© Lonely Planet Publications 43 www.lonelyplanet.com •• Highlights 44

HIGHLIGHTS ESTONIA HOW MUCH? „ (p64 ) Wander the medieval streets, and drink in lovely cafés, eclectic restau- „ Coffee 30Kr ESTONIA rants and steamy nightclubs. Estonia „ Taxi fare (10 minutes) 50Kr „ Pärnu ( p155 ) Join this party town, home to sandy beaches, spa resorts and plenty „ Bus ticket (Tallinn to ) 80Kr of night-time distractions. „ Bicycle hire (daily) 150Kr „ ( p142 ) Escape to Estonia’s larg- Although the smallest of the Baltic countries, Estonia (Eesti) makes its presence felt in the est island, with lovely, long stretches „ Sauna 65Kr region. of empty coastline and medieval ruins, and abundant opportunities for outdoor LONELY PLANET INDEX Lovely seaside towns, quaint country villages and verdant forests and marshlands set adventure. „ Litre of petrol 14Kr the scene for discovering many cultural and natural gems. Yet Estonia is also known for „ Tartu (p106 ) Discover the magic of this magnificent castles, pristine islands and a cosmopolitan capital amid medieval splendour. splendid town, gateway to the beautiful „ Litre of bottled water 15Kr land of the mystical Setu community, It’s no wonder Estonia is no longer Europe’s best-kept secret. „ Half-litre of Saku beer in a store/bar with myriad lakes and forests. 15/28Kr Tallinn, Estonia’s crown jewel, boasts cobbled streets and rejuvenated 14th-century dwell- „ (p95 ) Relish the nat- ural beauty of this area’s lush landscape „ Souvenir T-shirt 150Kr ings. Dozens of cafés and restaurants make for an atmospheric retreat after exploring historic and immaculate coastline. „ packet of roasted nuts 25Kr churches and scenic ruins, as well as its galleries and boutiques. By night, stylish lounges and youthful nightclubs offer a glimpse of the city’s sexier side. ITINERARIES „ Three Days Spend your first 48 hours do so, since the president has little involve- Some visitors have a hard time escaping Tallinn’s undeniable allure, but outside the drinking in the splendour of Tallinn’s ment in the day-to-day running of the coun- capital, the bucolic landscape hides numerous attractions. Handsome beach towns, spa Old Town. On the third day, head to try (the domain of the prime minister). resorts and medieval ruins lie scattered about the western shores of the country. Further leafy , the Botanical Gardens Rüütel’s administration, which ended and TV Tower, or take a daytrip west to in 2005, was marked by a few scandals. west lie Estonia’s biggest islands, where iconic windmills, 19th-century lighthouses, unspoilt nearby beaches. Some classified documents went missing beaches and yet more medieval ruins transport visitors to another time. „ One Week After Tallinn, go to the island of on two occasions, leading to the resignation Saaremaa, where spa resorts, windswept or firing of two high-ranking ministers. Covering vast swaths of Estonia, forests, wooded meadows and under-appreciated bog beaches and a castle await. Alternatively, There were also the usual parliamentary form the backdrop to numerous activities. Hiking over wooded trails, horse riding along coast- aim eastward for magnificent Lahemaa shake-ups, which have become fairly com- line and canoeing over flooded forests can link you to the ancient wilderness. There’s also National Park. monplace in Estonian politics. Yet more great bird-watching, cross-country skiing in winter and swimming in crystal-clear lakes and „ Two Weeks To the above, add Tartu, a important than the setbacks were the enor- vibrant university town and gateway to mous twin achievements. Following a refer- rivers in summer. This all makes a nice prelude to a sauna, one of the national pastimes. the lushly landscaped southeast, and/or endum in September 2003, approximately Pärnu, a youthful seaside town near vast 60% of voted in favour of joining FAST FACTS Soomaa National Park and charming the EU. The following spring, the country . officially joined NATO and the EU. „ Area 45,227 sq km At last count in 2005, 65% of Estonians „ Birthplace of Carmen Kass, supermodel; CURRENT EVENTS still believed EU membership had positive , mythological hero To some degree Estonia has found it hard results. Assuming Estonia keeps its infla- to escape its past, notably when Arnold tion down, it has a good chance of adopting „ Capital Tallinn Rüütel, the former head of Estonia’s Soviet the euro as its currency in 2007. „ Country code %372 parliament, won the 2001 presidential elec- In many ways, Estonia is the outstand- „ Departure tax none tion. Viewed by many as a politically inept ing economic success story of the Baltic re- communist dinosaur, 73-year-old Rüütel gion, having made a remarkable transition „ Famous for song festivals, lush woodlands won on his dedication to social problems to capitalism. Its large-scale privatisation, and resplendent coastlines (such as unemployment) – an issue given free-trade agreements and low corporate „ Money Estonian Kroon; €1 = 15.64Kr; short shrift as EU hysteria swept the coun- taxes have brought in enormous foreign US$1 = 13.07Kr; UK£1 = 15.64Kr try. His communist credentials and agricul- investment, mainly in the finance, manu- „ Population 1.3 million tural background were particularly deficient facturing and transport sectors. The effect compared with the skills of his predecessor, on economic growth has been pronounced: „ Visas not needed for most nationalities. the brilliant and charismatic . from 2000 to 2005, real GDP growth aver- See p391 for details. Still Rüütel had no intention of leading aged 6.1% per year, a remarkable achieve- Estonia astray – and had little opportunity to ment for such a tiny newcomer.

euro currency converter 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt euro currency converter 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt ESTONIA cow, which theRussiansfoundinsulting. toattend thecelebrationsinMos- invitation Allied victoryinWWII,Rüütel declinedan in 2005,duringthe60thanniversary of the 2005. negotiations inSeptember thecommentsandwithdrewsented from ences tothe1920Tartu treaty. Russiare- June 2005,butaddedafew oblique refer- liament finallyratifiedthebordertreaty in 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty. TheEstonian par- thewars,between after thesigningof the only inEstonia’spossession km, hadbeen der. piecesof 2300sq These land,totalling across Estonia’sexistingsoutheastern bor- a larger aroundPechory, area inSetumaa, Rivera sliceof and landeast of theNarva to give upitsclaimtotwofrontierareas: treaty, first putforthin1996.Estoniahad stem largely fromtheunresolved border with Russiahave continuedapace. These Teutonic Order inthe south. TheOrder, the Danish in thenorth and theGerman upbetween 13th century Estoniawascarved entire territory was conquered. Bythemid- and ittook wellover 30years before the in 1208.Thelocals putupfierceresistance, ing theSouthern Estoniancastleof Otepää invadedEstonia,conquer- knights German the northernheathens, Danishtroopsand tian invaders from thewest. land. Thefirst real threat camefromChris- thaninconqueringthe andIstanbul Kiev more interestedseemed intraderoutes to nians were wellaware of the Vikings,who By the9thand10thcenturiesAD, Esto- Invasion Christian The next sixmillennia. mostotherEuropeanpeoplesoverised the put, spurningnomadicwaysthatcharacter- took alikingtotheirhomelandand stayed day Estonia, and Hungary.They inpresent- Neolithic peoplesandsettling –minglingwith probably around3500BC around theUrals)camecenturies later – Finno-Ugric tribesfromtheeast(probably found aroundPullinearpresent-day Pärnu. back 10,000years, withStone Age tools dateEstonia’s oldesthumansettlements Beginnings HISTORY 45 The tensions extend tootherareas aswell: Meanwhile, Estonia’songoingdisputes Following papal calls for a crusade against against Following papalcalls foracrusade ESTONIA••History euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt ined in Eisenstein’s film ined inEisenstein’s Peipsion frozenLake imag- (marvellously repelled of byAlexanderNevsky Novgorod hungry tomove eastward,waspower fully became interlinked and withCatholicism, rites bythe 15thcentury these ship, though rites forweddings,funerals andnature wor- links. to its wealthandwesterntament trade Kirik) withitsterracotta sculpture istes- guild). Tartu’s StJohn’s Church (Jaani merchantHanseatic (amedieval League Pärnu –prospered as trade members of the many towns–Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi and tions emerged inthe14thcentury,and sold EstoniatotheLivonianOrder. and decidedthey’dhadenough however, 1345 therebellion wascrus to turnback.Despite Estonianresolve, by gulf, buttheycametoolate andwere forced naval reinforcements send deed across the them finish thejob.TheSwedesdidin- tohelp and calledforSwedishassistance Tallinn inHaapsalu, andtheBishop’sCastle laid siege tomonks. Theysubsequently Cistercian monastery andkilledallof the Estonia whenEstonianspillaged the It startedinDanish-controlled Northern on StGeorge’s (23 April)in1343. night to rebel. them. Meanwhile, theEstonianscontinued ies topreach tothelocalsand(tryto)baptise Dominican religious orders upmonaster- set (Tartu), aroundthetimethatCistercian and overtury cathedralsrose Tallinn andDorpat to thebishops.Byendof the13thcen- towns,handingoverestablished much power Estonians continuedpractising pagan The first guildsandmerchant associa- The mostsignificantuprisingbegan inatvariousnewly The conquerors settled ally appliedspecificallytoEstonians. thename‘Aestii’and Latvians, waseventu- scribing theforerunners totheLithuanians traded amber. AlthoughTacitus wasde- iron weaponry.These peoplescollected and chasing wildboarswithwoodenclubsand them asworshippinggoddessstatuesand ‘Aestii’. Inrathercrudefashionhedepicted Tacitus describedapeopleknownasthe In the1stcenturyADRomanhistorian THE SOURCE OFEESTI www.lonelyplanet.com Alexander Nevsky hed. TheDanes, ). ). www.lonelyplanet.com 0 80 km ESTONIA 0 50 miles

To Käsmu Võsu Tallinn Lahemaa Kunda To Stockholm; Jõelähtme NP Viitna - Kahala Kappelskär -Joa E20 Sillamäe Joessu Jägal Kohtla- Narva E67 (waterfalls) Järve E20 E20 Luganuse Jöhvi To St Petersburg Ristno Keila Nova (125km) Viru-Jaagupi euro currency converter Tahkunanina Nissi

Peninsula Estonia Kärdla Rosna-Alliku Vasknarvo Vormsi Risti Jarva- Kõpu Ristna Jaani Ranna- Kauksi Peninsula Pungerja Suuremöisa B A L T I C S E A Käina Märjamaa Hiiumaa Islets Reserve E67 Lake Türi Peipsi Soru Jõgeva Ranna Vändra Põltsamaa 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Kuivaste Parnu- Vöhma Voma Jaagupi Suure- Maarja Nina Jaani ESTONIA Saaremaa Maadaleena Soomaa Kaali NP Karevere Kärla Sakla Pärnu Sindi Viljandi Kavastu Pilguse Tartu Lake Sangla Köpu Võrtsjärv Salme Munalaiu Port Kilingi- Elva Nomme Vastse- Sörve Paluoja Kuuste Moisakula Peninsula Haademeeste Karksi-Nula Torgu Talli Räpina Joarjo Otepää Sääre Tõrva Põlva E67 Värska Pujiena Mazsalace Võru Pskov Ainazi Staicele Kolka Valga Antsla Aloja Salacgriva Valka Suur Munamägi ESTONIA Mazirbe (318m) Rõuge Matisi Mikeltornis E77 Ovisi LATVIA Strenci National Park E67 LATVIA Moniste Rogosi Dundaga Kaltene Tuja E77

Ventspils To R‹ga Valmiera Trikata To R‹ga Ape Limbazi 46

(60km) (110km) ESTONIA ESTONIA Some townswere completely obliterated. forts. among northernEurope’smightiest once destroyed –includingViljandiCastle, fied centre inthecountrywasransacked or forTallinn,Except castleandforti- every ensuing famineaddingtothewarcasualties. (such asplague),cropfailureease andthe quarters of allfarmswere withdis- deserted, of theruralpopulationperished, aboutthree- tions of warfare 1552to1629)half (roughly Duringthetwogenera-on theinhabitants. 17th century.Swedenemerged thevictor. intermittent raged the fighting throughout andSwedenjoinedthe fray, and trail of destruction intheirwake. , extremely cruel,withtheinvaders leaving a around theregion of Tartu. was Thefighting by ferocious Tatar cavalry, attacked in1558, on westwardexpansion.Russiantroops,led set clearly in1547,hadhissights sian tsar Terrible, thefirst whocrownedhimself Rus- ern Estonia) came fromtheeast.Ivan andsouth- to Livonia(nownorthernLatvia During the16thcenturygreatest threat LivonianWar The Cistercian monasteries were shut. remain); inTartu boththeDominicanand monastery (of which someimpressive ruins Tallinn theDominican authoritiesclosed churches now underLutheranauthority.In reorganised,had been withmonasteries and wave. Bythemid-16thcenturychurch Lutheran preachers representing the initial many, reached Estoniainthe1520s,with The Reformation,which originated inGer- &theRussianThreat Reformation The becameaserf. century apeasant century, somuch sothatbytheearly16th disappearedants’ rights duringthe15th they beganusingChristiannames.Peas- 47 as ‘the goodold Swedish time’. single ruler. This period isoften referred to united forthe first timeinhistory undera of war. Under Swedish rule, Estoniawas recovereconomy speedily fromtheravages by trade,grew andprospered, helpingthe antry didn’timprove much, cities,boosted rule. the Although lot of theEstonian peas- riod of peaceandprosperityunder Swedish Following thewar Estoniaentered ape- SwedishEra The Like mostwars, this onetookaheavy toll ESTONIA••History euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt serve the legacy of enforced servitude. thelegacyof enforcedservitude. serve bitterly aristocracyfought topre-German freedom inSweden),butthelocal Baltic- Estonian crownmanors enjoyed (peasants in for hispartwanted toabolishserfdom of TheSwedish king,CharlesXI, serfdom. lost theirgainsandentered theharderlot enjoyed more freedom of movement, soon of thepopulation.Peasants, whoforatime 97) killedoff80,000people–almost20% of plague,andlater theGreat Famine (1695– were goingsteadily downhill.Anoutbreak founding of Tartu University. cation received anenormousboostwiththe to read thepeasants andwrite.taught Edu- Swedish clergy foundedvillage schools and didn’t get underwayuntilthe1630s, when dates from1535,thepublicationof books the first printed Estonian-language book that were duringthewar. deserted Although government generously andeven gave lands degree aristocracyacertain ofGerman self- dom of movement limited andeven access They alsogained surnames, a greater free- ants were finally liberated from serfdom. that thepeas- wasn’t until 1816,however, instituting quasi-democratic reforms. It who curbedtheprivileges of theelite while theGreatenment wasCatherine (1762–96), Enlightenment, in thelate 18thcentury. Estonia’s lowerclass didn’tchange untilthe attitudestowards Conservative viving serfs. destroying anyhope of freedom for thesur- ish reforms were rolledbackbyPeter I, plague) lefttens of dead.Swed- thousands War(and the1710 news forthepeasants. Russian dominationof Estoniawasbad Enlightenment The routed. and Swedenhadbeen back toRussia. By1710Tallinn capitulated, shipped destroyed andallof itssurvivors multiple fronts.By1708Tartu hadbeen on Swedes begantofoldundertheassaults –the the defeat of theRussiansatNarva in 1700.After afew –including successes warbegan lands lostintheLivonianWar: toregainand Russia –countriesseeking anti-Swedish allianceof Poland,Denmark threatsSoon Swedenfacedserious froman War Northern Great The By the mid-17th century, however, things things By themid-17thcentury,however, The Swedishkinggranted theBaltic- Among those influenced bytheEnlight- Among those www.lonelyplanet.com (Jakobson’s andfarm,p161, house Sakala forEstonians;healsofounded litical rights Robert Jakobson, forequalpo- whofought Other influentialthinkers includedCarl rather than one of theterm thefirst ‘Estonians’ touse was publishedbyJohann VoldemarJannsen, per, hood. Thefirst Estonian-language newspa- elite, the countrymarched towardsnation- national awakening. bya newEstonian Led The late 19thcenturywasthedawnof the National Awakening ton exporttoEurope). dropinAmericancot- and thesubsequent pricesduringtheUSCivilWar larly high and flax(thelatter commandingparticu- ing anincomefromcropssuch aspotatoes ing farmsteads fromtheestates, andearn- started buy- the 19thcentury,peasants halfof Bythesecond to self-government. www.lonelyplanet.com Estonian rebels, who continued todestroy wounding 200. respondedist troops brutally bykilling and when 20,000 workers wenton strike. Tsar- Tension mounted untilautumnthatyear, border, Estonia’s workers joinedthe fray. 1905 asarmedinsurrection flared acrossthe mimicked inRussia,andJanuary those formed worker parties.Events inEstonia demonstrations and strikes ledby newly grimworkplaces,withcompanied those with Russia. Socialismanddiscontent ac- sive railway network thatlinked Estonia ofthe rise large factoriesandanexten- of marked rampantindustrialisation, by The late 19thcenturywasalsoaperiod &WWI Rebellion the memoryof 700years of slavery. tional consciousness–oneimprinted with by LydiaKoidula,alsohelpedshape thena- particularlyworks Otherpoems, folk tales. gether hundreds of Estonianlegends and Kreutzwald’s epicthatmeldedto- poetic the publicationof emerged fromobscurity,particularly with choral traditions.Estonia’srich folklore also major foregrounding event Estonia’sunique and in1869thefirst songfestival washeld,a intothisuniqueman). insight Tsar Nicholas II’sresponse incited the Numerous Estoniansocietiesemerged, Perno Postimees, , Estonia’sfirst politicalnewspaper. maarahvas Kalevipoeg appeared in1857.It euro currency converter (countrypeople). , Friedrich provide  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Estonia wascompletely independent. territory. Forthe first time inits history, ofRussia’s rights sovereignty over Estonian Tartu Peace Treaty, which renounced forever a truceand on2February 1920 itsignedthe time enemy.InDecember Russia agreed to ish andSwedishtroops, itdefeated itslong- help of Britishwarships andFinnish,Dan- backtenaciously,tonia fought andwiththe ning halfthecountry byJanuary 1919.Es- as theRedArmyquickly advanced,overrun- reactionaries. Warerupted Baltic-German Estonia facedthreats frombothRussiaand WarofIndependence The and politicalleaders fledthecountry. papers andorganisations were down, closed beria. Tradeunionsandprogressive news- hundreds600 Estoniansandsent off toSi- quelling therebellions andthenexecuted ofthousands soldiers arrived fromRussia, the propertyof theoldguard.Subsequently, fectively declared itsindependence. the initiative andon24February 1918,ef- chaos sweptacrossRussia, Estoniaseized power. seized dicate, andtheBolsheviks As St Petersburg Nicholas IIwasforcedtoab- matter wasnolonger todecide. In thetsar’s no intention of doingso. Butby1917the them nationhood.Russia, of had course, Russia wouldgrant helped defeat , underthenotionthatifthey tofight off were killedinaction.Many Estonianswent 100,000 menwere drafted, 10,000of whom priceforRussia’sinvolvementpaid ahigh – hadanotherpriority:WWI.Estoniatsar realised. Instead,never Russia’sbumbling thecountry–were tocolonise sian peasants of thousands –such Rus- assending heel More radicalplanstobringEstonia ing acenturylater. highly influentialinthenationalawaken- became thinking for thetime,Merkel’s Revolutionarytions forcedintoservitude. as suppressed na- peasants,butasdistinct referred not totheEstonians(and Latvians) wasbadeconomics. Healsothat serfdom whoin1796postulatedMerkel, theidea Enlightenment wastheGermanGarlieb ofthe insightfulthinker One particularly NATIONHOOD THE EARLIEST HERALDOF ESTONIA •• History ESTONIA ••History

48 ESTONIA ESTONIA Estonia welcomed the Nazis aslibera- dren were togulags. alsosent ofern Russia. Thousands women andchil- (and usually die)inlabour camps innorth- buttowork not to fight scripted andsent the country.Tens of were thousands con- to jointheUSSR. Supreme Soviet accepted Estonia’s‘request’ andon6August1940thewas installed, sian prisoncamps, apuppetgovernment leaders were off toRus- sacked andsent andother President Laidoner Päts,General people’ demandedtobepartof theUSSR. orchestrated ashamrebellion whereby ‘the paratchiks (CommunistParty members) 1939and1941.Ap- between and airbases, diers arrived, naval alongwith military, over toStalin. handingEstonia pact in1939,essentially ofThousands Russiansol- many andtheUSSRnegotiated asecret whenNaziGer-Estonia’s fate wassealed Invasion &WWII Soviet The republic untilWWII. rulethatdogged thefledgling authoritarian began the‘eraof silence’, aperiodof gross democracy fromextremist factions.Thus power, underthepretext of protecting army, violated theconstitutionandseized oner, commander-in-chief of theEstonian tional government, along withJohan Laid- Päts,leaderof1934 Konstantin thetransi- viks) drove thegovernment In totheright. supported bytheBolshe- 1924 coupd’état of communistsubversion (such asthefailed one –independencewasnotsorosy.Fear tions inbookspercapita). 1940 (againsurpassingmostEuropeanna- 1918and 25,000 titlespublishedbetween with and anenormousbookindustryarose, mostEuropeannations), students surpassed also improved thenumberof (percapita education and academicspheres. Secondary creating newopportunitiesinprofessional the linguafrancaforallaspectsof publiclife, tonians, andtheEstonianlanguage became Tartu University becameauniversity forEs- and attractinginvestments fromabroad. with Estoniautilisingitsnaturalresources golden era. rapidly, Theeconomydeveloped In manyways,theindependenceperiodwasa Days ofWine,Roses&Dictatorship 49 When Russia fled the German advance, When Russia fledthe German andWWIIdevastatedDeportations the political On otherfronts–notably ESTONIA••History euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt of planning underits belt, state disastrous and yearsthe ravaging war inAfghanistan much hopeuntilthe mid’80s.Withsee Estonia didn’t ‘thaw’ under Khrushchev), theperiods during thetyranny (notably movement effectively destroyed. hadbeen against theSoviet army,andby1956the fortunately, theguerrillas hadlittlesuccess thecountry.Un- small groupsthroughout selves andwent intohiding,operatingin Brothers’, 14,000 Estoniansarmedthem- movement. the‘Forest themselves Calling in 1944,Estoniansformedalarge guerrilla native Estoniansfell from 97%to62%. 1939and1989 thepercentage of Between from different regions of theSoviet Union. of thousands immigrantsfloodedthecountry and forcedintocollectivisation, brutally 19,000 Estoniansexecuted. Farmers were tortured sands toprison camps and orsent grim epoch of repression, withmanythou- nexed bytheSoviet Union.Thisbeganthe After thewarEstoniawasimmediately an- Era Soviet The camps. to gulagsorexterminated inconcentration killed inaction;others were executed, sent whoemigrated, 30,000weretion tothose Estonia lostover 280,000people:inaddi- one in10Estonianslived abroad.Allinall, reached theWest.Byendof thewar Estonians alsofledandaround70,000 Fearing theadvanceof theRedArmy,many upon ‘Estoniantraitors’. pletely destroyed asRussiaexacted revenge va’s baroqueOldTownwasalmostcom- Tallinn, Tartu Narva, andothercities.Nar- conscripted). army(nearly40,000wereinto theGerman whoremainedthose facedconscription fledtoFinland,while tonians). Thousands were shot(5000of whomwere ethnicEs- laborators. people Seventy-fivethousand mans beganexecuting communistcol- Union. Hopewascrushed whentheGer- merely asoccupiedterritory of theSoviet toEstoniaandviewedit grant statehood would not TheNazis,however, battalions. home-defence unitsandWehrmacht Ost tors. Fifty-five Estoniansjoined thousand Although thereAlthough were afew optimistic As aresult of therepression, beginning The Nazisretreated 1944. inSeptember In early1944theSoviet armybombed www.lonelyplanet.com pendence in1991. tempts tostopit,Estoniaregained itsinde- free electionsin1990.Despite Russia’sat- Disobeying ’sorders, Estoniaheld of aggression andtherefore military illegal. Soviet declared of theevents 1940anact international plight. attention totheBaltic Song Festival much grounds.Thisbrought 250,000 Estoniansgathered onTallinn’s test. Thebiggest took placein1988when Estonia’s mostpowerfulvehicles forpro- of Thesongfestival statehood. wasoneof with Estoniansdemandingtherestoration months, more andmore protests were held, rally tookplaceinTallinn. thenextfew Over niversary of pact,a major theStalin-Hitler gained momentum,andonthe50than- economic catastrophe. the Soviet Unionteetered onthebrink of www.lonelyplanet.com social benefits, andcontinued themarch to cut business taxes and reduced 1998. Laar in onbyRussia’s financialcollapse brought helped correct theEstonianfinancial crisis time. Duringthistime inoffice, he a second in 1999,whenhe was elected primeminister returned tothepolitical arenaCouncil). Laar of noconfidencebytheRiigikogu (National whenhisgovernmentmissed received avote ered ahothead,andin 1994,hewasdis- andnuclear wastebases innaval bases.) northeast, polluted groundwater aroundair landsinthe behind: ecologicallydevastated fortunately, theRussiansleftafew things the lastgarrisonsdeparted in1994. Un- breathed acollective of sigh relief when ety forEstonians,andthewhole country (The latter wasasourceof particularanxi- ing thecomplete Russiantroopwithdrawal. the very solidEstoniankroon andnegotiat- into afree-market economy,introducing rian Mart Laar , became prime minister. rule. ProPatria’s leader,32-year-old histo- associated withcommunistpower those which meantremovinging House’, from after campaigningundertheslogan‘Clean- (Fatherland) Unionwonanarrowmajority tion of newlyformedparties.TheProPatria new constitutiontookplace,withaprolifera- In 1992thefirst general electionunderthe Postindependence In November 1989theEstonian Supreme The dissidentmovement inEstonia Despite Laar’s successes, hewasconsid- successes, Despite Laar’s towork transformingEstonia set Laar euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt they have astake inthings. now thatthey’re partof theEUandfeel like happening intheoutsideworld,particularly Estonians are equallyinterested inwhat’s smaller audience).Despite thisinward-focus, est audiences(onlyIcelandproduces fora produces filmsforoneof theworld’ssmall- lection (Ireland largest),and hasthe Estonia of folksongs,the world’ssecond- largest col- ( p111 ) inTartu holdsover 1.3millionpages tradition. TheEstonian Literary Museum to theirhistory,folklore andnational song identity. Estoniansare deeply connected have tenaciously heldontotheirnational andRussians, Estonians Swedes, Germans Despite centuriesof occupationbyDanes, NationalPsyche The THE CULTURE government, resigned. andin2002Laar amongthecoalitionwrangling, however, withtheEU.talks There wasmuch political 1999, which allowedittobeginaccession ing Estoniaoutof itsnegative growthin Hisremediesprivatisation. worked, pull- drinking, dancing and revelry. gather inthe countryside for acquaintances such asJaanipäev, when friends,family and assuming thatthere isn’tafestival underway, and intoxication –allfrownedupon. Thisis displays of brashbehaviour publicaffection, alsoextends togross Thisreserve type goes. breeding endlessintrospection, asthestereo- do withtheweather – longdark nights those ithasmuch Some believe to and standoffish. In person, Estonians tend to be reserved In person, Estonians tend tobereserved in bringing aboutEstonianindependence. Estonia heisfondlyremembered forhisrole sinated bytheRussianmilitaryin1995.In pendence movement. Hewasbrutallyassas- president ofChechnyaandleaditsinde- Dudayev, whowouldgoontobecomethe sion fromRussia. That leader wasDzhokhar his commandagainstanyattempted inva- even threatened under toturntheartillery refused toopenfire uponthecrowd. He however, disobeyedMoscow’sorders,and The commanderofthetroopsattime, diers were ordered todothesameinTallinn. tegic buildingsinVilnius andR In January1991Soviet troops seized stra- TALLINN’S CHECHENHERO ESTONIA ••TheCulture ī ga, andsol-

50 ESTONIA ESTONIA land. spiritual,connection tothe say some might it’s no thatEstonianshavesurprise adeep, mour. rooted forsolonginoneplace, Being and are knownfortheirwitandgoodhu- try nottotake themselves tooseriously, to succeed in the new economy. inthe neweconomy. to succeed the requirement tolearn Estonian –in order –oneof obstacles the mostdauntingbeing Estonia, facing whatthey feel are enormous Russians alsofeel alienated fromthe new ture thedemands. Many quite meet doesn’t hit, asEstonia’s social-welfare infrastruc- Pensionerssalaries. have thehardest been cost of faster than goodscontinuestorise wage disparitiescontinue togrow,andthe the poverty linehasfalleninrecent years, the numberofAlthough people livingbelow socialproblems. country hassomenagging beganvotingonline.2005 even parking usingtheirmobilephones, andin here thanitisinFrance. Estonianspayfor ishighermobile-phone usage percapita most wired-up intheworld.Internet and today itsschools andtownsare amongthe dents are prepared forthefuture, and making enormoussteps inensuringstu- isoneofsauna thenationalpastimes. up thequietbeauty.Having acountryside the woods,orsittingwithfriends soaking ing berriesormushrooms, walkingthrough ends are spentatthefamilycottage, pick- they headtothecountryside. Idealweek- fields, orputtinglonghours inattheoffice, ethic, butwhenthey’re nottoilingin the since 1991. the economyhasdiversified considerably over theInternet, are bothEstonian),and Skype, which allowsfree telephone calling the peer-to-peer, file-sharingsoftware, and is widespread (thedevelopers of Kazaa, unimagined possibilities.Entrepreneurship fashions andtrends. itsown populacesetting design, andasavvy with urbanstreetscapes awashincolourful are astonished tofindathrivingsociety, behind Estonia. Todayfirst-time visitors The long,grey daysof Soviet ruleare well Lifestyle 51 Despite the self-composure, Estonians Despite theself-composure, Yet despite theongoing ITrevolution, the In therealm of education,Estonia is Estonians are knownfortheirstrongwork The neweconomyhascreated previously ESTONIA••TheCulture euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt what theirFinnish counterpart earns. is thattheaverage worker earnsonly20%of most discouragingforblue-collarEstonians but wellupfromitsSoviet days. Perhaps placing itbelowtheEUaverage of €23,480, ings percapita in2005stoodat€13,700, Earn- 9%; lessthanFranceandGermany. in Europe),withunemploymentaround in 2005compared withunder2%elsewhere experience huge economicgrowth(over 7% eration mix quite freely. Thisisn’t tosay to do withone another, the younger gen- Russians andEstoniansin general have little together inrelative harmony. Whileolder the ’90s, todaythetwo communities live ethnic Russians andEstoniansintween of migrationof anyof theSoviet republics. three rate decades,Estonia hadthehighest of thecourse troops. Over thenext military with manyof theimmigrantsarriving with occurred onamassscale from1945to1955, Migration fromotherpartsof theUSSR a few years later withthe Soviet takeover. over 90%of thepopulation.Thischanged ago. In1934native Estonianscomprised nia differs markedly fromthatof 70years The ethnicmake-up of present-day Esto- Multiculturalism in Estonia(99.8%). Literacy isalmostuniversalin thecapital. cities; 40%of the nationalpopulationlives sizable presence inTallinn (40%). 96% of thepopulation.Russiansalsohave a theymake up some places(such asNarva) industrial citiesof thenortheast,where in Ethnic Russiansare concentrated inthe 1%Finnishand2%other.1% Belarusian, 26% of thepopulation,with2%Ukrainian, nia are ethnicEstonians.Russiansmake up crowds. sickof good newsforthose wadingthrough 380 peoplepersqkmintheNetherlands– only 32peoplepersqkm,compared with try alsohasalowpopulationdensity,with fraction more thanMauritius). Thecoun- fewer residents thantheGazaStrip,buta scale interms of population(withslightly Estonia ranks nearthebottomof theworld Population On apositive note, Estoniacontinuesto While much wasmade of thestrife be- percentof EstoniansresideSeventy in Only 68%of thepeoplelivinginEsto- www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com with rich cultural traditions, andthey speak ing Russia. Theyare a Finno-Ugric people in southeastern Estoniaandin neighbour- of mixed Russian-Estonian ancestry wholive in Estonia isthe people,anative group Setu that someEstonians have of them. munity inturnfeeds thenegative stereotypes socialproblems intheRussiancom- higher TomakeRussian plight. matters the worse, both inshortsupply, gives somecluetothe of thenortheast,where workandhope are drive someof through thecrumbling towns disproportionate share of prisoners (58%).A unemployment rate (20%)andmake upa that life issmooth.Russianshave ahigher One of themostoverlooked ethnic groups language andintegration programmes. ance bothpoliticallyandfinanciallyfrom organisations suchastheEUto implement larger-scale extension ofthetimeframeforphasingoutRussianlanguagetuition,andhas requested assist- language courseswillbereimbursed tothosewhopasstheexams. Ithasalsocommitted toan thetimerequiredpassed anamendmentshortening forobtainingcitizenship, andthecostsof Estonian government hasbegunaddressing theproblems–albeitslowly.In2004government of Estonia’sRussianspeakers. Perhaps inresponse tointernational criticism,inrecent yearsthe on freedom foradvancementandrepresentation ofspeechand reduced opportunities formany sians are farfromproficientinEstonian,thishasprompted concernfromtheUNover limitations (even whichis92%Russian).As includingaRussianculturalcentre themajorityofRus- inNarva, law regulates theminimumEstonianlanguagerequirements inall publicandprivate enterprises such asonbillboardsandinstore cases).Another windows(insideastore isallowedincertain laws forbiddingthedisplayofforeign-language words(excluding trademarks) inpublicplaces concentrated ondiscouraging enforces the‘illegal’useofRussian.The LanguageDepartment grammes, thefundingforwhichhascomelargely fromforeign sources. have Instead, efforts The Estoniangovernment hasspentrelatively littleonlanguageimmersionandintegration pro- ofthegovernmentbeen aperceived lackofgoodwillonthepart toencouragethemlearn. iftheyare notcitizensis thattheyavoidEstonianarmyservice untilafter theageof27. visit relatives holdersneedvisas).Anotherdeterrent (Estonianpassport foryoungRussianmen upRussianorothercitizenship.naturalised ortake most countriesbutessentiallyrenders theholdersstateless –unlesstheychoosetobecome The(dubbed ‘grey latter gives passport’). legalresidency inEstoniaandfreedom totravel to (most ofthemRussian),andtheremainder foreign ‘alien’spassport’ heldaso-called passports in localgovernment providing elections theyhave legalresidency. automatically acitizen. Onlycitizens mayvote inparliamentaryelections. Noncitizens canvote for five yearsbefore applying. However, anyoneborninthecountryafter 26February 1992is for citizenship automatically;anyonewhoarrived after thatdate must holdaresidency permit alities have becomecitizens inthisway.AnyonelivingEstoniabefore 1July1990canapply questions abouttheconstitution);sofar,133,000peoplemadeupofRussians andothernation- peoplehadtobenaturalised, anongoingprocessthatincludesalanguagetest (withOther citizens EstonianRepublicand theirdescendantsautomaticallybecamecitizens. ofthepre-1940 When Estonia regained independence,notevery resident received citizenship. People whowere CITIZENSHIP One deterrent learningenoughEstoniantopassalanguagetest toRussianspeakers has One reason Russiansdonotapplyforcitizenship istheireasier,visa-free travel toRussia In 2005there were still245,000people classifiedas‘foreigners’ livinginEstonia:103,000held euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt remain adividedpeople. are destinedto in half.Fornow, theSetus two countries,cutting wholecommunities Worst of the allis the borderthatseparates theirnumbersthough continuetodwindle. about 4000inEstonia(and3000 Russia), Theretheir ownlanguage are (VõruSeto). ing the successes ofing the successes Mart Poom,nicknamed Abroad, meanwhile, Estonians are follow- addedmoretainly football fans tothepile. Estonia’s victory over Russiain2002 cer- the nation. sweeping ball mania hasbeen tonia’s national sport, butrecently foot- For years, basketball wasconsidered Es- SPORT ESTONIA •• Sport ESTONIA ••Sport

52 ESTONIA ESTONIA inroads primarily in the Russian- speaking the Children of groups have God. These made Jehovah’s Hare Witnesses, Krishnas andeven streets of Tallinn), DayAdventists, Seventh of dailyonthe sentatives which canbeseen Saints (thewell-dressed andclean-cutrepre- Estonia, including theChurch of Day Latter that have ganisations recently upshopin set ible are andreligious thenumerous sects or- then, enthusiasm has tapered More off. vis- Since tothe independencecause. allied itself est inreligion asthestate LutheranChurch From 1987to1990there wasasurge of inter- nority of Estoniansprofess religious beliefs. today onlyami- early 17thcentury,though Historically , EstoniawasLutheranfromthe RELIGION checking events outwww.kiiking.ee. information onkiiking,andinfo upcom- degree looparoundthetopbar. Formore attemptcontestants tocomplete a360- inPärnu1997, an extreme sport.Devised gentle pleasure of ridingaswingbecomes elsewhere intheworldiskiiking,where the in Sydney. gold-medal winneratthe2000Olympics the sportsworldisErkiNool,decathlon in Estonia. Anotherwell-knownname in refreshing isamuch-vaunted sauna combo snowyforestsing through followedbya Ski- the country’scross-countryskicapital. in Tartu ( p112 ) andOtepää, which isalso cyclists . Major bike marathonstake place you cansurfsomewaves (see p139 ). aremoteand even spotontheislandswhere line. There are placestosail, somefantastic and mere beach spectators allfilltheshore- where avid windsurfers, kayakers, swimmers vantage of Estonia’s3700kmof coastline, agame. best betforseeing try. Tallinn’s ( Kalev Stadium p88 ) isyour large andsmallscattered aroundthe coun- CoqArenathe ALe ( p88 ). to catch alive match candosoinTallinn at vourite of whowant manylocalfans.Those Tallinn. fa- FCFloraisthe long-standing masters league,fourof which are in based intheEnglishPremierArsenal, League. the EstonianGiant,whoisagoalkeeper for 53 A sportthatyou’re unlikely toencounter Estonia’s flatlandscapeattractsloadsof Once thesummerarrives, localstake ad- Basketball aficionadoswillfind courts Estonia has10footballteams inits ESTONIA••Religion euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt the most performed piecesof music in His songs and piano suites were among but hismusic shows noneof this influence. under Rimsky-Korsakov inSt Petersburg melodies. Mart Saar(1882–1963) studied onfolksongworks aswell fantasies fluential symphonic, choral andconcerto today. RudolfTobias (1873–1918) wrote in- heart of thepeople,andremain popular 20th centuryall wrote musicdeartothe music. andRenaissance eval performingmainlymedi- known ensemble, formed in1972,isprobably Estonia’sbest acclaimed worldwide. HortusMusicus, choirs. TheEstonianBoysChoirhasbeen its sical musictradition,andmostnotably Estonia clas- iswidelyknownforitsserious Music ARTS his paintingschool. famed iconpainter Gavrila Frolov founded also knownforitsicons,asthisiswhere the least visited corners of is thecountry.Raja nating architecture oneof andcomprise the KasepääRaja, andKolkja have somefasci- shore of Peipsi. Lake Tiny villages such as lievers livingin11congregations alongthe existence alongthebucolicshoreline. 1991 they’ve leftalonetolive been apeaceful churches, andreligious persecution. Since occupation ledtothedestructionof more its independencein1918.Sadly,theSoviet theirreligionpractise untilEstoniagained ist Russia andweren’t allowedtoopenly persecution, theywere stillgoverned bytsar- theyescaped and worship Although houses. Peipsi,Lake where theyerected newvillages fledtothewestern shoresries, thousands of were thenextfew centu- destroyed. Over executed, andmanyhomeschurches rejected hisreforms suffered torture orwere with theGreek Orthodox church. who Those bring RussianOrthodox doctrineintoline duced reforms toconsolidathis power and In 1652inRussia,Patriarch Nikonintro- groups arrived inEstoniaover 300years ago. sprinkled aroundeastern Estonia. dox, domedchurches withbeautifulbrightly lims inEstoniaand260Jews. population. There Mus- are thousand several The main Estonian ofThe mainEstonian composers the Today there are 15,000Russian OldBe- One of Estonia’s mostintriguingreligious The Russiancommunityislargely Ortho- www.lonelyplanet.com sung in Latin. sung inLatin. instruments, and the songsaremedieval difference being themusic isplayedon album of sortstoBlack Sabbath–theonly well-received album and isn’tafraid of Its experimentation. period instrumentsforms onmedieval in anumberof earlymusicfestivals, per- thathasplayedRondellus, anensemble is oneof Estonia’smore groups. clever Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. he istheconductorandmusicdirector of the performance for tra, wontheGrammyAwardforbest choral the EstonianNationalSymphony Orches- Male Choir,theEllerhein Girls’Choirand music. In2003he,alongwiththe Estonian intheworldof making anameforhimself alsoaconductor,isalreadyson Paavo Järvi, Orchestra after aheralded15-yearrun.His down asdirector of theDetroitSymphony most laudedconductor,recently stepped Estonia’s Järvi, Pärt. Neeme music of Arvo ber Orchestra, hasfrequently recorded the director of theEstonian Philharmonic Cham- structures are like noneother before. matical, structures. Many hismusical believe mathe- simple butactuallycomplex,even creating tension andbeautywithoutwardly methodofas thetintinnabularstyle,asparse refersaspirations. Pärthimself tohismusic but driven tofindexpression forcollective celebrated asindividualsfortheircreations when performers andcomposerswere not responds withatimeintheMiddleAges tion fromprayers orBiblepassagesandcor- nuanced silence. Hismusicdrawsinspira- dramatic bleakness, piercingmajesty and acclaimed bodyof workcharacterised by Tabula Rasa and his duringSovietemigrated toGermany rule, have misleadinglytermed minimalist. Pärt master of hauntinglyaustere music many andreclusive Pärt(1935–),theintense Arvo enced onhisnative Hiiumaa. from nature andtheelementsasexperi- Erkki-Sven Tür(1959–)takes inspiration 10 symphonies.Contemporary bodyof whose workincludescomposer Tubin (1905–82)isanothergreat Estonian concertsinEstonia.between-war Eduard www.lonelyplanet.com Bridging the gap between oldandnewBridging thegap between Internationally renowned TõnuKaljuste, is Estonia’s mostcelebrated composer Misererie Litany are amonganinternationally Sibelius: Cantatas. Sabbatum euro currency converter , Te Deum is atribute Today and  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt album bands. Jäääärisalsoatthetop,with Bule are twoof thecountry’smostbeloved proachable UltimaThuleandCompromise the U2-styleMrLawrence. Themore ap- such as Venaskond, and Tuberkuloised EveningsIngrian cult-to-perform His best-knownworksincludethediffi- onoldrunicchants.striking musicbased writesa leadingEstonianchoral composer, Turkish andAsian themes.Veljo Tormis, influencedbyTibetan,has been Siberian, as Estonia’sEnya. Peeter Vähi’smusic bedescribed tions andharpmusic,might who mixes sparse folkmusicwithincanta- pop. Intheworldof NewAge, KirileLoo, classicalwith fuses work. ViolinistCamille incorporate Nordicelementsinto their Veski andpiano-accordionistTiit Kalluste Germans published an Estonian grammar Germans pious tractsread onlyby theclergy. Baltic- until the mid-19thcentury were mainly ard Estonian of today) by 1739,buttexts tonian (the ‘dialect’thatbecame thestand- 1686, andacomplete BibleinNorthernEs- published inSouthernEstonian been than 150years old. ANewTestament had history of written Estonianislittle more an Estoniantext fromthe16thcentury, Although records indicate thatthere was Literature lights oflights theprogressive rockscene. Ühing. LinnuTee and Echosilence are high- andVäikesteclude Untsakond Lõõtspillide folkbandsin- Estonian albums.Excellent Väike PuustLinn)ranking amongthebest was on every danceclub’splaylistin2005. was onevery band favourite ‘hingetuna’ isNexus,whose cream namedafter them.Anotherall-girl to have nobounds:they’ve hadanice even lish andEstonian).Theirpopularity seems for theircatchy dancetunes(sunginEng- ping charts notonlyinEstoniabutabroad group which top- formedin2002,hasbeen latest rage inthecountry:Vanilla Ninja,a in Estonia,withslinkygirlbands being the between genresbetween withhercaptivating voice. primarily ajazzsinger whomoves seamlessly Maarja, LiisiKoiksonandHedvig Hanson, Hard rockthrives inEstoniawithgroups In jazz,theduoof Villu saxophonist The popanddance-musicsceneisstrong Other singers withafollowinginclude Tartu –SmallWoodenTown . Curse UponIron ESTONIA •• Arts ESTONIA ••Arts and (Tartu –

The

54 ESTONIA ESTONIA was the truest formof independence. come partof Europe. For Vilde, self-reliance asEstonia’smad, blindrush tobe- he saw plays, Vilde looked withgreat irony atwhat too controversial. Inmostof hisnovels and tique of thethenintelligentsia wasdeemed substituted with ing of theEstoniaTheatre in1913 but was to bethefirst play performedattheopen- (Tabamata Ime). who wrotewright ential early-20th-century novelist and play- social, politicalandphilosophical issues. of village andtownlife, itexplores Estonian 1926and1933.Afive-volumetween saga and Justice the greatest Estoniannovelist for tional awakening andfirst ladyof literature. of100Kr note, wasthepoet Estonia’sna- (1843–86),theface of the torestorealso apromise freedom: and hisland’sconquestbyforeigners, but mythical hero,which endswithhisdeath Son of Kalev hundreds of Estonian legends andfolktales, epic created decadesearlier. several Fusing also inspired byFinland’s ofuse Estonia’s rich oraltraditions;itwas hold Kreutzwald (1803–82),madebrilliant 1857and1861byFriedrichbetween Rein- epic poem epic poem Thenational folk traditionamongpeasants. onlybywayofture anoral waspreserved 21 years oldin1822. gifted linguist, hediedwhenwasonly University, Kristjan Jaak Peterson. Alsoa and diariesof ayounggraduate of Tartu literary potential. a mere language’ ‘peasants’ toonewithfull papers Estonianfrom began.Thiselevated the publicationof andnews- books,poetry the nationalawakening movement that book andadictionary,butitwasn’tuntil 55 Eduard Vilde(1865–1933)wasan influ- Anton Hansen Tammsaare isconsidered And buildEstonia’slife anew. To bringhappinesstohischildren Then Kalev’s sonwill return home ofHis handfromthevise stone flameburstsA bright forthtofree But onedayanage willdawnwhen Until themid-19thcenturyEstoniancul- Estonian literature grew fromthepoems ESTONIA••Arts Kalevipoeg (TõdejaÕigus),written be- relates theadventures of the Hamlet, Unattainable Wonder Unattainable Wonder (Son of Kalev), written euro currency converter ashisscathingcri- Kalevala , a similar , asimilar Truth was was  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt trepreneurs inpostindependence Estonia. misadventures of youngand ambitiousen- Kaur Kender’s modern Estonian values.Inpopularfiction, derland discovery. Notamere confessional, leads himdown atortuousroadof self- kept boyforanolder,rich gentleman. This nian whotravels toEuropeand becomes a Esto- Tode), isaboutayounghomosexual Emilpublished underthepseudonym prize forLiterature. have nominated forthe Nobel bothbeen Estonian life superbly.KrossandKaplinski in English.Hisworkexpresses the feel of All had twocollections, Jaaning contemporary poets. Kaplinski has experience. Hope exile inSiberia. Hiswork who, like Kross,spentsometimeasan isthecruxofauthoritarianism hiswork. thecritiqueof though past-andpresent-day onatrue story, based up inprison.It’sloosely falls inlove girlandlater withapeasant ends story of a19th-centuryEstonianbaronwho nowned book, ternationally acclaimedauthor. Hismostre- 23 languages, makinghimEstonia’smostin- translatedsubjects. Hisworkhasbeen into in which hemanages Soviet-era totackle won great acclaimforhishistorical novels life inEstonia. Thenovelist Jaan Krosshas ball), playsandarticlesaboutcontemporary cynical novels (notably has written, fromthe1960sonwards, quite tonian intellectuals inthemodernworld,and roleincementingtheplaceofimportant Es- ary problems of cultural identity. patriotic pieces,which dealwithcontempor- dubbed the‘EstonianDylanThomas’forhis of andplaywrights, Estonia’sleadingpoets and 1913.Paul-Eerik Rummo(1942–)isone ing Mark Twainforhischildhoodinclud- tales solely fromdonations byprivate citizens, Many of thecountry’stheatres were built Theatre Tõnu Õnnepalu’s Estonia alsohasanumberof outstand- Valton,Another leadingnovelist isArvo More recently, Mati Unthasplayedan Oskar Lutsisoften revered asEstonia’s and Spring (Masendus jaLootus)dealswiththat is a clever andabsorbing critiqueof isaclever The Wandering Border The Wandering (Kevade), written1912 between The Czar’sMadman Independence Day Borderland The Same SeaThe Same inUs Autumn Ball www.lonelyplanet.com Depression and (PiiriRiik, , published relates the tells the or Sügis- Bor- again, with the staging ofagain, withthe staging plays wildin sub- on the stage theavant-garde emerged once time of repression inother spheres of life, the’60swereproductions. Although stilla tres gainedmore freedom in stage poetic change after deathin1953, asthea- Stalin’s viet dramaontothe stage. Thingsbeganto censorship anda dumping of lifeless So- ily duringSoviet rule,withheavy-handed for thestage. Tammsaare wrote widely acclaimedpieces and thenovelistsuch as HugoRaudsepp also grew duringthistime. Playwrights of native Estonianplaysbeingproduced now fillingthetheatre Thenumber seats.) populace to awealthier,more conservative (Some attributefrom experimentation. this by the1930sthere wasanoticeableretreat works fed intotherepertoire. However, with symbolistandlater expressionist the ’20s,slowlymadeitswayinto drama, tion, which flourished intheotherartsof playing anumberof styles:experimenta- (1918–40), Estoniantheatre thrived, dis- Eduard Wilde. forming theworksof AugustKitzberg and off withtalented directors andactors per- 1911. Withinthefirst decade,theatre took Theatre ( p159 ) inPärnu followedsuitin opened itsdoors inTallinn, andtheEndla Quickly thereafter theEstoniaTheatre ( p87 ) launched professional theatre in1906. the Society,anamateur troupe) The Vanemuine Theatre (anoutgrowthof Estonian playtobeperformedinpublic. The Cousin fromSaaremaa have beguninTartu, where Lydia Koidula’s than anyothercountryinEurope. attend theatricalperformancesmore often tickets soldannually.Per Estonians capita, often astheygotothe cinema,with800,000 Estoniansvisitthetheatregoers. almostas attendancedenced inthehigh of theatre- door collections. were fromdoor-to- allbuiltonproceeds building erected inEstoniabefore WWII, Drama Theatre inRakvere, the lastcivic Vanemuine Theatre ( p114 ) inTartu andthe tonian DramaTheatre ( p88 ) inTallinn, the has playedinEstonianculturallife. TheEs- which gives anindicationof therole theatre www.lonelyplanet.com Theatre, like theotherarts,suffered heav- During thecountry’sindependence days Modern Estoniantheatre isconsidered to The popularityof theatre isalsoevi- euro currency converter becamethefirst  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt with people he meets alongtheway. with peoplehemeets Estonia, andtherelationships heestablishes tonian Peer Gynt)whowanders around film, about anitinerantbohemian (anEs- Lucky regarded as inferior. ’s mer of ’countrysaga. Itssequel, ment’s beloved Kruuse- filmof EstoniansisArvo lific, butthere are afew The most standouts. pro- cinematographic outputhasnotbeen ered thefirst Estonianfilmmaker. Estonia’s primarilyaphotographer,isconsid- though in 1908.Johannes Päsuke (1892–1918),al- Tallinn in1896,andthefirst theatre opened The first ‘moving pictures’ were screened in Cinema better knownaspoets. time, someof were theleadingplaywrights characteristics of late ’60sdrama. Atthat perhaps bypoliticalfrustration–were the aggression hysteria –fuelled anddownright ject matter andrich insymbolism.Anger, Moments Miss Saaremaa mer’s Day includeAndresmentaries Söt’s 60 countries. Someexcellent Estoniandocu- anti-Soviet screened film thathasbeen in Reliikvia, 1969)was abrave andunabashedly Cinderella Game( ofmost famouspoet thetime,wrote The in playhouses throughout Europe. throughout in playhouses Mamaformed atNewYork’sLa theatre and was performedin1969.Itlater per- brilliant satire of Soviet-era repression that har (intae; p88). (Linnateater; Theatre tors whooften workoutof Tallinn’s City Nüganen, allparticularlysensitive direc- Rohumaa, Katri Kaasik-Aaslav andElmo currently onthetheatre sceneare Jaanus are rarely empty.Themostoriginalpeople continues toflourish,andtodaythehalls stage lifehad alsodied.Whatever thecase, reason thattheobjectof satire (BigBrother) radicalism diedinthetheatre –forthevery along withEstonia’snew-found freedom, possibilities. Yet somecriticscontend that ship, thestage onceagainheldwide-open of1991 andthedisappearance censor- Grigori Kromanov’s Paul-Eerik Rummo,perhapsEstonia’s With thereturn toindependencein (Suvi, 1976), was also popular though (Suvi,1976),wasalsopopularthough (Nipernaadi,1983)isamuch adored Spring (Hetked, 1976). (Jaanipäev, 1978),Mark Soosaar’s (Kevade, 1969),anadaptation (1988) andPeeter Tooming’s Tuhkatriinumäng ESTONIA •• Arts ESTONIA ••Arts Last Relic Happy-Go- Midsum- (Viimne Sum- ), a

