waterfall
Jägala Waterfall
Estonia's widest natural waterfall, roughly eight metres high on the Jägala River, a short walk from a car park off the Tallinn–Narva road.
11 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeEstoniaHarjumaa
Maardu
Harjumaa, Estonia · Europe
About Maardu
Maardu works well as a base: 10 minutes from Loo, 46km from Lahemaa National Park.
Maardu is in Harjumaa, Estonia, with about 17,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Loo, about 4 km away.
Maardu (Estonian: [ˈmɑːrd̥u], German: Maart) is a town and a municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area, located about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east of the capital city. The town covers an area of 22.76 km2 and has a population of 16,812 (as of 1 January 2026).
The Port of Muuga, theRead more
largest cargo port in Estonia, is partly located in Maardu.
According to the 2000 Census, the population was 16,738. 61.7% were Russians, 19.9% Estonians, 6.6% Ukrainians, 5.7% Belarusians, 1.5% Tatars. The proportion of Estonians was one of the lowest (if not the lowest) in Central and Western Estonia.
Outside the town (in the village of Maardu), south of the road to Narva lies Maardu manor, one of the oldest preserved baroque manor houses in Estonia. It traces its origins to 1389, but the current building dates from the 1660s with additions made in the 19th century. The landlord of the manor Herman Jensen Bohn in 1739 funded the printing of the first bible printed in Estonian.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Maardu?
Within an hour or so of Maardu: Jägala Waterfall (11 km), Tallinn Old Town (14 km), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (14 km), Toompea Castle (14 km).
Are there any good drives near Maardu?
The nearest famous roads are Hanko.
Where is Maardu?
Maardu is in Harjumaa, Estonia, about 4 km from Loo.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 16,630
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Estonia
- Region
- Harjumaa
- Timezone
- Europe/Tallinn
- Coordinates
- 59.4653, 24.9822
Tags
Worth the detour from Maardu
7 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Tallinn Old Town
One of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, a UNESCO-listed walled town with cobblestone streets, Gothic spires, and ancient merchant houses.
14 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Striking Russian Orthodox cathedral with five onion domes on Toompea Hill in the heart of Tallinn's old town.
14 km · about 25 min drive
castle
Toompea Castle
Medieval castle on Toompea hill housing Estonia's parliament, with the Tall Hermann tower and viewing terraces over Tallinn's old town rooftops.
14 km · about 25 min drive
national park
Lahemaa National Park
Estonia's largest national park featuring wild Baltic coastline, pristine bogs, old-growth forests, and elegant 18th-century manor houses.
46 km · about 55 min drive
photogenic
Rummu Quarry
A Soviet-era limestone quarry that flooded when its prison labour camp closed, leaving submerged buildings and machinery in startlingly clear turquoise water beneath a white spoil-heap 'mountain'. Now a swimming, diving and paddleboard site.
52 km · about 60 min drive
museum
Palmse Manor
Restored 18th-century Baltic German manor house inside Lahemaa National Park, with parkland, a museum and visitor parking directly off the access road.
55 km · about 65 min drive
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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