Behind the Iron Curtain Soviet Secrets Guided Tour

Leave Tallinn behind and explore the little-known Soviet-era sites that shaped life on Estonia’s northern coast. This tour combines a scenic drive, short forest walks, and visits to real historical sites that reveal how Tallinn functioned under Soviet rule.

Leaving the city, you’ll travel toward the Viimsi peninsula – an area where access was restricted during Soviet times because of its proximity to the sea border. Your guide will explain how these restrictions affected residents and what everyday life looked like in this part of Estonia.

A short walk through the forest brings you to the remains of an abandoned Soviet air-defense base. Hidden among the trees are structures once used for missile-related operations: concrete blast walls, storage areas, and overgrown access routes. These are open, outdoor ruins reclaimed by nature, giving a clear sense of how quickly former military sites disappear into the landscape.

Continuing along the coastline, the tour passes the Olympic Yachting Center, built for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, when Tallinn hosted the sailing events. You’ll learn how the construction of this modern sports complex changed the area and what the Olympics meant for Estonia at the time.

Another stop is the area around the Tallinn TV Tower, an essential centre for broadcasting. Here you’ll hear about Soviet-era media control, how information reached the public, and the significant events connected to Estonia’s movement toward independence.

The tour ends with a drive through Lasnamäe – Tallinn’s largest residential district built during the Soviet period. Its wide avenues and large housing blocks reflect the typical urban planning of that era and show how quickly the city expanded.

This tour offers a clear, factual, and accessible look at Soviet-era Tallinn – from abandoned military sites and coastal infrastructure to the everyday living environment of the period.