56 ESTONIA ESTONIA on thewestern islands,and gica is the international filmfestivals. edy byArkoOkk,have donethe roundsof Highway 57 artist, but a truly international talent based based artist, butatruly international talent He isconsidered not only a superb local who later studied artinTallinn andTartu. Estonian bornnearStPetersburg in1898 eclectic graphic artistEduard Wiiralt,an The undisputed nationaltreasure here is Arts Visual name thatwasbannedduringSoviet times. onthebookofganen andit’sbased thesame acclaimed Estonianstage director Elmo Nü- Soviet armyinWWII.Itwas directed by againstthe 1930s andtheirdecisiontofight story of agroupof youngfriends inthelate summer camp. about ananti-Soviet uprisingatateenage lution of Pigs Names inMarble Sulev Keedus’Sulev unforgettably lyrical Estonia’s most popular locally made film Estonia’s mostpopularlocallymade film More recent productions include ESTONIA••Arts provocative. critical acclaimwithabrandofanimationoften describedaswitty,absurd, political,surreal and haveEstonian filmmakers beengarneringawardsatinternational filmfestivals andattracting audiences aroundtheglobewithitsbrilliantlyinventive animated films. Forover halfacentury, Although Estonianfeature hasseenbetter days,thecountrycontinuestodazzle filmmaking THE ANIMATED ART given thetumultuoustimesithaslived through. over theyears. At press timeNukufilmwasnearingits50thyear–anastonishingachievement Europe,largest producingwellover animationstudiosinnorthern 200animations andcartoons created bureaucracy while making artfully producedfilms. artfully bureaucracy whilemaking enormous politicalimplications. Estonianoverturethe filmendswithyoungsingersfillingtheatre with withsong,apowerful Althoughit’sasimply toldstory–showingthepreparationwork. onthedayofsongfestival – Some of his most important worksare Some ofhismostimportant andledanewwave intotheinternational offilmmakers spotlight.successor toearlyefforts, appended tothefilmsofPriitPärnover theyears. Estonia’smostfamousanimator,hewasthe though healsoteaches atfilmschoolsaroundEurope andhostssoloexhibitionsworldwide. Carrots Priit Tender Jancishave allwoncriticalacclaim. andKaper Sprat Baked intheSun Unt’sthinlyveiledRiho critiqueofEstonia’stransitiontoindependence. MatiKütt’sincisive (1998),aboutchildhood, warandlife Estonian animation essentially began in 1957 when Elbert Tuganov,Estonian animationessentiallybeganin1957whenElbert transplant, anAzerbaijan Following hisinitialsuccess,Tuganov dozens wentontomake aimatSoviet offilms,taking Humorous, self-reflective, complex,even philosophical–these are justsomeoftheadjectives Other great Estonian animations worth watchingincludethe greatOther Estoniananimationsworth (RistuminePeataga, 1999),acom- (1998). Hecontinuestoproducefilms( Little Peter’s Dream (Sigade Revolutsioon, 2004), (Sigade Revolutsioon, (2002),which tells the (1992) addresses whilethefilmsofÜloPikkov, environmentaldestruction, euro currency converter . This thelaunchofNukufilm,whichwouldlater marked becomethe Crossing the Luncheon ontheGrass Revo- Geor-  Frank and Wendy 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Inspiration style owesmuch to another great artist, Jüri popular contemporary artist inEstonia, his heisthe most mans play nopart.Although representand giraffes aworldinwhich hu- populated bywildly imaginedclouds, trees is Navitrolla. fancifullandscapes Hisbright, MeelRaul andSiim-Tanel Annus. abstraction, and leading exponentsinclude the 1970shasleaned towardsgeometrical Tallinn. Contemporary Estonianartfrom study art,andlater opened anartschool in to inGermany from EstoniatoDüsseldorf so dedicated tohiscraftthathewalked for hissensitive landscapepaintings,was (1866–1942),known tonia. AntsLaikmaa idealist figure of the19thcenturyinEs- trated where helived untilhisdeathin1954. HeSami Land. emigrated toParis in1925, to boxers andthemajestic landscapesof cabaret dancers andNorthAfricanvillagers and studiesabroad.Hissubjectsrange from gressive style,inspired byextensive travels on thediverse themesembodiedinhispro- The artistwiththe mostrecognisable style Kristjan Raud (1865–1943),whoillus- Kristjan Raud Son of Kalev (1987), (1975) iswidelyhailedashisgreatest Cabbagehead Trilogy , 2005,isoneofhismostrecent), Hotel E , wastheleadingnational (1991)and www.lonelyplanet.com (1993–2000), Night ofthe Smoked bringing the viewer deep intohiswork. bringing theviewerdeep oftenpaintings andvideoinstallations, experiments withnewartisticformsinhis scene. Along-timeTallinn resident, Toomik nian artist emerging ontheinternational books. show, andhaswritten seven cableTV producesaweekly the Ramones), album covers and (including GunsN’Roses music,designs worldwide; healsocomposes in theGuggenheim andinothermuseums paintings ayear. shown Hisworkhasbeen lery andofficecomplexthatchurns out 1500 in 1988created World,astudio,gal- Kostabi versely NewYorktransplant,Kostabi talented famous foreign-born Estonianartists.Adi- andmore weightier introspective.seems imagined creatures, Arrak’s work though hyper-reality, withportraits of fantastically Arrak. Navitrolla’s workisalsorooted in www.lonelyplanet.com est in Europe, at 3555 sq km (though its est in Europe, at3555 sqkm (though Estonian-Russian border, isthe fifthlarg- tic region; Peipsi,Lake which straddles the overrise 50mabove thecoast. Estonia’s northcoast –atOntikathecliffs are somestretches of impressive along cliffs 500km ofthough thisliesunderwater, there inRussia. Al- Ladoga from SwedentoLake limestone banks, the glintextends 1200km, Glint Baltic geographicalmost outstanding features, the , lies;alongstretch of raised 3800km of coastline. 10% of thelandmass and2500kmoutof its andLithuania’snone),makingup Latvia the countryboastsover 1500islands(to and Saaremaa –Estonia’sbiggest islands– share of coastland. Along withHiiumaa countries,EstoniagetsBaltic the lion’s about halfof Estonia’s territory. with swampsandwetlands,forests make up It liesinthesoutheastnearVõru. Along point inthecountry–and Baltics. amägi (Great Egg Hill; p122 ) isthehighest bogs andmarshes. At318m, Suur Mun- extremely marked flatthough byextensive km. Itispartof plain, theEast-European countryat45,227sq is thesmallestBaltic Slightly larger than Switzerland, Estonia Land The ENVIRONMENT Jaan Toomik isamodern,youngEsto- Mark isoneof Kalev Kostabi themost Estonia has thebiggest lakes intheBal- isalsowhereThe coast oneof Estonia’s itissmallerthantheotherAlthough euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt coastal waters wetlands. coastal andseaside other duckspecies thatthrive inshallow swans and whooper swans,Bewick’s to see You’relion ayearpassthrough). alsolikely most numerousmigrants (more than1mil- ducksarecember). Long-tailed amongthe untilDe- somebirds stay August (though and beginthereturn migrationasearly end of April(somearrive asearlyMarch) are migratory. Theytypicallyarrive atthe Owing totheharsh winters, mostbirdshere inoneday,at191. for themostspeciesseen corded species.ItholdstheEuropean record Estonia hasabundant bird life, with335re- ANIMALS Wildlife inRõuge. Suurjärv the 38m-deep bysometoemitmagicalenergy,believed is (but justsixmetres lake, Thedeepest deep). entirely withinEstonia,covering 266sqkm in southernEstonia,isthebiggest lake lying maximum depthisonly15m).Võrtsjärv, lar supporting some of the large raptors, avian life, with theswamplands inparticu- and pippits. Bogsare alsoarich source of you’re robins, thrushes alsolikely tosee warblers are themostnumerous, though inhabits theforest. andwillow Chaffinches hails originallyfromScandinavia. stretchesstance, and 19mlongand7mtall (Chapel Boulder)eastof Tallinn, forin- towarrantaname– enough Kabelikivi ‘erratic’ boulders), someof which were large deposited sometrulygiganticrocks(called ciers iceacross thecountry andcontinental invariousplaces;themarch ofbe seen gla- more of fascinatingeffects thelasticeage can atarate ofrises 2.5mm annually).Oneof the that isstillunderway(northwestern Estonia – a process as theearth’scrustgraduallyrose the western mainlandandislandsemerged Later ice-dammed lakes Sea. andtheBaltic years ago,much of Estoniawasfloodedby ing thelastglacialperiod,9000to12,000 existence totheiceage. Immediately follow- 100m wide. with water formingalake and 16mdeep most famousmeteor crater. Itisnowfilled At Kaali, inSaaremaa, liesthecountry’s centrations of documented meteor craters. Estonia hasoneof con- theworld’shighest About halfof Estonia’sbird population of Some thecountry’slandformsowetheir Perhaps proof of itspowers of attraction, ESTONIA ••Environment

58 ESTONIA ESTONIA islets in the Väinameri. Although thereislets intheVäinameri. Although are western coast of Saaremaa andin several along the whichringed you can see seals, ing from Estonia. 1994, are inparticular danger of disappear- each year. Wolves, which numbered 700in are justafew of theanimalsthatare hunted pressive feet thatact as snowshoes. almost formalappearance andlarge, im- 800), ahandsome furrycreature withan favourite animalisthelynx(around600to has wolves our (around100to150),though in more expensive restaurants. Estoniastill monly hunted andmayappearonthemenu animals,alongwithelks,arethese com- which somechalk uptopredators – though andwildboarare deer dwindling,Roe the previous population of Europeanmink. mink, forexample,hascompletely wipedout threats tothenative wildlife. TheAmerican duced fortheirfur,have potential allposed exoticspecies,intro- American mink.These dog, theNorthAmericanmuskrat andthe Other introducedspeciesincludethe racoon and todaythepopulationiswellover 10,000. was successfullyreintroduced inthe1950s, beaver, which washunted tonearextinction, populations.TheEuropean Europe’s highest tonia hasaround500 bears, makingitoneof large carnivores wasalltherage). TodayEs- turn of the20thcentury(whenkillingof nia’s largest mammal,facedextinctionatthe doing wellinEstonia. Thebrownbear,Esto- which have decliningelsewhere, are been with 64recorded species.Someanimals, black stork,consideryourself luckyindeed. fields allover therare thecountry.Ifyousee they’re freshly outhuntingthrough mown when chimneys; andstorkscanalsobeseen storknestsontelephone poles and can see here inEstoniatheyare ontheincrease. You numbers are decliningelsewhere inEurope, of placeinEstoniaisthestork . Whiletheir its winter retreat. Anotherbirdwithpride low appears inAprilorlate May following national birdover 50years ago. Theswal- ceives analmostregal andbecamethe status, the world,barnswallowinEstoniare- eagle, eagleowlandwhite-tailed eagle. such astheosprey, spotted eagle,golden 59 Protected speciesinclude grey and seals Sadly, lynxes, bears, wolves andbeavers Other animalshave alsofared poorly. Estonia alsohasitsshare of mammals, much it’sfoundthroughout ofAlthough ESTONIA••Environment euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Tartu) 18B, Tallinn) RMK Nationalparks are administeredserves. by independence, and anumberof nature re- tional parks,three of since themestablished the Europeanaverage. Estoniahas fourna- some degree, which ismore thandouble 20% of Estonia’s landsare protected to isolation undertheSoviet regime. Almost tonia, much of this inadvertently through withinEs- landscapes have preserved been Some of Europe’s few remaining original National Parks&Reserves Institute tion onEstonianplantlife, visitthe widely enjoyedpursuit. Formore informa- prominent inthenorthandsoutheast, isa some of the400ediblespecies,particularly forests, meadowsandbogs.Thequest for Hiiumaa IsletsReserve. meadows. Arcticlichen canbefoundinthe can befoundinwestern Estonia’swooded lands. Many speciesof rare northernorchids groves are mostcommononthewestern is- linden andmapleare alsofound.Juniper spruce (23%),adlers willow, andaspen.Oak, also common(28%),followedbyNorway of thewoodlands.Silver anddownybirch are dominant speciesinforests, makingup 41% of indigenous plants. Pinetrees represent the Estonia’s rich floraincludes1470varieties PLANTS wide theirnumbers are declining. inEstonianwaters, thousand several world- RMK on Estonia’s nationalparks. andHaanja.parks tovisitare Lahemaa agement Centre. Themostpopularnational Nature profit organisation isthe problems facingEstonia. an active roleinaddressing theecological organisations and continuestoplay mental 1988, wasoneof thecountry’sfirst environ- forest hutsand nature centres. trails,camp sites, areas of Estonia,including its hiking serve Estonia’srich naturaldiversity. serve kumine; kumine; Fungi are Estonia’s foundthroughout The The following provide someinformation Another admirable environmental non- Another admirableenvironmental

, themissionof which istohelppre- (www.rmk.ee) Manages all the forests and protected alltheforests andprotected Manages (www.rmk.ee) ( %

% ( Estonian Green Movement Estonian Green %

(www.inst.ee) 372-628 1500; www.rmk.ee; Viljandimaantee 372-628 1500;www.rmk.ee; , theEstonianState Forest Man- 742 2084;www.roheline.ee) 742 8443; www.elfond.ee; Magasini tänav 2, 742 8443;www.elfond.ee;Magasini

www.lonelyplanet.com Estonian Fund for

(Eesti RohelineLii- , foundedin Estonian greenhouse gas. Legislation enacted between greenhouse gas.Legislation Kyoto Protocoltargeting reductions in trial areas the1990s. throughout centration of dangerous emissions inindus- greatly reduced pollutionaswellthecon- clean-up programmes,often foreign-funded, ity tothedangers of pollution.Large-scale bound tonature withaheightenedsensitiv- itleftapopulacetraditionally staggering; Soviet regime’s disregard forecologywas programmes are inplaceyetEstonia,the While relatively few environment-friendly Environmental Issues ofEstonia Areas Union ofProtected www.lonelyplanet.com .ee) Information on Estonia’s national parks and reserves. .ee) InformationonEstonia’snationalparksandreserves. Estonia isasignatorytotheUN’s1997 ainlprso Ae Faue Atvte Besttime Activities Features Area to reserves National parksor NATIONAL PARKS &RESERVES visit acig(6mma watching(46mammal May-Sep May-Sep alongnature walking wildlife-watching watching(144species) forest with rare May-Sep smallislands &bird 19sqkm 182sqkm NationalPark ( p152 bogislands ) species) (70 bird- hiking, &waterfalls lakes rivers, Viidumäe Nature treeless peat bogwith Jun-Sep canoeing,wildlife- hiking, 28sqkm swampland&flatmeadow Apr-Oct 367sqkm Soomaa National Park ( p165 ) bird-watching ( Reserve p161 ) Nigula Nature May-Sep wetlands&major May-Sep 486sqkm ( Nature Reserve p135 ) wildlife- hiking, Estoniancoast& striking bird-watching May-Sep 725sqkm NationalPark ( Lahemaa p95 islands, small,protected May-Sep ) May-Sep 27sqkm bird-watching IsletsLandscape Hiiumaa biking hiking, coastal reserve protected hiking &river pineforest, lakes 35sqkm wetlands,nature trails ( Käina BayBirdReserve p140 ) 9sqkm 101sqkm ( Endla Nature Reserve p105 ) Elva Vitipalu( p115 ) erSaea sntay(igdsas rare orchids247birdspecies) trails,bird-watching seals, (ringed sanctuary plantspecies near Saaremaa ( Reserve watching,swimming p150 ) hinterlandwithbeaches, (110species) rareseals, grey &ringed bird species,172 ( Reserve p142 ) habitat bird boar, species) lynxes euro currency converter (www.ekal.org  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 2009 to modernise itspowerplants, and 2009 tomodernise body of theEU)hasgiven Estoniauntil The EuropeanCommission(theexecutive and barren trees silhouetted against thesky. made of ashfromtheoil-shalepowerplants, swimming orfishing), withartificialhills ecological damage: rivers are polluted (no reveals the (near thepowerplantsof Narva) the air,soilandwater. IdaVirumaacounty sobyburningafuelthatpollutes it does Estoniaproducesitsownenergy,Although problem. country’s biggest environmental extend totheburningof oilshale, the cleanup of waste; unfortunately thisdoesn’t able topenaltiesforimproperhandlingand on industrialpollutionwithoffenders li- restrictions tougher 2000 and2001brought ESTONIA ••Environment

60 ESTONIA ESTONIA themselves through thelong harshthemselves through win- wild goat.To sustain ant, boar and even –elk, pheas- also theprime huntingseason of itwas thetraditional goose; the season pastime for someEstonians. Autumnwas gathered fromtheforests – stillapopular along withberries, nutsandmushrooms mer, there were fresh vegetables andherbs lambs were slaughtered. During thesum- goat’s cheese appeared, andthespring rived, rhubarb,fresh wildleek, sorrel and role intheEstonian diet.Whenspringar- foods. and preserved theirfish.Theyalsoateand salted canned thewinter,through peopledried, smoked mainly codandherring.Tomake foodslast ers alsogarnered sustenance fromthesea, meat madeitsappearance. dwell- Coastal Onfeast daysandspecialoccasions, toes. ley porridge, curdandboiled pota- cheese gathered fromtheland.Dailyfare wasbar- grownor using whatever couldberaised, Food preparation wassimpleandprac tical, heavy nourishmenttofueltheirlongdays. prior toemancipationinthe1800s) sought Country folkwhoworked thefields(serfs population wasinvolved inagriculture. fact, untilthe20thcentury,65%of the Estonia waslargely afarmingcountry.In owes much toEstonia’sroots.For centuries This meat they’dlike with theirpotatoes. visitors littlevarietybeyondwhat typeof dining scene,manypartsof Estoniaoffer Although Tallinn diverse hasafantastically FOOD &DRINK areas barely touched byindustry. the western islands,andinthesoutheast, fects of future development. theef- impact legislationaimstominimise reduced sharplyandnew environmental- northeastofindustrialised Estoniahave been and stricter Toxic standards. emissions inthe which opensthewayforgreater protection sensitive areas (despite Russia’sprotests), oneof theplanet’sfive particularly Sea Baltic Organisation designated theheavily polluted do so. claims ithasn’tthefinancialresources to of thenortheastern region, thegovernment in acleanertechnology tosave theecology it’sclearthatEstoniamustinvestalthough 61 Traditionally the seasons playedalargeTraditionally theseasons The purest airinthecountryisfoundon In 2004theUN’sInternational Maritime ESTONIA••Food&Drink euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt lamb). are particularly plentiful. Be sureare totake particularlyplentiful.Be ( p150 ), inthecountry. Kuressaare hasoneof thebestfishshops, shore road.You’llalsofinditontheislands; alongthe lookforroadsidestands salmon); suitsukala particularly goodplacefortracking down have much tocelebrate. Peipsi Lake isa expect.Smoked-fish-lovers,might however, take prideofline, fish doesn’t place,asone cooking. and thebeloved of astaple Estonian potato, cabbage alongsidewhich sausage, you’llsee red meat(particularlypork),chicken and outmostmenusare of mostmeals.Beefing meatisanintegralcentury peasants, part itwasararityinthedietofAlthough 19th- Staples &Specialities noush from hookahs thanthecraving for with theafter-dinner practiceof smoking est rage, butthisprobably hadmore todo cuisinewasthelat- count, MiddleEastern ever-changing Atlast sceneinthecapital. restaurant opened.) only recently –longafter thefirst Mexican appeared andre-emerged fromthecapital (After 1991,Russian restaurants quicklydis- Russiancuisine.Thai, Indianandeven saare, you’llfindFrench, Japanese, Italian, extent Pärnu,Tartuto alesser andKures- growing worlddiningscene. InTallinn, and ofperhaps because them,Estoniahasa stews, soupsandplentyof sauerkraut. ters, Estonianswouldeatheartyroastsand In summerfresh fruitsandvegetables EstoniahasanextensiveAlthough coast- The hunger forinnovation hasledtoan Despite itssimpleculinaryroots, or called ‘Spratsville’. sprat tin,the capitalissometimes joshingly silhouette ofTallinn’s skyline. Owing tothis Tallinn Sprats, acanofspicy spratswiththe of Estonia. This isbecauseoftheubiquity of the borderpicture ‘sprats’whentheythink Ages; manyRussians who’ve never crossed local favourite sinceatleasttheMiddle oftheEstoniandiet.They’vepart beena For suchatinyfish, sprats have beenalarge FOR THELOVE OFSPRATS (pureed or eggplant) (smoked fish,usually troutor www.lonelyplanet.com kibbe baba ga- (ground www.lonelyplanet.com it’s fresh). and, yes, delicious(assuming moist, dense like otherryesyoumayhave eaten, here it’s Ryeisbyfarthetopchoice.good loaf. Un- the diet,andthatEstoniansmake apretty surprising thatbread isamajor in staple load uponstrawberries. advantage of thelocal lates first appeared inTallinn when itsfirst Estonian product. The candies andchoco- breakfast ordessert. for yogurt and fruitjuices;it may beserved (a drinkmadefrom fermented cow’smilk), This high-fibre foodmixes wellwith value, butquite different inconsistency. ent grains,issimilar tobread innutritional Kama Given Estonia’srusticorigins, it’snot Kalev chocolate is yetanothericonic kalamari sealiha maasikas lõhe kapsas Language chapter. thedish.Forpronunciationguidelines,see cuisine scenebylearningthewordsthatmake supp liha kartul eelroad biifsteek Food Glossary dinner lunch breakfast To yourhealth! Bon appetit! I’m avegetarian. bill,please. The ... I’d like amenu? Ihave May Useful Phrases Don’t knowyour EAT YOURWORDS juust puuvili šašlõkk sai köögivili

, apowderymeal made fromdiffer-

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(when toasting) kana kana euro currency converter rm your from turg soup pork meat (red) cabbage cheese salmon vegetables starters starters kebab kebab white bread fruit caviar potato (market) and kala ? Your kefir kefir er lyu hom head mah pah ma kas ter ·tu·serrk ·vi·seks ·na ·lun saw mah mah ·mi·ku·serrk ·mi·ku·serrk o maasikas i ·su ·len  ·vik·sin ... ahrr 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt saahk tai wine, theantidote tocold wintrynights. hot day.Inwinter Estonians drinkmulled butstill theperfectbeer, refreshment ona whichmade beer, isflatter thantraditional maa andHiiumaa, you’llalsofindhome- which comeinarange of brews. On Saare- The bestbrandsare Coq, Saku andALe the localproductisvery much in evidence. Beer isthefavourite alcohol inEstonia,and Drinks supermarkets. factory openedin1806;lookfor themin mixed with applejuice). fruit juices(try thevanilla-flavoured vodka flavours, which someEstonians mixwith the best brand, anditcomes inarange of ka’s long-time popularity. ViruValge is ·ve ·me·toyt·lah·ne ·me·toyt·lah·ne ·sin me Estonia’s tiestoRussia have ledtovod-

vorst suitsukala liharoad karbonaad kala maarjad leib biifstrogonoff/ böfstrooganov pannkook seen salat räim kana kilud kilud from your

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räim ESTONIA •• Food & Drink ESTONIA••Food&Drink

? Get a head start onthe ? Getaheadstart Ma olentaimetoitlane Palun arve. Head isu! Ma sooviksin... lõuna õhtusöök hommikusöök masaaksinmenüü? Kas Terviseks! sausage mushroom meat/main dishes chicken berries berries smoked fish smoked grilled ‘chop’ grilled rye bread beef stroganof pancake pancake salad herring sprats .

62 ESTONIA ESTONIA meals. Nearly every townhasa meals. Nearlyevery ing times, see theRegionalDirectory. ing times,see open- well asmeatsandfish.Forstandard you canbuyfresh fruitsandvegetables, as or taurant) which to imbibe (see which toimbibe(see p86 ). in andplentyof settings Baltics medieval also boaststhelargest winecellars inthe are quite fashionable inTallinn. Thecapital awineculture.ning todevelop Winebars fermented bread noalcohol. butcontains tonia’s answertoCoca-Cola. It’smade of in Estonia. Kiiu Torn,namedafter thesmallestfortress Metsa Maasika liqueur, andanegg-based strawberry-flavouredthe unbearablysweet, eral otherlocallymadeliqueurs, including fromthebottle. Thereit straight are sev- aquickfix,goaheadandchugyou need or inchampagne ordrywhite wine. If coffee, over icewithmilk,over icecream, in aftertaste.has apleasant It’sbestserved andstrong made from,butit’ssweet one quite knowswhatthesyrupyliqueuris thrown infortaste) willsurely satisfy. with bits ofrolled inflourandeggs pigfat (blood bread) and year round.Forthebloodthirsty, Estonian restaurants, andsoldinshops all inmosttraditional and healthy,are served whichsausages), localsinsistare delicious For ameal,youcaneatin toEat&Drink Where These to theworldindeed! blood andwrappedinpig’sintestine –joy At areChristmas, sausages madefromfresh Celebrations 63 are reserved for thedead). are reserved an odd number (even-numbered flowers bring flowers tothehost.Just besure togive generous portions.It’sfairly commonto andyou can expect abundant hospitality the norm. Tipping is fairly commonplace,with10% ner maybethe biggest mealof theday. parts of northernEurope. Lunch or din- Estonian eatinghabits are similartoother Habits &Customs Even withoutvineyards,Estoniaisbegin- Kali,Eesti darkbeverage, asweet isEs- Vana Tallinn isinaclassof itsown.No- If invited over to an Estonian’shouse, TALLINN kohvik verikäkk (café); pubs also serve (café); pubsalsoserve euro currency converter verivorst verivorst (ballsof blood restoran turg , where verileib (blood (res-

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt more to discover inthis vibrant city. Butdon’t stop there;base. you’ll findplenty military islands and abizarre oldcliff-top a sliceof beach action.There are also coastal orVäna-Jõesuu for local and headtoPirita when thesummer sunarrives, make like a piece surrounded byidyllicwoodlands.Or Great’s , abaroquemaster- Delvelots tosee. intothepastatPeter the puppet) andplenty of pop,rock andjazz. concerts, classical recitals, theatre (humanor seekers cansate themselves withchoral ture hidden insidetheOldTownwalls. Cul- expat bars andcolourfulgay clubs, all ing, withsteamyslinky lounges, nightclubs, of theglobe. quisite savoury corner dishesfromevery stylish bistrosprovide thebackdrop toex- rooms, charming wine cellars andsuper- ants andbars. Decadentold-world dining a fineprelude tothecity’salluringrestau r- for strongcoffee andpeople-watching – and breezy, sunlitpatiosare thesettings cosy,candlelitanteDeco patisseries, rooms shoppers’ paradise. pottery, allof which make Tallinn such a traditionsofsan glassblowing,weaving and This contrastswiththecenturies-oldarti- the imprintof risingEstoniandesigners. forward, withTallinn’s boutiquesbearing flare of thestreets is decidedly fashion- most creative 21st-centuryartists. Estonia’s growing gallerysceneshowcases days undertheSoviet yoke. Meanwhile, its Tallinn’s pastanditslonggrey medieval some historicgems thatilluminate both areart museums nonexistent, you’llfind largemost ambitiousitinerary.Although has plentyof the distractionsforeven stonewalls. the carved hiddenin cafés, boutiquesandnightclubs churches, and awildmixof restaurants, beneaththespiresset of 14th-century and modern,withnarrow,cobbled streets ies, Tallinn isaheadyblendof medieval One of Europe’smostenchanting cit- pop 412,000 TALLINN Outside the medieval quarters,Outside themedieval there’s Tallinn’s nightlife rages untilthemorn- Tallinn’s caféculture ishardto match. Art- Colour isn’tlimited totheartworld.The The WorldHeritage–listed OldTown www.lonelyplanet.com port of theRussian Empire. Freed peasants St Petersburg, and Tallinn became a chief to Russia’s Peter theGreat. decimated by plague,Tallinn surrendered held bySwedenfrom 1561to1710,when, the Terrible 1570and1571.Itwas between siege a29-week byRussia’sIvan survived overanians fought region. theBaltic Tallinn Russians, Swedes, Danes,PolesandLithu- The Hanseatic hadweakened, and League withthelocalnameuntil1918. coexisted gest towns.Tallinn’s name,Reval, German and becameoneof northernEurope’sbig- . Tallinn However, stillprospered themselves from a fortifiedwalltoseparate and merchants intheLowerTowntobuild artisans Toompea ledthemainlyGerman of interest andbishopon withtheknights town withabout4000people. Aconflict tonic Order,Tallinn wasamajor Hanseatic Danes soldNorthernEstoniato the Teu- cloth, herringandwinewenteast. fatmovedhoney, leatherandseal west;salt, Pihkva (Russian: Pskov) andthewest.Furs, as achannel Novgorod, fortradebetween Hanseaticthe German-dominated League to Danish control,butin1285itjoined beneath thefortress. In1238Tallinn returned andfoundedacolonyof about200 arrived islandof fromVisbyontheBaltic tradersstone fortonToompea. German from theDanesin1227andbuiltfirst Estonian for‘Danish town’. Tallinn tobefrom isthought castle onToompea. Theoriginof thename theirown their nationalflag.TheDanesset went ontowinthebattle;flagbecame Taking thisasasignof God’ssupport, they fell fromtheskyintotheirbishop’shands. retreat when ared flagwithawhite cross atTallinnsistance andwere ontheverge of re-Northern Estoniain1219)mettough under KingWaldemarII(whoconquered Tallinn) inthe11thcentury.TheDanes Toompea ( wasbuilton AD, andawoodenstronghold heresettlement fromaroundthe9thcentury There wasprobablyanEstoniantrading BC. byFinno-Ugricsettled peoplearound2500 The site of Tallinn tohave isthought been HISTORY www.lonelyplanet.com In 1870 a railwaywascompleted from Prosperity faded inthe16thcentury. By themid-14thcentury,when the ofThe Knights theSwordtookTallinn tom -pe-ah; thehilldominating euro currency converter Taani linn,

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt and alarge workingclassof over 100,000. 1897. ByWWITallinn hadbigshipyards its populationfrom52%in1867to89% increasing thepercentage of Estoniansin converged onthecityfrom thecountryside, outskirts to house theworkers.outskirts tohouse suburbswereand newhigh-rise builtonthe of thenewpopulationcamefromRussia, of500,000 froma1937level 175,000.Much expanded, itspopulationgrowingtonearly biggest grain-handlingport–andthecity veloped inTallinn –includingtheUSSR’s Soviet control,large-scale industrywasde- viet bombingin1944.After thewar,under ofthousands buildingsdestroyedduringSo- on thestreets of Tallinn. ’80s, withindependencelargely playingout Old Townbegantoberenovated inthelate live inthesuburbsratherthan thecentre. run-down, withmostpeoplepreferring to in thecentre. OldTownbythe1980swas in thesuburbsmeantalossof culturallife The explosionof Soviet-style settlements pation (1940–91)were hardonthecapital. without. the conveniences Tallinnese wouldn’tdo parking tickets onlineare justafew of outmoded. Internet bankingandpaying that makes otherpartsof theworldseem populace economy, andanInternet-savvy IT-driven businessatthefore of thenew a taste forallthingsnew,extending to mall, which openedin2004.Tallinn shows projects includetheshiny glass ViruCentre ing isunderway.Someof themore recent Cranes allaroundtownshowthat build- centre indicates thatthecityisbooming. business district.Todayalookaroundthe tifully restored OldTownandamodern a contemporary midsizedcity,withabeau- tion asaweekend partygetaway. which hascontributed toTallinn’s reputa- carry passengers from Western Europe, vestiges of theSoviet past. Discountairlines newly renovated airport, wipingoutgloomy ties toFinland–there’sferry –andclose a ment andless infrastructure. you’ll findpoverty,tourists see, unemploy- received. partsof Inthese thecity thatfew yet toget theface-liftthat thecentre has Tallinn suffered badlyinWWII,with Not surprisingly,thedaysof Soviet occu- The 1990s saw thecitytransformedinto The 1990ssaw In additionto increasing arrivalsby Meanwhile, theoutskirtsof thecityhave TALLINN ••History

64 ESTONIA ESTONIA New Town,dating from the19th and early fromthis oldcoredefences. is Radiating follows the lineof the city’soriginalmoat plats.Town is Raekoja encircles much of it.Thecentre of Lower Toompea, anda 2.5km defensive wall still Town spreads around theeastern footof tures theparliament buildings.Lower of power,and it stillfea- seat medieval Town. UpperTown onToompeawasthe vides neatlyinto UpperTownandLower Town (), thecity’sheart.Itdi- of Finland.Just southof thebayisOld Tallinn (Tallinna Bay ontheGulf Laht) Tallinn spreads southfromtheedge of ORIENTATION 65

KOPLI Paldiski (45km) Kloogaranna (35km); (2.5km); Keila(20km); Rocca alMare (1.5km); To Tivoli(1.5km);

Paljassaare 4 1 3 2 TALLINN Kopli Around Old Townabelt of green parks TALLINN ••Orientation

Bay Vasara Bay

Piibelehe

Maleva Kadaka 19 ὈὈ ὈὈ

Museum ofForeignArt...... (see15) Mikkel Museum...... Maarjämae Palace...... Kalev Stadium...... Kadriorg Palace...... Estonian NationalLibrary...... Convent ofStBrigitta...... Club 26...... (see30) City ConcertHall...... Body Zone...... Art MuseumofEstonia...... US Embassy...... Tallinn CentralHospital...... Port TouristOffice...... Latvian Embassy...... German Embassy...... French Embassy...... Estonian RuralTourism...... Association...... (see23) Estonian MarineTourism British Embassy...... Australian Consulate...... Laki SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION A

Randla

PELGURANNA

Humala Pald Tuulemaa 1

Madala

Kari Mureli

Marja

Kolde puiestee Kolde iski m iski Linnu tee Linnu

Mustamäe tee Sõle

Merimetsa tee

aantee Räägu Pirni euro currency converter Paljassaare tee Peninsula Hipodroom LILLEKÜLA Tallinn

Sõpruse puiestee Sõle

Mooni 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

32

Rästa 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Tihase

48 Erika

Koskla E3 E2 D4 E3 C3 F1 C2 F1 E3 C3 C4 D2 C3 C4 C4 D3 C3 A4 B

Kännu Tedre Endla

Heina (tänav) Heina

Ristiku Tulika

War Monument...... TOYC...... (see 23) Top Spa...... (see29) Tammsaare Museum...... Tallinn SportsHall...... Tallinn SongBowl...... YachtClub...... Pirita RowboatRental...... Pirita Beach...... Peter theGreatHomeMuseum.... Beach...... Olympic YachtingCentre...... (see23)

Kopli Nõmme tee Tööstuse Rohu To Haapsalu(95km);

Pärnu (120km) ὈὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈὈ Ὀ Tehnika Tehnika Telliskivi 

Kalamaja Koidu 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Väike-Ameerika Luise 2 Park 36 tour and basic orientation maps aretour and basic orientation available street index. Walking and it includes auseful are marked, asare public transportroutes, Town and themoderncentre. Many sights Tallinn coverage (50Kr),with detailed of Old EO Map Maps on getting intotown, see p91 . on footorbytram orbus.Formore details 350m fromtheedge of OldTown,reachable bus 2.Thepassenger-ferry terminal liesjust tre ontheTartu road.It’sbest reached by edge of OldTown. Sq) istoday’scitycentre onthesouthern 20th centuries.Vabaduse väljak(Freedom (pp70-71) See CentralTallinnMap 4

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Veereni E2 D3 D4 E2 F1 F1 F1 E3 A2 ari Kentmanni 41 37 9 ὆὆὆὆ ὆὆὆὆ ὆὆὆὆ ὆὆὆὆ 12 SLEEPING A LeCoqArena...... Villa Thai...... Charital...... Cantina Carramba...... Café Boulevard...... (see30) Valge Villa...... Tatari Hostel...... Reval HotelOlümpia...... Pirita TopSpaHotel...... Comfort HotelOru...... ENTERTAINMENT 40 44 Herne 30 8 producesagood map of 46 Harbour Cemetery Siselinna 7 25 www.lonelyplanet.com

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Academy of Art. Academy ofArt. to theTallinna andconnected opposite theKaubamaja anddesignbooks are the speciality.It’s maantee 1) Art 2nd floor. plusacomfycaféon the language novelsandperiodicals, of LonelyPlanetandother traveltitlesaswellforeign- www.lonelyplanet.com Euro Publications Euro Apollo Allecto maps covering mostdestinationsinEstonia. Central bookshops stockcityand regional Bookshops INFORMATION Town, somefree of charge. Old from thetouristoffice andthroughout Excellent selection ofEnglish-language books. Excellent selection Asunduse 33

Pallasti Weizen

Peterburi tee 18

Kadriorg 15 Tartu bergi

Park (Map (Map pp70–1 ;

(Map (Map pp70–1 ; maantee Laagna Tallinn 20 10 28 E

tee To Tartu(185km) Airport Lasnamäe TV Tower(3km);KämpingKalev(3km)

(Map p (Map pp70–1 ; Pirita tee Viking Terminal...... (see43) Tulika Rent...... Terminal D...... Terminal C...... Terminal B...... Terminal A...... (see43) Statoil PetrolStation...... Silja Line...... (see47) Sea-Passenger Terminal...... R-Rent...... (see 48) Pirita Harbour...... Nordic Jet...... (see46) Terminal...... Eurolines...... (see 38) Eckerö Line...... (see45) Terminal...... City Bike...... Central BusStation...... Avis...... TRANSPORT 39 % % Pae 17 24 To BotanicalGardens(2.5km); 681 8731; Väike- tänav 5) tänav 5) 681 8731;Väike-Karja 654 8485;Virutänav23) Loads 27 LASNAMÄE euro currency converter 0 0 ᝲᝲ ᝲᝲ

42 Smuuli tee Smuuli Pirita tee PIRITA % 29 Narva maantee National Park(65km);

Suur-Sõjamae Regati 661 2210;Tartu F 23 Narva (205km)

48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37

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e Merivälja 1 km 13 r 4 1 3 2  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt English-language titles. and Estonian-languagebooks. TheViruväljakbranchstocks 6655; Viruväljak4)Guidebooks,maps,LonelyPlanettitles 3682; Pärnumaantee10); treatment, hospitals,pharmacies. h www..ee; Kuningatänav4)Sponsorsculturalevents. fl, Narva maantee1;perhr60Kr; fl, Narva listings guide, this quarterly publication contains up-to publication contains up-to listings guide,this quarterly -date Fri, noon-7pmSatSep-Jun, Jul-Aug) Fri, noon-7pmMon-Fri room C-2118,Tõnismägi2;perhr40Kr; ofbooksonTallinn1) Smallcollection andEstonia. Kaubamaja, Gonsiori 2;perhr40Kr; Gonsiori Kaubamaja, 31; perhr20Kr; tänav4b) .goethe.de/tallinn; Suurtüki Vana-Posti.britishcouncil.ee; tänav7) Pärnu maantee11) Central Library Central Libraries Café Reval Club Matrix café Internet Estonian NationalLibrary postoffice Central a laptop,trythefollowingplaces: plete listof locations. Ifyou’re notpacking Tallinn alone. foracom- Visitwww.wifi.ee fi) areas Estonia,with225in throughout There are over 500wireless Internet (wi- Access Internet Hotline First-Aid policestation Central Emergency Goethe Institute Centre Cultural French Council British Centres Cultural Raamat Rahva Lõmatult Raamat Felix &Fabian In Your Pocket In Your Pocket Media Estonian NationalLibrary Mon-Fri, to5pmSat) Mon-Fri, Estonia puiestee8; .keskraamatukogu.ee; Don’t miss the selection ofvinylrecords onthe2ndfloor.Don’t misstheselection väljak 21)StocksusedbooksinEnglishandotherlanguages. to 6pmSat) Sep-Jun, Jul-Aug) noon-7pmMon-Fri 7381; Tõnismägi2; 9am-9pm) (Map (Map pp70–1 ; Aiatänav3;perhr40Kr; (Map (Map pp70–1 ; (Map (Map pp70–1 ; h (Map (Map pp70–1 ;

Mp pp70–1; (Map (www.inyourpocket.com) Tallinn’s(www.inyourpocket.com) best Pärnu maantee (Map (Map pp70–1 ; h (Map (Map pp70–1 ; ( 24hr) % (Map (Map pp70–1 ; TALLINN ••Information Mp pp70–1; (Map 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pmSat 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, 110) English-languageadviceon Viru väljak Mp pp70–1; (Map Mp pp70–1; (Map % Mp pp66–7; (Map (Map (Map pp66–7 ; % (Map (Map pp70–1 ; % % h % 641 9442;Tartu maantee (Map (Map pp70–1 ; % 667 3100;Tallinna % h 683 0758;Harjutänav 631 4010;www % 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 661 4202;www h 627 2960;www 683 7710; Viru 683 7710;Viru 9am-9pm) % 661 6616;2nd h 10am-8pm Mon- % % 612 4200; % 10am-7pm % 644 9505; 630 7381; 630 7381; % 630 644 644

