Tallinn Zoo

Tallinn Zoo opened in 1939 and moved to its present wooded site in Veskimetsa in the 1980s, which gave it space most European city zoos do not have. Its international reputation rests on one specialised area: the collection of wild goats and sheep, which is among the largest anywhere and underpins several breeding programmes.

What you actually see

• The mountain collection - markhor, argali, tur and their relatives on rocky enclosures.
• The northern animals - polar bears, seals, owls and eagles, which read far better in Baltic weather than tropical species do.
• The indoor houses - the Elephant House, the tropical house and the aquarium-terrarium building.
• The children's zoo - a separate area with farm breeds, alongside the big cats and primates elsewhere on the site.

When to go

May to September has everything outdoors active and the site at its best. Winter is when the polar bears, wolves and northern species are far more alert, and the zoo is nearly empty. Mornings are best in any season, because feeding times and general animal activity are concentrated early.

Honest expectations

It is big and spread out over wooded slopes, and doing it properly takes half a day of walking. Some of the older enclosures are visibly dated compared with newer sections, which the zoo has been replacing in stages.

Tropical species are indoors and the indoor buildings are the busiest part on a cold day.

Nearby

The Estonian Open Air Museum is on the other side of the bay, ten minutes by road, and makes a natural pairing for a full day out of the centre.