets. Abandoned Soviet air-defence base in Rohuneeme
Abandoned Soviet air-defence base in Rohuneeme
©T. Grepp. We hear stories about the Song Festival Grounds
©Ajapaik. Tallinn Old Town during the Soviet time
Enjoy the coastal area of Pirita with the views of Tallinn panorama.
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Tour Reviews
Powerful and Personal Look Behind the Iron Curtain. We took the 4-Hour Behind the Iron Curtain Tour with Stassi on 23 September 2025, and it was an unforgettable experience. Stassi’s lived experiences brought the history to life in a way no guidebook ever could. As we visited key sites, she shared not only facts, but also personal stories that gave us a deeper understanding of Estonia and everything its people endured during the Soviet era. Stassi is warm, personable, and engaging — she created a space where questions flowed naturally, and her passion for sharing Estonia’s history was evident throughout. The tour length was just right at four hours, with a balance of walking and stops that never felt taxing. Be prepared for all kinds of weather — the tour goes on rain or shine — but it only added to the atmosphere of the day. We came away with both knowledge and empathy, and we can’t recommend this tour enough. If you want to truly understand Estonia’s past beyond the surface, this is the tour for you!
I loved the personal details our guide stassi interwoven with the fact I took the tour about the Soviet era in Estonia. Hearing a little bit about her life was in that area coupled with the sites we were shown made the experience very real for me.
This tour was fantastic! Our guide was so knowledgeable and offered so many personalized stories to really add to our experience. We chose an English language tour and our guide spoke flawless English!
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