644 644

66 ESTONIA ESTONIA cies intown. h Pärnu maantee10)Agood24-hourpharmacy. Hansapank Estravel fice, aWestern Unionagent. wire transfers thecentralpostof- through ATMs are widespread. Youcanalsoreceive andinsideallbanksmajoroffice hotels. port terminals, exchange bureaus, the post Currency exchange isavailable atalltrans- Money Tallinna Linnaapteek Tallinn Hospital Central Aia Apteek the followingplaces. You’ll atallof find English-speakingstaff Services Medical (35Kr). informationofficeBuy itatbookshopsorthetourist info onhotels,restaurants, clubsandwhat’soninthecity. 67 is usedtoforeigners droppingin. apolyclinicand24-houremergencyroom, services, HotelOlümpia,thishospitalhasafullrangeof the Reval tänav18)JustsouthofLiivalaia,some300m west of Ravi credit cards. will cashtravellerschequesandgiveadvances on Sat) TravelagencyandofficialAmexagent. Suur-Karja tänav15; Suur-Karja TALLINN ••Information stands. Afterwards, strollthroughthesurrounding streets –oncehometoTallinn’s elite. the aptlynamed That nighttreat yourselfto dinneratthecandlelit Cathedral ing toUpperTown,where youcanpayavisittothejewelbox ofachurch, of caféculture, winebarsandthe city’sheadynightlife scene. lovely, inmore take at beachaction introduction to700yearsofcityhistory. Grabalightlunchat introduction After gettingyourfillof Raekoja plats wieder fourth day,get outoftown:visitthe surreal oldSovietfourth baseof rowboat itinerary,thenon yourthirddayaddatripto Follow thetwo-day Four Days yourdaywithbreakfast at Start Two Days TALLINN IN… 8.30am-midnight) One of many well-stocked pharma- 8.30am-midnight) Oneofmanywell-stocked On yoursecondday, headto Mp pp70–1; (Map ( p85 ). Getyourbearings over thecitybyclimbingupTownHalltoweronsplendid (Map (Map pp70–1 ; ( ( p78 ) onthePirita River orhave a picnicinthe % ( p75 ). Youwon’t wanttomisstheviewnearbyat 631 0310;Liivalaiatänav8)Thisbank h ( opposite ). Followthisbyanin-depthexploration ofthestreets downbelow. Grandma’s Place (Map (Map pp70–1 ; % 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, (Map (Map pp66–7 ; % 626 6266;www.estravel.ee; euro currency converter 627 3607;Aiatänav10; handicrafts shops % Pegasus % 644 0244; (Vanaema Juures; (Vanaema p83 ). 620 7015; Väna-Jõesuu ( p83 ) orgrabpastriesandcoffee atatmospheric ( p88 ), payavisittothe ( p75 ), where Peter theGreat’s baroque  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Terminal A,Tallinn harbour; information inEnglish,24hoursaday. foronemonth. is kept can receive afaxat6616054(12Krperpage).Posterestante includingexpress mail,faxes andtelegrams. You services, Full sideofViruväljak. postal 8am-6pm Sat)Northern maantee1; .tallpost.ee; Narva goodrates. Reliably Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun May-Aug, 9am-6pm 10am-6pmSat&SunMay-Aug, Mon-Fri, Nigulistetänav 2; www.tourism.tallinn.ee; mobile phones. website isalsouseful–andfree. It’saccessibleonlyfrom schedules,theatre listings,etc. The numbers, transport hastelephone service 2.60Kr) ThisEnglish-speaking Tallinn Tourist Office Tallinn Office Tourist Office Tourist Port Infoline Hotline Ekspress Information Tourist kiosks, andtheTallinn TouristOffice. areabout town.Cards soldatmosthotels, any oneof thebluephoneboxes scattered at buy 30Kr,50Krand100Krcardsforuse If youdon’thave amobilephone,youcan Telephone postoffice Central Post Tavid ( p92 ). Backinthe city,besure togetyour fill Olde Hansa (Map (Map pp70–1 ; ( % Botanical Gardens 626 1111) This service providesfree, useful 626 1111)Thisservice Paldiski Café Anglais Danish King’sCourtyard ( p82 ), amedievalrestaurant, or ( % Mp pp70–1; (Map % (Map (Map pp66–7 ; City Museum Pirita beach 1182; www.1182.ee;permin Mp pp70–1; (Map ( p93 ) oriftheweather’s 627 9900;Aiatänav5; h h www.lonelyplanet.com ( p85 ) before head- 8am-4.30pm) Alexander Nevsky 7.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, ( p77 ). On your % % ( p77 ), rent a % ( p73 ), afine 625 7300;www palace /fax 6318321; h 645 7777; 9am-8pm ( p75 ). Kehr- ( p76 ) h 24hr) Suur-Karja tänav15) Suur-Karja Estonia’s oldwoodenarchitecture. someof whereAir Museum, youcansee of OldTown,thebiggest drawisthe Open Tower.Gardens andtheloomingTV West Kadriorg Park, beach, Pirita theBotanical otherattractionseastof there,see including ors make wallsto itoutsidethemedieval around OldTown.Onlyafractionof visit- Tallinn’s major are sights foundinand SIGHTS Leon Travel Estravel Estonian Holidays have Estonia. branches throughout most travel agencies’ stockintrade. Most nia andaccommodationinothertownsare City tours, guidedtripstoprovincial Esto- Agencies Travel Tallinn Card(see p386 ). cornerofEstonia. Thisofficealsosellsthe every covering andloadsofbrochures office hasafullrangeofservices plats,this NearRaekoja 10am-3pm Sat&SunOct-Apr) 9am-5pmMon-Fri, 10am-6pmSat&SunSep, Mon-Fri, www.lonelyplanet.com cafés andrestaurants, and during the sum- 1896). Today it’savibrant place ringed with here inthe11th century(thelast wasin centre of Tallinn life sincemarkets began plats(Town HallRaekoja the Sq)hasbeen RAEKOJA PLATS &AROUND Town Hall64m-high tower. also recommended), landmarkisthe a useful old lanes.Ifyouhappen toget lost(which is amongitsenchanting yourself simply tolose best waystoapproach oldcityis thisfantastic book awayandheadintotown.One of the read then putyour thefollowingsection, restaurants andbars alongtheway. plenty of cafés,tion youhead,you’llsee views over thecity.Nomatter which direc- leadingtosweeping and windingstaircases courtyards,loomingspireshidden medieval century. You’llpassoldmerchant houses, is like strollingbacktothedawnof the 14th your wayalongthenarrow,cobbled streets (Vanalinn) isawanderer’s Picking paradise. The medieval jewelof Estonia,Old Town Old Town travel.ee; Lai7)GoodagencyforhelpwithRussianvisas. .holidays.ee; Rüütlitänav28) If it’syourfirst dayintown,here’s atip: (Map (Map pp66–7 ; (Map (Map pp70–1 ; Mp pp70–1; (Map % % 626 6266;www.estravel.ee; euro currency converter 641 1106;www.leon % 627 0500;www  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 5pm Sat) level archeslevel onthenorthside. Middle Ages washeldbeneaththeground- marketsince 1530.Theteeming fromthe duty asaweathervane),posthe’sheld double atopthetower(andserves stands Town Council Pharmacy Town CouncilPharmacy offenders where shackledinoldentimes. outside theTownHall. Thisiswhere lesser dren canpointouttheironsstillhanging travellinghibits). Those withfinickychil- (don’t missthechanging contemporary ex- earliest daysinEstoniauptothe present a smallexhibitionspanningphotography’s 4pm Mon-Sat S 4pm Mon-Sat 2; admission 10Kr; ( Rising over thesquare isthe mer hostsTallinn’s liveliest street scene. Tue-Sun Jul-Aug,byapptSep-Jun) (Pühavaimu Kirik; M (Pühavaimu Kirik; Mar-Oct, 10.30am-5pmThu-MonNov-Feb) Mar-Oct, 4/6; adult/concession15/7Kr; pp70-1; Map Fotomuuseum; ing 13th-century Gothic of apopular bakery. At its endisthestrik- sage into thecharming, narrow platsleads beside thepharmacy onRaekoja façade dates fromthe 17th century.Anarch generations of family. Itspresent thesame 10 since atleast1422, oncepassingthrough asapharmacy orapothecaryshop served ously runningpharmacies.Thebuilding has % (built in1374)the sive vaulted roof, whilethefinebench-ends man named Tallinn’s symbol,thepike-bearing guards- an explorer followinghisvisittotheOrient. tower wasmodelledonasketch madeby Town. Accordingtolegend, itsminaretlike of Lower powerinthemedieval the seat Eur 1371and1404,itwas ope. Builtbetween Gothictownhallinnorthern only surviving concession 25/15Kr; koda; Map pp70-1 ; nia’s oldest woodcarvings. There isa nia’s oldestwoodcarvings. are heldintheCitizens’Hall. you canclimb,andoccasionalexhibitions the lane behind theTownHall, isnowhometo % Inside theTownHall, the On thenorthernsideof thesquare, the The former 631 4860; Raekoja plats11; 631 4860;Raekoja 645 7900;adult/concession35/20Kr; (Saiakang), once filled with the aromas (Saiakang),once filledwiththearomas Museum ofEstonianPhotography Museum isoneof theworld’soldestcontinu- ep, 10 h h % Town Jail ap am-3pm Mon-Fri Oct-Apr) am-3pm Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Mon-Sat May-Aug, 10am- 9am-5pm Mon-Sat May-Aug, pp70-1 ; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun Jun-Aug) 645 7900;toweradmissionadult/ TALLINN ••Sights % Council Hall h (Linnavangla), ina (; Map Map (Raeapteek; pp70-1 ; % h 644 8767; Raekoja tänav 644 8767;Raekoja (Vana Toomas), 10.30am-6pm Thu-Tue hasanimpres- 644 1487;P Holy Spirit Church Holy Spirit 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to to 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, White Bread Pas- Bread White Town Hall , which has Citizens’ Hall Citizens’ h are Esto-

, used by by , used (Raevangla (Raevangla 10am-4pm ü havaimu havaimu tower

, the (Rae- 68

ESTONIA ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ

ESTONIA 69 51 Consulate (2.3km); 4 6 1 3 2 5

CENTRAL TALLINN

Rocca alMare To Australian Vabriku Zoo (4.5km); TALLINN ••CentralTallinn

Wismari (5.5km)

Kopli Toompuiestee Toompuiestee Telliskivi ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ A

Toompark Tram 1,2 Tram

Kotzebue Luise 54

Linda Statue Falgi tee Falgi euro currency converter Train Station 48 (Balti Jaam) 64 Endla tnv Central ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ

Vana-

Wismari 5

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Luise Van

Lossi Toom-

plats

Kiriku 83 Ke

eta Tallinn Central

53 sk-

Toompea B

Toompea Kopli 40 K

33 alamaja

161

Kotzebue Niine Nunne 44

117

19 Toompea 50 155 Harjumägi Rahuk

Kaarli puiestee 15 49

o ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ 153 Kohtu

Hariduse Rannamäe tee htu

Kaarli puiestee 39 Lühike

69  Komandandi Pikk jalg

1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt jalg 11 145 70 Gümnaasiumi 63 101 Rüütli

131 114 Soo

Niguliste Rataskaevu

55 140

129

144 Nunne tee 58 Põhja puiestee 122 Väike-

Suur-K

76

krantsi 136 Old Town Vabaduse 102

34 Dun

väljak C 30

Harju 121 loostri Aida Müürivahe kri 20 162 110 37

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60 95 Vana 107 Raekoja Kullassepa 152

16 109 138

plats 125 66 27 -P 123 14 100

Kun 52 osti 132 130 106

62

116 inga 118 46 127 137 156 4

42 17

65 Laboratooriumi Vaimu

149 Lai

115 143

Suur-Karja Ap

Väike 1,2 Tram

Pärnu puiestee Põhja

Pühava 57 Tatari teegi 99

www.lonelyplanet.com -Karja 67 113 Pagari 103 36 12

7 maa imu Oleviste 18 Rannamäe tee 43 154 88 147 142

ntee 29 79 112 120 25 Pikk 68 ὈὈ ὈὈ 31 Sakala Tolli 73

77 6 Viru Vene 93

2

104 59 Georg Otsa Georg 98 38 96 Sauna 91

124 Katariina D 41 150 61 Olevimägi 128 84 94 148 Käik 135 71 45 9 Valli Vana-Viru Suur-Rannavärava 86

Sakala 21

Müürivahe Uus Kentmann 151 81 134 80 82 139 90

35

92 22 Aia i

ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ i www.lonelyplanet.com 111

Tram 3,4

32 puiestee Põhja 3

ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ Pärnu maantee Aia

Estonia

Rävala

47 tee Rannamäe

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väljak

Lembitu Mere puiestee Mere 141 10

puiestee 56 108 105 85 97 89

euro currency converter Lauteri

Sadama Vambola 159

Kai Central Tallinn 8 133 158

Narva maantee

F Ahtri INFORMATION Goethe Institute...... French CulturalCentre...... Finnish Embassy...... Felix &Fabian...... Euro Publications...... Estravel ...... Estonian Holidays...... Estonian ForeignMinistry..... CulturalObjects...... Division oftheExport Central PostOffice...... Central policestation...... Central Library...... Canadian Embassy...... British Council...... Apollo...... Allecto...... Aia Apteek...... (Kunstiakadeemia) 163 13 Academy ofArt Tram 1,3 Hbujaama 160

Maakri Kivisilla Harbour Pääsukese C Terminal  Maneezi 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Tram 2,4 78

B Terminal Ahtri

75 Tartu

ὈὈ Liivalaia Gonsiori

Reimani A Terminal maantee 87 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 72 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 G 157 D6 F4 D5 D5 B4 C5 E4 D4 E3 C2 C4 B4 C4 F5 D5 C5 E6

D Terminal Lootsi 126 TALLINN ••CentralTallinn Map keycontinuedp72 Tavid...... Tallinna Linnaapteek...... Office...... Tallinn Tourist Swedish Embassy...... Südalinna Arstide...... Russian Consulate...... Reval Café...... Rahva Raamat...... (see159) Rahva Raamat...... Raeturist...... Matrix Club...... Lõmatult Raamat...... Lithuanian Embassy...... Leon Travel...... Latvian Embassy...... Irish Embassy...... Internet Café...... (see158)

Pronksi 23

0 0 Jõe

Kunderi Pronksi Tuukri

24 Karu 119

H Gonsiori 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 Kreutzwaldi Narva maantee 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 0.1 miles 74 C3 B6 D4 C4 D3 E6 C3 E4 D5 H4 G6 D4 D3 E4 D5 200 m

4 6 1 3 2 70 5 ESTONIA ESTONIA 71 dating back to 1483, 16th-century carved dating backto 1483, 16th-century carved interior features carved awooden altarpiece is theoldest inEstonia. Theexquisite wood- from 1684, andthetowerbell, madein1433, is theoldest inTallinn, dating withcarvings Lutherans. Itsluminous blueandgoldclock SLEEPING Beer House...... Alexander NevskyCathedral..... Map keycontinuedfromp71 City Guesthouse...... Cassandra Apartments...... Beata Hostel...... Baltic HotelImperial...... Virgin's Tower...... Vaal...... Church...... Ukrainian GreekCatholic Town Hall...... Town CouncilPharmacy...... ...... Tallinn TownWall...... Tallinn ArtHall...... Church...... Sts Peter&Paul'sCatholic State HistoryMuseum...... St Olaus’Guild...... (see36) St Olaf'sChurch...... St Nichola'sChurch...... St CanutusGuildHall...... Rotterman SaltStorage...... ...... (see 64) Pikk JalgGateTower...... Pikk Herman...... Observation deck...... (see59) FightforFreedom...... Museum ofOccupation& Photography...... Museum ofEstonian Meriton GrandHotel...... Maritime Museum...... (see45) Knighthood House...... Kiek-in-de-Kök...... Kalma Saun...... Kalev SwimmingPool...... Holy SpiritChurch...... Great Guild...... (see60) Great CoastGate...... Gate Tower...... Former KGBheadquarters...... Fat Margaret...... (see45) Architecture...... (see56) Estonian Museumof Draakoni Gallery...... Dominican Monastery...... Dome Church...... Danish King'sCourtyard...... City Museum...... City Gallery...... Citizens' Hall...... (see66) Children's Gallery...... (see52) Chapel ofOurLady...... (see59) Brotherhood ofthe Broken LineMonument...... Blackheads...... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES TALLINN ••Sights euro currency converter 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 73 72 71 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 C5 D3 C3 D2 C4 D3 E2 C4 A5 B6 C4 A5 B4 B5 B1 E3 C3 D2 B5 D2 C3 D3 B4 B4 D3 C5 D1 C4 B4 D5 G6 D2 C3 B5 D5 D2 C4 C4 B4 C3 D3 DRINKING EATING St MichaelCheese Rimi...... Pizza Americana...... Pegasus...... Pizza...... Peetri Pizza...... Olde Hansa...... Ö...... Must Lammas...... Le Bonaparte...... Kompressor...... Grandma's Place...... Gloria...... Elevant...... Egoist...... Eesti Maja...... Controvento...... Café VS...... Bocca...... Angel...... African Kitchen...... Three SistersHotel...... Taanilinna Hotell...... Sokos HotelViru...... Schlösse Hotel...... Reval HotelCentral...... Red Group...... Rasastra...... Olevi Residents...... Olematu Rüütel...... Old TownBackpackersHostel.. Old HouseGuesthouse...... Old House...... Meriton OldTownHotel...... Hotell G9...... Helke...... Gloria Guesthouse...... (see100) Euro Hostel...... Erel International...... Dorell...... Kehrwieder...... Gloria WineCellar...... (see 100) Depeche Mode...... Club Havana...... Café-Chocolaterie...... Café Peterson...... Café Anglais...... Bogapott...... Troika...... Texas HonkyTonk...... Tallinna Kaubamaja...... (see158) Sushi House...... Sultan...... Stockmann Kaubamaja...... (see157) Sisalik...... Restaurant...... (see70)  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Mondays at6pm. Classical music concerts are heldhere on nian book, acatechism published in1535. is considered theauthorof thefirst Esto- aformer pastorhere,pulpit. Johann Koell, bench-backs anda17th-centurybaroque 123 122 121 120 119 118 117 116 115 114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 99 83 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 E3 C5 C4 E3 C6 C4 E3 D4 D3 C4 C4 C5 D4 D3 E5 D4 C6 D2 D4 B4 C3 C4 D4 D3 D2 D2 D3 E4 D3 G4 D4 E3 D3 C3 D4 H3 C4 B4 C4 D3 C4 D3 D3 D2 D2 G4 D6 C3 G5 H3 TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT Tristan jaIsolde...... (see66) Sweet Tooth...... Stereo...... Spirit...... (see 105) Scottish Club...... St Patrick's...... Narva Kohvik...... Moskva...... Levist Väljas...... Ivo Nikkolo...... Domini Canes...... Boutiques BT(Monton)...... (see159) Mama)...... (see159) Boutiques BT(Hoochi Bastion...... Collections...... Antique, Military& Antikvaar ...... Antiik &Kunst...... Antiik...... X-Baar...... Von KrahliTheatre...... (see131) Terrarium...... Privé...... Kinomaja...... Kino Sõprus...... G-punkt...... Estonian PuppetTheatre...... Estonian DramaTheatre...... Estonia TheatreCafé...... (see134) Hall...... Estonia Theatre&Concert Coca-Cola Plaza...... Club Hollywood...... (see138) City Theatre...... Bon Bon...... (see105) Von KrahliTeaterBaar...... Vinoteek V&S...... (see105) Tallink Office...... Silja Lines...... (see 157) ...... Ecolines...... (see 159) Bus Platform...... Airport-bus Station...... ...... Tallinna Kaubamaja...... Stockmann Kaubamaja...... Nu Nordik...... Navitrolla Galerii...... Madeli Käsitöö...... Lühikese JalaGalerii...... Lai...... Knit Market...... Katariina Gild...... www.lonelyplanet.com 163 162 148 147 146 145 144 143 142 141 140 139 138 137 136 135 134 133 132 130 129 128 127 126 125 124 161 160 159 158 157 156 155 154 153 152 151 150 149 131 C3 D5 D5 F3 C2 C4 F4 C5 B2 F5 F4 F5 G6 C5 B4 D4 B4 C3 D4 D4 D5 D4 D4 C3 C4 C4 D3 D4 E1 C5 D4 C5 C6 C3 C5 D2 D4 G4 C5 D3 6367; Vene tänav16; namuuseum; Map pp70-1 ; community. largely for the Polish andLithuanian as oneof Tallinn’s churches, only Catholic cal shape of StPetersburg. Itstill functions Rossi, who lefthismark on theneoclassi- was designedby the famedarchitect Carlo 1844. Ahandsome whitewashed church, it times byappt) 45/25Kr; Vene4606; www.kloostri.ee; the merchant’s house, eval favourite restaurant inamedi- precincts. Set ries ago).Vene isnowoneof OldTown’s Russian merchants whotradedhere centu- Estonian wordforRussian, namedforthe whenheadingtowardsVenenotably (the chant residences plats, surroundRaekoja 15th-century warehouses andmer-Several AROUND VENE www.lonelyplanet.com visits outsideseasonby appt) Monastery Tallinn’s oldestbuildings:the women’s undergarments fromthe1930s. exhibitionon abaffling visit, wecaught knowwhat’sinstorenever –onarecent curators hosttemporary shows, andyou regime. Inadditiontopermanentdisplays, of surroundingthecollapse the events the viet yoke, andthere’s a fascinating videoof we imagine)portraitof life undertheSo- (butquitepresents accurate apoliticised help take youbackintime. The3rdfloor displays of clothing, furnishingsandcurios fromitsearliestdays,and development & Paul’s Church from thesummertime crowds. and theinnergardenisapeaceful refuge (dating fromthe15thto17thcenturies), tonia’s largest collectionof stone carvings its restoration Es- in1954.Todayithouses tery languished forthenext400years until 1524, andthemonksfledtown.The monas- mob of angryLutherans torched theplacein itsdayswerebegan, however, numbered. A brewery Oncethereformation andhospital. were full, andthemonastery haditsown local population.Initsglorydaysthe coffers Estonians toChristianityandeducate the Scandinavian monkswhoaimed to convert Mar-Oct, to5pmWed-MonNov-Feb) Mar-Oct, adult/concession 35/10Kr; Further downonVene oneof stands Next doortothe monastery is h

(Dominiiklaste klooster;M 9.30am-6pm mid-May , founded in 1246, once housed , foundedin1246,oncehoused (Peeter-Paul Map Kirik; pp70-1 ; h 10am-6pm mid-May % h , which dates backto euro currency converter tänav 644 6553;Vene tänav17; 10.30am-6pm Wed-Mon –mid-Se tracesthecity’s 16; adult/concession City Museum Museum City ap pp70-1 ; p, visitsother Dominican – Sts Peter Sts Peter mid % % - (Lin- Sep, Sep, 644 644  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt website to see what’son. website tosee areever, often quite interesting: check the place.) Changingtemporary shows,how- centuries. (Coin-collectors, don’tmissthis artefacts datingfromthe14thto19th manent exhibitionof Estonianhistorical is the1860 deck best view awaitsatthetop of the Tallinn’sthe KGB). Theentranceis onLai. centre by asasurveillance (formerly used spire beingyetanother of Tallinn’s icons (Olevi Gildi Hoone; Map (Olevi GildiHoone;Map for storage. and reception quarters andtheupperones storeys, asliving withthelowertwoused three15th century,andcontained orfour and gentry. Many of were these builtinthe merchants of German the houses medieval plats towardsTallinn portandislinedwith Pikk (LongSt)runsnorthfromRaekoja PIKK Great Guild Great dominated). The nearlyallGerman artisans, old Tallinn guilds(associationsof traders or artisans and traders.artisans membership of more humblenon-German a began inthe13th century,anddeveloped Guild –probably thefirst guildinTallinn – frequently therest of theyear. StOlaus’ duringthesummer andless most nights (dating from1597).Concertsare heldhere twolionsonthebuildingfaçade between likeness dary Africanwarriorwhose isfound Mauritius,from theirpatronsaint, alegen- took theirnamenotfrompoorhygiene, but wereBlackheads unmarried merchants who to thepublicexceptforregular concerts.The h www.eam.ee; Pikk tänav17;adult/concession15/10Kr; concession 20/10Kr; heads ing buildingsof the from theirsecond-storey perch. Theadjoin- Martin lookingdown LutherandStCanute Map Map pp70-1 ; Pikk tänav20) Museum the vaulted hallsnowcontain in astrikingbuildingdatingfrom1410.Its most eminentmerchants belonged, isset .mustpeademaja.ee; Pikk tänav24) Church Another old artisans guildonthisstreetAnother oldartisans Also onPikkare thebuildingsof several At thenorthernend of Pikkstands 11am-6pm Thu-Tue) Mp pp70-1 ; (Map

(Mustpeade Maja; Map Map Maja; (Mustpeade pp70-1 ; (Oleviste Kirik; Map Map Kirik; (Oleviste

(Ajaloomuuseum; M

Mp p7- Pi pp70-1; (Map St Canutus GuildHall St Canutus h % p01; P ; pp70-1 10am-6pm Jun-Aug) 621 4421; www.oleviste.ee; adult/ 621 4421; www.oleviste.ee; , witharatherdryper- , with its black statues of, withitsblackstatues Brotherhood oftheBlack- Brotherhood pp70-1; TALLINN ••Sights kk tänav 17) p pp70-1; ap ikk tänav26) and Pikk 48) %

, towhich the (Kanuti GildiSaal; (Kanuti St Olaus’ State History History State 631 3199;www % . Although . Although are closed observation observation , its124m 641 1630; St Olaf’s Guild 72

ESTONIA ESTONIA ling from Stockholm toTallinn.ling fromStockholm of 1994,travel-died thenight 28September long granite liststhe852peoplewho tablet peacetime maritimetragedy. Nearby, a3m- ors can explore their nooksand crannies for empty towers are connected here and visit- of thechurch. It’sjoined to exittoTallinnmedieval port,liesjustnorth by onthestreet. passing gations’ frombeingheardbythose up toprevent thesoundsof violent‘interro- windowsofbasement which were bricked photograph aline-up of four the othersidethere’s a picturesque spotto thetownwall;on tiny passageway through iumi tothenorthern endof Lai. Väike-Kloostri tänav, alongLaboratoor- Town wall,withninetowers, spansfrom The longest-standing stretch of theOld ST NICHOLAS’CHURCH LOWER-TOWN WALLS& Museum Insideisthe 4m thickatthebase. town. Fat Margaret’s wallsare more than bastion thatprotected thisentrancetothe (Paks Margareeta), arotund16th-century KGB headquarters Lady eastern wallof the16th-century onthe dent isshowninoneof thecarvings then crawledoutof hismouth.Theinci- thatatoadandsnaketower, andit’ssaid Accordingly, Olaffell tohisdeathfromthe who completed thechurch’s construction. the prophesiesof doomtobefalltheone with anotherOlaf–itsarchitect whoignored of Norway,thechurch islinked inlocallore dedicated tothe11th-centuryKingOlafII 73 h the Line strands of alongsculpture entitled the roof. Justoutsidethebastionstretch two There are goodviewsfromtheplatformon history. artefacts fromEstonia’sseafaring antiquated divingequipmentandother with displaysof oldcharts, modelships, adult/concession 25/10Kr; Tallinn Town Wall cess the walkway atopthe walls,visitthe other canbefound alongKooli).Toac- The At thenorthern end of Aidatänav isa Just southof thechurch istheformer TALLINN ••Sights 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, to4pmSat&Sun) 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, , adjoiningthechurch. Estonia , which isdedicated tothevictimsof

Great Coast Gate CoastGate Great (Meremuuseum; (Meremuuseum; ferry-sinking, Europe’sworst (Map (Map pp70-1 ; adult/concession 10/7Kr; (Map (Map pp70-1 ; Pikk tänav46/48) % h euro currency converter Mp p7– , the pp70–1), (Map 641 1408;Pikk tänav70; 10am-6pm Wed-Sun) Fat Margaret Chapel ofOur towers Maritime Maritime . Three Broken (an- , the ,

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt you canstillhearsoundsof theparty. somesay if youhappentopasslate onenight, hosted awildpartythere sometimeago,and apparently near thewellishaunted. Thedevil thatstands thehouse ahead. Somebelieve rificed toappealforprosperityin theyear timesanimalswereished. Inmedieval sac- No 16isawellwhere manystraycatsper- the citythatnight. facing Harju thedamage details inflicted on ofthe night 9 March 1944.AsigninEnglish more bySoviet ruinswrought bombers on las’ Church, alongHarju tänav, youcansee Saturday andSunday). held mostweekends (beginningat4pmon acoustics are first-rate, withorgan recitals fullyrestored.1980s, buttodaystands The by Soviet bombers in1944andafire inthe chamber. Thechurch wasbadly damaged chandeliers, andasilver a15th-centuryaltar piece. Otherartefacts here includebaroque cabre, Its mostfamousworkistheeerie Estonianchurches.artworks frommedieval the 13thcentury,StNicholas’ nowhouses of treasures. thecity’smedieval Datingfrom the 17th century the only– approach to the Lower Town. beingsofdown on thetraders and lesser the feudal nobility and bishop, looking of times thiswasthepreserve In German the Estonians,built byhiswidowLinda. mound of Kalev, theheroicfirst leaderof to Estonianlegend, Toompeaistheburial to off Rataskaevu, Toompea. According connectsLühikeA windingstairway jalg, TOOMPEA concession 35/20Kr; Map Kirik; pp70-1 ; pp70-1; (Map tower windows. themselves. There are goodviewsfromthe and culturalcentre). (and gotowardstherecently openedschool legends of the place. Donationsaccepted where you’lllearnallaboutthehistoryand old relics. Visitsincludeafree guidedtour, with a14th-centurywoodenchurch fullof 2.30pm Sun&byappt) Also near the church in front of Rataskaevu Also nearthechurch infrontof Rataskaevu At thefootof theslopebelowStNicho- Although themost impressiveAlthough –and until Nearby, the The Gothic Berndt Notke’s 15th-centurymaster- Berndt % 5668 2369; Laboratooriumi 22; 5668 2369;Laboratooriumi % h Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church Catholic Ukrainian-Greek isafascinatingmonastery St Nicholas’Church 644 9903;Nigulistetänav3;adult/ 10am-5pm Wed-Sun) www.lonelyplanet.com Dance Ma- is another (Niguliste h 1- Mon-Fri) % in thephotogenic liament building,the inTallinn.be themosthaunted house to black dogwithburningeyes.It’sthought jalg 9),includingacrucifiedmonkand reportedbeen insidethe acter. Anumberof apparitionshave ghostly the western endof Pikk,isnotwithoutchar- dates from 1380, Tower Gate thered-roofedToompea isthrough www.lonelyplanet.com 1900 aspart of ageneral wave of Russifica- thodox 1894and cathedrals built between accident: thechurch wasoneof many Or- opposite theparliament buildings, wasno finest of the burial groundfortherich andnoble. The the toweraddedin1779.Thechurch wasa dates fromthe15thand17thcenturies,with % 4pm Tue-Sun) 1371 rebuilt andthemoatwasfilled. theGreat,when, underCatherine itwas baroque façadedates fromthe18thcentury Thepink 1227and1229,stillstand. tween corner towers of itssuccessor,foundedbe- tle builthere in1219,butthree of thefour Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Cathedral Alexander Nevsky lookout over thelowertown. follow Kohtu tänav to thecity’sfavourite elaborate tomb.From theDomeChurch, around theworld,hasanother citizen tosail who wasthefirst Russian German-Estonian Admiral AdamJohann a vonKrusenstern, came aheroof battles. Russo-Turkish sea Scot whojoinedtheRussiannavy andbe- to AdmiralSamuelGreigh, an18th-century The Greek belongs temple-style sarcophagus is depicted onthesideof theirsarcophagus. whereish siegedelaGardie died, of Narva, Pontus delaGardieandhiswife. TheSwed- ing the16th-centurySwedish commander asyouapproach includ- the right thealtar, Lutheran yard of Toom-Kooli13. fromthe wall of theoldcastle,canbeseen towers, plusmostof thenorthern surviving topped bythenationalflag.Thetwoother At thetopof Lühike jalgisEstonia’spar- The finestof thecastletowers isthe The locationof theRussianOrthodox Toompea isnamedafter themagnificent 644 4140;Toomkoolitänav6;admissionfree; 631 6537;Lossiplats1;byapptonly . Nothingremains of theDanishcas- (Pikkjalg;Map pp70–1 ), which foundedin1233.Theedifice Dome Church carved tombs carved Short Leg Short atthesouthwestcorner, Toompea Castle Riigikogu euro currency converter (Toomkirik; Map Map (Toomkirik; pp70-1 ; insideare on those

(Map (Map pp70-1 ; Lossiplats) Gate Tower Gate (Lühike jalg),at , which meets , which meets h

Mp pp70-1; (Map 10am-4pm Long Leg Long Leg (Lühike h 9am- ,  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt pressive rule. media displaysillustrate five decades of op- 25/8Kr; pp70-1; Nov-Feb) and the TV Tower (Motoklubistop). and theTV stop) Gardens( the Botanical and atMaarjamäe. 34 and38goto Buses maantee nearKadriorg Park,ping onNarva thecitycentrerun between stop- andPirita, by Kadriorg Park. 1,8,34and38all Buses Trams 1and3gototheKadriorg stopright Getting There &Away East oftheCentre 10/5Kr; ppp70-1 ; (Map jalg9a) (Neitsitorn; Lühike believers stillcomehere indroves. last quarter of the19th century.Orthodox provincestion intheRussianBaltic inthe One of thetowers here, the uptheir easels. In thesummerartistsset offers viewsover sweeping thelowertown. Courtyard Danish King’s Narva maantee) Narva wooded The pleasant, KADRIORG during andafter WWII. tragic fate of deported fromEstonia those the Thishascometosymbolise grieving. ofing thebirthanddevelopment Tallinn. trac- amuseum the walls).Todayithouses rible’s cannonballsremain embeddedin (nineof collapsed but itnever IvantheTer- badly damaged duringtheLivonianwar, of LowerTown.Builtaround1475,itwas lonely soldiers intothehouses couldpeer into theKitchen’; fromtheupperfloors new atthefairly look attheEstonianstruggle vepark hill strollsouthwestleadstothegrassy the park’s ample acreage makes never the ting for strollers, cyclists andpicnickers, and chestnutlilac and horse trees are theset- abit ofdwellers green seeking space. Oak, and remains along-timefavourite of city prison for medieval prostitutes. prison formedieval towers stout isthetall, A pathleadsdownfromLossiplatstothe Nearby, youcanget amore in-depth down- From Kiek-in-de-Kök,apleasant One of Tallinn’s mostformidablecannon Museum ofOccupation&Fight forFreedom Museum h h (Map pp70–1 ) witha . Its name is Low German for‘Peep. ItsnameisLowGerman % 11am-6pm Tue-Sun) 10.30am-6pm Tue-Sun Mar-Oct, 10.30am-5pm 10.30am-6pm Tue-Sun Mar-Oct, 644 6686;Komandandi2;adult/concession liesabout2kmeast of OldTown, % 668 0250;Toompea8;adult/concession , is said tohave a , issaid been TALLINN ••Sights Mp p7– , which pp70–1), (Map Kadriorg Park Kadriorg . Photos andmulti- Kiek-in-de-Kök statue Virgin’s Tower Virgin’s

(Map pp66-7; (Map of Linda

(Map (Map Hir- 74

ESTONIA ESTONIA .ee; Weizenbergitänav34) building, thesmall presidential home. of thepalacecomplexhasagainbecome tonia. SinceEstonia’sre-independence, part domain of thepresident of independentEs- back. Inthe1930spalacewasprivate and there’s ahandsomeflowergardenat the or twoamongthemostlyRomanticworks, placetostrollforanhour ries. It’sanostalgic Russian worksfromthe18thto19thcentu- the 16thto18thcenturies,alongwith paintingsfrom andItalian Dutch, German holds than three sturdybricks.Themuseum the helpof Peter wholaidnoless himself furnishings. also asmallcollectionof 18th-century his clothesandthebootshemade. There’s 19th-century homes,and the whole neigh- on a tree-lined street among other charming lies furnishings fromthe1930s. Thehouse 6pm Wed-Sun) % Muuseum;Map (Väliskunsti Palace of EstoniaintheGreat NorthernWar. Niccolo Michetti, soonafter Peter’s conquest Peterthe Russiantsar theGreat bytheItalian roque Kadriorg Palace, itwasdesigned for paths feel crowded. Together withtheba- 75 the was underconstruction.Today it houses cupied onvisitstoTallinn whilethepalace are all partof theeclectic collection. 15th-century iconsandworksin porcelain ment of paintings, art.Russian andChinese admission 5Kr; 4pm Wed-SatMay-Sep) % Museum Tammsaare thesmall nowcontains the great Estoniannovelist AntonHansen largest artcollectionintheBaltics. the contains early 2006,theArt Museum by Estonianand foreign artists.Openedin some60,000worksbuilding thathouses seum ofEstonia Oct-Apr) h 6400; Weizenbergitänav37;adult/concession45/20Kr; Behind thepalace,informerkitchen Behind Also inKadriorg isthefuturistic The centrepiece of the forest is Nearby isthecottage Peter theGreat oc- Just westof thepark,last home of TALLINN ••Sights 601 5844;Weizenbergi28;admission15Kr; 601 3136; Mäekalda tänav2;admission15Kr; 601 3136;Mäekalda 10am-5pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, 10am-5pmWed-Sun 10am-5pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, Home Museum the Great Peter , , built between 1718 and 1736 – with 1718and1736 –with , builtbetween

which houses the which houses

Mp pp66-7; (Map hasasmallbutinteresting assort- h ( 11am-6pm Wed-Mon) a pp66-7 ; Map where youmayexamine % Mikkel Museum Museum Mikkel , amassive seven-storey p6- K pp66-7; 601 3232; Koidula tänav 12A; 12A; tänav 601 3232;Koidula euro currency converter Art ofForeign Museum % 602 6001;www.ekm adrioru loss; adrioru with period withperiod

Mp pp66-7; (Map Mp pp66-7; (Map Tammsaare h h Kadriorg Kadriorg Art Mu- Art % 11am- 11am- 606 606

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt concession 10/8Kr; loss; Map loss; Map pp66-7 ; from 1960s USSR. from 1960s USSR. lation aboutit,and it’safascinatingrelic Today themonument hasanairof deso- both sides;see p50 if thishasyou baffled). war dead(Estonians, after on all,fought ence, amemorial wasaddedtotheNazi cemetery Postindepend- behindthestatue. but someremainfor thepurpose, inasmall front. Mostof the graves were bulldozed theSoviets died fighting ontheLeningrad over thegraves of soldiers German who ern sideof thestreet. Itwaserected in1975 concrete glorytoasharp pointonthe east- Sovietmistakably for theRussiangeneral AOrlov-Davydov. was builtinthe1870sasasummer cottage onwards. Theneo-Gothiclimestone palace tonian historyfromthemid-19th century just before Pirita tee crosses the Pirita River, the Pirita just before crosses tee Pirita Approximately 1.5km beyond Maarjamäe, PIRITA seldom-visited Rollerbladers. a popularstretch forjoggers, cyclistsand It’s summersunsets. ing duringlate-night viewthat’s particularlystrik- fording asea alongside Tallinn isanidealwalk,af- Bay northwards roadcurving This coastal PIRITA TEE The TALLINN SONGBOWL area.affluent thewars, this wasTallinn’sBetween most bourhood makes a great forastroll. setting flag forthefirst timein50years. 29,000 performers underthenational sang nian repertoire wasreinstated andaround the restoration of independence. AnEsto- Festival in1990,thelastmajor festival before tohavelieved present atthe21stSong been a large numberof Estonianémigrés,were be- proximately halfamillionpeople, including Ap- ence duringthe‘SingingRevolution’. songfest andpubliclydemandedindepend- in for one 1988300,000squeezed September tohavesaid acapacityof 150,000people. In song festivals, isanopen-airamphitheatre of themaingatheringsof Estonia’s national Further north along Pirita tee isanun- Further northalongPirita A kilometre northof Kadriorg Park, the Tallinn SongBowl h % Maarjamäe Palace Maarjamäe 11am-6pm Wed-Sun) war monument 601 4535;Pirita tee56;adult/

(Lauluväljak; Narva maantee) (Lauluväljak; Narva www.lonelyplanet.com risinginits covers Es-

(Maarjamäe (Maarjamäe , site , site hire rowboatsnearby(see p78 ). ing spotforadrinkalfresco. Youcanalso theYachtpassing through, Clubisarelax- regattas are stillheldhere. Ifyou’re just 1980 MoscowOlympics,andinternational of events forthesailing the was thebase adult/concession 20/10Kr; Club a shortsideroadleadsdownto www.lonelyplanet.com to theruins. completed newheadquarters are adjacent and reactivate theconvent. Theconvent’s tonia were grantedtoreturn theright to in 1577.In1996Birgittine nunsinEs- Ivan theTerrible duringtheLivonianWar vent. Therest wasdestroyedcourtesy of remnant of thisearly-15th-centurycon- which is thelastGothic gablestillstands, vent of St Birgitta ofStBirgitta vent .piritatop.ee) Yachting Centre ad Mp pp66–7), Map rand; most popularbeach (andit’sonly6kmfrom From there it’s50mtotheruined North of thebridge is 5pm Sat) throughout theyear. Checkthewebsite fordetails. Less ofayawnistheincredible arrayoftemporary exhibitions–often thecity’sbest–heldhere space housesthe asthecity’ssaltcellar. theunpoeticbututilitarianfunction house onceserved Todaythe massive 6pm Wed-Sun) anything, though, we like this placefor itsfabulous sculptedanything, though, welike façade. ( to stylish Moskva p85 ) foradifferent brand ofintoxicant. building overlooking Vabaduse väljak (Freedom door popnext Sq).After gettingyourfillofart, and getataste ofTallinn’s dropinatoneofthefollowing, tothelocal scene. toconnect Otherwise, good opportunities from theoldandnostalgic openings,whichare totheneofuturistic. aneyeoutforart Keep number ofgallerieshave openedtheirdoors,ensuring awidearrayoftalentisalwaysonview, an increasingly placefor cerebral fertile onthemake. Agrowing andoften daringyoungartists Tallinn’s WarholsandPollocks have yettoemerge, inthelastfew yearsthecapitalhas become eval street andcheckoutthestate cearly21stcentury. Although ofcontemporary Estonianart, If you’ve adetourfromthemedi- hadyourfillofoldstonechurchesand Balticantiquities,take THE STATE OFTHEART concession 30/10Kr; For gettingagripon thecontemporary scene,thisistheplacetobe. This versatile exhibitionspaceinOld Towndisplaystheworksofsome Estonia’sbestartists. Wed-Mon) (Map pp66–7 ) andthe iy Gallery City Vaal raoi Gallery Draakoni Rotterman Salt Storage aln At Hall Art Tallinn

, nearthemouthof theriver. This This cosy OldTownspace hostssmall,sometimes stimulating, exhibitions. More than Mp pp70-1; (Map Hostsrapidlychanging exhibits–often themostexperimental piecesinTallinn. Daring, avant-garde Estonian art isonthemenuatthisimposing pre-Soviet-era Estonianart Daring,avant-garde

Mp pp66-7; (Map

Mp pp70-1; (Map h Estonian Museum ofArchitecture

(Map pp70-1; (Map Mp pp66-7; (Map % h 11am-6pm Wed-Sun)

the city’slargest and Mp ppp70-1 ; (Map euro currency converter 627 0161; www.vaal.ee; Väike-Karja tänav12;admissionfree; 627 0161;www.vaal.ee; Väike-Karja 10am-6pm) iia beach Pirita % other

% Mp pp70-1; (Map % Tallinn Olympic 644 2818; www.kunstihoone.ee; Harjutänav 13;admissionfree; 644 2818;www.kunstihoone.ee;

639 8980;www % 644 2818; www.kunstihoone.ee; Vabaduse644 2818;www.kunstihoone.ee; Väljak8;admission25Kr; side. . Onlythe Pirita YachtPirita % 605 5000; EastofOldTown,thisbeautifullyrestored limestoneware- 646 4110;Pikk tänav18;admission free; (Pirita (Pirita % Con- 625 7000; www.arhitektuurimuuseum.ee; Ahtri tänav2;adult/ Ahtri 625 7000;www.arhitektuurimuuseum.ee;  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt midnight) tee58a;adult/child50/15Kr; .ee; Kloostrimetsa woodlands, the on1.2sqkmandsurroundedbylush Set BOTANICAL TOWER GARDENS&TV cafés nearby. withahandfulofing thesands, laid-back are plentyof young,bronzedsun-lovers fill- isaquickgetaway forurbanites;Pirita there beach (orPärnu, p155 , forthatmatter), the citycentre). it’snoBondi Although for independence). violent asthingsbecameinEstonia’sbid tempted Estonian breakaway (itwasas duringtheAugust1991at- from events therethe base are stillafew bulletholes viewing platformatthe170mpoint.At Russian-style restaurant and panoramic 60Kr; tee52;adult/concession40/20Kr,familyticket Kloostrimetsa lie 2.5kmeastof Pirita. and alonga4kmnature trail.Thegardens plant scattered of inaseries greenhouses , withitspermanentarchitecture exhibitions. The 314m h 11am-4pm Tue-Sun) is400mfurthereast.There’s a TV Tower TV Botanical Gardens h

TALLINN ••Sights ( h % boast8000speciesof 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, noon-6pm Wed-Sun) 623 8258;www.teletorn h

( % noon-6pm h h 606 2666; noon- 10am-

76 ESTONIA ESTONIA feel but is a pleasant alternativefeel butisapleasant toPirita. in theTallinn area. Ithasadistinctlylocal which ispurported tobethecleanestbeach väljak) is 15-minute rideonbus40or48fromViru- from reception). adaypassfloors youmayneed (though quent exhibitionstake placeontheupper foritscavernousworth seeing interior. Fre- hall concertbytheport),libraryis andtheenormousLinna- Rävala puiestee lar Sakalaconference andculturalcentre on Karp (whoalsodesigned thesimi- by Raine has undergone inrecent years. Built in1982 tonia’s nationalstone,dolomite limestone, one exampleof theminirenaissance Es- al Mare andits towards Rocca branches tee right namõisa the kids. Tõnismägi 2; 175/120Kr; the zoois is there onsummerweekends. Opposite tire child populationof northernEstonia otherkids–theen- for yourkidstomeet birds, reptiles andfish. It’sagoodplace of wildgoats,and334speciesof animals, Apr 15/10Kr; 30/15Kr,Oct- Vabaõhumuuseumi tee12;adult/childMay-Sep Estonian NationalLibrary The impressive, fortresslike façadeof the Southwest oftheCentre 77 shows. There’s also the mornings there are folk song-and-dance OnSunday the woodsordown tothesea. back tothecityand youcanwalkthrough (80Kr) rural life. lines,theaudiotour Along those tecture andget of anoverview 150 years of traditionalwoodenarchi- good placetosee not headingtovillages inthesouth,thisisa here.and windmill,are preserved Ifyou’re butalsoachapelmainly farmhouses (1699) Most of Estonia’s oldestwoodenstructures, days, withfolk dancing, songs and craft Rocca alMare celebrates its traditional Estoniancuisine. Every June, from 80Kr; Nov-Mar) h tee 145;www.tallinnzoo.ee; adult/concession50/20Kr; closed Oct-Apr) Tallinn Zoo About 4kmduewestof thecentre (ora One kilometre beyondthezoo,Ran- TALLINN ••Activities 9am-7pm May-Aug, to 5pm Sep, Oct &Apr,to3pm Oct to5pmSep, 9am-7pm May-Aug,

boaststheworld’slargest collection is worthwhile. There are alsoviews h h h h Pelguranna beach Tivoli 10am-6pm) a small amusement parkfor asmallamusement noon-8pm Mon-Fri, 11am-8pm noon-8pm Mon-Fri,

buildings 10am-6pm,grounds10am-8pm) (Loomaaed; 10am-8pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pmSat) 10am-8pm Mon-Fri,

Open Air Museum Open AirMuseum ( % , where youcan sample 656 0110;daypassadult/child % euro currency converter Mp pp66-7; (Map Kolu Kõrts 694 3300; Paldiski maan- 694 3300;Paldiski Mp pp66–7), (Map Memme-taadi

( tavern tavern % % Sat &Sun, 654 9100; 630 7611; (meals is .

