Kalamaja (which means "fish house" in Estonian) is the hip neighbourhood immediately north of the Old Town, built up in the 19th century as a working-class district of wooden houses and now the most interesting part of the city to explore on foot. The streets are lined with colourful timber buildings — some immaculate, some charmingly dilapidated — and the neighbourhood has filled up with independent cafes, galleries, and studios over the past decade.
The Telliskivi Creative City complex is on the south edge of the neighbourhood, and the Patarei Prison and Seaplane Harbour sit on the Kalamaja shore. The combination makes the neighbourhood a full afternoon destination — start at Telliskivi, walk the wooden streets, then head to the waterfront for the maritime museums.