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Estonia✨ 10 best things to do in Estonia

Things to do in Estonia

1. Explore Tallinn's Old TownWander cobbled lanes, towers and merchant houses in one of Europe's best-preserved medieval centres.
2. Walk a bog boardwalkStroll across raised bogs dotted with dark pools in Soomaa or Lahemaa, especially magical at sunrise.
3. Take a smoke saunaExperience the traditional chimney-less sauna of Võrumaa, a UNESCO-recognised ritual, then plunge into a cold lake.
4. Cycle around SaaremaaPedal past windmills, juniper meadows and the meteorite crater at Kaali on Estonia's largest island.
5. Visit Lahemaa manor housesTour grand Baltic German estates like Palmse and Sagadi surrounded by forest and coast.
6. Canoe in Soomaa's fifth seasonPaddle through flooded forests and meadows during the spring floods that locals call the fifth season.
7. See Telliskivi's creative cityBrowse design shops, street art and food trucks in a converted factory district in Tallinn.
8. Discover Tartu's student lifeExplore the university town's museums, cafés and the riverside Emajõgi waterfront.
9. Explore Kadriorg ParkAdmire Peter the Great's baroque palace and the striking KUMU art museum among leafy gardens.
10. Watch the summer white nightsEnjoy late-night light around midsummer, when the sun barely sets on the Baltic coast.

Estonia🗺️ Where to visit in Estonia

Where to go in Estonia

• 
  TallinnNorth coast · capitalA medieval Old Town, Baltic seafront and lively creative districts make the capital a compact delight.
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  TartuSouth · university cityEstonia's intellectual heart, with a historic university, excellent museums and a youthful buzz.
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  Lahemaa National ParkNorth coast · forests & manorsBogs, boulder-strewn beaches, fishing villages and manor houses, all an easy trip from Tallinn.
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  SaaremaaWest Estonian Archipelago · islandA rural island of windmills, a castle at Kuressaare and the Kaali meteorite crater.
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  Soomaa National ParkSouthwest · wetlandsA wilderness of bogs and rivers famous for spring floods and canoe trips.
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  PärnuSouthwest coast · summer resortEstonia's summer capital, with a long sandy beach, spas and festivals.
• 📍
  OtepääSouth · hills & lakesThe 'winter capital' with cross-country skiing in winter and lake swimming in summer.
• 📍
  HaapsaluWest coast · seaside townA charming spa town with wooden villas, a bishop's castle and calm bays.

Estonia🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Estonia

Best time to visit Estonia

Estonia has a cool temperate climate with mild summers and cold, snowy winters. The islands and coast are slightly milder in winter, while the inland south gets more snow and colder nights.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Tallinn (approximate averages).

Estonia🎉 Festivals & events in Estonia

• July (every five years)
  Estonian Song and Dance CelebrationTens of thousands of singers and dancers perform together in Tallinn's Song Festival Grounds in a powerful celebration of national identity.
• June
  Midsummer (Jaanipäev)On 23-24 June Estonians light bonfires, sing and stay up through the short white night.
• Late May–early June
  Tallinn Old Town DaysMedieval markets, concerts and costumed performances fill the old town streets.
• Late November–December
  Tallinn Christmas MarketTown Hall Square fills with wooden stalls, a tall tree and warming mulled wine.

Estonia🧭 Estonia itinerary ideas

How many days in Estonia?

Estonia🎒 Backpacking Estonia – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $40–60 a day

• Intercity buses and trains are cheap, comfortable and have free Wi-Fi; book online for the best fares.
• Tallinn's Old Town and Kalamaja areas have the most hostels, and Tartu has good budget options too.
• Look for weekday lunch specials (päevapraad) for a filling, cheap meal.
• Camping is easy thanks to free state forest campsites and hiking huts maintained by the national forest agency.
• Tallinn is a quick ferry ride from Helsinki, making it easy to combine both on a budget.

Estonia🛡️ Safety & money in Estonia

Emergency: 112 police, fire & ambulance

Estonia🛬 Getting to Estonia

Tallinn Airport is the main international gateway; frequent ferries connect Tallinn with Helsinki and Stockholm, and buses and trains link with Latvia.

✈️ Cheap flights to Estonia: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Estonia💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Estonia

• Estonia was the first country to allow online voting in national elections.
• Skype was developed by Estonian engineers.
• About half of Estonia is covered in forest.
• Estonia has more than 2,000 islands along its coast.
• Tallinn's Town Hall Pharmacy is one of the oldest continuously operating pharmacies in Europe.

Estonia❓ Estonia travel FAQ

Estonia travel questions