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Town. (the largerhasaJacuzzi)inthislargebeerhall inOld Sun-Thu, saunasforrent &Sat)Twoprivate to2amFri 5;perhr300-600Kr; house.ee; Dunkri banya bath stillhastheauraofanold-fashionedRussian-style building behindthetrainstation,Tallinn’s oldestpublic 9A; perperson60-90Kr; taurant ( taurant p84 ) nearby. water. There’s café andres- alsoapleasant float, withthickforest edgingtowardsthe boats. It’sanidyllicplaceforaleisurely River,the Pirita rents rowboats andpaddle Body Zone Spas, HealthClubs &SwimmingPools GrandHotel Meriton Saun Kalma Club 26 Beer House of thefollowing: one. Forsomethingalittledifferent, tryone has section placelistedevery intheSleeping nearly Youwon’thavesauna. tolook far: be complete untilyou’ve paidavisittothe truth betoldatriptoEstoniajustwon’t to agoodold-fashioned sweatout,and Locals attribute allkindsof healthbenefits Saunas hr from75/50Kr) % In summer Boating ACTIVITIES Vabaduse Väljak,justsouth of OldTown. best reached bybus22ortrolleybus6from toRoccaalMare.tion straight Thezoois for theponyrides. fairs. Mostkidslove thisplace, particularly this is one of the most luxurious saunasintown. this isoneofthemostluxurious HotelOlümpia( & Sun)OnthetopfloorofReval p82 ), 300/600Kr; 3pm .com; 26thfl,Liivalaiatänav33;before/after (aerobics, yoga,cardio dance, spinningetc). There’s also a of classes of machines andweights, and awidevariety rooms full several have access to thepool,squashcourts, need adayat thegym,BodyZoneis agoodchoice. Guests 9am-6pmSat, 11am-8pmSun)Ifyou 10pm Mon-Fri, tee5;daypass300-400Kr; zone.ee; Merivälja accommodate upto10 people. saunathatcan 5pm 500/800Kr)Cosyand stylishprivate Toompuiestee 27;per2hrbefore/after www.meriton.ee; Buses 21and21Bgofromthetrainsta- Buses 621 2105; Kloostri tee6a;rowboats/paddleboatsper 621 2105;Kloostri (bathhouse). Mp pp66-7; (Map h Mp pp66-7; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map 6:30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 7:30am-11pm Sat 6:30am-11pm Mon-Fri, Pirita Rowboat Rental RowboatRental Pirita ,

beside theroad-bridge over % h Mp pp70-1; (Map % 631 5585;www.revalhotels 10am-11pm) Inagrand % % 630 0940;www.body www.lonelyplanet.com 627 6520;www.beer 627 1811;Vana- Kalamaja h % 10am-midnight 667 7000;

Mp pp66-7; (Map h 7am- Air Museum ( Air Museum opposite ) summer stage. Outside OldTown,theOpen one of three stages, including theoutdoor strong since1952. Performances are held on and the all-essential saunaare onhand. and theall-essential gold medallist).Hugeindoorrunningtrack,top-notchgym Tallinn’s Nool,Olympic athletes(includingErki mostserious facilitiesdraw art 9am-8.45pm Sat&Sun)State-of-the tänav 30;pervisit25-75Kr; pool. Swimming ticket includessaunause. pool. Swimmingticket catch ayogaoraerobicsclassswimthe25m,six-lane adjoining healthclubhasagymwhere youcanworkout, pedicures etc).The (massages, saltchamber,solarium, Hotel ( p81 options ), thisspaoffers anumberofpampering 8am-10pmSat&Sun)InsidethePirita Top Spa Mon-Fri, 8am-3pmSat,swimmingpool6.30am-10pm Mon-Fri, puiestee1;perperson60-90Kr; Regati 6pm) Spa Top Hall Tallinn Sports Aia tänav18;pervisit50-70Kr; SwimmingPool Kalev Club 26 Pirita beachliesjustoutside. spa,andonceyou’re feeling tonedandready, full-service www.lonelyplanet.com travel agent ( p69 ) can arrange tours in The Tallinn ( TouristOffice p68 TOURS ) and any (Eesti Nukuteater; lery particularly worthvisitingisthe eye candyfortheunder-12 crowd.Oneplace restaurants andlively street sceneispure colourful setting, Town withitsmedieval If you’re travelling with kids,Tallinn’s Old TALLINN FORCHILDREN highly recommendedhighly youthful attractionsinOldTowninclude the the workof Estonia’s youngest artists.Other hosts workshopsforchildren, andshowcases city. Good choice for a workout without breaking the bank. thebank. city. Goodchoiceforaworkoutwithoutbreaking gym and16mswimmingpoolwithsuperbviewsoverthe HotelOlümpia( the Reval p82 ), this smallhealthclubhasa h .com; 26thfl,Liivalaiatänav33;pervisit60-130Kr; posite ), withplenty of ridesand games. summer-only parkTivoli amusement ( op- also findTallinn Zoo( opposite ) andthe the younger area, crowd. Inthesame you’ll 6; adult/child6/3Kr; eater.ee; Laitänav1;admission 45-60Kr; Saunaisalsoavailable. pool ofOlympicproportions. swimminginanindoor 9am-8:45pm Sat&Sun)Forserious 6.30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-11pmSat&Sun)Atop 6.30am-11pm Mon-Fri, (Kullo Lastegalerii; (Kullo Lastegalerii; , where going theanimator’sarthasbeen Mp pp66-7; (Map Mp pp66-7; (Map Map Map h Mp pp66-7; (Map Map Map % pp70-1 ; % 11am-6pm Wed-Mon) Mp pp70-1; (Map h 631 5585;www.revalhotels pp70-1 ; 639 8718;www.topspa.ee; Estonian Puppet Theatre Estonian PuppetTheatre euro currency converter h 7am-9.30pm Mon-Fri, 7am-9.30pm Mon-Fri,

% is always a hit with is alwaysahitwith 7am-9:30pm Mon-Fri, 7am-9:30pm Mon-Fri, % 667 9555;www.nukut % h h % 646 6346;Herne 644 6873; Kuninga 644 6873;Kuninga Children’s Gal- Children’s spa 8am-6pm box office10am- 644 2286; , which  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt on nearly every cornerofOldTown. on nearlyevery merrymaking andplentyofmedieval costumed performers this four-dayfest inearlyJune features dancing, concerts, near theSongFestival grounds(Laulaväljak)inearlyJuly. placeunderandaroundbigtents takes music extravaganza rock- popularale-guzzling, 100/300Kr) Thisextremely some hotels. find theaudioplayeratTallinn andat Office Tourist detailsandanecdotesalongtheway.Youcan to historical listening quarters, routethroughthemedieval prescribed tour,youfollowa guide.ee; 280Kr)Onthisself-guided stylish emergencygreen safety vest. helmetandavery includesbike, Book thedaybefore. Price on Pirita tee,butstaffcanpickyouupfromOldTown. mentary inEnglishbythebicycleguide. Thetourbegins Festival grounds,Pirita andOldTown,includes com- Park, theSong This 14kmbicycletourcoversKadriorg 220Kr; you’re intown. festival. Don’tmissitif thisexcellenttwo-week during from aroundtheworldconvergeonTallinn inmid-April corner ofToompeaandKomandandi. dailyfromthe plats. Toursdepart Jalg andendsatRaekoja theviewingplatformonKohtutänav,Lühike Toomkirik, Cathedral, to1½-hourtourcoversAlexanderNevsky one- inEnglishorFinnish,11.30am, 2pm,4pm)Offered this 48hr or72hrTallinn Cardfree, without100Kr; l Tw Days Town Old Jazzkaar www.kultuur.info. For a complete listof Tallinn’s festivals, visit FESTIVALS &EVENTS Tour Old TownWalking City BusTour City Bike Tour OldTownWalking Audioguide tours. city alsooffers thefollowingorganised guide foraround€15to€20perhour. The English orotherlanguages withaprivate igta Festival Birgitta Summer Beer nies the ride (English, German, French, Spanish,etc). (English,German, nies theride and Pirita, amongothers. Arecorded audiotouraccompa- Tower,BotanicalGardens TV Väljak, Toompea,Kadriorg, allows youtohoponandoffatthefollowingstops:Virju to anumberofthecity’stopsights. The48-hourbuspass giveyouquickandeasyaccess the locals. It will,however, helpyoublend inwith buswon’texactly double-decker child under7320Kr/free; period in mid-August. Book early; tickets sellout. inmid-August. Book early;tickets period held at theConvent ofStBirgitta ( p77 ) overafive-day singing tradition, withchoral,opera andclassicalconcerts 250Kr) Anexcellent placetoseesome ofEstonia’svibrant h ( ( tours 11am & 5pm Apr-Oct, 11am Nov-Mar) 11amNov-Mar) tours 11am&5pmApr-Oct, % % TALLINN ••Tallinn forChildren 611 4405; www.jazzkaar.ee) Jazz greats611 4405;www.jazzkaar.ee) ( 511 1819; www.citybike.ee; Pirita tee28; 511 1819;www.citybike.ee; (www.ollesummer.ee; 1-/5-dayticket % One ofTallinn’s biggest annualevents, (www.filharmoonia.ee; pershow150- 627 9080;www.citytour.ee; adult/ h ( % 10am-4pm May-Oct) Thisred 10am-4pm May-Oct) 610 8616;with24hr, (www.audio h tours

78 ESTONIA ESTONIA formances are heldatStCanutusGuildHall( p88 ). troupes fromalloverEuropeandtheBaltics. Mostper- highly recommended contemporarydancefestival features around 75Kr)HeldinthelasttwoweeksAugust, this www.oldhouse.ee; Uustänav22;apt850-1900Kr; plats). Airport pick-up included. plats). Airport pick-up included. excellent locations (some overlook Raekoja fit hasa number of modern apartmentsin Old Town accommodation, thisfriendlyout- are scattered OldTown. through Sixteen beautifullyfurnished apartments Apartments Cassandra Rental Apartment state secret. Tallinn’s charm medieval isnolonger a deals. Insummerbookfarinadvance: rental agencies probably have thebest apartmentscarcer inOldTown,though them. Midrange andbudget hotels are you’llhavethough topayapremium for –beautifully refurbished houses medieval with plentyof in atmosphericroomsset Town undoubtedly hasthetoppicks, tolavish four-starhouses hotels. Old tion, fromcharming andinvitingguest- Tallinn haswide-rangingaccommoda- SLEEPING from lateNovembertoearlyDecember. much lifeworld, thisfestival tocoldwinternights brings .ee) Featuring filmsandanimationsfromalloverthe Festival Film Nights Black Festival Dance 79 near OldTown. views.It’slocated inahigh-rise fantastic three and bedrooms),somewithsaunas modernapartments (withonetobright, .erel.ee; Tartu maantee14;pernightfrom1450Kr; 18; pernight1500-6000Kr; 7thfl,Tartuwww.cassandra-apartments.com; maantee single/double. at275/500Krper starting and theBaltics rooms inprivate Estonia homes throughout in centralTallinn. Inaddition,itarranges youupinaprivate home canset Rasastra included. apartments inOldTown.Airport pick-up Offers dozensof handsomelyfurnished .ee; Valli 4;pernightfrom1200Kr; breakfast.ee; Mere puiestee4;pernight from800Kr; breakfast.ee; Mere Rasastra Rasastra Erel International International Erel Red Group Red Old HouseGuesthouse TALLINN ••Sleeping

Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map ( % 646 4704;www.saal.ee;pershow Mp pp70-1; (Map n Mp pp70-1; (Map

% Mp pp70-1; (Map euro currency converter ( % % ) Thisagency rents n 620 7877;www.redgroup 631 4640;www.poff 661 6291;www.bed ) Specialising in Specialising in % 610 8780;www % % 630 9820; 641 1464; n n n ) ) )

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt the corridor). Kitchen forguest use. (all other roomshave shared bathrooms in with woodenfloors andprivate bathroom aren’t farbehindit),and handsomesuites fluorescent (its office-building lights days but cleanrooms withbluecarpetingand hostel ontheedge of OldTownhasbland backpackers’ favourite inOldTown. butwillsurely through, emergepassed asa plats. Itwasstillundiscovered whenwe location aroundthecornerfrom Raekoja quarters, shared andafantastic kitchen use in 2005,thishostel hascleanbutnondescript 35; dm/s/d 270/555/750Kr; hostel.ee; 2ndfl,Nunne2;dm/d280/650Kr; 350/500/700/1200Kr; www.cityguesthouse.ee; Pärnu maantee10;dm/s/d/ste Tatari.tatarihostel.ee; tänav21B;dm/d250/500Kr; Hostel Old TownBackpackers Budget ommend this spartan hostel aside from its ommend this spartan travellers. available. andsauna Kitchen use It’s afriendlyplacepopularwith amixof on tworenovated floors of anoldbuilding. ceilings tel (2002) hascleanroomswithtall Just outsideOldTown,thisfairly new hos- without HIcard200/225Kr; Uustänav14;dmwith/ 1337; www.balticbackpackers.com; arrange excursions outof town. kitchen Inthesummerstaff andsauna. party atmosphere, lookelsewhere. Bonuses: of bunkbeds),andifyou’re notupforthe Town. Thespaceissmall(justonebigroom flock tothisrecently openedhostel inOld Beata Hostel Beata Hostel Tatari Hostel City Guesthouse Euro Hostel Hostel Euro torically setrestaurant inthecellar. gardenandthehis- great hall,thecourtyard can enjoythefireplace intheantique-laden itoutofyourroom,youmanage tomake rooms are amongthecountry’sfinest.Ifyou stone walls)anditssumptuouslydecorated ing (suchasoriginal woodenbeamsandold details fromtheoriginal 17th-centurybuild- Town. This lovingly restored hotel features ofOld in thismedievalcomplextheheart rooms are nothinglessthanbreathtaking from €307/351; Pühavaimu13/15;s/d www.schlossle-hotels.com; Schlössle Hotel THE AUTHOR’S CHOICE Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp66-7; (Map n n

Mp pp70-1; (Map ) Mp pp70-1; (Map Individuallydesigned ) n Thisrecently opened n ) www.lonelyplanet.com There’s little torec- % ) % Youngtravellers Mp pp70-1; (Map % 644 7788;www.euro 641 1171;Uus tänav % 646 6287;www n % 699 7700; ) Opened Opened 628 2236; % n 517 )

bathrooms; sauna. furnishings. Shared withSpartan and clean, like bunking inahostel. Roomsare simple choice forbudget travellers whodon’tfeel blocks fromOld Town, Hotell G9isagood walk toOldTown. without alickof pretence, andit’sashort come sized roomsandfriendlyservice est of thecity-centre hotels.decent- Bright, 14; s/dwithshared bathroominclbreakfast 450/500Kr; rooms. Aguestkitchen isavailable. are shared abetteralluse bet–though bath- the smellof cigarettes lingers. Private rooms excellent location.Dormsfeel cluttered, and www.lonelyplanet.com ni maantee7;s/dfrom€70/80; www.revalhotels.com; Narva OldTownHotel Meriton Midrange .ee; 3rd fl, Gonsiori 9;s/d/trfrom€47/45/57; .ee; 3rdfl,Gonsiori väljak inthecentre totheMotoklubistop. Takeself-caterers. bus34Aor38fromViru in thepubnearbyandthere’s ashopfor bic) andcaravan sites. Meals are available (four-bed cabins are theleastclaustropho- has secure campsites, rusticwoodencabins Tower,thissmallgrassyarea Near theTV it. rough It’s afriendlyplace,butbeprepared to small battered roomswithlinoleumfloors. from OldTown,thiswornfavourite has 10minutes’ walk In anoldwoodenhouse roomier (twohave balconies). rooms,which Vita are smarter and six Bella inside OldTown.Worththeextra are the hard tobeatthispriceforen-suite quarters modernrooms,and it’sbut comfortable .hot.ee/olematuryytel.ee; Kiriku pöik 4a; d with private/shared pöik 4a;dwith private/shared .hot.ee/olematuryytel.ee; Kiriku with shared bathroom550/600Kr; bathroom700/800Kr, tänav39;s/dwith private .ee; Karu 2-/4-bed cabins350/530Kr; tee56a;campsite/caravan240/300Kr, .ee; Kloostrimetsa €80; Lai49;s/d€60/75,BellaVitarwww.meritonhotels.com; prices are reasonable. Sauna available. (12 minutes’ walktoOld Town),andthe While itlacksin aesthetics, it’sconvenient hascleanandsimplecarpeted rooms. house building nearOldTown,thissimple guest- Olematu Rüütel Dorell Dorell Helke Kämping Kalev Reval Hotel Central Hotel Reval Hotell G9 Hotell n ) ) Thislarge hotel remains thecheap-

This nicelylocated hotel hassmall Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map

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 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt tality inasuperbneighbourhood. tality furnishings offers warmandfriendlyhospi- withwoodenfloors andtastefulguesthouse fast 290/450/650Kr,apt850-1900Kr; 1464; www.oldhouse.ee;Uustänav22;dm/s/d inclbreak- fashioned bathtubs in therooms, original uniformly gorgeous including old- details, has spacious rooms,each unique butwith refurbished building, Three Sisters medieval hostel, andhassimilarly charming features. .oruhotel.ee; Narva maantee 120B; s/d from €65/80; maantee120B;s/dfrom€65/80; .oruhotel.ee; Narva (19, 29,35,44etc).Saunaavailable. maantee to OldTown travelbuses Narva rooms have Numerous balconiesorsaunas). airyfeel (some big windows,givingalight, furnishings and inspiring, withcomfortable town centre. Roomsare spaciousbutun- whodon’tmindbeingoutsidethe those this modernhotel isadecentoption for toKardriorg close ParkSet tee, andPirita p79). spaonsite (see withafull-service sauna, All guestsenjoyfree accesstothepooland ‘marine class’rooms). book thesea-facing (besurefine balconiesfacingthesea to minimalist design,andsomeroomshave withparquetfloorsairy andbright anda is Tallinn’s premier spahotel. Roomsare Yachting thislarge Centre, five-storey hotel nextdoortotheOlympic On theseafront, bathroom from800/650Kr; n .threesistershotel.com; Pikk tänav 71;s/dfrom€310/340; Three Sisters Hotel Hotel Sisters Three Top End on trolleybus2,3or4totheTedre stop. athome.feel It’s3kmfromthecentre right andtheownersgood light, willmake you floors andwood-panelledwalls.Rooms get breakfast roomswithwooden haspleasant Uus tänav26) www.topspa.ee; Regati puiestee1;s/dfrom€66/86; www.topspa.ee; Regati essential. essential. and location,youcan’tbeatit.Reservations quarters are pretty basic,butfortheprice commodation optionsonToompea. The isoneofroom guesthouse onlyafew ac- n Kännutänav26/2;s/d/ste€50/63/83; .white-villa.com; A second branch, the A second Old HouseGuesthouse Oru Hotel Comfort Pirita Top Spa Hotel TopSpaHotel Pirita Valge Villa ) ) Offering sumptuousluxury inalovingly Offering Thischarming, family-runbedand up thestreet functions more asa

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ESTONIA ESTONIA 2000/2400Kr; 5333; www.revalhotels.com; Liivalaiatänav33;s/d from 700m southof Old Town. able views from thetop floors. Itliesabout loads of amenities andenvi- lous service, roomswithmeticu- modern, comfortable Olympics, thismassive 26-storey hotel has .viru.ee; Viru väljak4;s/dfrom€115/135; and excellentviewsover OldTown. with hardwoodfloors, colourfulfurnishings look at,butinsidetheroomsare inviting hotel outsideOldTownisn’tmuch rise to standard s/d€124/137; .taanilinna.ee; Uus6;economytw€95,deluxe d €179, are equallyatmospheric. bathrooms. Therestaurant andwinecellar furnished deluxe roomswithtubsinthe tomorecosy standards, spacious,tastefully cramped economyroomstomodest but has arange of wood-floored rooms:from 19th-century home,thisfour-star hotel 2;s/d from800/1500Kr; Müürivahe www.gloria.ee; lit lounge andthelavish restaurant. the lounge, theinvitinglibrary,warmly thewinecellar,fireside in nights: seats of romanticnookstosecret yourself onchilly beds. Outsideof therooms,there are plenty wooden beams,tinybalconiesandcanopy 81 the adjoiningindoor-outdoor pub. restaurant (withbrown-robedwaiters), and the atmosphericlounge, theelegant cheese ing withloadsof character. are Otherpluses able, modernroomsinanoldstonebuild- sea viewsintop-floor rooms. sea beautiful ceilings, oldoilpaintingsandthose ing features are antiquefurnishings, arched Amongthediffer-make stay. foradelightful dwelling The uniqueroomsinthismedieval wine cellardownstairs. Don’t miss theexquisite restaurant and charming feel tothese rooms. a nostalgic Artwork andold-fashioned wallpapergives one of Estonia’sbiggest antiquedealers). beautiful antiquefurnishings (theowneris featuring lovely andsome Art-Decodetails, hascolourfulrooms This smallguesthouse n www.baltichotelgroup.ee; Nunne14;s/dfrom€122/154; .olevi.ee; Olevimägi tänav4;s/d/stefrom€77/103/224; Olevimägi .olevi.ee; Taanilinna Hotell Reval Hotel Olümpia Hotel Reval Guesthouse Gloria Sokos Hotel Viru Viru Sokos Hotel Baltic Hotel Imperial Imperial Baltic Hotel Residents Olevi TALLINN ••Eating ) Thissmallluxuryhotel hascomfort- n ) Builtforthe1980 Moscow Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map n Mp pp70-1; (Map ) Mp pp70-1; (Map Set in aconverted Set euro currency converter

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 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 32; meals70-150Kr; le Hansa Olde ESTONIAN food andvegetarian options. and there’s of agoodselection meat,sea- coconut cream, peanutsandred pepper, downstairs. Dishes feature flavourings of mosphere prevails intheloungelike rooms ger over afestive ameal,whileatnight, at- placetolin- upstairs patioisanunbeatable fans sinceopeningin2005.Insummerthe bience, AfricanKitchen hasearnedmany rican cuisineandacosywelcomingam- Kitchen African AFRICAN Restaurants specials offer thebestdeals. blow aholeintheeatingbudget; lunchtime of it’seasyto choices. Awordtothewise: digsalfresco,the medieval you’llfindplenty you wanttodazzleadate orjustsoakup atmosphere:scene hasunbeatable whether Headquartered inOldTown,therestaurant Japanese Indianandeven Italian, options. ine, fromEstoniantoThaiwithFrench, Tallinn hasanenormousvariety of cuis- EATING tions available And (aswellashoneybeer). and elk)are amongthenumerousselec- soup andexoticmeats(such aswildboar forestous feast. Junipercheese, mushroom the placetoindulge inasinfullyglutton- large plates of wildgame,OldeHansa is labouringbeneath servers peasant-garbed meals 75-225Kr) ( p85 ) inthefoyer. cellar down belowandahandsome café words. There’s alsoamore intimate wine unsuitable forcaptiousaristocrats, inother dining roomisrestrained but elegant –not isimpeccableandthe caviar), theservice grilled veal, eelfilletwitheggplant Hiiumaa (grilled monkfishwrapped inParma ham, able dishesare French withEstoniannotes 17th-century merchant house. The delect- with thisvenerable French restaurant ina would’ve beenhard-pressed to findfault Le Bonaparte THE AUTHOR’S CHOICE Pikk 43;meals€15-23) Mp pp70-1; (Map Amid candlelitrooms,with Mp pp70-1; (Map n

Mp pp70-1; (Map ) Featuring authenticAf- The general himself % www.lonelyplanet.com % 627 9020;Vana Turg 1; 644 2555;Uustänav % 631 1755; 120-180Kr) 160-360Kr) 14th-century ballads? wanderingchamber musiciansplaying see fare. where are else Besides, yougoingto inproducinghistoricallyauthentic search take heart–thechefs have donetheirre- roast meatssoundabitmuch, youcan andthickfragranceoftables, red wineand music,communalwooden if themedieval www.lonelyplanet.com Elevant INDIAN Lammas Must GEORGIAN Egoist FRENCH Sun) 2; meals110-300Kr; to sample thegoods. to sample lunch which buffet, weekday isagoodplace steak etc).There’sturous (salmon, asmall are plentyof dishesfortheunadven- tasty aren’tmarinated eel forthetimid,butthere ites such jelliedpork and as bloodsausage, thentic Estonianfare. Traditionalfavour- restaurant au- isagoodplacetosample aside frompigs’feet. formal, andthemenuhasplentyof options fare. Theantiquediningroomisslightly ant stillrates asatopchoice forEstonian stylish restaurants inthe1930s,thisrestaur- 10pm Mon-Sat,to6pmSun) % classics of French Egoist hasasmallmenushowcasing the (cheese bread)(cheese ordolmas Georgian wine. Tryanentréeof of traditional fare godownnicelywiththe a rewarding experience. Hearty, plates tasty are schnapps, mealsatMustLammas house add to thecharm. nova,rhythms (bossa progressive etc) sitar airyfurnishings and eclectic iron staircase, gering over ameal. Thewinding wrought- isan attractive spot forlin- cuisine, Elevant dishesand expertlypreparedtarian Indian 1; meals120-185Kr; 1600s-era building. withpanache ina wild troutetc,served leaves) before diving intoasizzlingkebab. Eesti Maja Eesti Grandma’s Place 626 9080; Rataskaevu tänav12;meals140Kr; 626 9080;Rataskaevu Preceded shot of byacomplimentary

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Mp pp70-1; (Map Boasting a wide selection of Boastingawide selection vege- Anotherof Tallinn’s decadents,

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haute cuisine % 11am-11pm) (Map (Map pp70-1 ; Vanaema Juures; 646 4052;Vene tänav33;meals noon-11pm Mon-Sat,to6pm Oneof Tallinn’s most 631 3132;Vene tänav5;meals euro currency converter % % 645 5252; Lauteri tänav 645 5252;Lauteri 644 2031;Saunatänav Thisfunfolksy

(stuffed vine(stuffed : duck,lamb, hatšapuri h noon-  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 240Kr; 325Kr; 90Kr; dining scene. Spanish tapas, grilled tuna,dining scene. Spanish tapas, isawelcome newcomer tothe rior, Sisalik Mediterranean menu andahandsome inte- through theglasswallinback room. through –andyoucanwatchlate thechefs atnight ment of Indiancuisine. It’strashyandfun assort- atasty spotserves and late-night butinfact,this popularbar tikka masala, youassociate withchickennot beasetting andprofusionlights of may polished metal Baltics is just downstairs (see isjustdownstairs (see Baltics p86 ). and raisins.Thelargest winecellarinthe andduckwithmango Norwegian salmon with vegetables pastry,blanched inpuff and savoury dishessuch asEstonianlamb WWII diningroom,professional service enjoyed, youcan,too:asumptuous pre- presumably nottogether). Whatthey Jacques Chirachave here alleaten (though 28; meals180Kr) ne (p87). Angel downstairs isTallinn’s bestgaynightclub, AdjoiningthespaceWednesday night. cravingthose chicken curryat3amsome the kitchenopenlate stays –perfect for of cheeseburger).an unbeatable all, Best and pastas small buteclecticmenu(salads, elike feel provide tothe awarmsetting work, rich woodworkandatrimloung- brick- just off thebeaten path.Exposed gathers atthisstylish 2nd-floor restaurant Tallinn’s mostebullientanddiverse crowds Angel INTERNATIONAL &FUSION 260-380Kr) brightly colouredbrightly cocktails. tractive crowd checking each other outover offer avibe that’spure lounge, withanat- staircase) rooms (reached viathecurving the party peopleconverge.by night Upstairs muesli, smoothies), and Benedict, best (eggs menu. Thebreakfasts are amongTallinn’s andgrilledmeatsroundingoutthe salads andtigersausage prawn curry, withrisottos, dishes such bass with truffle aspan-fried sea town, Pegasus eclectic,award- serves winning of designedspaces in themostbeautifully aé VS Café Pegasus Gloria Gloria Sisalik h h h (Map pp70-1 ; pp70-1; (Map noon-1am Sun-Tue, to4amWed-Sat) 8am-1am Mon-Fri, 11am-2am Sat) 8am-1am Mon-Fri, Mp pp70-1; (Map noon-11pm Mon-Sat) MickJagger, PopeJohn Paul II and Mp pp70-1; (Map (Map pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Thevelvet walls,coloured % % % % 641 6880;Sauna1;meals65- % TALLINN ••Eating 644 6950; Müürivahe 2;meals 644 6950;Müürivahe 646 6542;Pikk 30;meals85- 631 4040;Harju1;meals123- 627 2627;Pärnumaantee Featuring adiverse Amid one Amidone One of

82 ESTONIA ESTONIA lovers) decor. amidmedieval wok(forthenon-cheese- fish andseafood rock- stuffed with feta, basil-and-cheese plates of Chateaubriandwaiters serving lit, cosyrestaurant features cassock- wearing setting. setting. old-fashioned dishes in apleasant Italian nicelypreparedlongtime favourite serves on Tallinn’s mostatmosphericalleyway,this night) % fresh as wellas sushiand sashimi tender has style in spades. It alsoserves and 14th-century aesthetics, SushiHouse prising combination of 21st-centurychic accents. featuring inventive touches andAsian so thantheplates of dishes, fresh seafood is anunderstated workof art–noless sculptures andgrey andwhite overtones, The diningroom,withitswildchandelier- unique spaceinTallinn’s culinaryworld. a other languages, carved Öhas certainly Bocca ITALIAN are toes amongtheselections. and gnocchi withpestoandcherry toma- 83 Sushi House JAPANESE ers over cocktails. evening lounge andbar,where Tallinn’s A-list gath- to astrongwinelist.Boccaalsohas acosy arefennel withblacktruffles matched sauce scallops, andbaked monkfishincreamy dishes such asartichoke soupwithgrilled at thismuch-lauded restaurant. Creative from thefresh, cuisineserved delectable se p78). (see good stop-offafter boatingalongthe river tops. Upstairs isamore laid-back café,a fare isthenormhere, butthelobsters are a fairlycrustyclientele). Traditional Euro River alongthePirita (and a superbsetting meals 135-340Kr; 340Kr) käik; meals130Kr; meals 120-185Kr; meals 150-350Kr) Sun) Charital Charital St Michael Cheese Restaurant CheeseRestaurant St Michael Ö Controvento TALLINN ••Eating 627 4845;Nunne14;meals260-380Kr; Namedafter avowelthatexistsinfew Acheese-lover’s thiswarmly paradise, (Map pp70-1 ; pp70-1; (Map Sophisticationandstyledon’tdetract Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1 ; (Map Thislavish diningroomboasts

h h h Mp pp70-1; (Map % % 11am-11pm) noon-11.30pm) noon-midnight Mon-Sat,1-10pm 641 2610; Olevimägi 9;meals140- 641 2610;Olevimägi 661 6150; Mere puiestee6e;661 6150;Mere % % euro currency converter 623 7379; Kloostri tee6; 623 7379;Kloostri 641 1900; Rataskaevu 16; 641 1900;Rataskaevu % Boasting asur- 644 0470; Katariina 644 0470;Katariina Hiddenaway Mp pp70-1; (Map h yakitori 5pm-mid-  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt meals 70-155Kr) 43; meals80-150Kr; from 115Kr) the margaritas andCoronas. godownoh-so-nicely with andsalads tas a walkinleafyKadriorg Park. Burritos,faji- is ideallyplacedforabitof indulgence after Carramba of selection dishes,Cantina tasty pueblo-esquecolourscheme anda lightful Sultan TURKISH 250Kr) Thai Villa THAI Carramba Cantina TEX-MEX Troika RUSSIAN haunted past. itssupposedly does addtotheallure details –as other medieval wooden rafters, brickworkand exposed and someartfullyarranged Old salads. (grilled meats),stir-fries, place. an ice-coldglassof vodka. It’sacharming borscht,sweet make sure youstopinfor pelmeni Even ifyoudon’toptforaplate of delicious and anold-stylecountrytavern upstairs. ing-themed murals,live accordionmusic, withwildhunt- is anexperienceinitself, bergi tänav20a;mealsfrom100-175Kr) a funcrowd. Mason-Dixon Line. Kitschy ambienceand wouldn’t expecttofindthisside of the burritos, porkribsandotherdishes you place inOldTowntoloadup on tacos, the air–thislively restaurant isthebest wooden floors andthesmellof in sawdust an oldTexas –complete saloon withcreaky action. the downstairs denfor abit of hookah available. Followingthe meal,retreat to vegetarianthe focus, though optionsare isspecialities atthisairyrestaurant. Lamb ish dishes(with Iberianaccents)are the specialities. tandoori mony withthenicely prepared Thaiand and richly coloured fabricsisinperfect har- of theuse bamboos,darkwoods interior: Texas HonkyTonk VillaThaihasasublimelydecorated Mp pp70-1; (Map

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% Mp pp66-7; (Map closed Sun) Mp pp70-1; (Map % % 627 6245; Raekoja plats15;meals 627 6245;Raekoja 641 9347;Vilmsi6;meals95- 644 466 www.lonelyplanet.com ramen % Decked outlike Boastingade- 6; Väikke-K % 601 3431;Weizen- 631 1755;Pikk (noodles) arja 8; www.lonelyplanet.com „ „ aiming towrite. chilly afternoon; orifthesettinginspires you,have agoatthatmurdermystery you’ve been Theseto thenext. warmandcosysettingsare finespotstoretreat towithanewfriendon andjittery fromonecharming,espresso-scented coffeewhole tripwanderingwide-eyed house Forget Paris andRome–Tallinn’s withcafésthatyoucanspendyour OldTownissopacked TOP 10CAFÉS „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „

Le Bonaparte Tristan jaIsolde Kehrwieder Narva KohvikNarva opening day,butwho cares – theambienceisfantastic! preciate feel. theclassic décorandpre-WWII The pastriesmaytaste theywere like madeon Sweet Tooth Café Peterson piano musicsomenights. openingsthroughoutthe year,andthere’shere. live gallerywithcolourful The caféhasanart mix oflocalresidents and studentsfromneighbouringTallinn Pedagogical University gather If youwantadashofculture withyourstyle,headtothischarmingcaféoutsideOldTown. A imbibe, with DJs spinning to young crowds most weekends (coverimbibe, withDJsspinningtoyoungcrowds mostweekends around75Kr). various fillings),saladsandotherlight fare. placeto The upstairsloungeisaslightlyswankier serves In additiontococktailsandcappuccinos, Moskva straggling out-of-towners gatheratthis stretch outonacouch,read bylamplightandbump yourheadonthoseoldarchedceilings. café builtintotheTownHallfeatures heavenly scentsandasplendidmedievalsetting. ing when life (or your entrée) has you down. Meals start at40Kr.ing when life (oryourentrée) hasyoudown. Meals start and aheavy dollopofunmitigated Soviet place forbrood- nostalgia. it’stheperfect In short, and rant outside Old Town. Serving up rant outside OldTown.Serving back intimetothe days ofBrezhnev coffee atthis unintentionally kitsch house and restau- Sun) 11am-4amSat,11am-midnight Sun) 9am-4am Fri, warm strawberry trufflecake, it somehoweludesthetour-bussing masses. coffeesment ofhomemadecakes, andlightmeals(trythewarmsalads).Despite thelocation, eccentrics andexpats,thiselegantcaféhasavaguelyParisian vibeandadeliciousassort- with antiques, it also has delectable handmadechocolateswith antiques,italsohasdelectable –impossibletoresist. ahideawayatGrandmother’splace. inOldTown,thisinvitingcaféseemslike Filledcourtyard Café-Chocolaterie Moskva Spirit Café Anglais back. here regularly.Spirit drawstheyoungandfashionable whoholdcourt The entranceisatthe fireplace, andsomepoorcreature’s apagetornfromfashionmag, antlersonthewall.Like rich textures: white stonework onthebackwall,plushcarpets,marbletabletops,afire inthe restaurant ( p82 ). as isthemedievalsettinginwhichtoenjoyitall.Formore indulgence,trydiningatthe Bona ranksasTallinn’sparte bestpatisserie. The coffee andtea are selections alsosplendid, Opensince1864,the city’soldestcaféstilldrawsacrowd ofgreying admirers whoap- plov

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Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map % Mp pp70-1; (Map euro currency converter % 661 5151; Mere puiestee6e) 661 5151;Mere 640 4694; www.moskva.ee; Vabaduse640 4694;www.moskva.ee; väljak10; % % % % % 644 0 644 2160; Raekoja plats14; 644 2160;Raekoja % pain auchocolat– 646 4444;Pikk tänav45; 660 1786; Narva maantee 10; 660 1786;Narva 662 2195; Narva maantee15; 662 2195;Narva % 644 8759; Raekoja plats; 644 8759;Raekoja 818; Saiakäiak 1 641 8061;Vene tänav6; stolovaya % 646 4066;Pikk tänav16; tres chic An attractive mixofEstonians,Russiansand afew  (cafeteria) favourites suchassausages, borscht 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt This very invitingcaféandloungeisawashwith ) This little cellar of a café is a perfect spotto) This littlecellarofacaféisperfect caféandnightspotontheedgeofOld Town. these are justafew ofthereasons whyLe h h h 8am-10pm) h h h 11am-11pm) bliny 8am-11pm) 10am-8pm Mon-Sat,to 6pmSun) 10am-11pm) 9am-11pm Mon-Sat,10am-11pmSun) h (small pancakes served with served (smallpancakes 8am-7pm Mon-Sat,10am-6pm Flakycroissants,moist h Ajava-lovers’ dream, this A favourite withTallinn’s 9am-midnight Mon-Thu, Nestledinsideatiny TALLINN ••Eating Travel

84 ESTONIA ESTONIA maantee Reval Hotel Olümpiaandopenallhours,Reval h an artshopandceramicsstudionextdoor. There’s courtyardoutfront,and apleasant fresh gloom. amidmedieval sandwiches pastriesand coffee, Town, Bogapottserves makes anicedetour foradrink. thecasualbutcolourfulambiencenight, is knownforitsinexpensive pancakes. By very popularwithlocals.Theyalsodeliver. crust andabitflimsy,buttheoutfit remains syn onymous withfreedom. Pizzasare thin- free fromtheUSSRandsowaspractically Thischain openedwhen Estoniabroke Kompressor Quick Eats cakes are pure decadence. Soviet, thecrowdishyped,and thepiesand Theambiencehere partygoers. night islate- place of choice for insomniacsandlate- isthe andcheery café/patisserie this bright instead. visit 11or12,trythese ite 10 placestoget jazzed.Ifyou’drather boxedSee text, p85 , foralistof ourfavour- Cafés 85 whether you seek a romantic wine cellar, an a romantic winecellar, an whether you seek has pretty vibrantnightlife. It’s also diverse: You’ve probably heardbynow thatTallinn DRINKING Rimi Stockmann Kaubamaja Tallinna Kaubamaja cery stores. Load uponprovisions atthecity’sbestgro- Self-Catering tänav 3;mealsfrom45Kr; h the landof UncleSam. creamy white milkshakes willtake youto food options.Redbooths, blue wallsand here, vegetarian andsea- includingseveral of are possiblepermutation every onoffer h % Müürivahe 2;pizzasfrom90Kr) Müürivahe Hotel Olümpia,Liivalaia33; 2am Fri-Sun) 2am Fri-Sun) Café Boulevard Café Pizza Americana Pizza Americana Bogapott Peetri Pizza Peetri TALLINN ••Drinking 9am-10pm) InsideViru Keskus. 9am-10pm Mon-Fri, to9pmSat&Sun) 9am-10pm Mon-Fri, 661 6181; Mere puiestee6; 661 6181;Mere 10am-6pm) (Map (Map pp70-1 ; Aiatänav7; a pp70-1; Map This popularstudenthang-out Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map (pizzas from80Kr; One of few cafésinUpper

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 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Müürivahe 2) Müürivahe puiestee 6e; Pegasus ( p83 ). Spirit ( p85 ), Moskva beautiful peopletend toflockinclude forget youriPodandsunglasses. Stereo isworthchecking out –justdon’t friends.Loveand theirposeur itorhate it, of globaltunestocrowdsof style mavens comes thebackdroptoDJsspinningamix cubelike thissleek interiorBy night be- fully stylish clubontheedge of OldTown. vinyl isthetexture of choice atthispain- 12; ing candlesaddto theallure. dark wood,antique furnishings andflicker- a date and/or agoodbottleof Shiraz. The crannies where youcansecret with yourself restauranttapas hasanumberof nooksand interesting locals. great someof place tomeet Tallinn’s more and theoccasionalfringe play,and it’sa city’s bestbars, VonKrahlihostslive bands plenty to choose from. from. plenty tochoose pub fullof pint-wieldingpunters, you’llfind uber-chic locals-onlylounge oraraucous setting foraglass(or abottle). setting unpretentious winebarisanother enticing Boasting fabulous viewsover Tallinn, this back in2001. ladsstoppedinforadrink time theEssex Ask‘endless’) rotation. theownerabout the DMplayedinheavy (somewould say small andfairlynondescript–aside from is Thebaritself drinking establishments. band, thisisliable tobetheholygrailof by the fire haggis withsingle malt oreven cosy barand restaurant isafine placeto sit whisky menu andplenty of pubfare, this h strays fromthewell-troddentouristpath. of who punks,has-beens andanyoneelse cheap boozeandarefreshingly motleycrew this cellarbaryou’llfindbroken furniture, h h tänav12;livemusiccovercharge50-75Kr; Rataskaevu Depeche Mode A few otherstylishplaceswhere the Vinoteek V&S Vinoteek Levist Väljas Levist Von Krahli Teater Baar Von Krahli Scottish Club Cellar Wine Gloria Stereo Stereo h noon-4am) noon-11pm Mon-Sat) noon-1am Sun-Thu, &Sat) to3amFri 3pm-3am Sun-Thu, &Sat) 3pm-6amFri Mp pp70-1; (Map h Thismazelike wine cellarand Forfansof the’80sNewWave 2pm-midnight Sun-Thu, &Sat) to1am Fri Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Featuring anextensive %

Mp pp70-1; (Map 8 , Bocca ( p85), 631 0549;Harju6) Mp pp70-1; (Map www.lonelyplanet.com % % % 507 7372; Olevimägi 507 7372;Olevimägi % 644 2350;Nunne4; 641 1666;Uus 31; Oneof the 660 1818;Mere % %

8 and ( p84) 644 8846; 626 9096; Inside White

Wed-Sat) out Cafe VSout Cafe ( p83 ). experience,checklocal, butnolesssedate a raucous,inebriated crowd.Foramore cing inthebackroom,deafening musicand plats.Onweekends you’llfinddan- Raekoja barnear ists gatheratthisLatin-themed beautiful andforeign crowd. prices,good DJsattracta Despite thehigh and oxygen bar) gets rowdieston Saturdays. most elite club(note thedeep-red curtains 6e; admission 130-150Kr; Piletilevi Buy tickets at forconcertsandmainevents a wildclub,laid-back bar orconcerthall. adullmomentinTallinn,never whetherin It’s go,butthere’s ascapitals asmallcapital ENTERTAINMENT warmer weather. onthemanicuredmeets gardenterrace in inhand.Alaid-back offal) (sheep crowd www.lonelyplanet.com ium.ee; Sadama6;admission50-100Kr; Club Hollywood Nightclubs warmer months. plentyoftonians. Expect touristsinthe room attractsasurprisingnumberof Es- and thecomfylounge intheadjoining wooden barhasplentyof togoround beer One of thedozenorsoof itsilk,thislively in thelittlepool there. terrace isabigdraw– anythingcanhappen something crowd lapsitup.Theoutdoor less, DJsstillkick outthediscoand20- in theposherOldTownclubs.Neverthe- ence isensured here, withlessattitudethan mix itup. of touristsand Tallin’s youngpartycrowd this onedrawsthebiggest crowds.Plenty mission 100-200Kr; h .club-hollywood.ee; Vana-Posti tänav 8;admission50-100Kr; Tallinn inYourPocket cafés, andlisted innewspapers aswellin advertised onflyers foundinshops and Events are posted oncitycentre walls, tions, includinginsideViruKeskus ( p89 ). h Bon St Patrick’s St Patrick’s Club Havana Privé Privé Terrarium 10pm-5am Wed-Sat) closed Sun) Amore down-to-earthclubexperi- Mp pp70-1; (Map (www.piletilevi.ee) Mp pp70-1; (Map

Afew localsandmanytour- Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp ppp70-1; (Map

h Mp pp70-1; (Map 10pm-6am Wed-Sat) % A multilevel emporium, Amultilevel h % 631 0545;Harjutänav 6; ad- 11pm-4am Fri &Sat) 11pm-4am Fri anditscentralloca- . euro currency converter % % 661 6080; Mere puiestee 661 6080; Mere % 641 8173; Suur Karja 8) 641 8173;SuurKarja 661 4721;www.terrar % 640 6630;Pikk 11; 627 4770;www h Tallinn’s 10pm-4am With

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt admission free; dance floorcomesalive late onweekends. is Tallinn’s oldestgaybar. Theminiscule Old Townflyingtherainbowflag,X-Baar Sauna 1;admission75-125Kr; tre until late most nights. until late mostnights. lars holdingdownthesmalldancefloor atmosphere, withasteady stream of regu- you’lljointhecosy Once inside,however, secrecy of European gaybars. oldEastern thisclubrecallsbehind Pärnumaantee, the Wed, Fri &Sat) Wed, Fri 23; admissionfree; productions. toire of European, localandindependent cinemahasanexcellent reper-art-house theatre, in amagnificentStalin-era this Set cost around100Kr. subtitled inEstonianandRussian. Tickets Films are shownintheiroriginallanguage, Check outwhat’sonatwww.superkinod.ee. Cinemas Angel Venues &Lesbian Gay Brazilian fests are thedraw. favourite ontheclubcircuit.Friday-night ing thedancefloor,Bonisarecent thegodofBacchus, decadence,overlook- enormous chandeliers andaportraitof Moskva website forlistings iswww.concert.ee. of May. Everything isinEstonian. Auseful untilthe end ern plays) fromSeptember ductions (including translationsof West- Tallinn pro- companiesstaging has several &Dance Theatre latest Hollywoodreleases. Supermodern 11-screen cinemaplayingthe Another great cinema. art-house ing over thedancefloor. dark roomandplentyof finetunespump- overlooking thedance floor, amen-only tive, celebratorycrowd.There’s abalcony Tallinn’s bestgayclub,Angel packsafes- G-Punkt Kinomaja Kinomaja Sõprus Kino sure tocheckBe outdancepartiesat soi Tete Cnet Hall Concert & Theatre Estonia Coca-Cola Plaza Coca-Cola X-Baar % 626 0215, concert hall 6147760, opera683 1201; 626 0215, concert Mp pp70-1; (Map

( p85 ) as well. well. as ( p85) Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map Unsignedandhiddeninanalley Mp pp70-1; (Map h

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% 641 6880;www.clubangel.ee; % % Theonlyplacein % 692 9266;Saunatänav1; 688 0747;Pärnumaantee h 646 4164;Uustänav3) 644 1919;Vana-Posti 8) 10pm-5am Wed-Sat)

(Map (Map pp70-1 ; thea- 86

ESTONIA ESTONIA www.linnateater.ee; Laitänav23) dance performance. modern dancealsohoststherare classical % Estoniapuiestee4) .concert.ee; p pp70-1; 5555; Pärnumaantee5) its experimental andfringeits experimental productions. nightly. nightly. heads ( p73 ), which hasconcertsalmost ( p69 ) andtheBrotherhoodof the Black- halls aroundtown,such astheTownHall smaller-scale concertsare held atseveral harbour, Linnahallhostspopconcerts. monolith bythe the ratherugly4200-seat Estonia Concert Hall Estonia Concert what’sonat theFor major concerts,see Music Live www.saal.ee; Pikk tänav20) not justforkids! Stages lively andcolourfulperformances– office &www.opera.ee; Estoniapuiestee4;box www.concert.ee 87 don’t miss alively match. largest sporting club.Ifyouhave thechance, Tallinn’s football team FCFlora, Estonia’s kling, newlyrefurbished arena ishometo About 1.5km southwestof town,thisspar- Arena Coq Le A Sport an outdoorstage. memorable. Watch foritssummerplayson theatre intownalwaysstages something tends toavoid contemporary fare. Theatre stages mainlyclassicalplaysand days andSundays. chamber-music concertsat4pm onSatur- incredible acoustics,andholdsorgan and 1500; www.linnahall.ee; Mere puiestee20) Mere 1500; www.linnahall.ee; Basketball ranks as one of Estonia’s most performers. opera, thishallalsohostssomebig-name venue forclassicalconcerts, theatre and www.vonkrahl.ee; Rataskaevu tänav10) Rataskaevu www.vonkrahl.ee; iy ocr Hall Concert City St Canutus GuildHall St Canutus St Nicholas’ Church & Concert Hall St Nicholas’Church&Concert Chamber, organ, soloand a few other o Kal Theatre Krahl Von ae Stadium Kalev Theatre Drama Estonian soin upt Theatre Puppet Estonian City Theatre Theatre City TALLINN ••Shopping 631 4330;Nigulistetänav3) h % noon-7pm Mon-Fri, to5pmSat) noon-7pm Mon-Fri, 667 9555;www.nukuteater.ee; Laitänav1) (Map pp66-7; (Map (Linnateater; M ( % (Map (Map pp70-1 ; (Linnahall; Map pp66-7; Map (Linnahall;

644 5171; Juhkentali tänav 12) 644 5171; Juhkentali The EstonianDrama Mp pp70-1; (Map

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Thischurch has 627 9940; Asula tänav 4c) 627 9940;Asulatänav4c) (Eesti Nukuteater; Map Map (Eesti Nukuteater; Mp pp70-1; (Map pp70-1 ; % Thepremier Knownfor 614 7760;www Housed in Housed %

% % Mp pp70-1; (Map 626 9090; 646 4704; 665 0800; 665 0800; % % 680 641

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt % from Muhu. tion of regional handicrafts,such asslippers shopfeaturesbut delightful auniqueselec- glass worksare forsale. workshop. Vases, stemware andstained- making iskept alive atthis lovely gallery tänav 9; Käik; Käsitöö Madeli &Artwork Handicrafts h Antikvaar Antiik Antiik &Kunst &Collections Antique, Military favourite spots: just have are todive in.These someof our (gramophones, furniture, silverware); you tons of other gems waitingtobeunearthed buried inTallinn’s antiqueshops.There are form, you’llfindplentyof Soviet nostalgia belt buckleorperhaps anoldmarching uni- watch profile, withStalin’s theLenin-head Whether you’re lookingforthatbrasspocket Antiques of Vana Tallinn (localliqueur). jumpsuit, don’tforget tobringbackabottle osities. Inadditiontothatbattered airman’s curi- old Russianiconsandotherfantastic of antiquestores Soviet selling memorabilia, itional knitwear. You’llalsofindaplethora outof limestone,andtrad- objects carved jewellery, silverware, hand-blown glassware, leather-boundYou’ll see books,ceramics, Estonian-madehandicrafts.tiques selling Old Town ispacked withshopsandbou- SHOPPING dium justsouthof town. national tournamentsare heldinthissta- passionately watched g Käik; quilts and loadsmore. You’ll find ceramics,leather-bound books, row of workshops isagreat placetobrowse. h & Sun) jalg 6; 3181; Lühike 1; h Domini Canes Domini Canes Katariina Gild Katariina Lühikese Jala Galerii JalaGalerii Lühikese 641 2606;Lai4; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to4pmSat) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, h h 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to4pmSat &Sun) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, Fantastic jewellery, some of which Mp pp70-1; (Map h 11am-6pm) 11am-6pm) Mp pp70-1; (Map 11am-6pm) Mp pp70-1; (Map

Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map h Mp pp70-1; (Map Theancientcraft of glass- NextdoortoDomini, this h h 10am-6pm) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5pmSat 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 631 4725; Raekoja plats11; 631 4725;Raekoja h 641 8269; Rataskaevu 20; 641 8269;Rataskaevu www.lonelyplanet.com h ames, andthebest % Mp pp70-1; (Map % % 644 0923; Dunkri 644 0923;Dunkri Mp pp70-1; (Map 620 9272; Väike-Karja 620 9272;Väike-Karja 644 5286;Kateriina 641 8054; Kateriina 641 8054;Kateriina Thissmall % 631

for recommendations. Tallinn’s boxed artgalleries;see text, p77 , aroundyou hadinmind,take abrowse ing thepotters atwork. www.lonelyplanet.com Tallinna Kaubamaja Tallinna Kaubamaja outside Old Town. h Keskus Viru Estonia hasthem, too. Shopping Malls 5pm) Knit Market Stores &Second-Hand Markets h ics, textiles andglassware. resemble artpieces.There are alsoceram- linens, scarves, sweaters and socks. linens, scarves, dozen orsovendors theirhandmade selling the backroom. to dig.Ifyoucollect records, don’tmiss you’llhavehas somegoodfinds –though Old Town,this funky placeoccasionally Gonsiori 2; Gonsiori artworks oronT-shirts. Navitrolla’s fancifulpaintingsasoriginal jalg 7; 8pm Mon-Sat) If thatceramiccupwasn’tquite what Navitrolla Galerii Navitrolla Galerii Lai Bogapott aimed towardsanoldermarket. Estonia’s mostsuccessfulfashionhouses,Bastionhasasmallbutsplashy women’s collection, Inside Viru shoppingmall. Keskus and otheryouthfulfashionsthatrunthegamutbetweenwild,stylish andtheindecent. Not justforhalter-topped hottiesfromtheBronx,thisyouthfulboutiquehasplentyofclubwear one ofEstonia’smostsuccessfulyoungdesigners. Stylish butstaid,IvoNikkolohasneat,trimdesignsmadewithhigh-quality fabrics. Nikkolois of the avant-garde, thissmallboutiquehasyouthful, edgierof theavant-garde, designs. It’safunplacetobrowse. the followingstores: for themselves inEurope’s fashionscene. Toseewhat’shotintheEstoniandesignworld,visit Tallinn’s designershave emerged aniche fromthepostindependencelullandare slowlycarving BOUTIQUES suits here are nicelycut).InsideViru shoppingmall. Keskus designs. thingspretty IvoNikkolo,Montonkeeps Like classic,forwomenaswellmen(the 9am-9pm) Tallinn’s shiniest, newestmallliesjust 10am-6pm) AlongtheOldTownwall,there are a Hoochi Mama Monton Ivo Nikkolo Nu Nordik Bastion h Mp pp70-1; (Map h 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to4pmSat&Sun) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, storeThe onlysecond-hand in Mp pp70-1; (Map

(Map (Map pp70-1 &Viru; ; Müürivahe 9am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm Sun) Sipcoffee ( p86 ) whilewatch- Mp pp70-1; (Map

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660 1847;ViruVäljak4; Mp pp70-1; (Map Mp pp70-1; (Map

Mp pp70-1; (Map ( 641 1743;Laitänav10; % % 641 8866;ViruVäljak4; euro currency converter % % 610 1400;Viru Väljak4; % 631 3181;Pikk jalg9; 644 1555;Viru12; % % 644 9392;Vabaduse Väljak8; % 644 4828; Suur-Karja 14; 644 4828;Suur-Karja 667 3100; 631 3716;Pikk h h h 9am-9pm) Find 10am- 9am- h h 11am-8pm Mon-Thu, &Sat,noon-6pmSun) 11am-10pmFri  10-7pm Mon-Fri, 11am-6pmSat,11am-4pmSun) 10-7pm Mon-Fri, 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Features adiverse ofelegant,versatile collection psegr emnl Mp pp66–7 ) (Map terminal passenger Helsinki Tallinn’s orStockholm. sea- available Tallinn between services and See p400 forinformationabout themany Boat p393. (including toHelsinki), see For informationoninternational flights Air agencies, see p69 . Forlistingsof travelBaltics. someuseful Tallinnbetween andotherplacesinthe This concentrates ontransport section THERE&AWAY GETTING Stockmann Kaubamaja Air Tartu maantee. -airport.ee) -airport.ee) Liivalaia 53; Hiiumaa (30minutes). It alsofliesonceortwicedailytoKärdla on once ortwicedailyfromSundayto Friday. to Kuressaare on Saaremaa (45minutes) Terminal Dis atthe end of Lootsitänav, minutes’ walk from terminals A, BandC. PetrolStatoil (Map Station pp66–7 ), five 3, 4and 8 gototheLinnahall stop,bythe of Old Town.Trams1 and2buses the endof Sadama,about 1kmnortheast Estonia haslimited domesticroutes. h h ( % 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to5pmSat,4pmSun) 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 11am-6pmSat) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, TALLINN There &Away ••Getting 605 8022;www..ee) Tallinn Airport is 3kmsoutheastof OldTownon h 9am-9pm Mon-Sat,to8pmSun) Mp pp70-1; (Map ( % fliesfromTallinn 605 8888;www.tallinn % Unafraid Oneof 633 9539;

is at Avies Avies

88 ESTONIA ESTONIA to the vance tickets forallotherdestinations, go the Baltic countries see also countries see the Baltic p404 . other countries, see p396 . For travel within will take youthere. 2km southeast of OldTown. Tram2or 4 Liinid from information and timetables Train Station depart fromtheplatformnextto toplaceswithin40kmorsoofBuses Tallinn Bus Yachting ( Centre p77 ). theTallinnand activitiescontact Olympic the terminals willcostabout45Kr. tänav. thecentre between Ataxi andanyof therealthough isbetter accessfromAhtri 89 0900; www.bussireisid.ee; Lastekodutänav46) For detailed businformationandad- For detailed For information regarding bustravel to For yachting information,yacht hire TALLINN There &Away ••Getting 200Kr, d200-400Kr to Naissaaradult/concession180/120Kr An excellentgateway fromTallinn istothe idyllicsettingsofAegna andNaissaarislands. no BoraBora,butthecountryoffers itsshare oflovely shoreline andremote islandlandscapes. Who saysyoucan’trelive yourfavourite scenesfrom ISLAND ESCAPE Hostel Nature Park Centre where youcangetlotsofinfo,awarmingcoffee andameal. leads throughforests, mires andpast large ‘erratic’boulders. Justupthehillfromdockis a cemetery (1808–09) wars;north forEnglishsailorsfromtheCrimean(1854–55)andRusso-Swedish youtohistoricalsights,suchasmemorials,militaryruins,awoodenchurchfrom1856, south takes deep-sea mineanchors. There are dreamy stretches ofunblemished beachandtwonature trails: remain (theislandwascloseduntil1995),withanoldarmyvillage,gunbatteries, emptyminesand 1918, tsaristtroopstooktheislandandtriedtoformtheirowngovernment. Soviet militarytraces A railwaywaseven builtbefore WWIforaspeedierbuild-upofarmaments. Curiously, from1917to Naissaarhasbeenabulwarkfordefendinghistory. Infact, War. thecapitalsinceGreat Northern wars,whichattestsfor EnglishsailorsfromtheCrimeanandRusso-Swedish totheisland’smilitary island), andeven aboulderwithcircumference ofnearly27m!There’s a19th-centurycemetery and cemetery, remains ofamedievalvillageandlongstretches beach. ofnearlyalwaysdeserted just usingitforaquickescapeintoremote nature. There are somemilitaryremnants, anoldchurch an off-limitsmilitarybase,butsincethe1990sTallinners have beenbuildingsummerhousesthere or whooperatedpostal workers mailboatsfromthere toSwedenviaFinland. DuringSoviet timesitwas on SaturdaysandSundaysonly.Ifyou’re day-tripping,you’llhave five hours ontheisland. terminal toAegna (60minutes). Ifyoucomejustforthedayyou’llhave eighthoursonAegna.

