In a nutshell
- Flooded limestone quarry behind the walls of a former prison, with a turquoise lake, half-sunk buildings and a sandy ridge. The water filled it after 1991.[1]
- The 6-hour Tallinn day tour covers Suurupi, Keila Waterfall, Paldiski, Pakri Lighthouse and Rummu Quarry, in a small group of up to 7.[2]
- FlixBus runs 2 rides each day between Tallinn and Rummu, and a transfer listing gives 45 km and an estimated time of 50 min.[3][4]
- Swimming and diving here are unofficial and unguarded, and summer water temperature is 15.0-20.0 °C.[5][6]
- Day tours from Tallinn start from US$125 for a SUP and snorkel trip and from US$127 for the Paldiski and Rummu Quarry day.[7][8]
- Top choice Quarry, cliffs, waterfall from US$144 Duration6 hours[2]GroupSmall group, up to 7[2]Rating4.76 from 133 reviews[2]GuideEnglish[2]CancellationFree up to 24 hours[2] Check availability
- Jägala Waterfall day tour from US$135 Duration4 hours[9]GroupSmall group, up to 7[9]Rating4.86 from 114 reviews[9]GuideEnglish[9]CancellationFree up to 24 hours[9] See this tour
- Paldiski and Rummu Quarry from US$127 Duration7 hours[8]GroupSmall group, up to 8[8]Rating4.15 from 6 reviews[8]GuideEnglish[8]CancellationFree up to 24 hours[8] See this tour
The caravan park located in Rummu Quarry offers a unique opportunity to stay in the heart of one of Estonia's most special natural and cultural sites. Here you can enjoy a comfortable stop in a motorhome, caravan, or tent - always connected with nature.
So, is Rummu Quarry worth visiting?
Know this first
- Book ahead: the day tour runs in a small group limited to 7 participants.[2]
- Decide your season: summer for swimming, winter for the rink and the empty grounds.[10]
- Opening hours are listed as 10:00 to 20:00, all year round, every day.[11]
- Check the bus: FlixBus runs 2 rides each day between Tallinn and Rummu.[3]
On the day
- Sun cream and a hat: the pale limestone and the water bounce light back at you.
- Stay safe: the swimming and diving spot is unofficial and unguarded.[5]
- Wear grippy shoes for sand, gravel and broken concrete around the ruins.
- Expect swimmers in summer, since locals usually come to swim here in that season.[5]
What Rummu Quarry actually is
Rummu Quarry sits behind the walls of a former prison in northern Estonia, and that history is what makes the place look so strange. When the prison closed after 1991, the pumps that once kept the quarry and the prison dry were shut down, and water filled the pit.[1] The result is a turquoise lake lapping at half-sunk concrete buildings, with a pale sandy ridge along one side and pine and birch woods behind. The lake reaches a maximum depth of 14 metres.[12]
It is a landscape on its own terms rather than a polished attraction. Rummu Quarry is listed as open all year round, every day from 10:00 to 20:00.[11] You walk in past the old prison wall, over gravel and sand, and the water opens up below you. Locals treat the lake as an unofficial and unguarded place for swimming or diving and usually come to swim in summer, so expect a few swimmers sharing the shore with photographers.[5]
Look down at the ground while you are there. The pale stone is Vasalemma limestone, a detritic limestone with a marble-like structure and texture that is locally known as Vasalemma marble.[13] Quarrying shaped this corner of Harju County long before the prison was built, and the same stone turns up in walls, steps and kerbs in the towns nearby. The quarry faces themselves show the layers, cut into neat benches along the ridge.
Rummu Quarry reviews and the day tour
The day tour from Tallinn that covers Rummu Quarry, the coastal cliffs and Keila Waterfall is rated 4.76 from 133 reviews.[2] It runs for 6 hours, in a small group limited to 7 participants, with a live guide in English.[2] That tells you what to expect: a long half day on the road west of the city, with several short stops rather than one long stretch beside the water.
The booking terms are flexible on paper. Free cancellation is listed up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later.[2] That suits a coast where a grey morning can turn into a bright afternoon, and it means you can hold a place while you watch the forecast before committing to a date.
Other operators cover parts of the same ground. A Paldiski Soviet era sights and Rummu Quarry day starts from US$127, runs 7 hours and is rated 4.15 from 6 reviews.[8] A private Rummu quarry and Murru prison trip with pickup included starts from US$570 over 4 hours.[14] East of the city, the Jägala Waterfall and Harju County tour starts from US$135 and is rated 4.86 from 114 reviews.[9]
The flooded quarry walls and half-sunk buildings that give Rummu its look
Getting to Rummu Quarry from Tallinn
Rummu Quarry sits west of Tallinn, roughly on the road towards Paldiski, so it fits neatly into a day that also takes in Keila Waterfall and the cliffs. A transfer listing for the route between Rummu Quarry and Prison and Tallinn gives a total distance of 45 km and an estimated time of 50 min.[4] Driving yourself is simple in summer, when the light lasts late into the evening.
