Actually there is a timeline. Back from the Majora's Mask days, Nintendo's official Zelda site (Zelda Universe) had a timeline up.
Here's the listing from back then:
Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask (After Link was sent back to his original time, he set out to find Navi and ended up in Termina instead thanks to Skull Kid.)
A Link to the Past (References the ancient sages that sealed Ganondorf.)
Oracle of Ages/Seasons (After Link recovered the Triforce, it summons Link and sends him to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna.)
Zelda I
Zelda II (After Ganon was destroyed, Zelda gets cursed and the minions of Ganon seek Link's blood to revive their fallen master.)
Link's Awakening (After Hyrule was saved once again, Link left Hyrule to seek out adventures in new lands.)
Feel free to update this list with the recent games.
Here's the listing from back then:
Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask (After Link was sent back to his original time, he set out to find Navi and ended up in Termina instead thanks to Skull Kid.)
A Link to the Past (References the ancient sages that sealed Ganondorf.)
Oracle of Ages/Seasons (After Link recovered the Triforce, it summons Link and sends him to the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna.)
Zelda I
Zelda II (After Ganon was destroyed, Zelda gets cursed and the minions of Ganon seek Link's blood to revive their fallen master.)
Link's Awakening (After Hyrule was saved once again, Link left Hyrule to seek out adventures in new lands.)
Feel free to update this list with the recent games.