Tiny The Tallinn ( TouristOffice p68 the) cansuggestaccommodationonbothislands,orcontact MS Monika Schedules changeseasonally,socheck thewebsite forthelatest. The boattoNaissaar(60minutes) terminal, alsoleaves anditsailstwicedaily fromtheLinnahall ( % Central BusStation Central Aegna 641 8218) (Balti Jaam; Map (Balti Jaam;Map pp70-1 ) , muchlarger at44sqkm,hasaneven livelier history,thickforests (covering 85%ofthe , just3sqkm,hasbeenpopulated forcenturies bylocalfishermenand,from1689,

( ( % . % ) or book tours (100Kr) of Naissaar, contact ) orbooktours(100Kr)ofNaissaar,contact 510 3653;dfrom250Kr 5657 7021; www.saartereisid.ee; round trip toAegnaadult/concession50/35Kr,roundtrip roundtrip 5657 7021;www.saartereisid.ee; euro currency converter

(Autobussijaam; . Youcanget ) hastwoboatsdaily(three onSunday)fromTallin’s Linnahall Harjumaa , about Central Central ). TostayatNaissaar’s % 680  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Haapsalu from Tallinn tootherEstoniancities. of the following: extensive lists of rental agencies. inbothoftourist offices citieshave those or Pärnu instead andsave abundle. The 1000Kr aday.You canhire cars inTartu hasa car-repairstation) service. Tallinn. Neste The Pärnumaantee (petrol and onmajor roadsleading toandfrom There are inthecity 24-hourfuelstations &Motorcycle Car Võru Tartu Pärnu Narva Kuressaare Kärdla The BlueLagoon Here’s thelow-downondailyservices If you prefer to rent inTallinn, try one hireCar inTallinn ispricey, around 85Krto110Kr,3½4½hours,eight10buses. 80Krto110Kr,2½3½hours,about30buses. 80Krto115Kr,twohours,more than20 buses. 85Krto110Kr,fourhours,15buses. 140Krto160Kr,4½hours,three tofivebuses. 65Krto80Kr,1½hours,more than20buses. Naissaare Reisid 170Krto195Kr,4½hours,eight10buses. Männiku Küla inNordicEstonia?Sure, it’s ( www.lonelyplanet.com camp site25Kr,s100- ( % 639 8000 ). .tulika.ee; Tihase.tulika.ee; 34)From600Krdaily. Tallinn Airport) airport shouldcost about60Kr. stops tothecentre. toorfromthe Ataxi centre. Fromtheairport it’sjustfive bus ofright theR-kiosk) for next tothetrainplatforms(andjust and theseparate Estonia; upstairs, forinternational tickets; ticket areas: themainhall,fortravel around southern endof Mere puiestee. tram 1or2,northfromthestopat plats,orthree stopson walk fromRaekoja northwestern edge of OldTown,ashort Narva Narva places youcanstillreach bytrain: routes are pretty limited. Here are some quated andold-fashioned, hencedomestic trains) withintheTallinn area. Airport) Airport) % The Train Rent Tulika Airport) Sixt .ee; Tihase 34)From500Krdaily. R-Rent Hertz Budget Avis www.lonelyplanet.com from 6am to midnight. Buy from 6am tomidnight. that usuallyruntrams and trolleybuses Tallinn hasan excellentnetworkof buses, Transport Public terminals AandDatthe Bus 20to30minutes 2runsevery from To/From theAirport AROUND GETTING Viljandi Valga Tartu Pärnu Paldiski Mp pp70–1) (Map Tallinn Airport) 1515; Liivalaiatänav13/15); your ticket using thehole puncher inside 10/7Kr) orfrom thedriver (15Kr). Validate ets) from street kiosks(adult/concession The Central Train Station hasthree TrainStation The Central Most Estoniansthinktraintravel isanti- 615 6851;www.edel.ee;Toompuiestee35) (www.avis.ee) Tallinn Airport

Central TrainStation Central 80Kr, 2½hours,fourdaily. Tallinn Airport 115Kr, 5½hours,onedaily. 50Kr, three hours,twodaily. 75Kr, 3½hours,onedaily.

Tihase Tallinn Airport 16Kr,1¼hours,10daily. 65Kr, three hours,twodaily.

Tihase (Map (Map pp66-7 ; ( % Liivalaia tänav Mp pp66-7 (Map (

% via Gonsioritänav inthe ( elektriraudtee % 605 8148; www.sixt.ee; Tallinn605 8148;www.sixt.ee; 605 8923; www.hertz.ee; Tallinn605 8923;www.hertz.ee; 605 8600;www.budget.ee; Tallinn Airport % euro currency converter

elektrirong (Balti Jaam; Map (Balti Jaam;Map pp70-1 ; 605 8929;www.rrent Mp pp66-7; (Map % Airport-bus Station Airport-bus 612 0012;www ticket office, piletid ( % isonthe (electric 605 8222; % (tick- 667

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt vehicles forthedisabled. where withinOldTown. areand enthusiasm.Rates 35Krforany- vehiclesin egg-shaped runbypedalpower Getting There & Away West ofTallinn telephone callsfromthecity. worth makingtimetovisit.All are local from Tallinn andthere are places several Countryside andunspoiledcoastare notfar AROUND TALLINN ranna, butsomeonlygoasfar Päskula. the cityboundstoKeila, Paldiski orKlooga- Mostcontinuebeyond 5.30am tomidnight. mately 40trainsalongthislinefromabout There arePäskula andLaagri. approxi- headssouthto Nõmme, that maybeuseful of much interest inthecity.Theone line the centralstation fromFew of thesuburbanrailservices Train ally sound centralTallinn,Throughout theecologic- PEDI-CAB Linnatakso Krooni Takso rival time(usuallyfive to10minutes). plate) andestimatednumber (license ar- ators speakEnglish;they’lltell youthecar the byphone.trouble, order ataxi Oper- you’ll beovercharged. Tosave yourself hail oneonthestreet, there’s afairchance 7Kr perkilometre. ifyoumerely However, metered andshould costfrom5.50Krto Taxis are plentifulinTallinn. Ridesare Taxi .tallinn.ee. arelic transporttimetables posted onwww the vehicle (orfacea600Krfine).Allpub- Kiisu TaksoKiisu nid to Keila-Joa (40minutes). Call Jaam). 108,110 and136gofrom there Buses beside Tallinn’s (Balti TrainStation Central Viti andVäna-Jõesuu, gofromtheterminal Väna- cluding 108and126 toRannamõisa, travellingBuses westalongthecoast,in- tral Train Station 10trains goto Paldiskitral Train Station foryour destination. From theCen- buses Here are somegoodchoices:

( % 641 8218) ( ( % % Velotakso ( % TALLINN Around ••Getting 644 2442;perkm7Kr)Italsohas 655 0777;perkm5.50Kr) for timetables andthe best fortimetables 638 1111;perkm5.50Kr)

in Tallinn gotoplaces ( % 508 8810) offers rides Harjumaa Lii-

90 ESTONIA ESTONIA Bay, all35kmto40km fromTallinn.Bay, at more beaches furtherwest at sion of the Naage busstop (theRussianfilmver- (45m),about 2kmafterout calledTürisalu topto avery popularlook- along thecliff on theEstoniancoast.Theroadruns right a stretch oneof of thehighest 30mcliffs, the mouthof the VänaRiver, where there’s beach. Thebeach continuessouthacross it’s about600mdownasidetrack tothe the citycentre. road Fromthemaincoast sandy beachsandy isat mer escapeforcityfolkandthefirst long, The coastwestof Tallinn isafavourite sum- BEACHES &CLIFFS Kloogaranna. (1¼ hours) viaKeila; three trainstravel to 91 lovely little lage of Keila-Joa nearthe coastboastsa About 30kmwestof Tallinn, thesmallvil- KEILA-JOA &LAULASMAA highest in thecountry), with anunrestoredhighest Pakri Suur AROUND TALLINN TALLINN ••AroundTallinn Laulasmaa Väike Pakri Kurkse Hamlet Paldiski Around Tallinn Bay and Paldiski waterfall wasfilmedhere). There are Padise B ALTICSE Lohusalu Kloogaranna Väna-Jõesuu (at 6.1m the second Bay euro currency converter Klooga Lohusalu Laulasmaa -Jõesuu Bay Kloogaranna on Lahepera onLahepera , 24kmfrom Lohusalu Vääna-Viti Keila-Joa

Türisalu Keila Keila , and

Rannamõisa Vääna  Naissaar 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Kakumäe Ääsmäe To Haapsalu(75km); Bay www.puhkekeskus.ee; twfrom400Kr) www.puhkekeskus.ee; 0815; www.laulasmaa.ee; 4;s/dfrom1240/1490) Puhkekodu optionis delightful basic restaurant besidethefalls,butamore There’sing orhiking(1.7kmtothesea). a rounding itmake forpicnick- a finesetting of thefalls.The large parkandforest sur- (builtin1883)ontheedge manor house Sun) 3380; Kunglatalu;meals95-150Kr; area’s loveliest hotel, arange of dishes. tasty cottage serves of old thefalls.Thispleasant Laulasmaa) tic are amongthe options. soup, spinach gnocchi and flambéed shrimp race, thatmakes itaworthwhilestop. Fish 11am to11pm),complete withoutdoorter- floor restaurant (meals75Krto225Kr;open anindoorpool andstylish 2nd- spa services, boasts nicelydesigned rooms,afullrange of overlookingnatural setting beach. asandy It in thetownof Ithasanattractive Laulasmaa. pleasant wooden rooms, most with private pleasant Pärnu (105km) 4 Five kilometres westof Keila-Joa isthe Another lodgingoption istherus- , about1kmwest(onthemainroad to Lake Laulasmaa Side Holiday Camp Laulasmaa SideHolidayCamp al Mare Rocca Harku Pultassaare Saku Tallinn Bay & Campsite Peoleo Hotel Kopli Bay Bay Nõmme TALLINN Kopli Aegna Terminal Linnahall Ülemiste Lake Merivälja To Rapla (20km) Kräsuli Laulasmaa Resort Laulasmaa Resort Lasnamäe Vana Suvemaja Vana Suvemaja 6miles 10km 0 0 Airport www.lonelyplanet.com Pirita E20 h Finland Jägala (8km);Kiiu(10km); Mähe Tower TV Gulf of 2 Jüri , with small, Muuga Sadam noon-10pm Wed- Muuga To Jõelähtme(2km); (New Port) Muuga Bay

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Lahemaa National Maardu % Pirita Maardu (165km) Lake (7km); Narva (190km) Tartu To Park (30km); 672 1989; Vaida ( ( % % Ülgase Rebala 672 687 687 , is guarded andpotentially unsafe. grounds is notrecommended as thefacility It isnot open tovisitors andentering the submariners theSoviet throughout Union. asthemain trainingfacilityfor ing served stature.monumental Initsdaythebuild- this the‘Soviet Pentagon’ owingtoits from anywhere intown. Localsdubbed darkly imposing concrete structure visible –the diski isthesubmarine trainingbase onwasteground nearTallinn.base) materials (allegedly stolenfromthedisused ian diedafter stumblinguponradioactive the early1970suntil1989.In1994 acivil- The reactors functionedcontinuously from were thedecommissionedreactors removed. until1994; onlyin1995 submarine station Paldiski nuclear wasacompletely closed the mainSoviet naval inEstonia,and base themleavethe lasttosee in1994.Itbecame occupied bySoviet troopsin1939andwas not inKansas anymore. abandoned buildings,alertingusthat we’re that’sscrawledononeofthe graffiti the such as as postindependencecommentary legacies of theformeroccupiers –aswell here. You’llwitness oneof the grimmest weird Soviet pastthatdrawsmostpeople –Estonia’stallest. old lighthouse aswellabright-red ing limestonecliffs, nearsomestrik- appealing naturalsetting lation. Notsoldyet?Paldiski also hasan decaying townwithafeeling of utter deso- anda nuclearsubmarinestation an eerie Today you’llfindcrumblingoldbarracks, Sovietrised alongtheEstonian coast. base Paldiski wasoncethemostheavily milita- surreal placewithinaday’stravel of Tallinn, ‘Welcome toHell.’ Hands downthemost pop 4200 PALDISKI the mainroadheadingtoKeila-Joa. justoff beach, about3kmfromLaulasmaa, of alongthe right goodRMKcampsites, set ranna road(followthesigns). here. Klooga- It’slocated theLaulasmaa off able, andyoucanalsojoinanexcursion bathrooms. Kitchenare andsauna avail- www.lonelyplanet.com ern tip (follow the main road straight outof ern tip (follow themain roadstraight A trip tothe The mostprominentlandmarkin Pal- This area wasthefirst Estonianarea tobe aside,it’sthat andlighthouses But cliffs If you’re camping,you’llfindahandful lighthouse euro currency converter onthe northwest-  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt information on buses headedfurther east. information onbuses the bestroute foryourdestinationand of theburialcysts. marksthesitetion symbolbythe highway a smallvisitorcentre with alarge informa- Jõelähtme(45–55 minutes); will gothrough 143, departingfromnearthetrain station, bus 151,152or155toKiiu(onehour). Bus tion, take bus134 toJägala(onehour),or 185. Call 185. Call toKallavere, buses these thenchange tobus Toreachtrain station. take anyof Ülgase, alsooccasionally leavestop. Buses fromthe stop, ablockeastof theGonsioritänav bus 184 and186,which leave fromthe Kivisilla 183, bycitybuses The Maardu area isserved Getting There &Away East ofTallinn –Rummu–Keila–Tallinn busroute. nia’s best-knownprison),ontheHaapsalu is 4kmwestof Rummu(thesite of Esto- 16th centuryandagainina1766fire. Padise It wasdamaged intheLivonianWar cemetery datingbacktothe13thcentury. is anatmosphericCistercian monastery and Tallinna backroadbetween andHaapsalu, At Padise, about15kmsouthof Paldiski on PADISE are sidesofthe exposed thecliff, stillvisible. markers of showingstrata rockformationon builtintothe limestone, with and astaircase sites are deteriorating buttheoddbunker diers were Theformer training stationed. racks andmissile sheds, where 16,000sol- destroyed armybar-town), leadsthrough Boat (mealsfrom90Kr)–isthe taurant was stopped in 1991. Soviet era. Phosphate mining inEstonia dustries that raged unchecked here inthe thanks to phosphate miningand otherin- which ispartly anindustrialwilderness theMaardu crosses highway area, Narva On Tallinn’s eastern border,theTallinn– MAARDU &REBALA RESERVE t to thedécor. add windows. Oilpaintingsof shipsatsea rooms withbigclean, nicelymaintained street, thisnauticallythemed place has ä nav 32;s/dfrom450/860Kr) From thebusstopnexttotrain sta- Paldiski’s onlyhotel –anditsonlyres-

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92 ESTONIA ESTONIA Rebala Reserve Rebala was declaredlies besidethehighway) the the eastandsouthof Maardu (which Lake this fortress. liqueur is named after egg popular sweet 1975 and isnowacute littlerestaurant. A tury. The four-storey tower wasrestored in road, wasbuiltinthe 16thcen- the Narva tress inEstonia,6km eastof Maardu on and objectsfoundduringexcavations. ofcan finddetails thegraves, theirorigins posted outsideforafter-hours visitors) you the visitorcentre adjoiningthesite (and Tallinn, Inside onthemainroute toNarva. around30minutesmaantee bybusfrom Age stoneburialcystsliebesidePeterburgi main highway. stivere the rocksatry,theyare justsouthof them bare-bottomed. Ifyouwanttogive cure infertility inwomenwhoslidedown toChristian cultsand‘slidingrocks’said built in1379.There are alsosites of pre- the site where theoriginalmanorwas onan 18th-centurybuildingthatstands old). cultures (theoldestare about5000years historic andprehistoric and settlements archaeological sites here, withtracesof wasteland, with eerie mountains ofwasteland, mountains soil. witheerie isvastindustrial andthehighway Ülgase north of Rebalavillage. Thearea between in preserved been from the19thcentury. pass underatriple-arched stonebridge pretty limestonebanks.Onyourway,you’ll the waters of theJägalaRiver tumblingover the country’slargest waterfall (7.2m),with Jägala Tallinn–Narva leadingtowards highway There’s anorthbound turn-off fromthe JÄGALA, ÜLGASE&KIIUTORN 93 free; in Estonia. burial chambers, thelargest concentration way. It’sthesite of approximately 80more of kilometres the Tallinn–Narva off high- isalsoacouple ähtme towardsLahemaa, As earlyas1987,a25sqkmarea to The At Jõelähtmeanumberof late-Bronze- istheMaarduWithin thereserve Manor, Kiiu Torn Kiiu abandoned phosphate mineshaveSeveral NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA••NationalParks NORTHEASTERN h , thesite of ‘Estonia’s NiagaraFalls’, village, afew kilometres fromthe 10am-8pm) Wolf Piles

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( 607 3434; Kiiu; adult/concession5Kr/ 607 3434;Kiiu; , housed inthesmallest for-, housed % nearMuuksi,eastof Jõel- 603 3097) Ülgase euro currency converter , nearthecoast, . There are 300 Ko-  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt maa National Park, Northeastern Estonia In addition to thevery worthwhile Lahe- National Parks Estonia’s mystifyingeastern neighbours. andother legaciesleftbehindby high-rises dox churches, communist-bloc frightening portunities tosnap photosof lovely Ortho- in restaurants; andyou’llhave plentyof op- Russian spoken onthestreets, inshopsand here are native Russians, and you’llhear alternative. Thevastmajority of residents northeastern Estoniamakes anexcellent out thehassleof andbordercrossings, visas back tothe13thcentury. withitsmajestic castledating region isNarva, architecture. Themost strikingcityof this Sillamäe, alivingmonumenttoStalinist-era cityof ofand thecuriousspectacle theseaside around ,someenchanting castle ruins of Rakvere, the picturesque limestonecliffs including theyouthfulup-and-coming city time willfindsomerewarding sites here, willingtotakein thelastdecade. the Those in someareas, theregion hasvastlyimproved should knowthatdespite lingering pollution ing forthatbiohazard visitors suit,however, own uraniumprocessingplant.Before reach- and Sillamäe,onceprivytoEstonia’svery ecologically destructive oil-shale extraction; theregion’s centreplant; Kohtla-Järve, for such asKunda,hometoamammothcement left bySoviet industryare stillvisibleintowns an area of Thescars ragged, industrialblight. the bucoliclandscapeslowlytransformsinto Travelling beyondthepark’seastern borders, Tallinnbetween andtheRussianborder. sive networkof pine-scented forest trails. mote andanexten- campsites alongthesea looked after here: there are cosyB&Bs,re- its lakes, rivers and inlets.Visitors are well wildlife, villages andsleepy scattered along ged beauty,lushinlandforests teeming with apristinecoastlineofbays’, comprises rug- the‘landof Lahemaa, the northeastarises. literally andfiguratively of –whentalk occupiesanenormous place– Lahemaa The crownjewelof Estonia’snational parks, ESTONIA NORTHEASTERN For those seeking ataste of seeking Russiawith- For those The parkliesaboutone-thirdof theway www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com indented coast with several peninsulas and peninsulas and indented coastwith several land scenery. Ittakes ina stretch of deeply of andin- rural Estoniawith variedcoastal isanalluring, unspoiledsection Lahemaa largest Estonia’s NATIONALLAHEMAA PARK be yourbestmeans of getting around. mended. Elsewhere inthe region, will buses around bybicycle, butbusisn’trecom- can tryhitching inside theparkorgetting by publictransport.You not wellserved NationalParkLahemaa isspread outand Around Getting trains (see p89 ). there are aswell numerousdailybuses, park. FromTallinn orRakvere, toNarva explore themanydifferent areas inside the Hiring acaristhebestwaytoreach and Tallinntween andtownsinsideLahemaa. Unfortunately, bustravel isinfrequent be- &Away There Getting afineplaceforbogwalk. ture Reserve, themorealso contains modestEndlaNa- (25km) To Tallinn To Tallinn(35km) NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA Kehra ὈὈ ὈὈ To Pärnu (75km) Kiiu Vetepere 2 Paide Türi Map (p96) See LahemaaNationalPark 1 Imavere Loksa Aegviidu To Tartu (85km) Lahemaa 5 National

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Järva-Jaani Park rahvuspark Valgejõgi Ὀ otesen Estonia Northeastern Tapa Tamsalu Võsu euro currency converter Reserve Viitna Endla Nature (national park), (national park), Endla Lake Rakvere Simuna Vägeva Kantküla Jõgeva Vinni NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Lahemaa NationalPark ESTONIA••Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN Kunda To Tartu (45km) 1 Kõveriku Sanda Torma  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 3 Rannapungerja area. four waterfalls, plus250sqkmof marine terland, including14lakes, rivers eight and bays. There are 475sqkmof forested hin- tion of amore active kind. hiking andcyclingtrailsencourage explora- with afew partsaccessiblebybus. Walking, the Tallinn–Narva tothecoast, highway and 8%isbog.Roadstraverse theparkfrom human-influenced, 68%isforest orheath cultural interest. About 24%of theparkis many areas of historical,archaeological and forests, lakes, rivers andbogsencompass sparkling blacktrees. terland of snowyshores, and frozenseas park istransformed intoamagicalwin- whenthe small numbergo outof season, hemaa NationalPark butonlya year, every the North Estonian limestone plateau, the much of Geologically, level. the park ison point just115mabovewith the highest sea The landscape ismostlyflat orgently rolling, &Geology Geography Kiviõli Purtse The naturalattractionsof thecoast, Around 300,000people nowvisittheLa- Raja Mustvee Kohtla- Püssi Järve Aa Iisaku Ontika Kauksi Uusküla Peipsi 3 Lake Finland Jõhvi Gulf Valaste of Jõuga Alajõe Viivikonna Vasknarva Kuremäe Sillamäe Narva-Jõesuu

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94 ESTONIA ESTONIA 95 06 km LAHEMAA NATIONAL PARK 0 4 miles NationalPark ESTONIA••Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN

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Pärispea Lahemaa Lahemaa NationalPark euro currency converter Saartneem Älvi Hara Bay Käsmu Pärispea Pedassaare Peninsula Bay Lahe Eru Bay Käsmu Käsmu Juminda Hara Peninsula Island Peninsula Altja Virve Loksa -Oandu Reservaat Võsu Reservaat Eru Vainupea Aabla Hara Lepispea  Oanda Beaver

1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Hiking Trail Trail Oandu Lohja järv To Toolse (10km); Bay Vihula Kunda (15km) Karula Suurekõrve Võhma õsu Reservaat Tõugu V Valge Ilumäe P jõgi udis o Kolgaküla Vainupea o Palmse Wolf Piles Ojaäärse Kandle Nõmmeveski Kolga Laukasoo Reservaat Võsupere Kahala ja Annikvere to www.lonelyplanet.com Loo järv s u Annikvere Viru M Võle Bog Valgejõe Kahala Viitna E-20 1

To Kuusulu (2km); Tallinn (35km) Lo 1 Haljala ob To Tapa u To Tartu (85km) (20km) To Narva (145km) Fri Oct-Apr) Fri .ee; K Rahvuspark stone fieldisontheKäsmuPeninsula. at7.8m.Thebestknown der isthehighest der (Majakivi), whiletheTammispea boul- one (580cubicmetres) Boul- istheHouse Thebiggest inLahemaa. the country–eight There are asmany as50large boulders in by glacialaction,are typicallyEstonian. ratic’ boulders, fromScandinavia brought called ‘alvars’, andlarge rockscalled‘er- bank becomewaterfalls. meveski andJoaveski, rivers flowingover the but only23mabove AtNõm- groundlevel. most visibleatMuuksi,where itis47mhigh, fore theglintis barely visible. InLahemaa, p59 partsare). The highest inlandandthere- which formspartof Glint(see theBaltic knownastheNorthEstonianGlint, high, across thepark,formsabankupto65m northern edge of which, stretching east–west www.lonelyplanet.com Lahemaa National Park Visitor Centre Centre NationalPark Visitor Lahemaa Information the first onewasfounded inRussia. respectively, butitwasn’tuntil1983that founded national parksin1973and1974 andLithuania permission.eventual Latvia tection) andyears of preparation led to formofparks asanacceptable nature pro- which mentionednational signed byLenin cluding areference toanobscure decree feelings of nationalism.Slylobbying (in- national parkwouldpromote incendiary thattheideaofthe authoritiesbelieved a protectedThough areas existed before that, the first nationalparkintheSoviet Union. was When itwasfoundedin1971,Lahemaa History .estonica.org formore wildlife info. trout spawnintherivers. Check outwww of fish have Salmonand sighted. been diver andcrane,nesthere, and24species ing mute swan,blackstork , black-throated ist help.Some222typesof birds,includ- which you’re withoutspecial- likely tosee bear , lynxandAmericanmink–noneof are 50mammalspecies,amongthembrown in thepark,including34rare ones.There Almost 850plant specieshave found been Wildlife Stone fields,areas of very thintopsoil h 9am-7pm May-Aug, 9am-5pm Sep, 9am-5pm Mon- 9am-5pm Sep, 9am-7pm May-Aug, islocated inPalmse, 8kmnorth of ü latuskeskus; latuskeskus; % euro currency converter 329 5555;www.lahemaa

(Lahemaa (Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Lahemaa NationalPark ESTONIA••Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt souvenir andbookshop; andthe liers), isnowa onceasummerguesthouse, is now a charming café (see is nowacharming café (see p100 ). which overlooks(bathhouse), apretty lake, Apr) concession 40/25Kr; coastal townsofcoastal beaches,With theirlongsandy the small COASTAL VILLAGES BEACHES, PENINSULAS& The restored PALMSE Sights ing thembefore headingout. commodation foryou.It’sworthcontact- canalsobookac- Staff and guideservices. mation onhikingtrails,islandexploration aswellinfor- mapofessential Lahemaa, Here members, the you’llfindhelpfulstaff Viitna inthesoutheastern partof thepark. priated bythestate). from 1677until1923(whenitwasexpro- (the vonderPahlens) whorantheproperty family a private byaBaltic-German estate pied theland,anditwaslater as developed 13th centuryaCistercian monastery occu- Inthe itna, istheshowpieceof Lahemaa. p9) the p99); ahotel andrestaurant(distillery) houses (see a summerexhibitionhall;the the put tonewuse: buildingshaveestate restored alsobeen and periodfurnituretains andfittings.Other datingfromthe1780s,con- manor house, at natural beauty.There are alsogoodbeaches revellers, which candetractfromthepark’s Võsu fillsupwithyoung During peakseason Loksa tween tween village acrossthebayfromVõsu;andbe- to flee Estoniain1941. to flee ships)trying killed (by minesandGerman civilians whowere thousand to theseveral northern tip;nearby isaWWIImonument Käsmu nowshelters the from Altja to biking route runseast alongtheoldroad Juminda hasan old 1930s exploration include Fully restored toitsformerglory, the The former Soviet coastguard barracks at Several peninsulasthatmake forlovelySeveral Käsmu andparkatPalmse, 8kmnorthof Vi- , are spotsin summer. popular seaside Altja (Captains’ Village), an old sailing Village), anoldsailing (Captains’ kavaleride maja and Vainupea manor house h Mustoja Võsu 10am-7pm May-Sep, to3pmOct- 10am-7pm May-Sep, and, to a lesser extent, extent, and,toalesser . Juminda ait . A scenic hiking and . Ascenichiking and (storage room)is Sea Museum Sea

(house of (house Cava- ( % lighthouse and 329 5555;adult/ viinavabrik supelmaja Pärispea

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ESTONIA ESTONIA the bird nesting season isfinished. the birdnestingseason only opentovisitors frommid-July, after protected is andSaartneem nature reserve Älviisa strictly rolling upyourtrousers. islands. Again, check withthecentre before flavour are villagesOther coastal withanold-fashioned of Midsummer’sEve festivities inLahemaa. thecentreEstonian swings,haslongbeen Hill (Kiitemägi), complete withtraditional along theprotected coastline. Altja’s Swing of upanopen-airmuseum stones and set reconstructed traditionalnetsheds here older than100years isleft.Theparkhas todaynobuilding tioned in1465,though tions congregate forabloodlessbattle. festival inAugust,when Vikingsof allna- life fromthearea. Italsohoststhe history of thevillage andexhibitsonmarine photographs andmemorabiliatracingthe has Themuseum access thebeach orsea. barbed wire fence ensuringvillagers couldn’t frontier,with a2m-high military-controlled 1991 theentire nationalpark’scoastlinewasa livinghere. captains distance From 1945to this village; atonetimethere were 62long- all registered boatsinEstoniabelonged to walk to times). walk (check withthevisitorcentre forbest you can you. Whenthewater’s lowenough, visitor centre canhelpfindsomeonetotake there. Ifyou’re interested inatripover, the sprat industryandabout 100peopleworked During the1860s,Hara enjoyedasuccessful maps of theparkdidnotmarkisland. area. andhenceaclosed ine base Soviet-era Until 1992 ISLANDS sion 10/5Kr; Meremuuseum; 97 are three lakes near technicallyAlthough outsidethepark,there LAKES, TOMBS& MANORS are available. Mohni Island lages such as covered shoreline. for aswimorhikesettings along thepine- From The fishingvillage of Altja wasfirst men- When waters are lowit’salsopossibleto Old farm buildings still stand in vil- Old farm buildings still stand NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Lahemaa NationalPark ESTONIA••Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN Saartneem Viinistu h , and guided tours (see , andguidedtours (see opposite ) Hara Island % Natturi 9am-7pm) Muuksi 323 8136; Merekooli tee4;adult/conces- 323 8136;Merekooli it’spossibletocross over to and and . Inthe1920sathirdof , Viitna wasaSoviet submar- Uuri euro currency converter Älvi Virve , thatmake lovely , twoothersmall Vatku . , Viking Days Viking Tõugu and

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Charles Darwin’s favourite plant). Charles Darwin’sfavourite flytrap, sundew(Venus highway; lookfor theinsectivorous offthe roadtoLoksaofftheTallinn–Narvafirst kilometre the shycreatures. tosee ful trek pastbeaverdams,althoughyou’re unlikely the 7m-high Majakivi boulder.the 7m-highMajakivi houses arestauranthouses andhotel. long overdue forrestoration. Itcurrently was largely rebuilt in1768and1820,is dates fromtheendof the17thcenturybut decent hotel. is impressive Onthegroundsisa indeed. collection of chainsaws andhuntingrifles exhibits onthepark’sfloraandfauna. The 6pm Tue-Sun 15 May-30 Sep, by appt 1 Oct-14 May) byappt1Oct-14 Sep, 6pm Tue-Sun 15May-30 järv); a longer route takes youtoEru. alongerroutetakes järv); Käsmu(Käsmu- pine forest, ‘erratic’bouldersandtheLake cottages, andtheopen-airmuseumofstones. intraditionalnetshedsandfishing coast atAltja,taking Viru Rapa Viru Viitna Oandu Majakivi Käsmu Trail Beaver Altja and trailinfofromthevisitors centre. park’s diverse landscapes.Pickupmaps Some excellenthikes the course through HIKING similar pricesbutonlytoguests. (150Kr perday).TheKolgaManor rents for The SagadiManor rents bikes mountain roads, thentake adipinlake or inthesea. can workupasweatalongforest-lined Lahemaa is asplendidplacetoride. You BIKING Activities adult/concession Manor a houses of thebunch. Nowfullyrestored, Sagadi Kolga constructed after excavation. 1st centuryADandearlierhave re- been near Võhma,fourstonetombsfromthe Võhma bus stop. andforest shapedbyglacier.lakes JustsouthofbusyViitna ble moose,andpinesscarred fromresin-tapping. wild boarsandbearshave scratched,barkeatenbyirasci- thepark’smostinteresting.perhaps Notethetrees that The classical-style manor house at The classical-stylemanorhouse There are more manors at oldGerman 3.5km circular trail beginning at ‘Swing Hill’ onthe 3.5kmcirculartrailbeginningat‘SwingHill’ , Three paths (2km, 4km and 7km) that take inthe Three paths(2km,4kmand7km) thattake 4.7km circular trail, 3km north ofSagadi,thatis 4.7kmcirculartrail,3km north 8.5km circuit from Käsmu village, taking incoast, 8.5kmcircuitfromKäsmuvillage,taking Vihula, Vihula, . Onthesmallhillof Tandemägi, 3.5km trail on the Juminda Peninsula taking in 3.5kmtrailontheJumindaPeninsula taking 3.5km trail across the Viru Bog, starting atthe 3.5kmtrail across theViruBog,starting 1.7km trail, 900m north ofOandu;abeauti- 1.7kmtrail,900mnorth and incl entrytomanor30/10Kr; Sagadi Forest Museum Forest , themostimpressive www.lonelyplanet.com

( % h 325 8888; , with Kolga 11am- camp siteperperson25Kr, d600Kr) [email protected]) and a sauna. and a sauna. tent on thegrassy lawn. Itoffers bike rental the kitchen. can pitch Campers can use a side, one isoutsidetheroom). B&Bguests wooden rooms (three have bathrooms in- this quaintB&B has foursimple,pleasant the endof of theroad/start thehikingtrail, two waterfalls ( Streams passing six-hour ridetoLahemaa Sample trips:a Lahemaa. rides through ranges andtrail ridingforalllevels, horse % 2-person cabinwithshared bathroom220Kr,apt1100Kr) bathroom550-750Kr, Neeme tee2,Käsmu;dwithprivate fragile ecosystem of Mohni Island. before showingup. sure tocall follow thesignstofarm.Be atthefirstand turnright intersection, then Take toTapa theturn-off city,drive 300m Tallinn alongtheTallinn–Narva highway. Toreachhouse. thefarm,head68kmeastof ride, mealsandaccommodationinaguest- ing thesummer. guides get completely booked outdur- thecentreContact farinadvance,asmany keeps listsof guidesoperatinginthepark. NationalPark The Lahemaa VisitorCentre Tours Farm Kuusekännu Riding HORSE RIDING www.lonelyplanet.com ens. Saunaandboat hire are available. tractive two-room apartmentswithkitch- shared bathrooms.There are also fourat- areCabins more rustic(summeronly) with views. elegant, somewithbalconiesandsea Roomsarein thispeacefulB&Bbythesea. You’ll have tobookearlyifyouwantaspot vaulting over fences. dogs (bigones).Keep thatinmindbefore havetion. Also,manysmallguesthouses inPalmseCentre canarrange accommoda- NationalParkregion. TheLahemaa Visitor are the guesthouses sprinkledthroughout time hang-outforEstonianstudents. Other action, headtoVõsu,apopular summer- low-key B&Bs.Ifyouwantrowdierbeach atinybeach, near hasplentyofKäsmu, set Sleeping coastal villagecoastal ( Uustula B&B B&B Merekalda 325 2942;www.kuusekannu.maaturism.ee) ( arranges tours the through % € 55), atwo-daytrek toAltja € ( % 157). Pricesincludethe Anne Kurepalu 325 2965;Neemetee 78, Käsmu; 323 8451; www.merekalda.ee; 323 8451;www.merekalda.ee; euro currency converter (Kuusekännu Ratsatalu; (Kuusekännu Ratsatalu; AlsoinKäsmu,at

( % 323 4100; NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Lahemaa NationalPark ESTONIA••Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN ar-  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt person 25Kr,dfrom240Kr) Mere 63,Võsu;s/d400/500Kr) Mere three hours. tiful lakeside which sauna, costs270Krfor sign).Italsohasabeau- Reserve’ Landscape Tallinn–Narva (lookforthe‘Viitna highway itna, about 600meastof thebusstopon You canalsopitch atent. It’slocated inVi- private bathrooms,butmostshare facilities. roomshavesurrounded byforest. Several lake, thisplacehasrusticwoodencabins .ee; s/d690/890Kr) camp site50Kr,rperperson260Kr) d 500Kr,campsiteperperson25Kr) hour). (150Kr per sauna balconies. Kitchen use, hastrimandtidyrooms,some with house main street inVõsu,thisbright-yellow room from 400/600Kr) bathroom 600/900Kr, withshared bath- s/d with private billiards table. It’s 150m to a sandy beach.billiards table. It’s150mtoasandy rooms. There’s anda akitchen, asauna wood-panelled roomswithshared bath- has small facing it),thiscountrifiedhouse road inHara (nottheislandbuttown .ee; dm225Kr) (sometimes closed). tobookinadvance It’sessential the right. from Palmse toSagadi,it’ssignposted on (250Krperhour). Travellingand asauna akitchen, property. There’s aguideservice, lake (sometimesalgae-covered) onthe with twoto10bedseach. There’s asmall converted hastidyrooms 1850sfarmhouse rental; sauna. option.Bikerooms is agood,affordable ings. Theadjoining hostel withspotless charming quarters amidgrandsurround- gadi, thisrestored governor’s offers house .ee; dmfrom200Kr,hotel s/dfrom700/900Kr) Kõrts restaurant. the mainroadinAltja, justbeyondtheAltja suite cabins andayardforcamping.It’son handsomewoodenen- place hasseveral by groups. distillery; bookwell aheadasit’sfavoured pine-fresh roomsinsidethePalmse Manor Ojaärse HolidayHome Ojaärse Postimaja Hostel Postimaja Hostel Toomarahva Tourist Farm Tourist Toomarahva Viitna Holiday Centre HolidayCentre Viitna Park Hotel PalmsePark Hotel Kolga Mansion Kolga Mansion Hara Guesthouse Sagadi Manor Sagadi Manor RunbyRMK,thishandsome Thishotel offers pristineand

( Set onthe grounds of a Set % ( ( % % (

% ( 607 7477; www.kolgahotell.ee; 607 7477;www.kolgahotell.ee; % Overlooking apretty Overlooking 325 8888;sagadihotell@rmk 607 7323;www.aivel.ee;Hara; ( 529 2722; [email protected]; 529 2722;[email protected]; % Set backfromthe Set ( 322 3626;www.phpalmse % 329 3651;campsiteper Alongthemain ( 628 1532;www.rmk % Thisfriendly 325 2511;Altja; InSa-

98 ESTONIA ESTONIA Live musicsomenights. and grilledlambare amongthechoices. Smoked-fish roastedseating. codfish salad, fine woodentavern with indoor/ outdoor rhubarb cake idlyfloatingbirds. andthose etc)andconcentrate(sausages oncoffee, overlooks aswan-filled lake. Skipthemains grounds of Palmse Manor, thiselegantcafé sotto withvegetables). national fare soup,duck fillet,ri- (salmon of adecentselection inter-manor serves restaurantpleasant onthe 2ndfloorof the Isabella Café Eating centre. visit or Lahemaa Rahvuspark private ones)are marked ontheexcellent ‘RMK’. Allcampsites (free RMKonesand for thesmallwoodensignswithletters sites, keeping forthese youreyespeeled 300m southof trail.Whenlook- theOandu a river bend,andbytheSadi–Altja road, Mustoja–Vijula roadnearthebridge in Juminda andPärispeapeninsulas,onthe tre atthenortherntipof atKolgaBay, camp sites. YouwillfindthemnearTsi- maa, withlotsof free RMK- administered (guests only). It hasarestaurant, andalsorents outbikes wood-floored roomsamidlotsof greenery. occupied byluckyhorses, haspleasant formerly rundown manor,thisguesthouse, 99 h h 100 caravan places. Sagadi Manor Võsu Kõrts Võsu Kõrts Karavan Eesti inLahe- The campingissimplyfantastic NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Lahemaa NationalPark ESTONIA••Lahemaa NORTHEASTERN THE AUTHOR’S CHOICE Altja Kõrts Altja, overlooking ayard fullofswings. translate. It’son themainroadleading into posted inEstonian, butthestaffwillgladly fresh blueberry pie(inseason).The menuis omelettes can’t bebeaten. Followitupwith flower soup,salmon pie(thebest!)and delicious plates ofhomecooking. Cauli- tired waiters, thischarming placeserves with athatchedroof andtraditionallyat- 11pm) 11am-midnight) May-Aug) Set inanoldwooden farmhouse In Lepispea, 1kmfromVõsu; InLepispea, ( ( % %

(Altja; meals50-130Kr;

(

Võsu’sbestrestaurant isa % 516 5115;Jõe3,Võsu;meals70-200Kr; 322 3626;meals40-85Kr) ( % 325 8888;meals80-160Kr) 324 4665;caravansite100Kr; mapavailable inthe euro currency converter h Inthe 11am- This  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt shop your provisions atthesmall,crowded zel, salmon. spite thebasicfare: chicken, Wienerschnit- restaurant much bigger ing bicycles. out bikes. See p98 for informationonrent- centre. Sometourist farmsandhotels rent information are available from thevisitor blue and red respectively; mapsand trail Hiking andcycling routes are marked in pointscanbegreat. between distances this isalsoagreat cycling region, though A carisextremely handy forgetting around; Around Getting per week. Käsmu, butrunsonlyoncedaily, four days 1½ hours). AbusalsoconnectsViitnaand of ontoKäsmu(40Kr, 1¼to which goes Võsu (55Krto85Kr,1½2½hours), one There are dailyfromTallinn sixbuses to VÕSU &KÄSMU 2½ hours). stopping atbothViitnaandPalmse (80Kr, daily). FromTartu there’s abus toVõsu, daily) andthenabustoViitna(20Kr, 18 bus toRakvere (80Krto95Kr, about seven toViitnatake a hour). TogofromNarva Rakvere, which stopatViitna(50Kr,one There are dailyfromTallinn 19buses to VIITNA daily toPalmse (80Kr,1½to2½hours). From Tallinn there are oneortwobuses PALMSE Visit www.bussireisid.ee forbustimetables. &Away There Getting 70-200Kr; ask yourhostinadvance. bypass thetraditionalhomecooking.Just next door. on themainroad.There’s asimplecafé more peacefulrestaurant next door. abare-bones witha buffet, tavern serving is thisreconstruction of an18th-century opposite theeastboundbusstopatViitna If you’re camping,youcanloadup on Viitna Kõrts Viitna If you’re atatouristfarm, don’t staying Võsu Grill

( h h h 9am-9pm)

noon-11pm) noon-11pm; mealsfrom60Kr) Baar

Loksa Kauplus Loksa Kauplus ( % ( in Võsu or in Loksa atthe inVõsuorLoksa % 325 8681;tavern 325 8681; Mere 49,Võsu;meals 325 8681;Mere Remainspopularde- www.lonelyplanet.com ( h 9am-10pm) h 7.30am-8pm, Almost store food visit or centre forthelatest schedule. are these though infrequent. Ask atthe villagesthe coastal toget aroundthepark, take itonthebus toViitnaascargo. south of the main square. It’s located ablock staff. from theaffable pick upa townmapandwalking-tour guide your owneyesfirst. but don’tletthemscare itwith youoff –see this predominantly Russian-speaking area, Peipsi.Lake Many Estoniansare waryof or aholidayalongthenorthern shores of inNarva-Jõesuu institutional sanatoriums sians whocomeforasoakinone of the Western pioneers. Mostvisitors are Rus- ited corner,you’llbeamongahandful of perched onahill. cafés andrestaurants, castle andafantastic region isRakvere, acitywithsomestylish ( Narva p103 inthis ). Thebiggest surprise ( p104 ), andget ataste of Russianhistoryin the RussianOrthodox convent of Pühtitsa ture of Sillamäe( p103 ), make anoffering at architec- Stalinist the handsomelywrought land castle( p102 photograph) atToolse, things youcandohere: explore thehead- wreaked uponthelandscape,there are other in Estonia. phur dioxide thelargest hasbeen pollutant region, andforyears itsby-productof sul- inpowergeneration, comesfrom the used tonia’s mainindustrialcorridor. Oilshale, Es- hasfordecadesbeen border atNarva totheRussian The territory fromLahemaa OFLAHEMAA EAST www.lonelyplanet.com mation office lies insimplystrolling thestreets. churches, butthereal charm of thistown tle there are afew andhistoric museums youthful population. Inadditiontothecas- streets, nicelymanicured parksandalively, the tinycentre of pleasant which contains large bullsculpture – Rakvere isasmallcity, with amagnificentcastle–andverySet pop 17,000 Rakvere 14, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri Sep 15-May 14), 15-May Sep 14, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri h You can also use the buses runningto thebuses You canalsouse You canalsorent abike inTallinn and If you’re travelling inthisrarely vis- atthedestruction Aside frommarvelling Your first stopshould be the 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat & Sun May 15-Sep 15-Sep 10am-3pm Sat&SunMay 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, ( % 324 2734; www.rakvere.ee; Laada14; 324 2734;www.rakvere.ee; euro currency converter where youcan tourist infor- tourist NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• East of Lahemaa ESTONIA••EastofLahemaa NORTHEASTERN  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Katariina Kelder Kelder Katariina wooden floors. hotel modernroomswith hascomfortable, h 5500; www.svm.ee;Tallinna 3a;adult/concession40/25Kr; esting Rakvere’s mosthistoricalstreets, istheinter- town’s history.Afew blocks south,ononeof modestexpositionsrelatedcontains to the with an outdoor patio in back. Serving with anoutdoor patio inback. Serving stylish space features a loungelike interior tap into Rakvere’s rich artisan tradition. intoRakvere’s tradition. richtap artisan apartment looked like; workshops several plays here showwhatanearly-20th-century Sat) Tallinna 3;adult/concession15/10Kr; tänav 3; d with private/shared bathroom550/400Kr; tänav 3;dwithprivate/shared restaurant on thegroundfloor. There’s a decent roomsand friendlystaff. hasThis smallwell-located guesthouse Wesenbergh Hotell SLEEPING anniversary. gro tocommemorate thecity’s700th-year was completed bylocalartistTauno Kan- icon –amassive seven-ton what’son. see to mer; askatthetouristinformationoffice certs andplaysare heldatthecastleinsum- torturemiss themedieval chamber. Con- adults cantrytheirhandatarchery. Don’t at theblacksmiths, the ponyrides), though small children (make acandle, make anail that’saimedmostly towardsamusement historywithmedieval-style to itsmedieval exhibitsrelatedtoday thecastlecontains reconstruction wascompleted in2004,and elaborate manorinthelate 1600s.Extensive and 17thcenturieslater turnedintoan badly damaged inthebattlesof the16th sians, SwedesandPoles.Thefortress was masters over its700years: Danes,Rus- many thehillsidehas served tury, though was builtbytheDanishin14thcen- attraction, Rakvere’s star SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES h Art Café Café Art EATING .ee; Tallinna tänav25;s/d600/890; adult/concession 10/5Kr; In town,the In frontof thecastleisRakvere’s other , housed inalate-18th-century building, , housed 9am-11pm Mon-Fri, 11am-10pmSat & Sun) 9am-11pm Mon-Fri, 11am-7pm Jun-Aug,11am-5pmWed-SunSep-May) Citizen’s HouseMuseum Citizen’s ( % 325 1710; Lai tänav13;meals45-65Kr; ( % Rakvere Museum Museum Rakvere ( % 322 3943; www.katariina.ee; Pikk 322 3943;www.katariina.ee; h 322 3480;www.wesenbergh 10am-5pm Thu-Sat) Rakvere Castle Castle Rakvere n

bull statue ( % h ) Rakvere’s best Rakvere’s 322 5503;Pikk 50; 10am-5pm Thu- ( % 322 5503; 322 5503; , which ( . Dis- % This 100 n 322

