Estonia

What to see

Tallinn

Sophisticated capital with a medieval heart full of cobbled streets, red-capped towers and soaring spires, all enclosed by ancient walls. Grand old buildings include the Toompea Castle, Town Hall and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

Tartu

Estonia’s second city, split by the Emajogi River, is steeped in literature and art and home to an excellent university.

Pirita

Coastal town popular with people looking to relax on the pine-backed beaches. Climb the nearby TV Tower for superb views and a chance to spot the coast of Finland.

Parnu

Estonia’s summertime Mecca and a hip destination for locals looking to relax on the coast or party in its bars and nightclubs.

Top experiences / sites of particular interest

Lahemaa National Park

Straggled along the coastline are a series of fascinating villages including Kasmu, Palmse, Sagadi and Kolga as well as Bronze Age archaeological sites, burial cysts and cult stones.

Soomaa National Park

Captivating reserve full of bogs, rivers and floodplains that are home to variety of animals and birds as well as floating saunas for you to unwind in afterwards.

Viljandi

Forest like park with double moats and Teutonic castle ruins with great views across the nearby lake.

Lake Peipsi

Vast lake separating Estonia and Russia, along whose shores stand settlements that were once home to the Old Believers, who opposed the teachings of the Orthodox Church.

Saaremaa

Easily accessible island with a desolate, starkly beautiful centre that draws nature lovers and locals alike.

Puhtitsa Convent

Elegant nineteenth century Russian Orthodox nunnery stood in the village of Kuremae that still acts as a powerful draw for thousands of pilgrims.

When to go

Weather & Seasons:Winter runs from November to mid-March and can be very cold and snow-covered. Spring and autumn are relatively mild whilst summer is warm. Rain falls throughout the year.

Important Dates and Festivals:Festivals and celebrations feature throughout the calendar. The Baltika Folk Festival runs for a week in July, the All-Estonian Song Festival features up to 30,000 voices combining in front of massive audiences every five years whilst 23 June is the eve of Jaanipaev, the climax of midsummer events, which usually features dance, drink and song around giant bonfires.

Getting there / around

Flights: There are international airports in Tallinn (TLL) and Kardla (KDL). There is a basic internal network of domestic flights, which include connections to the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa.

Sea: Ferries also run frequently between the mainland and islands.

Rail: The rail network is underdeveloped with just the main urban areas connected.

Road: The road network is extensive and in good condition.Buses run often and reliably between most towns.Car hire is also available in the capital.

Potential itineraries

Weekend Trips:Visits to Estonia are often combined with trips south to the other two nearby Baltic countries or involve short excursions to Helsinki in Finland on the straightforward ferry connection.

Short Trips: If you have a week in the country though, travel from Tartu west through Viljandi and Soomaa National Park to the spa town and beaches of Parnu. Detour to the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa before working your way around the coast to Tallinn.

Longer Trips:You can readily extend your trip and add up to another week on by lazily travelling along the northern coast to Lahemaa National Park in order to explore the nature trails, coastline and old-fashioned villages here.

Guides

Overall Country Guides: There are comprehensive guidebooks for Estonia available from Bradt and Thomas Cook. Lonely Planet, Eyewitness and Insight produce combined guidebooks to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Guides to Tallinn: There are guidebooks to Tallinn available from Berlitz and Thomas Cook.

Maps

Road Maps: There are decent road maps of Estonia available fromMichelin and Jana Seta. Jana Seta also publishes a street plan of Tallinn, as doFreytag & Berndt.

Read More

Jaan Kross is Estonia’s most acclaimed author.Read The Czar’s Madman for an introduction to his work.

Purge by Finnish-Estonian playwright, novelist and activist Sofi Oksanen is a powerful, sometimes brutal story of Estonia’s long occupation that underpins a sprawling tale of sex trafficking, abuse and betrayal.

Between Each Breath by Adam Thorpe is a moving novel largely set in Tallinn and the Estonian islands in which a successful Englishman’s midlife crisis unfolds and his infidelity has devastating consequences.

Language

Estonian

Pick up Lonely Planet’s Baltic States Phrasebook to help you get by.

Currency

Euro (€/EUR) made up of 100 cents.

Visas

UK and EU nationals do not require a visa to visit Estonia.

Health issues

Inoculations for BCG, diphtheria, hep A, hep B and typhoid are recommended.

Safety, FO travel advice

Generally safe.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Estonian country representatives can be found

in the UK at

in the US at

There are no tourist boards in either country.

For more information visit www.visitestonia.com or www.tallinn.ee/eng.