I visited Naissaar in late May. It was the tenth Baltic island I’ve set foot on, and one of the clearest examples of why islands are so compelling. They tend to preserve what the mainland forgets: old foundations, rusting fences, and stretches of nature left to their own rhythm. Naissaar delivers exactly that — along with the occasional wild boar to remind you who really runs the place.
A storm had just passed when I arrived, leaving blooming primroses, waking lilies of the valley, and — crucially — an open lighthouse. In high winds, the keeper simply locks the door. Timing matters here.
Today, its population consists of just 20 permanent residents, a few summer cottagers, and a dense pine forest slowly absorbing the remnants of Soviet military infrastructure. On islands, history rarely disappears. It lingers — in concrete, in rust, in abandoned foundations — while nature quietly closes in.
If you only have a weekend in the city, Naissaar works best as an alternative to Day 2 in this Tallinn weekend itinerary.
What to Expect
- Distance from Tallinn: ~10 km across the Gulf of Finland.
- Area: 18 km² (17 times larger than Tallinn’s Old Town).
- Population: 20 residents.
- Atmosphere: Protected nature reserve layered with Cold War history.
The Forest and the Ghosts of the Cold War
The island’s history is layered. For centuries, Naissaar had a Swedish-speaking community, and by 1934, around 450 people lived here. Then came the wars. From 1944 to 1994, the Soviets turned the island into a closed military zone, building a naval mine assembly and storage facility.
Today, the military presence survives only in fragments. Barbed wire rusts into the sand. Concrete bunkers sink into moss. Walking here feels like moving through two timelines at once: birds overhead, pine needles underfoot, and sudden slabs of geometry interrupting the forest. Islands preserve these contrasts. Distance slows development, and what once mattered remains visible longer than expected.
Most of Naissaar is forest. Quiet, green, and steadily reclaiming what was left behind.
The military trail. Nature is patient. The concrete is not.
Naissaar Island Day Trip: Things to Do
Freezing Your Toes on the Beach
In May, the Baltic Sea is uncompromisingly cold. Swimming was out of the question, but the beaches were wide and empty. The closest stretch lies just to the right of the pier. For better sand, head to Hülkari recreation area ~2 km from Naissaar harbour.
Note: Walking on sand takes longer than you think. Also, do not dive headfirst — there are underwater rocks.
May on Naissaar: the beach looks inviting, the water definitely isn’t.
Hiking the Marked Trails
The island is easy to navigate. There are three colour-coded trails:
- Red (Military Trail, 7 km): Soviet ruins, missile fuel storage, and an old officers’ casino.
- Green (Nature Trail, 11 km): Pine-covered dunes and uninterrupted forest.
- Blue (Cultural Trail, 12 km): A mix of bunkers, bogs, and beaches.
Getting lost would require real effort.
There are signs everywhere. Navigation is refreshingly simple.
Red, blue, green — pick a colour and follow it.
Climbing the Lighthouse
The lighthouse is a 1960s rebuild, standing 45 metres tall. It was my main goal for the trip. From the top, the view makes the island’s scale clear: forest in every direction, interrupted only by the geometry of coastline and sea.
Admission is €5. There is no official schedule; you simply hope the keeper is home (and awake). If the door is locked but the weather is calm, try knocking on the nearby house.
It’s about 7 km from the pier. You can walk or take the island’s narrow-gauge train part of the way.
The lighthouse. 207 steps later — worth it.
The view from the top: endless trees, a strip of sea, and silence.
Mushrooms, Berries & Wildlife
In July, the forest floor turns blue with berries; in autumn, mushrooms appear in serious numbers. In May, I missed the berries but met the locals. A snake was sunbathing on the path — likely a viper. We politely ignored each other.
Tip: For the main trails, sneakers are fine. If you plan to wander off into thicker undergrowth, wear boots.
Somewhere around here I saw wild boars. They didn’t wait for a photo.
Blueberries weren’t ripe yet. End of July is the season — if the wild boars don’t get there first.
A snake was sunbathing here. We both agreed to keep our distance.
The Truck Tour (Zero Hiking Required)
If walking 15 km sounds unappealing, you can book a guided tour in a Soviet military truck. It rattles, it’s loud, and it covers the major sights in about 3.5 hours — a condensed version of the island’s layered story.
You can explore the whole island in this Soviet-era truck. Surprisingly comfortable — if you like rattling.
Travel Notes
Naissaar Travel Essentials
The Verdict: Islands are compelling because they compress time. Nature and history sit closer together here than on the mainland. Naissaar may be only a short ferry ride from Tallinn, but it feels like a place where the past was never fully erased — only slowly covered in pine needles.
For a different island vibe, look into Prangli Island. Unlike Naissaar, it has a permanent village community, a bit more civilisation, and ferries that run all year round—even through the winter ice.