)

ESTONIA ESTONIA 90Kr; h 30/15Kr; There’s alsoapeacefulbackyardgarden. salmon-filo pastryandEnglishbreakfasts. style pubistheplacetogoforcottage pie, wallpaper andleathersofas, thisEnglish- Live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Live musiconFridayandSaturdaynights. upamixof fare. ThaiandChinese serves zwaldi tänav2) h main square. Jaama puiestee,1200m northeast of the (46Kr, 1¾hours). ison Thetrainstation Tallinn (46Kr, 1¾totwohours) andNarva information centre. andEVilde,oneblock southof of the Laada isonthe corner minutes). Thebusstation hours) andPalmse 15Kr,40 (fourweekly, hour), Käsmu(five daily,18Kr to24Kr,1½ utes), Võsu(sixdaily,17Krto20Kr,one like Viitna(14daily,20Krto30Kr,30min- towns are also decentlinkstoLahemaa daily, 70Krto75Kr,two2½hours). There (10 (20 daily,55Krto65Kr,1½hours), Narva Rakvere iswellconnected bybustoTallinn THERE&AWAYGETTING Theatre Rakvere ENTERTAINMENT 90-150Kr; drink intheevening. eclectic fare, thiscaféisagoodspotfor a 101 are ruins of theevocative a On aheadlandat toSillamäe Lahemaa fare. Live musicSaturdays. interfor itscosyambienceandtasty national this oldwoodenpubisaRakvere favourite year. the performances inEstonianthroughout assortment of bothclassicandavant-garde nic foodandheadtothepark). grocery shopintown(hint:grab somepic- main square (Turuplats),thisisthebest tour (English available) led by young guides tour (English available) ledby young guides pirates. Summer visits include a20-minute by theLivonian Orderas defence against Turu Kaubamaja Turu Kaubamaja Old Victoria Old Victoria Rakvere hasoneortwotrains dailyto Berlini Trahter Virma Virma 11am-midnight Mon-Sat) 11am-midnight Mon-Sat) NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA••EastofLahemaa NORTHEASTERN h h 11am-midnight) h ( % 11am-7pm m 11am-midnight Mon-Sat) 322 3907;Tallinna tänav8;mealsaround70Kr; Thishistorictheatre hostsan ( %

(Rakvere Teater;(Rakvere ( % 322 5345;Tallinna tänav27;meals (Tallinna tänav27;meals90-150Kr; (Tallinna Toolse 322 3787;Laitänav15;meals60- id-May–Sep) Facing themainsquare, This handsomepub , 8km west of Kunda, , 8kmwestof Kunda, euro currency converter Overlooking theOverlooking castle % built in 1471 builtin 1471 Amid antique 329 5420;Kreut- (adult/concession (adult/concession  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt ing onthemonth,maybeamere trickle. waterfallshighest (25.6m),which, depend- in 1999,5kmeastat wasbuilt staircase a 2-million-Kroonmetal affair.down canbeadeadly Tosave lives, as they’re obscured bytrees, andclimbing isnearimpossible good lookatthecliffs are getting though a out tosea spectacular, reach theirgreatest of height 56m.Theviews At coincides withtheedge of the Glint. Baltic Aa wheretween andToilaislinedbycliffs it Sanatoorium Toila Sanatoorium SLEEPING &EATING restored, 16th-century more action inthepicturesque, medieval ship nearby. dren canscramblearoundonthetinypirate relate some of the legends of thecastle. Chil- where thekitchen andlivestock were, and toilet, who canpointouttheoldmedieval ready by thetime youread this. steam rooms) planned, which be might pool, with anewwater centre (pool, slide, courts, bike rental anda 25m swimming for camping andcaravans. There are tennis bathrooms liebehind thehotel, withspace views. Simplewooden cabinswithshared dated witholdyellowwallpaper butfinesea looking arockybeach. Roomsare cleanbut baths, chamber)salt salt onafinespotover- spatreatmentsoffers affordable (massages, In Toila,thislarge institutionalsanatorium h caravan 110Kr,d/trcabin250/350Kr,s/dfrom 600/800Kr) tänav12;campsiteperperson50Kr, Ranna toorium.ee; on Sundays). Toila fromJõhvi, andtwotoOntika(none Therescape reserve. dailyto are buses seven forms partof theSaka-Ontika-Toilaland- region are andhere spectacular, theglint GlintintheToila The viewsfromtheBaltic placeforastrollorpicnic. ing itapleasant constructed, includingtheoldterrace, mak- destroyed. Parts of theparkhave re- been thewarsdence between andsubsequently as President Päts’summerresi- Konstantin in the19thcentury,which waslater used mous StPetersburg businessman Yeliseev stood themajestic builtbyfa- OruCastle, of Jõhvi, isfamousforitsparklands.Here a lovely village onthecoast 12kmnortheast Along aformerVikingtraderoute, At Ontika 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, visitsbyappt) 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, Purtse , north of Kohtla-Järve, these cliffs cliffs these , northof Kohtla-Järve, , 10kmnorthof Kiviõli,there’s

( % Valaste 332 5233;www.toilasana www.lonelyplanet.com castle , facingEstonia’s . Thecoastbe-

( % 335 9388; Toila ,

its classical alleys and leafy boulevards. its classical alleys and leafyboulevards. the real attraction of this townis wandering The leakage have alarmed environmentalists. buried underconcrete fears of by thesea; in 1991andtoday theradioactive waste is ecology fromthis. Theplantwasclosed disbanding of theUSSRsaved Estonian nuclear reactor–ready uranium;onlythe testament to Soviet planstoprocesspure, buildings onthe city’swestern borderare abandoned theeerily at theplant,though maps. 400) andwasoften omitted from Soviet-era 1;Moscow spooky codenames(Leningrad limits;itwasknownby various strictly off army.By1946thecitywas in theGerman prisoners of warwho hadpreviously served oners, andthetowncentre by3800Baltic quickly builtby5000Russianpolitical pris- ing andnuclearchemicals factorywas uranium. Theinfamousuranium process- smallamountsof shale contains extractable WWII years uponthediscovery thatoil twoworlds. between the USSRstilllives on,and it feels caught of few places inEstoniawhere theauraof of Thisisone sary theOctoberRevolution. 1987 tocommemorate the70thanniver- a very Soviet-style monumenterected in onthewallsinside,and andLenin Marx structed in1949)thatstillhasreliefs of a Lutheranchurch, a a urns. Aroundthecentralsquare, there’s ornamented bylargea cascadingstaircase grand, solidbuildingswithgargoyles and architects,Leningrad Sillamäefeatures of architecture. Stalinist-era Plannedby street thatfunctionsasalivingmuseum rarely visited townwithatree-lined main andNarva, Järve Sillamäe isapleasant, Located Kohtla- onthecoastbetween pop 16,700 Sillamäe www.lonelyplanet.com h tänav 18a) in town. It’salongthemainroadchrome setting. (pepper steak, padThai),amidapolished eclecticdishesToila restaurant serves town hall Fregatt Fregatt Only unfinisheduraniumwasprocessed The region’s inthepost- fate was sealed noon-10pm) Sillamäe Museum details thehistory of details thearea. But ( % speciallydesignedtoresemble Alocalfavourite, thisfriendly 336 9647;Pikk tänav18;meals60-120Kr;

( euro currency converter % cultural centre 397 2425; Mayakovsky 397 2425;Mayakovsky (con- NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• East of Lahemaa ESTONIA••EastofLahemaa NORTHEASTERN  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt d 690Kr) mid-May tänav13; kini 9pm MondaytoSaturday).Saunaavailable. restaurant a beautifullyset (opennoonto main street, thishotel hassimpleroomsand 30 minutes). andSillamäe(15Krto30Kr, Narva tween hours); andmore gobe- than30buses Tallinn andSillamäe(100-110Kr,three information office to thecastle. You’llpass thefriendly it’s a500mwalknorth alongPushkini tänav to each otheronVaksali tänav 2;fromthere bridge. are Thetrainandbus stations next the river, justsouthof theRussian-Estonian biggest landmark,isby The castle,Narva’s ORIENTATION &INFORMATION matter) quite like it. other placeinEstonia(orRussiaforthat triguing placetowander–asyou’llfindno WWII, Estonia’sthird-largest cityisanin- architectureoutstanding wasdestroyedin themost spans manycenturies.Although cent castleandanintriguinghistorythat and feel of aRussiancity,hasmagnifi- gorod inRussia. which hasthelook Narva, River fromIvan- only bythethinNarva Estonia’s easternmost townisseparated pop 67,000 &Around Narva falling toRussia in1704. hands often from Russian to Swede,until changed the 16thand17thcenturiesNarva Muscovy builtafortatIvangorodin1492.In andRussia;IvanIIIof knights the German It wasembroiledinborderdisputes between and itwasafortifiedtradingpointin1172. in cleanertechnology wellunderway. have greatly been reduced, with investment rope’s mostpolluted towns.Todayemissions ern Estonianindustrialzoneandone of Eu- Afterwards itbecamepartof thenortheast- 1944 duringitsrecapture bytheRedArmy. with free Internet access. tion. They canrecommend guides intown. where youcan get mapsand cityinforma- tänav 8; Krunk At least 20 buses travelAt least20buses dailybetween People have lived here sincetheStoneAge, Narva was almost completely destroyed in wasalmostcompletely destroyedin Narva A blockeast isthe Inanattractive yellowbuilding onthe – h mid

( % h 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat; 11am-7pm Mon-Fri, - Sep, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri mid-Sep 10am-5pmMon-Fri Sep, 392 9030; www.krunk.ee; Kesk tänav 23; Kesk 392 9030;www.krunk.ee; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat & Sun 10am-3pmSat&Sun 10am-6pm Mon-Fri,

( % 356 0184; www.narva.ee; Push- 356 0184;www.narva.ee; public library (2nd fl, Maimi (2nd fl,Maimi – mid tourist tourist - i May) 102

) , , ESTONIA ESTONIA meals from30Kr) h adult/concession30/10Kr; 9230; www.narvamuuseum.ee; several outdoortables. several vourites are on offer atthiscosypub.Ithas 590/790Kr; sandwiches and salads. andsalads. sandwiches fresh-grilled meats, casual restaurant serves views overlooking theriver. woodenceilingsand withtall century house insidea17th- you can’tbeatthesetting: blast from theUSSRpast. shop andrestaurant coffee isa no-nonsense soups, andfish and meatdishes,this salads, hearty meal. good placetostop inforapintorsimple, 490/640Kr; home ofBaronvonVelio 1671, isimpressive, asisthe19th-century Hotel Vanalinn Hotel SLEEPING &EATING The imposing SIGHTS 103 and Narva (85Kr to 110Kr,3½ hours) and and Narva travel 15daily buses Tallinn between Over THERE & AWAYGETTING 100Kr; from 50Kr) 50-120Kr) decent restaurant nextdoor. King Hotel isanexcellentoption.There’s a Hall North of thecastle,baroque oneleftintheBaltics. – theonlyfullyintact are of therefuge statue Lenin of Narva’s Voskresensky Cathedral Voskresensky two blocksnorth.TheRussianOrthodox deported toSiberiain1941. were loadedintocattlewagonshere and isamonumenttotheEstonianswho station tion. Onthesquare infrontof thetrain in 1898,issituated northof thetrainsta- Narva Castle houses the houses Castle Narva rope. Restored after damage duringWWII, ing anarchitectural uniquetoEu- ensemble Ivangorod Fortress across theriver, creat- the 13thcentury,itfacesRussia’smatching must-visit. BuiltbytheDanesatendof Gulliver Pub Gulliver German Pub German King Hotel Hotel King Alexander Kohvik Alexander Kohvik Rondel 10am-6pm Wed-Sun)

NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA••EastofLahemaa NORTHEASTERN (Raekoja väljak) (Raekoja h Trout Thisanimated two-storey pub isa noon-8pm) n n ( % ) ) Featuring cosymodernrooms, Theroomsare wellworn,but 359 9257;Peterburi maantee2;meals15-

Serving a good selection of agoodselection Serving (

( % % ( shashlik ( % % Narva Castle Narva Onthecastlegrounds,this , built between 1668and, builtbetween 357 2404; Lavretsovi tänav 9;s/d 357 2404;Lavretsovi tänav 359 1551; Lavretsovi tänav 7;meals 359 1551;Lavretsovi tänav 357 3060;Tiimani 5;meals tänav ( 352 2486; Koidula tänav 6;s/d352 2486;Koidulatänav % and thecastlegrounds

357 1350; Pushkini tänav 13; tänav 357 1350;Pushkini (cnr Sepa & Hariduse tänav) &Hariduse (cnr Sepa andothergrilledfa- (Bastrakovy tänav) euro currency converter Town Museum isanabsolute Old Town

, built ( % 359 ,  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt .ee; Aia17;s/d300/350Kr; lectable desserts. desserts. lectable have peppers grilledtrout,stuffed andde- It hasasmalloutdoorpatiowhere youcan isalsothebestplacefor ameal. guesthouse simply furnished rooms,thischarming new free; gate depictthe Virgin Mary, who, itissaid, entity. Muralsby theconvent self-sufficient sian Orthodox believers, operatinga fully is aplace of annual pilgrimage forRus- towers topped withgreen onion domesand and 1895,themagnificent nunneryhasfive @hot.ee; Aia3;s/d/stefrom450/800/990Kr; thodox Jõhvi, is hometothestunningRussian Or- the village of Kuremäe, 20kmsoutheastof Originally thesite of ancientpaganworship, Kuremäe (20Kr,20minutes). Narva-Jõesuu rutkas andnumerousdaily Nine dailybuses THERE&AWAYGETTING Aia 49;s/dfrom300/400Kr; Guesthouse Valentina SLEEPING &EATING all overlooking beach. afine sandy find adozenhotels from, andspastochoose Here forexploringNarva. good base you’ll thetown.Thistown makesthroughout a 20th- andvillascentury wooden houses are a number of unique,impressive early- beach backedsand bypineforests. There since the19thcenturyforitslonggolden- dilapidated popular town,which hasbeen day resort of isapretty but Narva-Jõesuu theholi- Lying about12kmnorthof Narva, Narva-Jõesuu three to3½hours). 10 dailyNarva–Tartu (85Krto 105Kr, buses daily, stoppinginRakvere. There are also one train(75Kr,three tofourhours) runs the door. bathrooms; butthebeach outside isright old woodenfloors, fadedwallpaper andtiny rental isavailable. Bike cent roomsandarange of spaservices. going nowhere), thisaginghotel hasde- alargesembling ship(that’s white cruise Narva-Jõesuu Sanatoorium Narva-Jõesuu Mereranna Hostel Hostel Mereranna h noon-6pm Mon-Fri) (minibuses) connect Narva with connectNarva (minibuses) Pühtitsa Convent Pühtitsa Convent ( ( % % n n . Built between 1885 . Builtbetween 357 2826;www.narvahotel

www.lonelyplanet.com 357 7468; [email protected]; 357 7468;[email protected]; ) ) ( Boasting pleasant, Boastingpleasant, Roomshere have %

( % 339 2124;admission 359 9529;sanator n marsh- ) Re- the lake, isthearea’s mostpopularbeach. where the Narva–Jõhvi–Tartu road reaches Orthodox church andafew shops. of Peipsi. Lake At Teutonic bytheshore Ordercastlestand tre inSoviet times.Scantruinsof a1349 cen- some, heldaKGBradiosurveillance Orthodox church here that,according to about 100residents. There isanevocative Vasknarva enormous tourismpotential. slowly arrivingtothisbeautifularea with lefttocrumble. hasbeen Development been during Soviet timesbutmanyof themhave than alake. Thearea hadpopular resorts shoreline of rather whatappears tobeasea Peipsi; 42kmof dunes hugthe clean,sandy are foundonthenortherncoastof Lake Estonia’s finest(andleastcrowded)beaches Peipsi(North) Lake in Jõhvi enroute. withastop connects Kuremäe withNarva, Tallinn (100Kr,3½hours). Adailybus ontheoutdoor patio.caffeine feeshop, where youcanenjoycakes and freezes.that never convent. There isalsoarevered holyspring area and itisstillinthemainchurch of the oak tree. Aniconwaslater foundinthe appeared toa16th-centuryshepherdbyan www.lonelyplanet.com curving around the lake. curving scattered fish) stands allalong the mainroad the journey. Lookfor thedelicious catchwould say alonewarrants isaspeciality ofor salmon) the area. Some founded there. a prestigious school of iconpaintingwas icons where awoodenchurch somerare contains is thecharming, one-street village of Raja, with herheadhung low.Some8kmsouth the the sea, There isalsoaforlornWWIImemorialby dox, LutheranandOldBeliever. Baptist, churches Mustvee, atownof just2000,hasfour are the lakeside townsof see p127 ). Further south,towardsJõgeva, territory (formore Old Believers’ details, From On thenortheastern shore of thelake, is connectKuremäe buses with Two weekly Downhill fromthemonastery isacof- Locally caught andsmokedLocally caught fish (trout datingfromthe 19thcenturywhen (there used to be seven): Ortho- (there tobeseven): used , anisolated fishing village with Lohusuu Mourning Lady extending southwardsis Alajõe euro currency converter suitsukala , isthearea’s main , ayoungwoman Mustvee (smoked and Kauksi Raja , . NORTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• East of Lahemaa ESTONIA••EastofLahemaa NORTHEASTERN  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt @hot.ee; s/dfrom300/400Kr) headquarters. able, byadvance arrangement the through along the way.Guidedtours are alsoavail- intwowatchtowersacross thebog,taking follow a 1.5kmnature trail onboards andin Torma. Youcan visitthereserve and acaféonthegrounds. weekends. Ithastinytwo-person cabins site gets packed on withyoungpartygoers metres furthersouth,thispopularcamp rooms andarestaurant onsite. plex of cottages and lodges hasold,worn Centre. one kilometre southof UuskülaHoliday tothebeach),gate andalsoabout (closer ous free RMKcampsites, justoutsidethe is 50mfromthedoor. There are numer- rooms andshared bathrooms.Thebeach leads tothisfriendlyplacewithcleancosy site/wooden cabinperperson20/70Kr) lished in1981. wasestab- springs. EndlaNature Reserve andtheVõlingiOostriku nia’s deepest) Sopaspring(Esto- including the4.8m-deep of springsinthewestern partof thereserve, Endlaandanumber includesLake reserve mately 10kmnorthof Jõgeva. Thenature beavers, beginssouth of approxi- Koeru, eala), covering area aboggy inhabited by (EndlaLooduskaits- Endla Nature Reserve Reserve Endla Nature Kauksi. manyof which willstopinfrom Narva, also about 10Tartu-bound aday buses and Jõhvi (twoto2½hours). There are adayleavetwo buses fromKohtla-Järve ToKauksiyour ownwheels. andAlajõe, tothisareaGetting istrickywithout THERE&AWAYGETTING the shoreline. following are offthemainroadthatfollows jõe, butmanyare indire of need repair. The There are anumberof resorts aroundAla- SLEEPING &EATING Tartu (onehour). with bothJõhvi (oneto1½hours) and -lained.ee; dfrom500Kr) Peipsi LainedHostel Kauksi Beach Kauksi The There are connectingMustvee 10buses Uusküla HolidayCentre reserve headquarters reserve

( % 339 3835;[email protected];camp Another twokilometres

Thissprawlingcom- ( %

( % 339 3723;www.peipsi

339 3249;tasandik ( % Several kilo- Several 774 5339)

104

is ESTONIA ESTONIA this previously united community. year. Sadly, theRussianbordernowdivides colourful festivals the staged throughout theirculture and language, to preserve with lennium. Todaythis proudgroupcontinues hereFinnic tribeswho settled inthefirst mil- ancestors ofPihkva, live the Setus, Balto- southeast, clustered invillages nearLake is alsoamongitsleastvisited. Inthefar the east. persecution in and 19thcenturiesfleeing Russianswhocameinthe18th Believers, the lake isalsotraditionally thelandof Old villages dottingthelakeside. Furthernorth, andintiny stopping atroadsidefoodstands scenery, youcantravel upits western rim ming, boating,fishingandsoaking upthe coastline.undeveloped Aside from swim- beachesbeautiful sandy andasurprisingly Europe’s largest lakes. Alongitsshores are National Park orKarula NationalPark. of dose woodland,headtoHaanjaa serious in picturesque valleysaddtotheallure. For ter. onwanderingrivers Quainttownsset or in summerandcross-countryskiingwin- adventuring: hikingandlakeside swimming of Otepää andVõru,thegateway tooutdoor Inthesouthlie towns natural settings. rection youhead–you’llfindresplendent restaurants make forsomefineexploring. stimulating galleriesandeclecticcafés place of modernEstonia. Itslush parks, making itinsomewaysthespiritualbirth- tional awakening beganover 100years ago, that spanscenturies.Thisiswhere thena- bled streets of which markarich history vibrant university centre of Tartu, thecob- cities:theheartofportant thisregion, the oneofIt alsocontains Estonia’smostim- of Estonia’s most attractive countryside. vast woodlands,thesoutheastboastssome Set withrollinghills,picturesque lakes and ESTONIA SOUTHEASTERN 105 woodlands and gently rollinghills. There Haanja Nature Park withits crisplakes, lush recommendedHighly is the200-sq-km National Parks One of Estonia’smostintriguingregions To theeaststretches Peipsi, Lake oneof thecity–nomatter which di- Beyond SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt more authentic depiction of Estonian life the city’s idealists. Today visitors can get a which have puttoinnovative been by uses designed 18th-centurybuildings, manyof Its handsome centre islinedwith classically to agreatervietisation degree thanTallinn. century national revival andit escaped So- sophistication for acityof its size. and grantsitasurprising historic setting injects aboisterous intotheleafy, vitality up nearlyone-fifth of the population.This mier university town,withstudents making it,Tartuning through isalsoEstonia’spre- with thequietlyflowingEmajõgi River run- and peacefulriverfront. Small andquaint, greenstreets, parks oldwoodenhouses, vaim about aspecialTartu Localstalk capital. Tartu laysclaimtobeingEstonia’s spiritual pop 101,000 TARTU car-hireaffordable agencies. tryside aroundOtepää. Tartu hasplentyof the very fit–toexplore thesceniccoun- car. You’llalsowantacar– orabicyclefor and you’llsave loadsof timebyrenting a are PeipsiLake infrequent –busservices around Haanja NationalPark, and Setumaa For more in-depthexploring–particularly then you’llbefinegetting aroundbybus. If youplanonlytodipintotheregion, Around Getting Peipsi.gateway toLake Tartu.go through Tartu isalsoasensible willVõru andOtepää), all buses though toothersoutheastern cities(Põlva,buses der. FromTallinn youcanalsocatch direct tinuing ontoValga bor- ontheLatvian the train,which stopsinTartu before con- morethough travellers nostalgic willenjoy Frequent connectTallinn buses withTartu; &Away There Getting ciated geographic features, theswamp. ors withoneof Estonia’smostunderappre- Luhasoo Nature StudyTrailacquaintsvisit- Ähijärv. isthesparklingLake highlight The Park isanotherdecentchoice forhikes. Its Estonia’s scenery. ing andjustabsorbingthesubtlebeautyof are ampleopportunitiesforhiking,camp- Tartu was thecradleof Estonia’s19th- Further west,thesmallerKarula National (spirit)inhabitingits19th-century www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com (100km) To Tallinn (140km) To R‹ga (90km) To Pärnu SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA ὈὈ (5km) To Viljandi Põltsamaa Imavere Võisiku Tõrva Valka Koeru Võrtsjärv Kolga-Jaani 6 Kamari Reserve Väike- Valga Nature Endla ὈὈ Vehendi Rõngu Puka otesen Estonia Southeastern

Rannu euro currency converter Em

Puhja

Jõgeva aj Siimusti Lüllemäe

Kuutsemägi

Rakke 3 õgi Seinamägi Aheru 2 Järv Majala Pühajarv Sangaste Elva Laeva National (180km) To R‹ga Kobela Karula Antsla Ähijärv Park Nõo Apteekri-mägi Otepää ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ Väike-Munamägi Karula National Äksi Torma Park HQ Mõniste Kõveriku Saadjärv 2  Ülenurme Tartu 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Karilatsi Nursi Kellamäe Krabi Rõuge Raja 3 Vagula Tamula

Järv A2 Järv National Mustvee Haanja L ATVI Park Kiidjärv Haanja National To Jõhvi(35km); Luhasoo Nature Kavastu Narva (80km) Study Trail Park HQ Väimela Võnnu Ranna Haanja Võru Põlva Alûksne Ahja Ahja Munamägi Suur Põlva Järv Ruusmäe 20miles 30km 0 0 Verijärv Kallaste Peipsi SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA SOUTHEASTERN Järv Leevi Kasepää Võhandu Obinitsa Orava Meremäe Räpina Vahtseliina Võõpsu R USIA Võporsova Piusa R USIA Tonja A212 Lämmijärv Väika-Rõsna (Petseri) Pechory Värska Podmotsa To Pihkva To Pihkva

Pihkva Narva Järv (30km) (25km) Säätse

106 ESTONIA ESTONIA tonian SongFestival washeldhere in1869, of theEstoniannationalrevival: thefirst Es- tion wasdeported toRussia. wrecked thetownandmostof itspopula- took Tartu forRussia. In1708hisforces Great NorthernWarwhenPeter theGreat 1632. Thispeaceendedin1704,duringthe incided withtheuniversity’s foundingin was duringtheSwedishreign, which co- region.the Baltic Itsmostpeacefulperiod forcontrolofand Poland-Lithuaniafought changes of ownership asRussia, ries Dorpatsuffered repeated and attacks end of the19thcentury. name–untilthe as Dorpat–itsGerman on Toomemägi.Thetownbecameknown who placedacastle,cathedralandbishop were defeated of bytheKnights theSword, The Estoniansregained control,butin1224 to have foundedaforthere calledYuriev. In 1030Yaroslav of theWise Kyivissaid on Toomemägi. early Estonianstronghold Around the6thcenturyADthere was an History Estonia. convenient gateway toexploringsouthern here,fascinating museums andTartu isa addition togalleriesandcafés,there are than initsglitziercousintothenorth.In 107 In themid-1800sTartu became thefocus the16thand 17th centu- Throughout language, contact the language, contact Setumaa. Tolearn more aboutthisunique ers, most ofwhomlive inVõrumaaand hasoverand Võro-Seto 70,000native speak- guage isonceagain enjoyingaresurgence, country’s mainlanguage. Todaythelan- Estonianbecamethedominant Northern policywasadopted, and theone-language the interests of nationalism,aone-country, until theendof 19thcentury.Then, in ished quite independentlyofeach other andsouthernlanguagesflour- the northern a separate languagein1998.For centuries, sidered wasdeclared anEstoniandialect, of thisregion. previouslyVõro-Seto, con- inthe southeasternguage spoken corner a quite different, choppier-sounding lan- In additiontoEstonian,visitorsmaynotice LANGUAGE ( % SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN 782 1960; www.wi.ee; Tartu 48, Võru). euro currency converter Võro Institute  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Downstairs fromthepub. tänav 2; 10am-4pm Sat)English-languagebookson2nd floor. % 4pm Sat)Free Internetupstairs. Estravel including: ens of places tochange cashinOldTown ATMs are prevalent here. There are doz- MONEY room Left-luggage LEFT LUGGAGE Zum Zum Virtuaal Kohvik City Library access. Inter net The touristhasonecomputer withfree ACCESSINTERNET Bookshop University Nora Mattiesen BOOKSHOPS Information tänav are themainshoppingstreets. (Town Hall Sq).Ülikooli tänav andRüütli Emajõgi River. plats ItsheartisRaekoja thehilland older buildingsbetween The focusof Tartu isToomemägiandthe Orientation 12,000 peopleatLemmatsi. on theValga roadwhere theNazismassacred many atrocities.Amonumentnowstands Nazis. Bothoccupyingforcescommitted again in1944whentheyretook itfromthe 1784 Kivisildstonebridge over theriver, and Soviet forcesretreated, blowingupthegrand Tartu wasseverely damaged in1941when viet RussiaandEstoniaon2February 1920. its history),wassignedinTartu So- between pendence toEstonia(forthefirst timein in thenationalawakening. was launched here steps –bothimportant and thefirst Estonian-language newspaper floor ofthebusstation. tänav 2; midnight) AsleekInternetcaféontheeastside oftheriver. isinsidetheCaféWildebuilding. selection 9am-5pmSat,10am-3pmSun)Tartu’s7pm Mon-Fri, best Mon-Fri, 11am-3pmSat)SmallEnglish-language bookshop. Mon-Fri, The peacetreaty, which granted inde- 744 1102;Ülikoolitänav11; ( % h h ( % 740 7715; Raekoja plats11; 740 7715;Raekoja (Küüni 2;perhr25Kr; ( 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat) 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 6am-9pm) Off the ticket hallontheground theticket 6am-9pm) Off % (Kompanii 3; 744 0300; www.estravel.ee; Vallikraavi 730 9723;Vallikraavi tänav4; (Pikk tänav 40;perhr20Kr; (pakihoid; Tartu busstation,Soola (pakihoid; (Ülikooli Raamatukauplus; (ÜlikooliRaamatukauplus; h www.lonelyplanet.com 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am- 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, h h 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 11am-11pm) h 11am-7pm 11am-7pm h h 11am- 9am- ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ www.lonelyplanet.com

(80km) To Viljandi

Maja (400m) To Kreutzwaldi R Fr Sport (75m) To Dorpat

Laulupeo puiestee Laulupeo Path (100m) To Walking Station Train Taara puiestee Taara 4 6 1 3 2 5 TARTU To Narva (185km) ὈὈ ὈὈὈ Ὀ Ὀ

Hermanni Tõnissoni Kooli 9

Näituse tanav

AC SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION oeMsu...... B4 HomeMuseum...... 19th-Century TartuCitizen's Zum Zum...... (see50) University Bookshop...... Tourist Office...... Centre...... (see23) Tartu UniversityInformation Nora...... Mattiesen...... (see 36) Kohvik Virtuaal...... Hermann Travel...... Estravel...... City Library......

Veski Meloni Kastani Tartu 12 Ὀ Ὀ ὈὈὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈὈ

Liivi Oru Marja

Tähtvere

Jakobi Baeri euro currency converter Emajõgi 55

Kuperjanovi 19 Sacrificial Bridge Devil's 31 Stone

Toomemägi Vallikraavi Kroonuaia 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 To R‹ga (310km) 14

C5 C5 C5 D4 C5 C5 C4

B

Herne Õpetaja Puiestee ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ

SLEEPING ouet...... C6 monument...... Tartu UniversityStudentVillage Tartu UniversityStudentVillage Weeping Cornflower Wilde GuestApartments...... (see36) (Raatuse)...... (Pepleri)...... Maja...... Park Hotell...... Pallas Hotel...... London Hotel...... Hotel Tartu...... Hotel Draakon...... Domus Dorpatensis...... Barclay Hotel...... University Building...... Toy Museum...... Town Hall...... Tartu UniversityArtMuseum.....(see23) Tartu SportsMuseum...... ...... Tartu ArtMuseum...... Student's Lock-Up...... (see23) St John'sChurch...... River Port...... Observatory...... Museum ofUniversityHistory...... KGB CellsMuseum...... Estonian NationalMuseum...... Emajõe ÄrikeskusSauna...... Atlantis...... A LeCoqBeerMuseum...... Angel's Bridge

Pepleri

Vallikraavi Jakobi 22 Lutsu Oa Lossi 13 8

32 44 Jaani 15 33 47 23 56  Lai 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 3 Raekoja 24 46 plats Botanical

37 Gardens 17

49

Riia maantee 7 42 Rüütli Akadeemia 38 21

Munga 20 Küütri 48 27 25 41 Gildi ὈὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈ SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN 29 26 35

40 36 Võru Struve 52 6 45 To Otepää (42km);

2

Tähe 50

1 puiestee Vabaduse Võru (70km) Ülikooli 24 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 5 9

54

Poe 18

Küüni D4 B6 B4 B5 D5 C4 D5 C5 C5 C5 B4 B4 C5 C4 B5 C5 C4 D5 B5 B5 B6 A5 D5 D5 A3 Emajõgi aeun har salsae. B6 Vanemuine Theatre(smallstage).. TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING EATING Sixt...... (see 25) Bus Station...... Antoniuse Gild...... Vanemuine Theatre...... Sadamateater...... Illegaard...... Club Tallinn...... Zum Zum...... Zavood...... Wilde IrishPub...... (see36) Werner...... University Café...... Tsink PlekkPang...... Suudlevad Tudengid...... Püssirohukelder...... Outdoor Market...... Maailm...... La DolceVita...... Kondiitriärii...... Indoor Market...... Gruusia Saatkond...... Crepp...... Café Wilde...... Bambus......

Lillle 0 0

Vanemuise Narva maantee Narva maantee Narva Ὀ Mäe

Riiapuiestee Vabaduse 10

51 Roosi 30 39

(200m); Hansa Tall (220m);

Aleksandri maantee

To AleksandriGuesthouse Kivi Kalevi Soola 34

Raatuse Hansa Hotell(220m) 11

Jaama D

To CityCar(700m)

Pikk

Turu Põik 57 To Piirissaar 300 m To Luunja 0.2 miles 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 (10km) (65km) 16 28 108 D5 B4 C6 D5 C5 D4 C5 C4 C5 B4 C4 C5 B5 D5 C4 C4 C5 D5 C4 C4 C5 C5

53 4

43 ESTONIA ESTONIA lent Tartu guide(25Kr). inYourPocket tour guides(200Krperhour).Besure topickuptheexcel- of othercityinfo. Theycanalsobookaccommodationand officehaslocalmapsandbrochures, andloads This friendly Raekoja plats14; Raekoja Jakobi, andthe founder of embryology, nat- and MH W Ostwald, physicists HFE Lenz tury, including physicalchemistry pioneer scholars who studiedhere inthe19th cen- bythe greatphasis on scienceisevidenced foremost centres of learning.Itsearly em- later becomingoneof theRussianEmpire’s War around1700 butreopened in1802, versity duringtheGreat closed Northern UniversityUppsala inSweden.Theuni- government Itwasmodelledon officials. Adolphus) totrain Lutheranclergy and IIAdolf (GustavusSwedish kingGustaf The university wasfoundedin1632 bythe &AROUNDUNIVERSITY ing housingthe students tobepunctualforclasses. town hall.Aclockwasaddedtoencourage Walter, whomodelleditonatypicalDutch came courtesy of architect theGerman JHB a spoutingumbrella. Thebuilding’sdesign offronted byastatue lovers kissing under topped byatowerandweathervane, Town Hall At thetowncentre platsisthe onRaekoja RAEKOJA PLATS Sights Hermann Travel Estravel TRAVEL AGENCIES office Tourist TOURIST INFORMATION postoffice Central POST 109 its pronouncedlean. an oldtownwallhave given thebuilding Napoleon. Foundationslaidpartially over the Russianarmy’s1812campaign against inexiled Scotwhodistinguished himself deTolly(1761–1818), an Colonel Barclay tänav 3)Specialisesinnature tours,butcanarrangeanything. 20/10Kr; plats 18;adult/concession Raekoja www.tartmus.ee; 9am-4pmSat) Mon-Fri, tänav 2) Official Amexagent. tänav 2)Official Nearby isthewonderfullycrooked build- SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN h ( % (built between 1782and1789),(built between 11am-6pm Wed-Sun) 744 0300; [email protected]; Vallikraavi 744 0300;[email protected]; ( % h ( % 744 2111; www.visittartu.com; 744 2111;www.visittartu.com; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pmSat) 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, Tartu Art Museum Museum Art Tartu (Vanemuise t (Vanemuise 730 1444; [email protected]; Lossi Lossi 730 1444;[email protected]; euro currency converter , formerhomeof ä nav 7; ( % h 744 1080; 8am-7pm  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt h floor. ers, on the2nd and interactive tug-of-war man and early-20th-century bodybuild- a display of thelife of a19th-century post- than Estonian Olympicexcellence. There’s ant andfree. thegroundsisbothpleas- wander through tion of palmtrees initsgiant greenhouse. A 6500 speciesof plantsandalarge collec- renovation. it isonceagainopen–after 16years of the Soviet bombingraidin 1944.Today Itlayinruins following the mainportal. rare sculptures terracotta inniches around back toatleast1323,andisunique forits Up returned.sia duringthewarandhasnever rest of toRus- thecollectionwasevacuated 1860s and1870s,anoldmummy.The Greek sculptures, madeinEuropethe Fri) % StJohn’sChurch ation of themagnificent Ülikooli, stands for viewing. walls covered isopen inoriginalgraffiti, one of rathercomfyrooms,with these days; duelling,uptothree Today weeks. (more sensitive?) cloakroomattendant, five attic; insultingalady,fourdays; books ontime,you’dnettwodaysinthe then,ifyoufailedtoreturnBack library confinementforvariousinfractions.tary 19th-century studentswere heldinsoli- h 6180; Laitänav40;greenhouse adult/concession 20/7Kr; Ülikooli; (Tartu pressive mainbuildingof the mainbuildingonÜlikoolitänav. image adornsthe2kroonnote, aswell ural scientistKarl whose ErnstvonBaer, centre dates from1803.Stopinatthe University here thatmaywarrantthevisit.The If you’drathernot,there are twoothersites have thesuddenurge tobecomeastudent. h %

contains mainlyplaster castsof contains ancient The The More fascinatingisthe North of theuniversity, onthecontinu- Lined withCorinthiancolumns,theim- 737 5384;adult/concession7/4Kr; 10am-6pm Tue-Sat) 11am-6pm Wed-Sun) tänav15;adult/concession30/20Kr; 730 0750;Rüütli 10am-5pm) (admission 5Kr;

( % Botanical Gardens Tartu Sports Museum Sports Tartu

737 5100; Art Museum Museum Art % , foundedin1803,nurtures 737 5400;www.ut.ee;Ülikoolitänav18) (Jaani Kirik; Kirik; (Jaani h . Thisbrickchurch dates h chronicles much more 11am-5pm Mon-Fri) 8am-4pm Mon-Fri) www.lonelyplanet.com (Ülikooli Kunstimuuseum;

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Tartu University Tartu 744 2229;Jaani5; Student’s Lock- (Spordimuuseum; 11am-5pm Mon- information , where ifyou % Tartu Tartu 737

of University History of University university library,which isnowthe rebuilt the 1804and1807tohouse between asabarn,andpartly ormation in1525,used the 15thcentury,despoiledduring theRef- inthe13thcentury,rebuiltman knights in Cathedral adult/concession 10/5Kr; hands-on activity. child, there’s aplayroomupstairs formore toyshaveobtainable unearthed your inner play date back100years. un- Ifallthose toy soldiers andtonsof othertoysondis- crowd. Dolls,modeltrains,rockinghorses, ahead. building. It’sopenbyappointment, sophone Tartu Tartu exhibits chronicling studentlife. a reconstructed autopsychamber andother 20/5Kr; (dating backtothe1770s), how aburgher fromthe1830slived. the is alongLossitänav, beneath which passes plats century. Theapproach fromRaekoja fromaroundthe5thor6th a stronghold Tartu’s existence, as functioningonandoff the trees. Thishillistheoriginalreason for with walkingpaths meanderingthrough Town Hall, isasplendidlylandscapedpark, Toomemägi TOOMEMÄGI 6pm Wed-Sun) ( www.lonelyplanet.com concession 20/14Kr; ( country’s best:the Amongthem isperhapsthe rate museums. cultural heritage, hasanabundanceof first- Tartu, asthe major repository of Estonia’s SOUTH OFTOOMEMÄGI ( hill is 1836and1838.Abitfurtherupthe between here are also noteworthy. Temporaryhandcrafted tankards. exhibits of folkcostumes andexhibits of uniquely people. Don’t misstheregional displays history, life andtraditions of theEstonian % % % Atop thehillisimposingGothic Amid periodfurnishings,the Also onthehillisold Set inoneof Tartu’sSet oldestbuildings 737 5798;www..ee) 736 1551;Lutsu 8;adult/concession15/10Kr; 742 1311;www.erm.ee; Kuperjanovitänav9;adult/ Angel’s Bridge Angel’s Citiz h Devil’s Bridge Bridge Devil’s en’s H 11am-5pm Wed-Sun) (Toomkirik). ItwasbuiltbyGer- (Cathedral Hill), rising behind the Hill),risingbehind the (Cathedral isabighitwiththeunder-eight ome Museum ome Museum h

(), which wasbuilt 11am-6pm Wed-Sun) h (Kuradisild). (Kuradisild).