Public transport exists but is thin. FlixBus runs 2 rides each day between Tallinn and Rummu.[3] Build your day around those departures, buy the return leg before you set out, and keep some flexibility, because the quarry is not a spot where taxis wait in a queue.
For most visitors the easiest answer is a day tour, which moves by van between Suurupi, Keila Waterfall, Paldiski, Pakri Lighthouse and Rummu Quarry.[2] Some private listings include pickup, with the details shown when you check availability.[14] If you would rather stay overnight, Rummu Caravan Park inside the quarry offers accommodation for motorhomes, caravans and tents.[15]
Keila Waterfall, Paldiski and the coastal stops
Keila Waterfall is 6 metres high.[16] It drops over a limestone ledge in a wooded park, and it is one of the stops on the day tour from Tallinn.[2] The walk from the car park to the viewpoints is short, and the spray keeps the rocks wet, so keep a hand free for the railing.
The same day takes in Suurupi, Paldiski and the Pakri Lighthouse before the quarry.[2] Paldiski is a former naval town, with Soviet-era blocks standing on a limestone peninsula. The Pakri cliffs give you the big Baltic view: a sheer edge, cold blue water below and seabirds riding the updraught.
If you want the cliffs without the quarry, the Pakri landscape conservation park and coast tour runs for 5 hours as a private group, with stops at a hidden gem, Paldiski, a local café and Keila Waterfall, from US$167.[17] It is a slower, more flexible way to see the same coastline.
from US$144
The 6-hour day tour to Rummu Quarry, Keila Waterfall and the coastal cliffs is the one booked from this site.[2]
Swimming, SUP and diving at Rummu Quarry
Swimming at Rummu is a local habit rather than an organised activity. The quarry is an unofficial and unguarded place for swimming or diving, and locals usually come to swim in summer.[5] Summer water temperature is 15.0-20.0 °C.[6] That is refreshing rather than warm, so wade in slowly, watch children closely, and never dive into water you have not checked first.
Divers come for the sunken buildings. Rummu Diving & WaterSports organizes weekly dives for certified divers, open water dives for people whose courses are incomplete, and full OWD courses.[18] The lake's maximum depth is 14 metres.[12] Visibility shifts with the season and with recent rain, so ask the operator what to expect on your date.
On the surface, a Rummu Quarry SUP and snorkel tour with transfer from Tallinn runs for 5 hours in a small group limited to 4 participants, from US$125.[7] If you would rather warm up than cool down, sauna rituals are offered at Paekalda Holiday Center.[19]
When to go and what to pack
Rummu Quarry is listed as open all year round, every day from 10:00 to 20:00.[11] Summer brings the longest evenings and the mildest water, with summer water temperature at 15.0-20.0 °C.[6] Spring and autumn are quieter and the light on the lake is softer, while winter turns the whole site into a different place.
In winter a ticket for the skating rink includes winter access to Rummu quarry along with the rink, the prison and an audio guide.[10] That is the quietest season to walk the grounds and see the ruins against a low, pale sky, and to have the ridge mostly to yourself.
Pack grippy shoes, because the paths mix sand, gravel and broken concrete, and the slope down to the water is loose in places. Add a swimsuit and a towel if you plan to go in, sun protection for the open limestone, and a windproof layer for the cliff stops, where the Baltic breeze rarely lets up. Take your rubbish back with you and leave the ruins as you found them.
So, is Rummu Quarry worth visiting?
Yes, if you like places that were never designed for visitors. The flooded quarry, the half-sunk prison buildings and the turquoise water are genuinely unusual, and the day tour links them with Keila Waterfall, Paldiski and the Pakri cliffs from US$144.[2]
Skip it if you want sandy beaches, warm sea swimming and ice cream stands, or if uneven ground and cold water are not your idea of a good afternoon. Rummu rewards curiosity more than comfort, and the best photographs usually come from simply walking the ridge and looking down at the water.
The practical side is easy. Free cancellation is listed up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later on the day tour.[2] Bring a camera, a windproof layer and shoes you do not mind getting dusty.
How long Tallinn day trips run
Durations in hours as listed on GetYourGuide for these tours:[2],[8],[9],[17],[7],[14].
From prices for Rummu Quarry tours
US dollar from prices per person as listed on GetYourGuide, ids[2],[8],[9],[17],[7]. Each listing shows one from price, so the child figure repeats it.
When to plan a Rummu Quarry day
Plan your Rummu day
Choose a season
Summer for swimming, winter for the rink, spring and autumn for quiet. The site lists 10:00 to 20:00 all year round.[11]
Decide how to travel
FlixBus runs 2 rides each day, and a transfer listing gives 45 km and an estimated time of 50 min.[3][4]
Book the day tour
The 6-hour tour covers Suurupi, Keila Waterfall, Paldiski, Pakri Lighthouse and Rummu Quarry.[2]
Pack for the quarry
Grippy shoes, water and a towel. The swimming spot is unofficial and unguarded, so go carefully.[5]
Stay another night
Rummu Caravan Park takes motorhomes, caravans and tents inside the quarry area.[15]
See Rummu Quarry, the cliffs and Keila Waterfall in one day
from US$144Reserve now & pay later
