Naissaar
Naissaar, at 44 sq km, has a lively history, thick forests (covering 85% of the island), and even a boulder with a circumference of nearly 27m! Theres a 19th-century cemetery for English sailors from the Crimean and Russo-Swedish wars, which attests to the islands military history.
Piusa Caves
Sitting on a band of sandstone nearly 500m thick, Piusa was the site of a major quarry from 1922 to 1966 when it was discovered that the stone contained 99% quartz and was perfect for glass production. The result is a 22km network of cathedral-like hand-hewn caves. Tours into the c
Patarei
Surely one of the creepiest buildings in all of Estonia, this former sea fortress and prison has a chilling history as a place of incarceration, brutality and oppression. Part of it is now open as a kind of eccentric art project, with graffiti and installations in some of the mould
Vastseliina Episcopal Castle
With a pretty setting high on a bluff above the gurgling Piusa River, right on the edge of Setomaa, these evocative ruins maintain a state of picturesque decrepitude. Only a section of wall and three crumbling towers remain standing, all of which are popular nesting sights for over
Schloss Fall & Keila
Flat Estonia isnt known for its waterfalls and at 6m, this one isnt all that high. It is, however, particularly picturesque, partly due to its juxtaposition with a little Neo-Gothic manor house, built in 1833 for Count Alexander von Benckendorf. A central crenelated tower lends it
Museum of New Art
Pärnus former Communist Party headquarters now houses one of Estonias edgiest galleries. As part of its commitment to pushing the cultural envelope, it stages an international nude art exhibition every summer. Founded by film-maker Mark Soosaar, the gallery also hosts the annual Pä
Pärnu Beach
Pärnu’s long, wide, sandy beach – sprinkled with volleyball courts, cafes and changing cubicles – is easily the city’s main drawcard. A curving path stretches along the sand, lined with fountains, park benches and an excellent playground. Early-20th-century buildings are strung alo
Estonian National Museum
When we last visited, the immense, low-slung, architectural showcase built to house the Estonian National Museum had yet to open its doors. Built on a Soviet airstrip on the grounds of Raadi Manor (the museums original pre-war home), the new building has a floor space of nearly 34,
Kadriorg Art Museum
Kadriorg Palace, built by Peter the Great between 1718 and 1736, now houses a branch of the Estonian Art Museum devoted to Dutch, German and Italian paintings from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and Russian works from the 18th to early 20th centuries (check out the decorative porc
Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral
The positioning of this magnificent, onion-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral (completed in 1900) at the heart of the countrys main administrative hub was no accident: the church was one of many built in the last part of the 19th century as part of a general wave of Russification in
Town Hall Square
Tartu’s main square is lined with grand buildings and echoes with the chink of glasses and plates in summer. The centrepiece is the Town Hall itself, fronted by a statue of students kissing under a spouting umbrella. On the south side of the square, look out for the communist hamme
Kumu
This futuristic, Finnish-designed, seven-storey building (2006) is a spectacular structure of limestone, glass and copper, nicely integrated into the landscape. Kumu (the name is short for kunstimuuseum or art museum) contains the countrys largest repository of Estonian art as well
Viljandi Teutonic Order Castle
Set within a lush park, the scant remains of Viljandis hilltop castle form a picturesque set of ruins and offer sweeping views over the valley and the lake below. Built in 1224 by the German Knights of the Sword on a series of three small hills divided by ravines, it replaced an Es
Estonian Open
If tourists won’t go to the countryside, let’s bring the countryside to them. Thats the modus operandi of this excellent, sprawling complex, where historic buildings have been plucked and transplanted among the tall trees. In summer the time-warping effect is highlighted by staff i
Tartu University Museum
Atop Toomemägi are the ruins of a Gothic cathedral, originally built by German knights in the 13th century. It was substantially rebuilt in the 15th century, despoiled during the Reformation in 1525, used as a barn, and partly rebuilt between 1804 and 1809 to house the university l
Kuressaare Castle
Majestic Kuressaare Castle stands facing the sea at the southern end of the town, on an artificial island ringed by a moat. It’s the best-preserved castle in the Baltic and the region’s only medieval stone castle that has remained intact. The castle grounds are open to the public a
Doing business & staying in touch while in Estonia
Estonia: Doing business & staying in touch
Estonia Weather, Climate and Geography
Estonia Weather, climate and geography
Estonia History, Language and Culture
Estonia History, Language and Culture
Estonia Travel Guide and Travel Information
Estonia Travel Guide