( Estonian NationalMuseum % 11am-6pm Wed-Sun) euro currency converter , set in a grand 1810 inagrand1810 , set 737 5677;adult/concession . Insideyou’llfind ( % 736 1545; Jaani 16; 736 1545;Jaani16; Toy Museum Toy Museum 19th-century 19th-century observatory observatory tracesthe h Museum Museum shows shows 11am- Tartu Tartu

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt tional flower. sion. ThebluecornflowerisEstonia’sna- memory of thevictimsof Soviet repres- erected in frontof theKGBbuildingsin chives, the 1990 the andlifethe deportations inthegulags.In at the start of the walking path (see ofat thestart thewalkingpath(see p123 ). beach walk westof Kroonuaiatänav. Another along thenorthsideof theEmajõgi, a1km attheend. samples their trademarkbeverage since1879.Free tochurn out Coqhasused niques ALe mainlyonthemachinery andtech-cuses covers thehistoryof beer-making, butfo- pleasant pleasant sombre infamously asthe‘Grey isnow the House’, facts andphotographs fromthe collection. hosts periodicexhibitionsof historicalarte- ology andculturalhistory.Themuseum collection of Estonian folklore, ethnomusic- research housinganimmense museum cession 5/3Kr; maantee15b,entranceonPepleri; adult/con- 1717; Riia Thu, 10am,noon&2pmSat) logical site. Bringmosquito repellent. stroyed inWWII) aswellanoldarchaeo- tavernthe Jänese (an18th-centurypub de- birchthrough groves andpast the ruinsof path). Fromhere you’ll hike alongtheriver the signpostthatreads rada’(rabbit ‘Jänese path just attheedge of Tartu. A5km Lovely walks intothecountryside begin HIKING Activities seum North of Toomemägi,the BEER &BEACHES ( thesummer monthsThroughout RIVER CRUISES runs amotor ship, admission free; useum; for an hour-long along theEmajõgi. cruise from thedock infront of therestaurant % One of ar- thecountry’smostimportant If youcan’tmake it toPärnu,there’s a The formerKGBheadquarters, known 738 5485; Narva maantee2;50Kr; 738 5485;Narva begins justwestof Emajõe tänav at isonthesouthsideof theEmajõgi, SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN ( % % KGB Cells Museum KGB Cells 737 7700; www.kirmus.ee; Vanemuise 737 7700;www.kirmus.ee; tänav42; beach 744 9711; Tähtvere 56;25Kr; 744 9711;Tähtvere weeping cornflowermonument Museum Literary Estonian h h 9am-4.30pm Mon-Fri) 11am-4pm Tue-Sat) (with sand volleyballcourt) (with sand , atthebrewery, briefly Pegasus

(KGB Kongide; A LeCoqBeerMu- h , which leaves , chronicling is a national isanational cruise h (Kirjandusmu-

tours 2pm 2pm daily) walking walking Atlantis Atlantis % was 110 746

ESTONIA ESTONIA & Sun) .ee/kylaliskorterid.php; Vallikraavi 4; apt1100-1500Kr; .ee/kylaliskorterid.php; per hr60-100Kr; offer great value for money. that furnishedaffairs simple, comfortably tion nexttotheTownHall. Apartmentsare from smalltolarge loca- inanunbeatable tion rents outthree apartmentsranging country tracksnearOtepää. the cityhoststhis60kmrace,whichgoesalongcross- information deskonthegroundfloor. byphoneoratthe views. Youcanreserve provideship flask,thissauna unbeatable Raatuse dorm Raatuse .kyla.ee; s/d 250/400Kr; Domus Dorpatensis APARTMENT RENTAL Some hotels give discountsjustfor asking. Sleeping Marathon Bicycle Tartu Daysfestival Spring University Marathon Ski Festivals &Events Dorpat Sport If you’re hungering foramatch, headto TENNIS hr Sauna Emajõe Ärikeskus ing forsomethingalittledifferent, headto Many hotels have butifyou’re saunas, look- SAUNAS harbour. toPiirissaare,a week leaving fromthecity A hydrofoil, 111 Tartu University Student Village StudentVillage University Tartu BUDGET rallies are theorderoffivesleeplessdays. fun,paradesandboat wayimaginable.Raucous in every tothestreets tocelebratewinter’send Studentstake April. glimpse ofmodern-daystudentmisdeedsattheend All are of withinashort distance thepub. and balcony) withold-worlddetails. a sauna Rents beautifulmodern apartments(onehas andballhirecourts. Racket available. where youcanplayononeof three newclay end of May, withasecondraceheldinmid-September.end ofMay, isthis136kmraceheldatthe events of Tartu’s bigsporting .ee; Raekoja plats1;apt€28-50; .ee; Raekoja

Wilde Guest Apartments Wilde GuestApartments from 500Kr; SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN . Inashinybuildingthatresembles a Raatuse tänav 22) Raatuse ( (www.tartumaraton.ee) Inmid-February (www.tartumaraton.ee) % h h Polaris, 509 0705; Laulupeo puiestee 19; court 509 0705;Laulupeopuiestee19;court 8am-11pm Mon-Fri, 10am-10pmSat 8am-11pm Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm Mon-Sat,9am-8pmSun) n ( % (www.tartumaraton.ee) One (www.tartumaraton.ee) also sails three alsosails times ; 733 1345;www.dorpatensis Pepleri dorm ( These student dorms These euro currency converter % ( % n 737 1001;Soola8;per Youcancatcha 730 9765;www.wilde ( ) % Thisfounda- Pepleri tänav14; 740 9955;www n ) ,

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt tee 4;s/dfrom975/1250Kr; likraavi tänav23;s/d800/1080Kr; person €15; tänav 3;dm/s/d300/715/1045Kr; a leafypark.Bike hire next door. worn rooms.It’snexttotennis courtsand the centre, thisno-frills hostel has fairly Pallas Hotel TOP END bathroom 450/550Kr; 400/500Kr, withprivate 42;s/dwithshared bathroom Aleksandri .aleksandri.ee; Jaani 4;s/d/aptinclbreakfast from€40/60/80; Tampere Maja MIDRANGE in each room. bit cosier,withakitchenette andbathroom bled access.ThePepleri dormisolderbuta upfordisa- kitchen andbathroom.It’sset threeinstitutional andevery roomsshare a dormisbrand-newbutsomewhat Raatuse offer cheap, cleanaccommodation.The and decent furnishings. Somerooms boast in Estonia, with vibrantly colourful walls some of themostuniquely decorated rooms afamous artschool, thePallashouse has floors of arenovated to building thatused rooms onaquietstreet. has clean, simple guesthouse this pleasant minute walksoutheastof themainsquare, access toashared kitchen. Saunaavailable. apartment hasakitchen; roomguestshave cosy roomsinahistoricbuilding.The quarters, hastrim, thissmallguesthouse Boasting anexcellentlocationintheold shared bathrooms.Sauna available. windows. ‘Youth rooms’are tripleswith rooms are withbig trimand comfortable charming locale,butitsnicelyrenovated thishotelthe busstation, isn’tinthemost 19; s/dfrom250/350Kr; parkland outsidethedoorisbig draw. lush greenery thewindowsand through pale shades of green (others incream). The wood-flooredpleasant rooms painted in side of Toomemägi,thePark Hotell has small cleanroomsinaprivate house. tre, this friendlybedandbreakfast offers bourhood 15-minutes’ walkwestof thecen- Hiie Maja Maja Hiie Tähtvere Hostel Tähtvere Park Hotell Aleksandri Guesthouse Aleksandri Hotel Tartu Tartu Hotel n

( ( ) % % Inapeacefulresidential neigh-

( % ( ( % % 742 1236; www.bed.ee; Hiie 10;rper 742 1236;www.bed.ee;Hiie 730 1200; www.pallas.ee; Riia maan- 730 1200;www.pallas.ee; Riia 731 4300; www.tartuhotell.ee; Soola 731 4300;www.tartuhotell.ee;

742 7000; www.parkhotell.ee; Val- 742 7000;www.parkhotell.ee; 738 6300;www.tamperemaja.ee; ( n % ) 742 1708;Laulupeopuiestee n A1kmwalkwestof www.lonelyplanet.com n ) ( Onthetoptwo n % ) Nestledtothe ) 736 6659;www Acrossfrom n ni ) A15- )

Rüütli tänav9;s/dfrom1125/1600Kr; Sun) h Sat, 10am-10pmSun) 10Kr; 60-120Kr, 1stflbuffet perkilo koja plats2;s/d/stefrom975/1550/2600Kr; sauna isworththeupgrade.sauna our schemes. Thedoubleroomwithprivate wood tones,large windowsandclassic col- has tastefully furnished rooms with deep plats, thiseleganthotellooking Raekoja taurant inthecourtyard. taurant full kitchens. There’s alively barandres- wood-beamed brickand ceilings,exposed rooms andmore spaciousapartments with furnished ing hotel hasdecent,comfortably walk southwestof plats,thischarm- Raekoja coffee oraquickmeal. outdoor patio,that makes agoodspot for (decentbreakfasts),simpler buffet alsowith upstairs airyspace. Downstairs there’s a photographs give acolonial charm tothe trees, ceilings andblack-and-white high patio isoneof thegems of Tartu. Palm beautiful woodenfloors andanoutdoor n ooli tänav8;s/d/ste/stewithsauna990/1520/1800/2300Kr; Aleksandri 46;s/d/apt€60/80/105; Aleksandri views over thecity. floor-to-ceiling windows,givingsweeping www.lonelyplanet.com University Café Café University Eating Dudayev keptDudayev hisoffice. intheroomwherestay Chechen president headquartered here until1992;youcanalso has asurprisingpast:theRedArmywas surrounding the1912building.TheBarclay ceilingsandabundant greenerywith high Wildes: Oscar Wilde and Eduard Wilde. the pub also paystribute totwo literary the premises inthe18thcentury, though on Wilde, who openedapublishing house Its namesakesandwiches. isPeter Ernst coffees, decadenthomemade cakes and light nice features. the lobby andtheinvitingrestaurant are the oldstreets. in Thepondandfountain rooms–somewithenviableviewsoverset nicely some modernhotel hascomfortable, Hotel Draakon Hotel Café Wilde Café London Hotel Hansa Hotell Hansa Hotell Barclay Hotel ) 9am-8pm Mon-Wed,9am-10pm Thu-Sat,10am-6pm This richly decorated place serves good Thisrichly decorated place serves Thischarming hotel haselegantrooms

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% ( ( % ( ( ( % % % % Thisold-worldcaféwith 737 5405;Ülikoolitänav20;meals 730 9764;Vallikraavi tänav4; 737 1800; www.hansahotell.ee; 737 1800;www.hansahotell.ee; 744 7100;www.barclay.ee;Ülik- 744 2045;www.draakon.ee;Rae- 730 5555;www.londonhotel.ee; euro currency converter n h n ) 7.30am-1am Mon- A15-minute ) Thishand- n ) Over-  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 80Kr) 50-100Kr) food isexcellent. brick wallsandotherwarmtouches. The withbamboofurniture, tifully set exposed thisloungelikefrom theEast, spaceisbeau- ticularly inviting. ian fare. Theoutdoorpatio uptopispar- decent mealswithplentyof vegetar-serves publampshades, this warmlylitChinese ets thatare suspended fromtheceilingas 125Kr) a patioattheback. checked tablecloths, Fellini posters). There’s classic butcasualdécor(red-and-white and salads pizzeria. You’llalsofindpastas, the wood-burning oven atthischarming wine cellarjoins thespace. meat and fishdishes. Amoretasty secluded boisterous pub andit’sagood choice for gunpowder cellar,thisplace doublesasa and with walnuts, hearty plates of Georgian cuisine. Eggplant thesceneforfeasting on dining roomsets the upstairs pub( p114 ). For heartierdining(anddrinking)headto than thesometimesfriskycustomers. presumably rather namedafter thefountain means‘KissingStudents’– ant incidentally there’s acosybrick-linedcafé.Therestaur- burgers, mushroomrisotto).Downstairs prepared international fare gazpacho, (pasta, nicely on themainsquare, thisoneserves meals 50-150Kr) enchiladas andmilkshakes. eclectic: currychicken, fish soup,vegetarian secret Tartu hideaway.Thefoodis justas like you’ve stumbledacross Greg Brady’s wildly decorated wallsmaymake youfeel The oldwoodenfloors, beamedceilings and meals 50-200Kr) 45-90Kr) summer. are Outdoortables indlelit setting. used fresh inacosy,can- andsandwiches salads deliciouscrepes,Parisian-style caféserves Tsink PlekkPang Püssirohukelder Püssirohukelder Crepp Crepp Suudlevad Tudengid Suudlevad La Dolce Vita La DolceVita Maailm Maailm Bambus Gruusia Saatkond Thin-crust pizzas come straight from Thin-crustpizzascomestraight shashlik Serving Indian,Thai and otherdishes Serving SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN Arusticbutcolourfullydecorated Set majestically ina cavernous Set old ( % ( ( % % 742 2133;Rüütli16;mealsfrom55Kr) Oneof outdoorcafés several are amongthefavourites. Namedafter thezinc buck- 742 9099;Rüütli12;mealsfrom50Kr) hatšapuri 742 2448;Ülikoolitänav5;meals75- ( % ( % 740 7545;Kompanii10;meals45-

( ( % % ( 730 3555;Lossitänav28; meals % 744 1386;Rüütli8;meals 744 1789; Küütri tänav6; 744 1789;Küütri , troutwithwalnuts 730 1893; Raekoja plats 10; plats10; 730 1893;Raekoja This 112

ESTONIA ESTONIA maantee 27; maantee 2; good time. the mood,retro hits make foracheesy isnice, andifyou’re however, setting, in that’s pretty shorton style;theriverside Emajõgi River, Atlantis isapopularplace Irish), live musicandapopularterrace. this pubhasgoodfood(bothEstonianand the busstation. Illegaard NIGHTCLUBS Entertainment Pub Wilde Irish Drinking ( teas andcoffees. It’saTartu favourite. fresh pastries, This old-worldclassicserves 113 lovely spotforcakes, pastriesandcoffee. from 60Kr) & Sun) fresh produce,flowers andothergoodies. for isafunplacetobrowse bus station, drink. restaurant isafun,welcoming placefora koja plats,thisindoor-outdoor pub and next door. you canalwaystryÕlleTare, apopularpub warm summerdays.Ifit’snotyour scene draws afairmixof localsandtouristson has anextensive outdoorcourtyard that an old-fashioned tavern, thislively pubalso 7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pmSat,10am-4pmSun) 7pm Mon-Fri, here. of attitude. Studentbandssometimesplay crowd withitsinexpensive drinks andlack lar barattractsanalternative, down-to-earth and infrequently inthe summer. toMay),during theschool year(September for lively conversations. Live jamshappen an artsycrowdwhocluster aroundtables This NewWave–inspired jazzvault attracts many nooksand crannies. Top-notch DJs isamultifloorednightclub dance fest with h Werner Club Tallinn Zavood Kondiitriärii Kondiitriärii Outdoor Market There’s amore extensive Zum Zum Zum Zum Hansa Tall Atlantis SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Tartu SOUTHEASTERN 8am-4pm Tue-Fri) Theoutdoormarket, justeastof the

Upstairs from Café Wilde( Upstairs fromCafé p113 ), h ( ( ( % h

% % ( ( 10pm-3am Tue-Sat) % % ( 742 3743;Ülikoolitänav5; 10pm-3am Wed, Fri &Sat) 10pm-3am Wed, Fri 744 1321;Lai30) 744 1274;Ülikoolitänav15; % (

% ( ( % % 744 1438;Küüni2) 738 5485; www.atlantis.ee; Narva 738 5485;www.atlantis.ee; Narva 737 1802; Aleksandri 46) 737 1802;Aleksandri ( 740 3157; www.clubtallinn.ee; Narva 740 3157;www.clubtallinn.ee; Narva across Riia maantee from acrossRiiamaantee 730 9765;Vallikraavi tänav4;meals 740 0366;Rüütlitänav5; h 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, to3pmSat 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, euro currency converter Thisbattered cel- Overlooking the Overlooking JustoffRae- indoor market indoor market Tartu’s best h h Set like Set Another 5pm-2am) 9am-8pm) h 8am-

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Tallinn (80Kr, 2½hours). One dailytrain sold onthe train. Timetables are posted outside;tickets are 3200; Vaksali tänav6) .ee; Vanemuise tänav6) The seemingly abandoned The seemingly TRAIN Võru Viljandi Valga St Petersburg R Pärnu Narva Kuressaare insidethe lines office national bustickets are soldfromtheEuro- Inter-to 30minutes from6amtomidnight. (80Kr to110Kr,2½3½hours) 15 every Tartu runbetween Daily buses andTallinn BUS &Away There Getting about theoldstreets. You’ll findhandicraftsstores scattered Shopping ( ( Vanemuine Theatre THEATRE ( p160 ) packsupandmoves toPärnu. school year. Duringthesummer,ClubTallinn Unfortunately, it’sopenonlyduringthe spin here, drawinganeager, youngcrowd. 1277; Soolatänav2) Haapsalu clude thefollowing: young fashiondesigners. clothing madebysomeof Tartu’s talented aswell books, quilts,woodcarvings, glass, leather-boundfind ceramics,stained One of thebestplacestoshop.Here you’ll buses. It alsostages performancesatits tive theatricalandmusicalperformances. still hostsanarrayof classicalandalterna- which performedhere in1870.Thevenue first Estonian-language theatre troupe, Estonian songgod,thistheatre hosted the % % ī ga Four trainsmake the dailyjourney to Antoniuse Gild Daily bus services toandfromTartuDaily busservices in- 744 0160;Vanemuise tänav45) 734 4248;Soola5b). 120Kr,fourhours,onemorningbus. 45Krto55Kr,onehour, 26buses. 55Krto65Kr,1½2½ hours,eightbuses. 85Krto115Kr,two3hours,16buses. 85Krto105Kr,three to3½hours,10buses. 50Krto60Kr,1½2hours, 16buses. 110Krto170Kr,4½hours,onebus. 200Kr to 220Kr, six to seven hours, two 200Krto220Kr,sixseven 240Kr,eighthours,one bus. . is750m west of Toomemägi. (Lutsu 5;

Namedafter theancient ( % Tartu busstation Tartu 744 0165;www.vanemuine www.lonelyplanet.com h train station and 11am-5pm Tue-Fri) Sadamateater Sadamateater small stage

( ( % % 733 737 737

at are quite ahike. can pickyouup,andmanyof places these first before stepping out,asmostagencies Hotel butisn’tthecheapest.Barclay Call arranged by the ule. Accommodation on the island canbe the Tartu forthelatest tourist office sched- leaving little timetoexplore. Check with day 5.30pm boat,butitreturns at8.30pm, 10am, returning at4pm. There’s alsoaFri- returning at5.30pm; andonSundaysat parts fromTartu onThursdays at10am, .citycar.ee; Jõe9a) 1731; Laulupeo19;perday120Kr) .ee; Ülikooli8) partment store. maantee, opposite theoldKaubamaja de- isonRiia The centralstopforcitybuses Around Getting two hours). minutes), continuingontoValga (36Kr, also travels fromTartu toElva(12Kr,50 www.lonelyplanet.com Old Believers, see see Old Believers, p127 Day).Formore information onthe (Lady and Paul Day, and28AugustisUspeniya dar couldprove interesting: 12JulyisPeter days intheOrthodox calen- Old Believers’ much Avisitonthetwobiggest else. feast eral store, thevillages, marshland andnot towerforagreat view),agen- observation (climbthe morning, aborderguardstation Sunday every working church withservices scattered amongthree villages. There’s a 100 Russian live on OldBelievers Piirisaar, Now lessthan island had700inhabitants. In itsheydayattheendof the1920s, armies. ing fromconscriptionintotsarist tobearefugeIt used foryoung men flee- der withRussia,50kmdueeast of Tartu. PeipsiThis islandinLake liesonthebor- Piirisaar AROUND TARTU transport down. thefriendlyowner,canhelparrange Olev, where youcanhire arefurbished Audi; many optionsare of car-hire agencies withprices.Amongthe Tähtvere Hostel. By far,thecheapest placetorent acaris Bikes canberented from The The tourist office keepsThe touristoffice up-to-date lists Olev’s Polaris Polaris

( % , which ishandilylocated inthe 503 0151;perdayfrom€10) and hydrofoil general store City Car City Car Sixt Sixt euro currency converter ( % ( % 734 0066;200Kr) , adjoiningthe ( % 744 7260;www.sixt

Jalgratas ( % 523 9699;www 743 4160) inElva,

( % de- . 742  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••AroundTartu SOUTHEASTERN Sat) 6057; www.elva.ee; Pikk 2; station. station. the river port,100mnortheastof thebus along theEmajõgi. The complex. Here you’ll find comfortable, is thissmall west of Elva towards history, folklore andartists. Arbi järv transforms into a skating rink. transformsintoaskatingrink. Arbi järv 1.5km walkingpathcirclingit.Inthe winter lake thepleasant witha shrouded Arbijärv, Abutting Kesk street tothenorth isthepine- has banks,restaurants andasupermarket. Kesk street, thetown’smainstreet, which good setting foraswimonsummerdays. good setting forest on thefarshores, thislake makes a beach, refreshing water andviewsof the Tartu maanteeisVerevi järv. Withitssandy trails, pristinerivers andlakes. a small,beautifulnature withhiking reserve and Arbi.JustoutsidetownisElvaVitipalu, twopretty between lakes,Elva isset Verevi forested landscapeontheTartu–Valga road, A smalltown27kmfromTartu inahilly, pop 6300 Elva &Around further westof Elvato Waide Motel SLEEPING &EATING .ee/vjarv) Mon-Fri, to3pmSat) Mon-Fri, inEstonian;Pikk 2; .tartumaamuuseum.ee, the small in thearea. buildingalsocontains Thesame and get infoonboatingandhorse riding place topickupmapsandhikingguides, ern shores. best beaches lieonthenorthernandwest- avan/s/d 50/150/500/700Kr; from theElvainformation office. cabins orcamp sites. Pickuptrailmaps can overnight insidewooden inthereserve and alongthewandering ElvaRiver. You pass nearidylliclakes, pineforests through hikingandbikingtrails Inside thereserve, walking pathfromtheinformation office. town. Ifyou’re onfoot,youcantake the Half thefunis90-minute boattrip From there, youcanstrollwestalong About off 1kmnorthwestof Arbijärv Elva Vitipalu Vitipalu Elva For more lake action,you canhead15km The friendly near the train and bus stations isagood nearthetrainandbusstations , Estonia’ssecond-biggest lake. The Tartumaa Muuseum Tartumaa

( % lies about2kmsoutheastof 730 6606;www.waide.ee; campsite/car- tourist informationoffice tourist , featuring exhibitsonlocal h n 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to3pm 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, ) Polaris Some2.5km south- Võrtsjärv

( % leaves from 745 6141;www h

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735 ESTONIA ESTONIA spordikeskus; spordikeskus; ing –ifyouarrange inadvance. sail- arrange activities–cycling,canoeing, can help property isbacked by woods.Staff balcon café,andtheies) and apleasant all-wooden en-suite rooms(some with 115 throughout thepark. throughout areand sauna inside themainbuilding. fromtwo tofour.sleep shower Bathrooms, cabins are rich withthescent of pine,and tidywooden these side thenature reserve, h information office, this handsome wooden information office, Tartumaa Health & Sport Centre Health&Sport Tartumaa Kolmas Eesti Kolmas Eesti Free RMK campsites are scattered been regained. 45 yearsafter itsfirsttimeup,theflagwasraised againonPikk Hermann.Independencehad tered onthebrinkofcollapse,blue, blackandwhite returned tothestage. OnFebruary 1989, including apossiblesentence intheSiberiangulags. Needless tosay,astheSoviet Uniontee- stripes andsecreted theminbookcases; thosecaughtwiththeflagfacedsevere punishment– symbol ofonedayregaining nationhood.People hidflagsunderfloorboardsorunstitchedthe white wentunderground. theflagon the slywasasmallbuthopeful ForEstonians,keeping There itremained untiltheSoviet Unionseized powerin1940. was declared independent,andtheflagwasraisedonPikk HermanninTallinn’s OldTown. thousands ofEstoniansmarchedinStPetersburg demandingindependence. In1918Estonia and atweddingceremonies. Itsfirst politicalappearance,however, didn’tarrive until1917,when all acrossEstonia. Bytheendof19thcenturyblue-black-and-white wasusedinparties, and soonthecombinationofcoloursappeared inunionsandchoirs,hungfromfarmhouses consideredlake sacred toEstonians,see p118 safely), andlocked awayinthestudentarchive. union were there astheflagwasraisedover thevicarage. Afterwards (a itwasdippedinPuhajärv alocationfarfromtheeyes oftheRussiangovernment.Otepää, Allmembersofthestudents’ In1884thestudents heldaprocession,whichwentfromTartua large onemadeoutofsilk. to women–Emilie,Paulayoung activist Beermann–carriedthisoutbysewingtogether andMiina Estonian birchtree. aspiration forallEstonians;italsosymbolisedsnowinwinter, lightnightsinsummerandthe country’s darksoil.White represented theattainmentofenlightenment andeducation–an Black wasareminder ofthedarkpasttowhichEstoniawouldnotreturn; italsodepicted the to oneinterpretation, bluesymbolisedhopeforEstonia’sfuture; italsorepresented faithfulness. costumes. After longdiscussions,thestudentscameupwithblue, blackandwhite. According the character ofthenation,reflect tothecoloursoffolk theEstonianlandscape,andconnect alumnus gathered tohashoutideasforaflag. Allpresent agreed thatthecoloursmustexpress was onthelipsofevery youngdreamer acrossthecountry. was, after whentheideaofindependentnationhood all,thetimeofnationalawakening, existed.trymen, wasthatnoflaginfact Very clearly,somethinghadtobedoneaboutthis. This poem aboutabeautifulflagflyingover Estonia. The onlyproblem,forbothJaanandhiscoun- Estonia’s tricolourdates backto1881,whenatheologystudentnamed JaanBergmaan wrote a THE BLUE, BLACK ANDWHITE:THEBIRTHOFANATIONAL SYMBOL 9am-midnight; SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••AroundTartu SOUTHEASTERN During theoccupationSoviets bannedtheflag,andonceagain theblue-black-and- Although theinaugurationofflagwasatinyevent, wordoftheflag’sexistence spread, After thecolourswere chosen,ittookseveral yearsbefore thefirstflagwasmade. Three In September ofthatyear,attheUnionEstonianStudentsinTartu, 20studentsandone % 745 6333;cabinfrom300Kr; ( % n 730 3616; Kesk 10;meals50-80Kr; 730 3616;Kesk ) Afew blocks from the euro currency converter (Tervise- n ) In-  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt and crisp rivers. The district isbeloved by area of forests and lakes, scenic hillsides south of Tartu, isthecentre of apicturesque The small hilltoptown of Otepää, 44km pop 2200 Otepää minutes). There’s alsoadailytrain toElva(12Kr,45 (20Kr to30Kr,30 minutes toonehour). travelbuses ElvaandTartu daily between 6.30amand9.30pm,more than25 Between THERE&AWAYGETTING goodsoups, pub serves and many other selections. and manyotherselections. shashlik www.lonelyplanet.com , perch fillet, .ee; Lipuväljak13; the itseastcorner.just off There you’llfind ‘square’, Lipuväljak,withthebusstation The centre of townisthetriangularmain ORIENTATION &INFORMATION not toits‘peaks’butlovely skitrails. this the‘EstonianAlps’–ateasing reference skiing inwinter. Somehave dubbed even swimming insummer,andcross-country its manypossibilitiesforhiking,bikingand Estonians forbothitsnaturalbeautyand www.lonelyplanet.com lodging inthearea. Nearthebusstation, and dations foractivities,guideservices maps andbrochures, andmake recommen- whocandistribute with well-informedstaff Puka (7.5km) mägi (50m); To 4 1 3 2 OTEPÄÄ &AROUND Otepää Tourist Office Tourist Otepää

SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Town Hall...... (see 3) Ski Museum...... (see 7) Lama...... Monument to theDalai Flag Museum...... Fan Sport...... (see 12) Fan Sport...... (see 10) Fan Sport...... Energy Column...... Church...... Tourist Office...... Headquarters...... Otepää NaturePark Hansapank......

Pikk tee Palupera

Guesthouse (2.5km) (2km); Kuutsemäe To Kuutsemägi Virulombi

Arula Mäe Pärna

AC Piiri 19

Pühajürve h &Around Otepää

13 tee Hurda

Lille 10am-3pmSat) 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, Tapumägi 1

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 - E i õ g m j a Kannistuku 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••AroundTartuSOUTHEASTERN Vahimägi mägi stop inatthe Hansapank west doorisasmallmoundwith monument of independentEstonia. Facing thechurch’s text, opposite ) which later becametheflag boxednew blue,blackandwhite flag(see its Estonian Students’Societyconsecrated Itwasinthischurchstation. in1884thatthe on ahilltopabout 100mnortheastof thebus Otepää’s pretty little17th-centurychurch is Church SIGHTS h ( you’ll findthe % Kirikuküla Kukemäe For informationabouthikinginthearea, 9am-4pm Mon-Fri) 9am-4pm Mon-Fri) järv 765 5876;[email protected]; Kolgatee28; Jaanuse järv Pühajärv Pühajärv Raudsepa Kasemetsa 6 17 bank Nietsijärv Otepää Nature Park headquarters Park Nature headquarters Otepää mägi Mulke Inni järv OTEPÄÄ post office 8 14 (Lipuväljak 11) near Pühajärv. Tobramägi 2 Puustusmägi 10 Nüpli

Apteekri- tee mägi See Enlargement TRANSPORT EATING SLEEPING Hotell Bernhard...... Karupesa Hotell...... Kääriku Guesthouse...... Edgari Guesthouse...... Rattapood...... Bus Station...... Boat Rental...... Merano Pizza Baar...... Tehvandi SportsCentre..... IrishPub...... Setanta Guesthouse& Kesklinna Hostel...... 2km 1mile 0 0 5 To Tartu (40km) järv Nüpli

(Lipuväljak 24) Tedre- mägi Jaanimägi Kastolatsi with ATM. Ansomägi D 15 To Mannikumägi Tehvandi Munamägi Väike- mägi Võnnu- Tehvandimägi Kaarna (1km); Võru järv Vidrike anda järv 10 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 (40km) järv 9

116

A2 A2 B2 C2 A1 D2 C2 A2 B2 B4 C2 ESTONIA ESTONIA seum can be viewed by appointment. can beviewedbyappointment. Pühajärve tee. Pühajärve 2km southwestof Otepää, reached via this area resounds withpositive energy. to markthelong-heldbeliefof psychics that Mäe tänav. Thecolumnwaserected in1992 the lake, recharge atthe year. Ifenergy are levels lowafter the walkto (Jaanipäev) festivities take placehere every mounds. Major midsummerStJohn’s Day epic. Itsislandsare tobetheir burial said lost theirsonsinabattleof the formed fromthetears of themothers who eastern shore commemorates hisvisit. to Tartu in1992,anda whenhecame bytheDalaiLama blessed it alovely spotforawalk. Thelake was and abike pathencircle thelake, making area’s loveliest views.A12kmnature trail west edge of Otepää, provide someof the long onthesouth- (HolyLake), Pühajärv The isletsandindented shore of 3.5km- Pühajärv 1st centuryAD. around thehillwasinhabited asearlythe Archaeological findsindicate thatthearea good viewsof thesurroundingcountry. are traces of oldfortificationsontop,and hold fromthe10thto12thcenturies.There Hill),amajoris Linnamägi(Castle strong- The tree-covered hillsouth of thechurch Linnamägi twomuseums: houses ence war. Theformervicar’s residence now whodiedinthe1918–20independ- to those 117 150Kr forachild, withlunch included. day trips cost about300Kr for anadult and the river anddropyou backafterwards. All- pick you upfromyourhotel, take youto firms aday ortwoahead of time. Theycan If you’re thinkingabout atrip,callthese Canoeing &Rafting this scenicregion hastooffer. of someof theexcellent outdooractivities It wouldbeashamenottotake advantage ACTIVITIES h Muuseum; The northerntipof thelake isaround wasAccording tolegend, Pühajärv 9am-2pm Tue-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat) 9am-2pm Tue-Fri, SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••AroundTartu SOUTHEASTERN

(Suusamuuseum; % 765 5075;admissionfree) % 766 3670; adult/child 10/7Kr; 766 3670;adult/child10/7Kr; euro currency converter Flag Museum Museum Flag energy column energy monument ; both museums ; bothmuseums and Kalevipoeg onthe (Eesti Lipu (Eesti Lipu Ski Mu- Ski down down  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt www.tehvandi.ee; trailuseperday50Kr) 200/275Kr) perday80/150/ blades/skis/bikes/snowboards sport.ee; the which isamongthetopskicentres. There, including there are afew placesfordownhillskiing, conveniently nearby,andwillrent skis. near town. Youcanalsofindsomegood trails 7pm) tapood north of Pühajärv. ( Bernhard opposite isjust ). Thethirdoffice Hotell ( opposite andoneinsidetheHotell including onelocated insidetheKarupesa you canrent excursions ontheVõhanduRiver.canoeing tell Bernhard, opposite ) alsooffers five-hour tain-biking tours. can includecombinedhikingandmoun- trips,which incanoeing Otepää, specialises .ee) Puhajärv. .ee; Lipuv Hostel Kesklinna In Town SLEEPING are nearthe For trails cross-country skiing, theclosest Skiing boards, contact To hire bikes, Rollerblades,skisandsnow- Cycling &Rollerblading town, Kesklinna has clean butbare rooms. be doneat Other downhillskiingcan ing Kuutsemägi. ( Guesthouse Kuutsemäe opposite ) overlook- 300/400Kr) rental 120-190Kr,ski/snowboard ticket mae.ee; 1-daylift Lake Kooraste.Lake the Ahja River, theVõhanduRiver andin range of andrafting tripsalong canoeing Marathon 10km tothesouthwest. The63kmTartu mägi Meegaste Most skiingiscross-countryhere, but Bicycle rental isavailable inOtepää at If youwanttojustget inaboat andgo, In additiontorentals, Fan Ho- Sport(see Veetee Veetee Toonus Pluss , near Arulaandabout, near 10kmsouth of

and water-bikes onthenorthshore of Kuutsemäe Resort Kuutsemäe Resort Kääriku järv Kääriku (Pühajärve tee (Pühajärve ä ljak 11; s/d300/600Kr; , which hasthree inOtepää, offices operates seven runs;there’s operates seven also beginsinOtepää February. every ( % Kuutsemägi Ansomägi Tehvandi Sports Centre Tehvandi Sports 767 9963;www.veetee.ee) , 10kmwest;and rowboats

( Fan Sport Sport Fan ( % ; % . Bothhave guesthouses per day150Kr; 765 5095;info@kesklinnahotell , 2kmsouthof Otepää; 505 5702;www.toonuspluss 12kmwestof Otepää, ( % ( www.lonelyplanet.com % n ( 766 9007;www.kuutse % 5343 6359; ) In the centre of of In the centre h 507 7537;www.fan , justoutside 10am-6pm)

( % Seinamägi offers a offers h 766 9500; 10am- Rat- . Ski Ski , bigger, better roomsare ontheway. 1st-floornal kitchen, apleasant pub,and wooden furnishings.There’s alsoacommu- and small, cleanroomswithdecentlight vations atthetimeof research, Edgarihas mae.ee; d300-700Kr,cottage1000-2000Kr; .ee; Kolgatee22a;d/stefrom890/1600Kr; kitchens and electric saunas. kitchens andelectricsaunas. complete sixtoeight), with tages (sleeping rent handsomethree-bedroom woodencot- amongabundant greenery. set Youcanalso hasnice,simplerooms guesthouse pleasant the slalomcourse anddownhillslopes,this and youcanhire sportsgear. There’s agoodrestaurant andtennis courts, bal conies overlooking thelake andforest. with hardwoodfloors, bigwindows,and three-storey hotel hasexcellentroomsset the eastern edge thislong, of Pühajärv, .ee; Tehvandi tänav 1a;s/dinclbreakfast 650/800Kr; for though arefor though thelovely swimming lakes descript. What most people comehere rooms,but they’recomfortable abitnon- Kääriku, thismodern place hasclean, .setanta.ee, inEstonian;NúpliVillage;d500-1200Kr; Pub Guesthouse&Irish Setanta OUT OFTOWN there’s aguestkitchen. The placeisshortoncharm, butatleast www.lonelyplanet.com riku.com; s/d 450/680; riku.com; the trailsjustoutside. gear andotherequipmentcanbehired on in theratherSoviet building.Ski octagonal functional roomswithbalconies, housed Just outsideOtepää, Tehvandi hasneatand over thelake. of which have terraces andsplendidviews furnishedrooms,thebest nine pleasantly has knownforitsIrish pub,Setanta Better bikes, Rollerbladesandothergear here. tennis andyou canhire courts,asauna, chilly weather. Italsohasagood restaurant, fireplace makes anice hideawayduring ing colourscheme. Thecosylounge with with nicelysizedwindowsbutanuninspir- Karupesa hasarange of rooms, comfortable d from400Kr; vandi.ee; offTehvandi tänav;s/d/tr400/550/750Kr; Karupesa Hotell Hotell Karupesa Kääriku Guesthouse Kääriku uteä Guesthouse Kuutsemäe Edgari Guesthouse Edgari oel Bernhard Hotell Centre Tehvandi Sports n ) Undergoing extensive reno- n ( ( % %

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% ) euro currency converter Overlooking Lake Overlooking 766 9600;www.bernhard 766 1500;www.karupesa ( (

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 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••AroundTartuSOUTHEASTERN enticing countryside nearby. have however, entice tourists.It does, some This handsome country church dates from Church, which sitsjust backfrom theshore. pass by Põlva’soldest building,StMary’s pizzas 35-65Kr; and Tartu (50Kr,onehour). Sangaste withOtepää (25Kr,30minutes) to 6pm).Five rundaily,connecting buses adult/concession20/15Kr,open9am seum The castleisalsoopentovisitors (mu- basic withthinmattresses and bare walls. Roomshereain’s WindsorCastle. are pretty tobemodelledonBrit- and 1881,it’ssaid Erected intheBaltics. 1874 stay between castle isoneof themostunusualplacesto 22km southof Otepää, brick thisfairy-tale salmon steaksalmon amongtheoptions. paellaand and eclecticdishes:pestopasta, lovely outdoorterrace overlooking thelake, restaurant, woodenpubhasa thispleasant the shoreline of the south. Aside fromitstinysand ant stoponthe way toVõru,25kmits southeast of Tartu, and makes forapleas- Põlva liesinanattractive valley 48km pop 6500 Põlva &Taevaskoja east, you’llhave Tartu togothrough first. If you’re headingtoPõlvaortownsfurther daily) andTallinn (three hours, three daily). (one hour,onedaily);Võru(1½hours, one utes, four dailyMonday–Saturday);Valga utes toonehour,10daily);Elva(45min- connectOtepää withTartuBuses (45min- THERE & AWAYGETTING disappointing. In general, thediningscenehere ispretty EATING &DRINKING on thelake. also hire oneof right twowoodensaunas can hire skisandothergear here. Youcan thesurrounding forest.trails through You nearby aswellthemanykilometres of meals 70-140Kr) popular despite itsflimsypizzas. Opposite theTownHall, thisplaceremains .sangasteloss.ee; dm/s/dfrom125/250/390Kr; If youstop intownfor a swim,you’ll Merano PizzaBaar Merano Setanta Irish Pub Irish Setanta Castle Sangaste h Hands downOtepää’s best 10am-midnight Mon-Sat,to10pmSun)

(Sangaste Loss;

( % ( lake % 767 9444;Tartu maantee1a; 766 8200;NúpliVillage; , Põlvahaslittle to % 767 9300;www n beach ) About 118 on

ESTONIA ESTONIA .ee; Uustänav5) 3pm Sat&Sun) tänav42; .polvamaale.ee; Kesk rant (with outdoor patio in the summer) floors andwarm colours. A decent restau- trim, nicely designedrooms withwooden [email protected]) s/d €38/57; trip onthegoodship Ahja River, youcantake aone-hour boat you canhire acanoe. low theriver to surrounding woods,andyoucan alsofol- There are walkingandbikingpaths inthe the myths formations. thatsurroundthese posted detail multilingualcommentaries and kingfishers, which nestinthem.Sign- and 190mlong,pockmarked byswallows bankments above thecaves, upto24mhigh are strikinglybeautifulred em- sandstone coming fromtheTartu–Põlva road.There which are about2kmpastthetraintracks large caves, Väike andSuurTaevaskoja, just forapicnic.Thearea isnoted fortwo forexpeditionsofbase allkinds,oreven valley of the Ahja River andisanidyllic ahostelthey maintain year-round. rides inthewinter (300Krperhour)and 400/600Kr), thisridingcentre offers sleigh excursionshorse-riding (two/four hours Põlva ontheroadtoTartu. Inadditionto lid ( right ), which islocated 1kmnorthof also handlesexcursions withTimmo Tal- ridingandskiingtrips.Thisagency noeing, here canorganise hiking,biking,ca- Staff way outof town. haps stopinawoodedcemetery onyour lively foodandclothingmarket, andper- the twowarmonumentsintown,visita were laidin1240.Youcanalsocheck out itsoriginalfoundations1452, although 119 Pesa Hotel SLEEPING &EATING Kagureis travel agency travel Kagureis your time. Anotherexcellentoutfitisthe and hintsonhowtomake themostof with the trip car park.Youcan alsobookacanoe the entranceto trails,justupfromthe 10am and6pm(50Kr). Theshipdocksat good weatherdepartsonthehour between For more in-depthexplorationof the Taevaskoja, 7kmnorthof Põlva,isinthe The amiable SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Võru SOUTHEASTERN s Taevaskoja HolidayCentre

( % ) . , located insidetheHotell Pesa. canprovide youwithamap In Põlva, thismodernhotel has 799 8530; www.kagureis.ee; Uustänav5; 799 8530;www.kagureis.ee; tourist office tourist Kiidjärv

( % euro currency converter h , 6kmnorth,where 799 8530;www.kagureis Lonny 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 10am-6pm Mon-Fri,

( % 799 4089;www

, which in ( % 799 2067;  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt have accesstocookingfacilities. inbasicwooden cabins,and Guests canstay watching, skiingandwinter sledpicnics. River torockclimbing,bike tours, bird- thesparklingAhjaactivities fromcanoeing vaskoja, thiscentre offers awiderange of Kreutzwald (1803–1882), who isknown as but the writertsarina, Friedrich Reinhold was neither atribesman norahowever, years.thousand Its mostfamousresident, archaeological finds here date backseveral theGreat,decree fromCatherine though tracts plentyof beachgoers insummer. attractive feature, anditsrefreshing lake at- shorelineVõru’s sandy isperhaps itsmost liningitsoldlanes. and 19th-century houses its leafyparksand picturesque churches, of Tamula, Lake Võru hasabucolicfeel with townontheeastern shoreA smallpleasant pop 15,000 VÕRU and2km fromthecaves.Centre is a1kmwalkfromtheTourism& Holiday Taevaskoja (dailyexceptSaturday),which Tallinn (80Krto110Kr,3½ hours). Põlvaand to onehour),andfourbetween Põlva andVõru(14Krto30Kr,30 minutes you. There are dailybetween sixto10buses road, which isthenearest abuswilltake Saturday). by train(22Kr,onehour,dailyexcept bus (28Krto45Kr,onehour,15daily)or From Tartu youcanreach Põlvaeitherby THERE&AWAYGETTING campsite/dm 40/170Kr) 2067; [email protected]; 30-70Kr) door activitieshere. adjoins thespace. Youcanalsobookout- bles outfrontare forcoffee. anicesetting restaurant offers basicEstonianfare. The ta- through Kagureisthrough atthePesa Hotel. four-legged animals.Bookingscanbemade gle withotheradmirers of dashing those hall. There’s alsoapubwhere youcanmin- bed roomswithshared bathroomsinthe Tallid hasahostel withplaintwo-tofour- addition tohorse-related activities,Timmo The townwasfounded in1784byspecial trainfromTartuAn evening stopsat Taevaskoja is2kmeastof theTartu–Põlva Ääl Klubi im Tallid Timmo Taevaskoja Tourism &HolidayCentre Taevaskoja Tourism Overlooking the lake, Overlooking thissimple ( % ( % 799 8542;Tuglase tänav2;meals 799 8530;beds150-200Kr) www.lonelyplanet.com InTae-

( % In 799 access isavailable atthe Kreutzwald Memorial Museum Memorial Kreutzwald adult/concession 10/5Kr; Sights & Activities Sights &Activities Oct-Apr) 9am-5pmMon-Fri & SunMay-Sep, Tartu maantee31; The Information epic the fatherof Estonian literature forhisfolk www.lonelyplanet.com (Jüri tänav9) (Jüri throughout Võru and Setu counties. VõruandSetu throughout festivals, attractions andtouristfarms place topickupamapandget infoabout granite h 25) a lovely gardenattheback. 1877. Inadditiontopersonal relics, there’s and worked asacitydoctorfrom1833to wherethe formerhouse thegreat manlived To Tartu (70km) 1 3 2 VÕRU ὄὄὄ ὄὄὄ ὈὈ ὄὄὄ ὈὈ , are scattered abouttown.Free Internet Võru’s mostinteresting isthe museum Banks, including Banks, In frontof the18th-century 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to4pmSat) 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, Kalevipoeg tourist office tourist monument Kreutzwald overlooking thecentral square isa

AC Antsla maantee Antsla Võru h To VäikeJohnny (2.5km);TrainStation . Rõuge (15km); Haanja (15km); SuurMunamägi to17localtowncouncilof-

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To Põlva(25km)  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 11 15 200Kr; see ifanythingisonwhenyou’re intown. see and folkfestivals. to Checkthetouristoffice garden behindthebuildinghostsconcerts open againbythetimeyouread this.The 4; s/d500/800Kr; office about December snow-safari tours. tours. aboutDecembersnow-safari office departmentstore.the Semu Ask atthetourist and skiequipment.It’sonthegroundfloorof cession 10/6Kr; tänav 11;adult/con- www.hot.ee/muuseumvoru; Katariina Tamula Hotel Sleeping &Eating kirik low andwhite Russian Orthodox ferry disaster. Uptheroadisclassicalyel- ficials wholosttheirlives inthe1994 honour of Catherine II. honour of II. Catherine ings, the culture. interesting exhibitsonregional historyand Petseri the Silja Sport Located inoneof thetown’sugliestbuild- Undergoing renovation atresearch time, 9 18 To Värska(45km);

Vabaduse Cultural Centre Cultural (Tartu tänav26) (Tartu h

Paju Räpina (40km)

SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Võru SOUTHEASTERN

Koreli Vilja 9am-7pm) 1 Võrumaa Regional Museum Võrumaa Regional

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Räpina

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11am-6pm Wed-Sun) Võrumõisa hires outbikes, snowboards Tamula Hotel...... Ränduri...... Võrumaa RegionalMuseum...... Silja Sport...... Lutheran Church...... Kreutzwald MemorialMuseum...... Jekateriina kirik...... Estonia FerryDisasterMonument...... Cultural Centre...... Ühispank...... Tourist Office...... Public library...... Bus Station...... Karma...... Käsitööhistu...... Õlle No17...... Katarina Kohvik...... Wermo Guesthouse...... TRANSPORT SHOPPING EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION , built in 1793 and named in , builtin1793andnamed 783 0430;www.tamula.ee; Vee tänav 782 1916; Vabaduse 1; bikes per day 782 1916;Vabaduse perday 1;bikes ) Võru’sloveliest hotel has 400m 0.2miles 0 0

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( % Jekateriina Jekateriina Estonia 782 1939; 782 1939; 15 14 13 12 11 10 18 17 16 8 3 9 7 6 5 4 2 1 120 C2 B2 B1 B3 C2 B2 C2 B2 C1 B1 B2 B2 B3 B2 B2 B3 B2 C3

ESTONIA ESTONIA Karma Karma Shopping outside yourdoor. of all,the beach front balconies.Best isright airyrooms,bigwindowsandlake-bright a minimalist,Scandinavian designwith 121 minutes to onehour, sixdaily), Rõuge (9Kr to 10 daily), Põlva(14Kr to 30Kr,30 eight Tallinn (85Krto 110Kr, 3½tofour hours, alsoconnectto to 55Kr, onehour).Buses connectVõru and Tartu20 buses (45Kr 6amand6.30pmapproximatelyBetween &Away There Getting s/d from250/400Kr) h the laid-back ambienceand decentcoffee. food,skipthepizzasandcomefor serves mattresses.linoleum floors andsagging clean linesandniceviews;theworst have of rooms.Thebestare newlyrenovated with 30Kr to80Kr). (mealscostfrom soupsandsalads salmon, fairlygoodfood:schnitzel, lined pubserves shared bathrooms.Downstairs, thewood- rooms are butmore pleasant basic, with Egyptian,anese, Russianetc).Third-floor a different motifand colourscheme (Jap- 2nd-floor rooms,each decorated around have acar,it’sworththetrip. ‘cowboy’steak, shrimpsoup.Ifyou salmon, dishes:grilled sometasty and thecookserves towards Haanja. Theambienceisoldschool and restaurant islocated 3km outof town h bathroom €24/35) bathroomfrom€28/45,withshared36; s/dwithprivate locally madehandicrafts. ofAcross thestreet. For asmallselection during thesummer. outdoor terracespot isapopularmeeting a pintorsomeheartyfood.Thepleasant This Irish-stylepubisafriendlyplacefor matchbooks steins. andwoodenbeer bells,SovietWWII helmets,scythes,sleigh ifyoualready even to browse have enough nia’s bestantiquesstores, andafunplace meals 20-35Kr; Ränduri Ränduri Väike Johnny Väike Õlle no17 Wermo Guesthouse Katarina Kohvik Kohvik Katarina Käsitööhistu 11am-11pm) 10am-6pm Tue-Fri, to2pmSat) 10am-6pm Tue-Fri, SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••HaanjaNature Park SOUTHEASTERN ( % 782 5755;www.antiques.ee; Koidulatänav 14; (

% ( h % This combo shop, fuel station Thiscomboshop,fuelstation Ränduri has handsomely set Rändurihashandsomelyset 786 8050;www.randur.ee; tänav Jüri ( 9am-7pm) 782 8461;Jüri tänav 17;meals40-70Kr) This basichotel hasarange

% ( % ( % 782 0240;Koidulatänav 16) ( % 783 0192;meals50-75Kr; 782 4490;Koidulatänav4; euro currency converter Although thiscafé Although 782 3418;Koidulatänav6; Oneof Esto-

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt ing about 1kmsouthof Haanja village. climb fromtheVõru–Ruusmäeroad, start- ground floor. indoor-outdoorpleasant coffee shoponthe ection (binocularrental 15Kr).There’s a sia, andlushforests stretching dir- inevery the oniondomesof Pihkva (Pskov), Rus- Tartu’sa cleardayyoucansee towers, TV to have healing properties. lake is Estonia’s deepest (38m) and is said inthe middleof the village. This Suurjärv, summer and goingforswims inthepristine countryside, enjoyingfresh strawberries in spring. gather here (fortheir ownsongfest) inthe thatwhich isnamedforthe nightingales sloping Ööbikuorg Valley), (Nightingale lage sitson theedge itself of thegently out alongtheancient valleyfloor. Thevil- smalllakesrolling hills,withseven strung the tinyvillage of Rõuge liesamonggently One of Estonia’smostpicturesque settings, RÕUGE vation tower the Great Egg istoascendits29m not lookingoutforit.Thebestwaytoenjoy covered ‘summit’iseasytomissifyou’re atjustoverthe Baltics 318m.Still,thetree- 17km southof hillin Võru,isthehighest Great Egg Hill( Suur Munamägi),about SUUR MUNAMÄGI quarters tourist farms.The charming ruralvillages andsomeexcellent 200-sq-km protected area alsoincludes lovely nationalparksouthof Võru. This sparkling lakes andrivers make upthis Thick forests, rollinghillsanddozens of NATUREHAANJA PARK ( to Võru(60Kr,twohours). The to twohours, fourdaily).There’s adailybus daily) andKrabi(18Krto23Kr,45minutes (9Kr to18Kr,30minutes toonehour,seven to 14Kr,30minutes, ninedaily),Haanja information about thearea. in thevillage of Haanja canprovide detailed May-Aug, 10am-5pm Sep, 10am-8pmSat&SunOct) 10am-5pmSep, May-Aug, 60/60Kr; adult/child stairs30/15Kr,elevator Entrance isonVilja. % The summitandtowerare a10-minute Rõuge is a good base for exploringthe Rõuge isagoodbase 782 1018)

( % canprovide thelatest schedules.

782 9090; www.haanjapark.ee, inEstonian) 782 9090;www.haanjapark.ee, ( % 787 8847;www.haanjakompass.ee; Haanja Nature ParkHaanja Nature head- www.lonelyplanet.com h bus station 10am-8pm obser- . On

maantee 1; take thefirst left after Saarsilla Café. 600m fromthemainroad;heading south, Rowboatrental isavailable. Located self). bathroom (orrent thewholecottage your- cottagebunk inawinterised with a private bathrooms inanotherbuilding.You canalso offers lodginginsimplewoodencabinswith overlooking Valley, Nightingale thisoutfit tourist office tourist gional informationatRõuge’s well-signed Rõuge’s church. isoppositeturn-off tothe guesthouse overlooking thelake. Saunaavailable. The the bestof which have aprivate balcony hasarange ofhouse rooms, comfortable 4; rperperson250-350Kr; by dirtroad,orpaved roadfromVõru. translates thetourintoEnglish forhim. ergy sometimes fields.Hisgranddaughter whether youare sensitive tothearea’s en- nearbyplacestoassess Estonian) through PadimeesSaarsilla Café. canguideyou(in a sauna and trout fishing. a sauna hiking trails(guided excursions available), overlookinga lushsetting acreek. There are countryplace lies in road, this comfortable of Nursi, 12kmfromVõru ontheValga www.lonelyplanet.com Ööbikuoru Kämping Ööbikuoru Sleeping &Eating Padimees ical explanationsof localsites andlore, call There’s agoodviewhere, across thevalley. ailing travelled lived here. fromafartosee, people withhishands,andtowhomthe 13th centuryRougetaja, amanwhohealed hold duringthe8thto11thcenturies.In wasanancientEstonianstrong- Linnjärv, period tosave itfromdestruction. theSovietin onelocal’sbackyardthrough dependence war. Thememorialwasburied ment 18th-century village church, a stands 30m fromthebusstop. camp site/rperperson €4/16; 175-190Kr, cottage1450Kr; campsite30Kr,cabinperperson75-90Kr, rperperson bikuorg; Rõuge Suurjärve Guesthouse Rõuge Suurjärve You can pick up maps and obtain re-You canpickupmapsandobtain Rohtlätte TaluRohtlätte Rõuge lies10kmwestof SuurMunamägi For auniquetourof thearea andhistor- Rõuge’s Opposite tothelocaldeadof the1918–20in-

( h % Linnamägi Linnamägi

10am-4pm Mon-Fri, to2pmSat&Sun) 10am-4pm Mon-Fri, ( Santa Maria 785 9271) %

785 9245;[email protected];Haanja ( % ( n % n , whoworksoutof the 787 9315;www.rohtlatte.ee; (Castle Hill), by Lake Hill),byLake (Castle ) n euro currency converter 509 0372;www.hot.ee/oo ) This pleasant guest- This pleasant , Rõuge’s attractive SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Luhasoo Trail & Karula NationalPark ESTONIA••Luhasoo Trail&Karula SOUTHEASTERN Set onalovelySet spot ) Nearthevillage ( % 524 3028; Metsa 524 3028;Metsa monu- ,  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt healing herbsand forest spirits. on araftfloating in thelake andlearn about can camphere, out night spend a sleepless attractions. Inaddition tohikingtrails,you ist farmsinthearea offering someunusual of Paganamaa, there is water-biking here. pretty spot.Tryswimming,boatingand Vaskna inaparticularly isthisfarmhouse typical living quarters bythe Forest used 350/600Kr; Suurjärv. Saarsilla boastsalovely terrace byLake the roadtoNursi. lie1kmoutofand apostoffice townon herbivorous shrubs amongthescenery. lake, withVenus flytraps,water liliesand over variedbogsandalong avelvety black past. The4.5kmwell-marked trailpasses intoEstonia’sprimordial cinating glimpse the some15kmsouthof Rõuge,with Latvia, Located inwildswamplandontheborder NATIONAL PARK LUHASOO TRAIL&KARULA other 5km. towardsKellamäe,right thencontinuean- Rõuge and,after thePärlijõebusstop,turn The mounds, which forms Karula NationalPark. many smalllakes andancientstoneburial an area of round,wooded hillsdotted with roads northof thevillage of Mõniste, is ders Paganamaa, andabout12kmalongdirt bed 25/200Kr) ( be reached viaAntslatothenorth. beginning inLüllemäe. Thisarea canalso four marked trailsinthepark,longest bays, inletsandpromontories.There are a3kmlonglake withseveral is Ähijärv, and hikingtrailinformation.The highlight lemäe, 25kmeastof Valga, distributes maps Perepark), h samoor.ee; campsite50Kr) [email protected]) % In Vastse-Roosa nearMõniste, 8kmwest Saarsilla Café Vaskna Talu Several shops,afew cafés,arestaurant Several To get there, take theKrabiroadfrom Further alongthemainroadthatbor- Set in the Forest FairySet Park (Metsamoori 10am-11pm; 789 1280;[email protected]; campsite/chalet Luhasoo Nature StudyTrail Luhasoo Nature National Park Visitors Centre National Park Visitors n ,

Veetka Farm Veetka ) an authentic reconstruction of Justsouthof Haanja byLake n

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) ( Situated justoutsideRõuge, % 782 9173;[email protected]; s/dfrom in Ähijärve, pastLül- inÄhijärve, isoneof tour- several 785 9271;Haanjamaantee2; ( % Metsavenna TaluMetsavenna 786 7633;www.met provides afas-

( % 782 8350; 122

ESTONIA ESTONIA same roadis same restaurant (meals75Krto150Kr).Onthe 63; s/dfrom500/700Kr) St John’sChurch the area. and recommend inexpensive in homestays town, canprovide youwithatownmap tory Hotell Valga’s outskirts. located inconverted on atPriimetsa stables dered attheNazideathcampStalag-351, line, effectively splittingthetownintwo. the dispute andsuggested thecurrent border British mediatorhadtobecalledinsettle after WWI.A EstoniaandLatvia between only region contended thatwasseriously tiguous withValka inthe isset inLatvia, beforethrough moving on.Thetown,con- tory make itaninteresting placetowander andcurioushis- and itsoldwoodenhouses enjoying aslowprocessof gentrification, The once-battered bordertownof Valga is pop 16,000 VALGA are alsoavailable. the chalet. Saunaandguidednature tour camp overnight inadormbed orsleep authenticity isassured. Itisalsopossible to the initiative of oneof theoriginalbrothers, Brothers resistance (Metsavendlus). Being 123 tive ruins stand on a high bluff above bluff tive ona high the ruins stand with Russiain the14th century. Theevoca- ontheirborder founded by theGermans Vastseliina (Vastseliina Castle linnus)was VASTSELIINA CASTLE via Sangaste Castle (6Kr,20 minutes).via Sangaste Castle travel fromValga toTartu (36Kr,twohours) Valga (115Kr,5½hours). Twicedaily trains TallinnOne dailytrainruns between and toVõru (twohours). and onebusdaily goes with Tartu (55Krto65Kr,1½2½hours), and thelike. pork fillingsalmon, wood pubthatserves perjanovi 57;meals40-65Kr) galv.ee; 11; Kesk & Sun) Vabaduse 8; Sites of interest includethe19th-century You can also stay inthelovelyYou canalsostay new An estimated 30,000peoplewere mur- The Around eight daily buses connect Valga dailybuses Around eight SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Valga SOUTHEASTERN museum , located nearthebordercrossingin

( % information centre information centre h 766 6050;www.hotellmetsis.com; Kuperjanovi 11-6pm Tue-Fri; 11-6pm Tue-Fri;

(Valga Koduloomuuseum; (Valga h (Jaani Kirik) Voorimehe Pubi Voorimehe 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pmSat9am-6pm Mon-Fri, , which alsohasagood , anatmosphericdark- euro currency converter 10am-3pm ( %

and alocalhis- 766 1699;www.val ( % 767 9627;Ku- % Sat &Sun) 766 8867; Metsis Metsis .  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 15th-century monastery, considered the isfamed for itsfabulous ofital’ Setumaa, border in Russia and regarded asthe‘cap- chory (Petseri inEstonian), 2kmacross the part of itisnowinRussia. Thetownof Pe- 1920 and1940,butthegreaternia between Estonian tribesbefore . on arelative’s grave; by thiswaspractised leaving cultural traditions, forinstance food forcertain tonian language. goes Thesame ture toOldEstonian thanthemodernEs- features of which are instruc- actuallycloser guage (todayknownas many Võro-Seto), thecenturiesretainedthroughout theirlan- fully assimilated intoRussian culture and ons, aswastherest of Estonia. Theynever by Teutonic tribesandbar- andGerman Pskov) subjugationand wasnotcontrolled under Novgorod andlater Pihkva’s (Russian: thispartoftheran, because thecountryfell but thepeoplebecameOrthodox, notLu- culture. Theyare originallyFinno-Ugric the have amixedSetus, Estonian-Russian politically andculturally.Itsnative people, interesting andtragicareas of thecountry, ing over intoRussia. It’soneof themost ally unrecognised) area of stretch-Setumaa, In thefarsoutheastof Estonialiesthe(politic- SETUMAA of of RiverPiusa ontheeastern edge of thevillage turning andbeyond. along thePihkvaroadtoVahtseliina including mostof toMisso,continue those from VõrugotoVastseliina dailyandsome, buses west of theroad)andgo2km.Several ernmost turningtoVastseliina (which isjust Võru–Pihkva road1kmsouthof thesouth- mountain-biking routes. theregion’sthe ruinsdetails hikingand a circuitnorthtoSuuremetsa. Amapnear matkarada)alongtheriver(piusa begins manor, where apretty 15kmhikingtrail the castle,isparkof theoldVastseliina the leftasyouwalkfromformerinnto out of Vahtseliina. Inthe valley, downto and wasalsothesceneof manybattles. R prospered fromitspositiononthePihkva– along theroadtoPihkva(Pskov). Thearea ī ga traderoute untilthemid-19thcentury All of Setumaa wasinindependent Esto- All of Setumaa To reach Vahtseliina turneastoff the ontheMeremäeThe castlestands road Vastseliina Vahtseliina , itself 12kmsoutheastof , itself Võru , 4kmeastof thesmalltown www.lonelyplanet.com also functions asthe estries, cookware andsomeold photos.It lowed byarefrain chanted byagroup. and characterised bysolo,spoken verses fol- songs, knownasthe words each timetheychant theirverses. Setu women folksingers whoimprovise new of community andsociability.sense Orthodox traditionhasfostered atighter from each otherasfarpossible. Here, the lage where are openfarmhouses separated contrasttothetypical Estonianvil- in stark clusters, often surrounded byafence. Thisis like facingeach otherin castles,withhouses text. theirvillages Notably, are structured trates howuniqueitisintheEstonian con- 1991 hasfurthercrippledit. Russia thathassplittheircommunitysince mainstream. Theimpenetrableborderwith being quicklyassimilated intotheEstonian organised feasts, theyounger generation are language, andpromote customsthrough forts are the madetoteach andpreserve early-20th-century population.Whileef- another 3000inRussia), which ishalfthe approximately inEstonia(and 4000Setus slow processof There disappearing. are like villathanamonastery). anItalian most breathtaking inRussia(itlooksmore www.lonelyplanet.com appt) 15/10Kr; House Museum The chief attractionis theone-room makes onthe road. stopoff forapleasant The village of nearapristinelake,Obinitsa, Obinitsa &Piusa 4190; [email protected]) Setumaa isparticularlyknownforits Setumaa landscape illus- lookattheSetu A rough culture isinthesad,Today theSetu through Rõugeenroute. lies halfinEstonia,Latvia. Three busesperdaygotoKrabifromVõru (onehour),passing which alake dropped ontherun.There’stowerandbathingspotatLiivajärv, anobservation issupposedtobeoneofthebouldershe us modernsceptics).The small islandinKikkajärv ran, creating thecraters andsharpvalleysthatare characteristic ofthearea (glacier-formed, to a thunderstormfrightened him(thunderwasthegodofheaven toancientEstonians) andhe tohisfriendsinLatvia. As boulders, hewascollecting Kikkajärv building abridgeacrossLake ley. Legend hasitthatthiswasthehomeofVanapagan (OldHeathen),adevilwhosetabout scenic area strungoutalongtheEstonian sideoftheborderinPiiriorg withfourlakes Val- Along the Latvian borderjustsouthofthevillageKrabilies Along theLatvian DEVIL’S RUN , which hasa few folkcostumes, tap- h 11am-5pm Tue-Sun May-Oct, othertimesby 11am-5pm Tue-Sun May-Oct,

(Setu Tare(Setu adult/concession Muuseum; . Afew blocks away, you leelo euro currency converter tourist office tourist , are polyphonic

( % Setu 785  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt up mapsof thenearbyregions. cold, your energy comes fromthesky. energy isderived fromtheland,ifthey feel topand theyfeel warm,yourspiritual altar early 1990s.Ifyou placeyourpalmsonthe known modern-day Estonianwitches inthe madebysomewell- altar, look forthesand cathedral-like caves and (bringaflashlight) office for thedeparted souls. communal picnicandtheleaving of food church tothecemetery, which endswitha comeforaprocession fromtheof Setus a swimmingplatformbythelake. stares solemnlyover There’s Obinitsa. Lake ‘SongMother’,whichsculpture totheSetu a church (builtin1897),acemetery anda arrange itinadvance. Thetownalsohas meal–ifyou can have atraditionalSetu shop/café largest colonies),justbehind the friendly home tosome2000bats(oneof Europe’s larger oneremains plunged indarknessand visit thesmallerof caves; thetwounused the production 1kmnorthof thisspot.)Youcan area in1922.(Sandisstillminedfor glass miningindustry,whichsand beganinthe sand caves Estonia’s more the intriguingsights, Pood(shop),willtake youtooneofPiusa first dirtroadeast,followingthesign forthe under arailwaybridge after some5km. The g ust beingthe19Au- tions, themostimportant you can order avery filling home-cooked nity centre, and if youcall theday before, commu- homedoubling asObinitsa’s Setu You can wander through amazeofYou canwander through Seltsimaja Seltsimaja The road passes northfromObinitsa celebra- bigSetu hasseveral Obinitsa SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Setumaa ESTONIA••Setumaa SOUTHEASTERN Feast oftheTransfiguration ( h

10am-6pm) ( Paganamaa h (Piusa Koopad),theresult(Piusa of a ( % 10am-4pm) 786 1412;meals 100Kr) here where youcanpick (Devil’sLand),another . There’s asmall . Thousands . Thousands isaprivate

Piusa

RMK 124 ESTONIA ESTONIA traditional Setu music. traditional Setu books and recordingsdolls, tapestries, of handmade mittens, socks, hats,– selling or theexcellent giftshop –theregion’s best Don’t bypass thecharming restaurant here andceramics. workshops formetalworking granaryandtheformer plex, withstables, re-created com- 19th-centuryfarmhouse of Peko, a carving comprises themuseum edge of town.Presided over by awooden talo here isthe surrounding it.The best reason forcoming esque stonechurch andaleafycemetery of ruralcharm here, includingapictur- tonia, anditshealingmud.There’s plenty its rich mineralwater, Es- soldthroughout The pretty townof Värska isknownfor & Around Värska 440/660Kr, 7-roomcabin2800Kr) signed. It’s onthemainroadintotown,andiswell- meal. Youcanalsobuyafew handicrafts. 125 May-Sep, 10am-4pmTue-Sun Oct-Apr) May-Sep, % No fires. caves. sand small groundsnexttothePiusa place forbonfires. cottages forrent. There’s anda asauna sizable,very furnished comfortably several wooden roomswithshared bathrooms, and Set onasmalllake, Set You’re welcometocampforfree onthe until shehadsungthelast(8000th)line. Vabarna, wastoldtheplotandspontaneouslyburstintosong, barely pausingtodraw breath only tomen.The epicdates backto1927whentheSetus’mostcelebrated folksinger,Anne also heldtofindastrongmanfortheking. royalsinger. ofbearingthecrownsleepingking’s of someoneworthy Competitionsare hastobefound.The Setusthengatheraroundthestatueoftheir‘SongMother’insearchking –proclaimedaround20AugustKingdom eachyear–an to serve the king ashismitten andbeltknitters, theking andbread,to serve beer,wineandcheesemakers. isdeclared foranotheryear,peoplefromtheSetustrongholdaresame daythathiskingdom selected each. Later inthedayrespects are paidtothedead. traditional Setulaceandlarge silver breastplates andnecklaces,saidtoweighasmuch3kg andcustomarygoodwishesexchanged.The womenaredances are adornedwith performed The 8000-lineSetuepic Peko religion totheSetusasOrthodox isasimportant theyfollow., thepagangodoffertility, DAY OFTHESETUS 505 4673;adult/concession 20/10Kr; SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA••Setumaa SOUTHEASTERN ( % According tofolklore, Peko sleepsnightanddayinhiscave ofsand. SoontheDayofSetu The Setu king’s dress,The andthebread, Setuking’s Onthe cheese,wineandbeerheconsumesare alsoimportant. And socompletes theroyalthrone. Amidtheday’scelebrations,traditionalSetusongsand 508 7399; http://setotalu.maaturism.ee; d/tr508 7399;http://setotalu.maaturism.ee; Setu FarmSetu Museum euro currency converter Pekolanõ hasafew simple Setomaa Turismi- Setomaa

(Setu Talu(Setu Muuseum; onthesouth h tells thetaleofthismachogod,rites ofwhomare known 10am-5pm  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt not allowedtostop onthisstretch. line intoRussian territory for2km.You’re border thezigzagging crosses even to Saatse lonely plasticsigns. Oneroad,fromVärska guarded wooden fences, creepy deadendsor un- abandoned control points,orseemingly der crossingpointswithRussia,the rest are borders. There are onlyafew bor- official and winter (9December). Day St George’s the Juliancalendar. Värska alsocelebrates tions are heldon6Julyinaccordancewith Lace Setu Kingdom Day oftheSetu brated onlyinPechory), towhich the close Day brated. Thebiggest feast of theyear, from which itspeopleget theirlivelihood. facethelakeyard, whileTonja’shouses a ringof outer buildings aroundaninner Võporzova homesteads typicallyconsistof Vabarna, whoknew100,000 verses byheart. there’s amonumenttofolksinger Anne villages. are InVõporzovaBay, classic Setu north of Värska onthewestsideof Värska the border at any nonofficial point (even if point (even the border at anynonofficial guard watchtower. aware that crossing Be visible across theinlet– asistheborder church intheRussian village of Kuljeis northeast of Värska, a beautifulOrthodox Near thetiny,ancient village of Other exoticfeatures of thisarea are the holidaysare stillcele- Traditional Setu Võporzova , falls on 28 August (though itiscele- , fallson28August(though ülemtsootska is1March and and (Jüripäev) inspring (6May) (Jüripäev) Tonja (representative) forthe isheld.The , afew kilometres www.lonelyplanet.com midsummer Podmotsa celebra- Day of Lady , Sun) 60Kr; Wed-Sun) [email protected]; adult/concession 15/5Kr; of inthearea. informationonfarmstays isthebestsource touristoffice The Obinitsa SLEEPING lead toyourarrest. you have isillegalandcan aRussianvisa) www.lonelyplanet.com tacular tacular theisland ofsettled Piirissaar. namely Kolkja, Kasepää andVarnja, and villages,laste. coastal Theyfounded several koye OzeroinRussian),particularly inKal- the western shores of Peipsi Lake (Chud- reforms carriedoutin1666,tookrefuge on persecuted forrefusing toacceptliturgical of asect theOrthodoxBelievers, Church In the 18thand19thcenturies Russian Old LAKE PEIPSI(SOUTH) and Värska. There Võru are runningbetween nobuses (18Krto29Kr, 45 minutes). and Obinitsa to Meremäe (22Kr,45minutes toonehour) and Värska (1¼hours). chory. There’s Põlva onebusdailybetween to Koidula,2kmacrosstheborderfromPe- hours) viaRäpina,three of which continue and Värska (50Krto65Kr,1½two There are Tartu five dailybetween buses THERE&AWAYGETTING It’s located 500msouthof thechurch. tiny beach, tennis courtsandaplayground. wood-floored roomsandacafé.There’s a onapretty lake,Set has thisguesthouse easily spotted onceyoureach Alatskivi. from the19thcentury. It’sonthemainroad, its neo-Gothic centrepiecethough dates mae.ee; Sillatänav2a;s/dwithbreakfast 350/560Kr; but it’sareal gem nonetheless. pancakes, omelettes andtheliketatoes, – fancy –roastvegetables, pork,mashedpo- home-cooked meal.Thefare isnothing foradelicious makes setting anunbeatable thishandsomewoodenfarmhouse seum, [email protected]; adult/concession 15/5Kr; hamlet of Rupsi,isthe Hirvemäe Puhkekeskus Hirvemäe About 37km northof Tartu liesthespec- From Võru,three tofive godaily buses Setu Farm Setu Restaurant Four kilometres southof , another worthwhile stop. It houses ex- , another worthwhile stop. Ithouses h , which wasbuiltinthe late 1500s, 11am-7pm Tue-Sun) Castle Alatskivi Liiv Museum (Alatskivi loss; (Alatskivi ( Acrossfromthemu- euro currency converter %

( % 505 4673;mealsaround 797 6105;www.hirve Alatskivi

h 9am-7pm Wed-

( % h % , in the , inthe 528 6598; 9am-7pm 745 3846; 745 3846; n SOUTHEASTERN ESTONIA •• Lake Peipsi ESTONIA••Lake (South) SOUTHEASTERN )

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 25Kr; fishing tackle or use the sauna. thesauna. oruse fishing tackle to beach activities,youcanhire arowboat, cabins androomforcamping.In addition newsmallwoodengrassy spacecontains few kilometres southof Mustvee, this open .com; campsiteperperson/4-personcabin50/400Kr) dogs stopandstare atstrangers. Few touristsmake itouthere, the andeven centuries, andmostalsospeakEstonian. their descendantshave living here been for tonia’s Russianpopulation,thepeopleand tecture inthecountry.Unlike mostof Es- some of themostcharming village archi- with smallcaves, andalakeside café. the southernendof beach town,asandy There’s cemetery alarge at OldBelievers’ all thevillagers are Russian- speaking. thatsurroundthis town.Nearly 11m high, of up to because thered cliffs, sandstone (KrasniyeGori) known asRedMountains has existed since1720,whenthearea was skivi, iswhere of asettlement OldBelievers covered intheNortheastern Estonia section. bed perperson/campsite from240/40Kr) north of Kallaste. intheareaThe bestplacestostay are just Sleeping &Eating doubles astheregion’s touristoffice. petitions are which also heldatthemuseum, area. com- Occasionalconcertsandpoetry regarded).is highly Bothwere borninthe best-known songsandsymphonies(No5 ofard Tubin,acomposer someof Estonia’s whodiedin1913,andEdu- writer andpoet hibitions onbothJuhanLiiv,acelebrated church, an with adainty,green wooden Orthodox Kolkja and Kallaste (35Kr, 1¼ hours), withfewer this area. Ten Tartu godaily between buses A caristhe handiestway of getting around &Away There Getting and boatbicycle hire. homecooking, rooms,asauna, comfortable near theshoreant farmhouse hassimple, and 50mwestof themainroad, thispleas- north of Kallaste at thevillage of Kodavere, Hansu Farm Kallaste The northernhalfof Peipsi Lake ( p105 ) is Piirioja Holiday Centre HolidayCentre Piirioja From Alatskivi,it’s6kmsoutheastto h , avillage of RussianOldBelievers by appt) (pop1285),8kmnorthof Alat- Old Believers’ Museum Old Believers’

in the new schoolhouse, and inthenewschoolhouse, ( % 745 2518;[email protected]; ( % 501 8990;www.peipsi About 3km

( % 745 3431; 126

A ESTONIA ESTONIA for an idyllic wanderinto the past. beach and thenarrow tree-lined lanes make bayside promenade, itssmall butattractive festivals and summerconcerts. Thetown’s foropen-air bishop’s castle, todaythesetting The jewelof itsOldTownisa 14th-century resort for19th-century Russianaristocrats. chanting butragged townthatwas oncea living museum. 19th-century village nowfunctioningasa traditional an ostrich farmandapreserved which offers unusualattractions,including villages andpristinecoastline,asisMuhu, two dozenpermanentresidents. ofsetting , anislandwithlessthan NationalParkin Vilsandi and thepastoral departure pointforthewildlife-rich islands life duringthesummermonths. It’salsothe cent castleandapretty townthatcomesto the islands,boastssparesorts, amagnifi- planners. and20th-centurySovietKnights military left behindbyboth14th-century German churches andcrumblingfortresses –ruins ofthe countrysideinsearch hiddenstone ridingorsimplyramblingthrough horse Here forhiking, you’llfindpeacefulsettings mills –bothiconicsymbolsof theislands. andoldwoodenwind- century lighthouses few signsof asidefrom19th- development passing desolate stretches of with coastline, islands. Dustyroadslooparoundthem, Saaremaa andHiiumaa,Estonia’s largest castles. the shadowsof picturesque medieval villages slumberingbeneathand seaside forest-covered islands,idylliccountryside, the westcoastof Estoniaisthegateway to One of mostalluringregions, theBaltics’ THE ISLANDS WESTERN ESTONIA& most viaAlatskivi,others viaVarnja. go fromTartu toKolkja (33Kr,1½hours), vice onweekends. About five dailybuses to 35Kr,onehour),againwithlimited ser- gofromTartu15 buses to Alatskivi(27Kr runs onSaturdaysandSundays.Around 127 On themainland, Haapsalu isanen- Vormsi isanotherpeacefulisland of tiny Saaremaa, thelargest andmostvisited of Pine forests andjunipergroves cover WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••NationalParks &Reserves euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt bird speciescanbefound. whereMatsalu some275 Nature Reserve, forest and marshlands, shouldheadtothe interested inexperiencingEstonia’sverdant in thecountry.Bird-watchers, andthose in Saaremaa. Sõruin Hiiumaa andTriigi between service two islands, there isayear-round car-ferry Kärdla (Hiiumaa). Travelling the between rent inboth Kuressaare (Saaremaa) and ing acarisbetter alternative. Youcan timeonyourhands.Hir-but you’llneed inadequate. Plentyof peoplethumbrides, aroundthe islandsishighly and busservice Both Saaremaa andHiiumaa are quite large Around Getting remote islandof Ruhnu( p162 ). A summerferry linksSaaremaa withthe is connected toSaaremaa byacauseway. the portof Virtsu toMuhuIsland,which To reach Saaremaa byferry, you’ll govia Haapsalu, tobothVormsi andHiiumaa. can catch ferries fromRohuküla, southof Saaremaa. Ifyou’re notgoingdirect, you tion ontheisland.Thisalsoholds truefor onto theferry willdrive toitsenddestina- Tallinn (see p90 busthatdrives). Thesame you canalsotake abusthere directly from bus ridefromTallinn. Toreach Hiiumaa, (see p89 ). Haapsalu issituated justashort in HiiumaaorKuressaare inSaaremaa fly directly fromTallinn toeitherKärdla If youdon’twanttowaste time,youcan &Away There Getting species of bird. raretains and more orchids, seals than200 alsocon- uninhabited islands,thisreserve for nature seekers. Comprisingnumerous the largest choice andmost outstanding NationalParkwest coast,theVilsandi is Saaremaa’sone of tiny islands.Off several iumaa, where on youcanspendthenight justoff Hi- Reserve, maa IsletsLandscape inHiiumaa,andtheHiiu- Bird Reserve are birdsanctuaries portant theKäinaBay Otherim- birdhabitats. most important isoneof thecountry’s Nature salu Reserve Onthemainland,Mat-and reserves. boasts arange of attractive nationalparks Rich innaturalbeauty,Western Estonia National Parks&Reserves The birdlife inthisregion isthebest www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS See Saaremaa & Muhu Map (p143) Ὀ Ὀ Vilsandi National Park Vilsandi Veere B ALTIC S EA Ὀ Ὀ Kõrgessaare (Vikoosa) HIIUMAA Western Estonia&The Islands euro currency converter Vidumae Reserve Nature Kärdla 84 Kärla Salme ˜ Sõru 78 SAAREMAA 81 83 Käina 77 Aste Suuremõisa 80 Triigi Ὀ Ὀ See Hiiumaa Map (p136) Kuressaare Suuremõisa 79 Saksby Abruka Heltermaa  Vormsi Landscape Reserve 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Orissaare Hiiumaa Islets Osmussaare Peninsula Noarootsi 74 Diby ὈὈ ὈὈ Österby WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS MUHU Rohuküla Nõva Liiva Gulf ofR‹ga Riguldi Matsalu Nature Reserve Hosby Pürksi Haapsalu 20miles 30km 0 0 Herjava Matsalu Bay Uuemõisa Virtsu Jõõdre Linnamäe 17 31 Haeska Matsalu Salumägi Suitsu To Paldiski Padise (10km) Martna Penijõe Rummu 16 Kloostri Lihula Ruhnu Risti 60 Koluvere (40km) To Pärnu Tallinn

(40km)

To Kas ari 128 ESTONIA ESTONIA now only buses run from this station. runfrom this station. now only buses andgrandcolonnade,though namentation withitswoodenlaceor-designed station Visitors canstill admire thecolourfully to bethelongest intheRussianEmpire. a 214m-longcovered platform,thensaid St Petersburg wascompleted in1907with baths. Arailway thatwentallthewayto imperial familyvisited thecityfor mud Tchaikovsky andmembers of theRussian into aspacentre. TheRussiancomposer in the19thcentury,Haapsalu transformed properties of itsshoreline were discovered ofmostly because mud.Oncethecurative the 18thcentury. ing theGreat NorthernWarin (butbrutal) century, buttheylostittotheRussians dur- then theSwedishhad during theLivonianWar(around 1559), soon afterwards. TheDanestookcontrol dence, withafortress andcathedralbuilt and Haapsalu becamethebishop’sresi- the Swordconquered thisregion in1224, ing centuriesago. of Knights TheGerman changed handsmanytimessinceitsfound- Like otherEstoniantowns,Haapsalu has History Vormsi IslandorMatsalu Nature Reserve. by healthcentres Estonia. throughout lays claimtosuperiormud,which isused more Haapsalu Nevertheless, proletarian. Kuressaare, thecentres though here are abit optforHaapsalumight over Pärnuor secret spotsforwatching thesunset. promenade skirtingthebay,andplentyof backfromthenarrowstreets,set aslender rustic thanurban,witholdwoodenhouses the edges, Haapsalu’s Old Townismore is itsstrikingcastle.around Abitrough spa hotels, butthetown’sbiggest attraction andgalleries,afewseums rathermodest the islands.Haapsalu hasahandfulof mu - town makes stopover apleasant enroute to into Haapsalu thisquaint,peaceful Bay, onafork-shaped peninsulathatstretchesSet pop 12,000 HAAPSALU 129 is just over 1kmnortheast of the bussta- The castle, which is thecentre of OldTown, Orientation The cityflourished underthetsars, Haapsalu makes forvisiting agoodbase mudorspatreatments seeking Those WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Haapsalu their turninthe17th euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Tue-Sun mid-May and domechurch weaponry,don’tmissthe medieval some dramaticallydisplayedcassocksand find outaboutthecastle’shistoryandsee wall andsomeof themoatstillremain. To ruins. Aturreted tower,mostof theouter inpartialbutverystands picturesque the region’s inan 18th- history. It’sset Wed-Sun mid-Sep Haapsalu andthesurroundingarea. well-staffed office hasloadsofinfoabout This friendly, mid-Sep–mid-May) 9am-5pm Mon-Fri mid-May–mid-Sep, tänav 37; grounds. restaurantmedieval-themed inthecastle h ( The MUSEUMS tury Haapsalu’s unpolishedgem isthe13th-cen- CASTLE &CATHEDRAL Sights &Activities office Tourist Posti tänav. Post office Library Information in townis1kmwestof thebusstation. just northof thecastle. Theprettiest beach tourist office. Väike viik,atranquillake, is tion. About thetwois halfwaybetween 24; adult/concession10/5Kr; climb the boxed text, p132 ). Forfineviews,youcan of (see fortheghost theWhitepeeled Lady held here. Insidethechurch keep youreyes the 13thcentury.Concertsare regularly halfof inthesecond Episcopal stronghold parts.Itwasassimilated intothein these lukewarm welcomeChristianityreceived duetothe fromthestart, Roman Catholic phenomenal. Thecathedralwasnot strictly ture –anditsacoustics are in theBaltics three innerdomes–thelargest such struc- is actuallyaRoman-Gothiccathedral, with temporary exhibitions are on the1stfloor. oldest and best-knownlocalartists; salu’s tures thecolourfulworks of one of Haap- Sat) Free Internetaccess. % The somewhat dry 10am-6pm Wed-Sun mid-May 473 6065; Kooli tänav2;adult/concession 15/5Kr; Evald Okas Museum Museum Okas Evald Bishop’s Castle Bishop’s Castle (Postitänav3; h (cnrNiine&Nurmetänav)Ablockeastof 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pmSat&Sun 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, tower ( % – – mid mid 473 3248;www.haapsalu.ee;Posti (adult/child 15/5Kr)

(adult/child 15/5Kr) h - - Sep) May) ( % 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, h Lääne Regional Museum Lääne Regional . Todaythefortress offers of a glimpse ( www.lonelyplanet.com 472 4470; % noon-6pm Jun-Aug) – 508 9105; Karja tänav 508 9105;Karja mid . Thechurch - Sep, 11am-4pmSep, h . There’s a 10am-6pm museum fea-

ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὄὄ ὈὈὈὈ cing thehistory of Swedes in Estonia from tra- tapestry fishing netsand amarvellous Aug, 11am-4pm Sep-Apr) www.lonelyplanet.com adult/concession 20/10Kr; Muuseum; (Rannarootsi town hall. century building thatwasatonetimethe 4 1 3 2 5 HAAPSALU ὄὄὄ The quaint (New Harbour) Ranna tee Kajakrahu Uus-Sadam 18 AC Karurahu 14 29 Museum oftheEstonianSwedes Museum Vasikaholm

Haapsalu Suur-

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ὄ Haapsalu Bay Haapsalu h hasrelics, photos, old Forest Park 473 7165;Sadama tänav32; 10am-6pm Wed-Sun 15May- euro currency converter

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Ungru tee Ungru Lahe

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Suur Uus-Sadama 21

15

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viik Lembitu WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Haapsalu Tchaikovsky Bench...... St John’sChurch...... Railway Museum...... Museum...... (see 5) Swedes...... Museum oftheEstonian Lääne RegionalMuseum...... Evald OkasMuseum...... Dome Church...... Bishop’s Castle...... Birdwatching tower...... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Tourist Office...... Library...... Haapsalu TravelService...... INFORMATION (Old Harbour) Station

Vana-sadam  Train tee Lahe 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt

19

muuseum; Sadama h the backtoSwedenon the 1200stotheir flight tives nearby. You’re free tocheck outthe oldlocomo- side records the goldenyears of traintravel.

12 10 26

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30

Endla 16 Kalevi Mihkli Karja 13 % 7 To Lihula(45km) 27

in1944. Jaama 473 4574; Raudtee 2; admission 5Kr; 473 4574; Raudtee 12 11 10 6 23 22 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 25

Vaba C2 D3 C5 B2 C3 C4 C4 C4 D3 D5 C4 D5

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Rüütli 5 Posti 20 0.3miles 500m 0 0 Vaba AegRattad...... Rowboat rental...... Bus Station...... Club Kaheksa...... Stoory Cellar...... Restaurant Central...... Pizza Grande...... Market...... Haapsalu Kuursaal...... Grand HolmMarina...... Café Rondo...... Promenaadi Hotel...... Paralepa...... Kongo Hotel...... Hermannuse Maja...... Haapsalu YachtClub...... Fra Mare...... Endla Hostel...... SLEEPING DRINKING EATING TRANSPORT

8 Kooli

on the station’s west onthe station’s Koidula

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11 ὄ

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Ants LaikmaHouse Metsa Noarootsi (35km);

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(Raudtee- 23 22 21 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 20

C5 C3 B2 C4 C2 C3 C3 C4 C3 C5 A5 C4 C3 B2 A5 C4 C4 A4 130 ESTONIA ESTONIA salu Kuursaal bythemagnificent1905 and passes the shoreline. The of togracestatues wildanimalsthatused rikarand), which earneditsnamefromthe overlooking thepint-sized tower .ee; Sadama tänav22;s/d€45/55Kr; seekers inthesummer,with serene beachfront. Itattractsplentyof sun isthe train station, Bench nius andthesymphony-playing Abrahammud-cure DrCarl pioneer Hun- nade, includingasundialcommemorating ionable eraare scattered alongtheprome- Sculptures datingfromHaapsalu’s fash- as arestaurant insummer(see opposite ). Sleeping right , formore info. (ValgeLady boxed See text, DaamiPäevad). biggest isDaysof annualevent theWhite weekend of(second the August),though weekend of August)andthe There’s alsothe music, artsandcraftsfestival (mid-July). tractions are JuneandAugust.Amongtheat- between certs andfestivals, mostare although held Haapsalu hasapacked calendarof con- Festivals &Events (per hr60Kr; century Jaani tänav, Lossiplats,isthe16th- eastoff Koolitänav and along leafystreets. Between forastrollpastoldwoodenhouses setting the hubof the historic centre –anidyllic The streets inthearea aroundthecastleare OTHER ATTRACTIONS 131 Fra Mare great views (buthit-and-miss food). The all-glass barand restaurant alsooffers views. rooms, all withbalconies andsea water’s edge, Promenaadihas attractive 750/1050Kr; outdoor caféand arestaurant. pool,an the floraltheme. Ithas aseawater are butabit heavy-handed comfortable with includingmudbaths. Rooms of spaservices, peaceful waterfront location andafullrange Just northof thechurch isa On thewestern edge of town,beyondthe Promenaadi Hotel WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Haapsalu thatyoucanclimbandasmallpark , erected in1940.

( St John’sChurch % n h 472 4600; www.framare.ee; Ranna tee2;s/d 472 4600;www.framare.ee; Ranna ) (SpaHall), 11am-5pm) Haapsalu’s bestspahotel hasa ‘Medieval Haapsalu’ ‘Medieval Ladies inJazzFestival

( Paralepa Park Forest % promenade nearby. (Jaani Kirik). 473 7250;www.promenaadi euro currency converter

which functions Africa Beach Africa n rowboat rental rowboat rental beginshere , athree-day bird-watching ) Blues Festival Set onthe Set Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky witha (first (Aaf- Haap-

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt .ee; Karja 1a;s/d/tw/ste 500/650/750/950Kr; .ee; Karja n 4; tent/bedperperson40/150Kr,caravan150Kr; guestrooms. furnished en-suite comfortably has several known foritscolourfulpub,Hermannuse and a beautifully set dining room. The food and a beautifully set outdoor terrace overlooking the marina vans; asimplecaféoverlooks thebeach. back accommodates tent campingandcara- shared bathrooms.Thegrassy lawnatthe this placeoffers simple, cleanroomswith Grand Holm Marina Grand Holm Marina Eating & Drinking 50-175Kr) It’s popularwith budget travellers. with shared bathrooms andaguestkitchen. storey buildinghassmall basicquarters Located onaquiet street, thiswhite two- Jun-Aug 950/1150/1350Kr; 700/850/1000Kr, Sep-Apr tänav19;s/d/dwithkitchen Kalda included. in town.Breakfast andmorning sauna Kongo isprobably themoststylish hotel airy roomsandlight-coloured wood floors, Endla tänav5;tw/tr360/500Kr; Kongo Hotel Endla Hostel Endla Hostel Hermannuse Maja Hermannuse Maja Paralepa around thewalltoawaitshadow. tle grounds,after whicheveryone gathers to seeaplayrecounting thestoryincas- August excited youngcrowdsstayoutlate intobecloseherlover-monk.sneaked In woman, disguisedinmonasticvestments, upwhenheheardthatayoungworked male enclave, andthearchbishopgotpretty the walls. Backthen,thecastlewasanall- upalive14th centurywasbricked inside shadow iscastbyayounggirl whointhe thedral window.Accordingtolegend,the angle castsaghostlyshadowacrossca- gust andFebruary, moonlightataprecise apparition. Duringthefullmoonevery Au- adults –andculminates withaghastly theatrestorytelling forthe forthekids, full moon.The daybegins withmerriment– the White Lady Haapsalu’s biggestannualevent, DAYS OFTHEWHITELADY ) Located nearHaapsalu’s beach, sandy Haapsalu’s bestrestaurant hasan

( % (

% 5564 1674; [email protected]; Ranna tee tee 5564 1674;[email protected];Ranna ( % coincideswiththeAugust 473 7999;www.hot.ee/hostelendla; ( % ( 472 4800;www.kongohotel.ee; % n 565 2887; Westmeri 3; meals 565 2887;Westmeri 473 7131;www.hermannus www.lonelyplanet.com h ) Set with pleasant, withpleasant, Set reception 1-6pm; n Days of h ) Better Better Jun-Aug; Jun-Aug; n )

the isfriendly,and music isbad,buttheservice smoked andoven-baked cheese, trout.The 40-150Kr) 40-110Kr) meals 180Kr) 5.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat&Sun) 5.30pm Mon-Fri, 135Kr) held here. Check website forlistings. ortheconcertsandperformances cocktails garden are abigdraw.Comeforcoffee, andsurroundingrose setting the seaside national, somewhatoverpriced fare, but a beautiful1898spahall,you’llfind inter- terrace attheback. dishes. Outdoor decent pizzasandItalian has live musiconweekends. features alarge outdoorterrace and often the freshly grilled food, buttheonlythingcommendable is makes alovely foradrink.Itserves setting backyard, perched ontheedge of thelake, bar downstairs. also anoutdoorterrace andanatmospheric such as variedselections tasty followed bywarmrhubarbtart. juniper-smoked duckbreast withpolenta, is delicious.Forsomethingdifferent trythe www.lonelyplanet.com The &Away There Getting buses toKärdla, Hiiumaa (threebuses hours). (110Kr to170Kr, 4½ hours), and two daily There’s also one dailybusto/from Tartu Tallinn (65Krto80Kr, 1½hours, 100km). connect Haapsaluleast 17 daily buses and side thepretty At butdefunct trainstation. miss fresh strawberriesin summer. few blocks east of Don’t thebus station. cosy spotjustforadrink. it’sa heartymeals,though this pubserves ings, andawarminvitingatmosphere, Market Market cinnamon buns. old caféwithfreshly baked applecakes and 45Kr) Promenaadi 1;mealsaround175Kr; Pizza Grande Café Rondo Café Kuursaal Haapsalu Club Kaheksa Club Kaheksa Stoory Cellar Stoory Cellar Hermannuse Maja Restaurant Central Restaurant For fresh fruitsandvegetables visitthe crème brûlée This stylishlounge, caféandrestaurant bus station During thesummerthiscafé’sgrassy WitheclecticSouthPacific furnish- (Turg; Jaamatänav; (Turg; This casual, popular spot serves Thiscasual,popularspotserves This elegantdiningroomoffers

( % (

% ( ( ( % % is not to be missed. There’s isnottobemissed. % 474 4592;Postitänav7; 473 5568;Suur-Lossi15;meals75- shashlik 473 4791;Jaamatänav 1) ( 473 7200; Karja tänav 6;meals 473 7200;Karja

5665 7963;Ehte8;mealsfrom % ( % ( % euro currency converter 509 7795; www.kuursaal.ee; 509 7795;www.kuursaal.ee; 473 7131; Karja 1a;meals 473 7131;Karja h 473 5595; Karja tänav21; 473 5595;Karja h . 7am-2pm Tue-Sun) a May-Aug) Acharming farfalle WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••AroundHaapsalu h Inside 8.30am- isin- with

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Mon-Fri, to3pmSat) Mon-Fri, 2796; Karja 22; bikes perhr/day25/100Kr; 22;bikes 2796; Karja available from Linnamäe, Oru district; rperperson140-240Kr) Linnamäe, Orudistrict; Sep, 10am-4pmWed-Sunmid-Sep Sep, (Ants Laikmaamajamuuseum; yond Taebla, is About 10kmeastof Haapsalu, and2kmbe- pop 3000 Taebla AROUND HAAPSALU 3) Westmeri You canrent bicyclesat Around Getting to goTallinn first. Pärnu, VirtsuorKuressaare, Saaremaa, is Unfortunately, thefastest waytoreach p137 and p135 from Rohuküla, 9kmwestof Haapsalu. See forferry details. lated light-sand beach. lated light-sand ofor just enjoy thefabulous expanse iso- can camp alongthisstretch, take somesun Nõva andDirhami.You coastline between covered –beaches liealong thenorthern Some of Estonia’sloveliest –andleastdis- Tuksi &Around service, call service, andtheYachtthe busstation Club.Fortaxi abouthourlybetween Bus2goes bus station. aretimetables posted atLossiplatsandthe andRohuküla; Lossi plats,thetrainstation on thegiantswing (akakiiking). volleyball, walksin theforest, oragoround there are ampleopportunities forleisure – well liked byyoungEstoniantravellers, and It’s orinthemainhouse. summerhouse ily homestead withbedsinapretty wooden north of Taebla atLinnamäe,isasmallfam- Taebla. Tallinn–Haapsalu roadwilldrop you at alongthe Buses itself. building thehouse extended todesigningand art. Hisefforts apparently) (insixweeks tostudy Germany from 200Krperperson. commodation intheregion, withrooms than 2600kmfromR (1866–1942),whowalked moreLaikmaa ofeclectic house inexhaustibleartistAnts cession 15/5Kr; Ferries toHiiumaaandVormsileave Haapsalu’s touristoffice canarrange ac- Kiige Farm Kiige . Bus 1 runs almost hourly between . Bus1runsalmosthourlybetween ESRA Taxi h

( % Grand Holm Marina Grand HolmMarina 10am-6pm Wed-Sunmid-May . Car andbicyclerental is . Car Ants LaikmaaHouseMuseum 479 5492; www.hot.ee/kiigefarm; 479 5492;www.hot.ee/kiigefarm;

( % ī Vaba Aeg Rattad Rattad Vaba Aeg ga to Düsseldorf in ga toDüsseldorf % 473 4555) – 472 9756;adult/con- mid - . Apr) h ( % , inthe 10am-6pm 10am-6pm , 10km 565 2887; 565 2887; ( % – 132 mid 521 521

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ESTONIA ESTONIA €75/110/144) .ee; Tuksi; 1-/2-/3-bedroomcottageinclbreakfast from trip ina10-personboat1300Kr) trip camp, bringfoodandwater withyou. The islandisuninhabited, soifyouplan to wasbuiltherearmy base intheearly1940s. After theywereUSSR. driven outaSoviet presence priortotheirforcedexodusby the and the VikinggodOden.Theisland’s Odensholm, thelegendary burialplaceof by EstonianSwedes.It’sknownto themas from themainlandthatwasonce inhabited 133 of of and views toHaapsalu fromthe oldvillage era at There’s anoldchurch fromthe Swedish eral centuriesbefore their exodusin1944. road. EstonianSwedes lived here forsev- the bayfromHaapsalu butabout35kmby The Noarootsi Peninsula is2kmacross pop 750 Noarootsi Peninsula and Österby 1¼hours. viaPürksi, taking and rowboatrentals are available. andtennis sauna courts.Bicycle,sailboard caravan space. Onsite are arestaurant, bar, cottages have facilities; there’s disabled also ette, living room,shower andveranda. Two wood cottages are equippedwithkitchen- relatively neatall- beach. deserted These complex inapineforest besidealovely, able captain cantake youto able captain metres northof Tuksi,where aknowledge- daily exceptMondayandThursday. which goonceeachDirhami buses, way that gothere are Haapsalu–Variku–Nõva– well offthebeaten trackandtheonlybuses LinnamäeandRiguldi.It’s 30km through 2km eastof Herjava andcontinueabout north off themainTallinn–Haapsalu road beach.1.5km toasandy Island canbearranged. FromRoosi,it’s andexcursions toOsmussaareguest use, andforest. Thekitchensea isavailable for private homewithinastone’sthrowof the commodation isprovided inthisfriendly isalittlefurthernorthatNõva.Roosta, Ac- italu; dperperson220Kr) Roosta HolidayVillage One daily bus goes between Haapsalu between One dailybus goes Roosi Talu There’s a To get toTuksifromHaapsalu, turn Österby WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Vormsi chapel ruins Hosby . isanattractive holidaycottage harbour , afine manor parkat ( % are reminders of theSwedish 525 3408;www.hot.ee/roositurism , not to be confused with , nottobeconfused atDirhami,afew kilo-

, a small island 7.5km , asmallisland7.5km euro currency converter ( % 479 7230;www.roosta Osmussaare cemetery Pürksi

(round (round

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt rikukivi), nearDiby inthenortheast. .ee; RumpoVillage) huküla, 9kmwestof Haapsalu. Sviby onVormsi’ssouthcoastfromRo- insula. Ferries make the10km-crossing to and the 5.8m-high boulder, and the5.8m-high (and thefamousArcticlichen); per stands southern inthegraveyard; crosses wheel-shaped the pulpit andacollection of oldSwedish-style, church salu. Both placeslisted heresalu. rent out bicycles orat the tourist office inHaap-.vormsi.ee) You can findmore options online (www Sleeping Hullo. due southof the stretch Sviby between and it’s ashortwalkto to Saksby,thewesternmost village, where 7km bypaved anddirtroadwillbringyou lage, liesabout3kmwestof Sviby. Afurther of paved road. take acarorwalk. There are about 10km place totourbybicycle,butyoucould also aging 6kmfromnorthtosouth– is agood Vormsi –16kmfromeasttowest and aver- Sights Landscape Reserve isavailable in HulloBay, through landscape, includingthe30protected islets More informationabout thewildlife and &Information Orientation other birdspecies. than peregrine falcons–alongwith200 Swedes until1944.Todaycars are rarer largely humansettlements, owing tosparse Vormsi hasremained largely undisturbed now lieburiedundertherocklike coral). 10,000 years ago. thattrolls (Some believe one forest byretreating –brought glaciers tic Circle. There’s coralreef even hiddenin where Arcticlichen growssouthof theArc- cinating: thisistheonlyplaceinworld the landscape. Vormsi’stopographyisfas- wooded meadows,withtinylakes dotting forests, mixed pastures withcoastal and sq km),liescovered inpineandspruce Vormsi, Estonia’sfourthbiggest island(93 pop 340 VORMSI Vormsi lies3kmoff theNoarootsiPen- Other highlights include the Other highlights atHullo,which hasa finebaroque Rumpo Peninsula . Hullo

( % , Vormsi’slargest vil- 472 9430;http://vormsi.silma lighthouse www.lonelyplanet.com , dotted withjuni- Church Rock . Rumpois 14th-century Vormsi (Ki- .vormsi.ee/ellemall; rperpersonfrom240Kr; also daily buses to/fromTallinn.also dailybuses bus exceptonSundaymorning.There are posted. AlltheVormsiferries waitforthis where areand thebusstation, timetables times daily)toRohuküla fromLossiplats tion office. check withtheHaapsalu touristinforma- (inEstonian)orwww.kihnu.ee/veeteed andfares1069. Forthelatest timetable visit separate woodencottageseparate (year-round). windmill (summeronly)orroomsinsidea There’s aromanticdoubleroominside a other goodoptionisthiscosyspotinHullo. reserve aplaceinadvancebycalling reserve If you’re avehicle taking inthesummer, Rohuküla forSviby twotothree timesdaily. cession/car 30/14/110Kr,45minutes) leaves A vehicle ferry andpassenger (adult/con- &Away There Getting per personcampsite/bed35/240Kr; fast intheprice. and boats,have andincludebreak- saunas, www.lonelyplanet.com last untilNovember. Autumn migration beginsinJulyandcan but somespecies arrive asearlyMarch. the westEstonianCoast. inletin 20km longandisalsothedeepest Matsaluencompasses which isover Bay, aroundsince1957.Thereserve has been have counted here, been andthereserve in Europe. Some275different birdspecies and breeding ground,bothintheBaltics isaprime Reserve bird-migration and A bird-watcher’s paradise, Matsalu Nature MATSALU NATURE RESERVE have access tokitchen andgrill. have anauthentic,old-stylefeel, andguests fers Vormsi’sbestaccommodation. Rooms of- the coast,thishandsomefarmhouse Near Rumpo,andjustafew steps from serve’s headquarters is3km north of the serve’s as the ground iswet andmuddy. The re- Salumägi (1.5km).Bring reliable footwear, one atPenijõe (5km),another atSalevere Keemu. There are twomarked built atPenijõe, Kloostri,Haeska, Suitsuand resting sites over variousterrain, have been Haapsalu townbus1runsregularly (10 Rumpo MäeTalu Bird-watching towers Bird-watching Spring migration peaksinApril/May, Elle-Malle BoardingHouse Elle-Malle ( % , withextensive views of 472 9932;www.hot.ee/streng; euro currency converter

WESTERN ESTONIA & THE ISLANDS •• Matsalu Nature Reserve Nature Reserve WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Matsalu ( % h 473 2072;www nature trails nature Apr-Nov; n % ) An- n 443 ) ,

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Fri mid-Apr–Sep, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri Oct 8am-5pmMon-Fri mid-Apr–Sep, Fri 4236; www.matsalu.ee; lu’s avian riches. who have awealthof knowledge onMatsa- out. Thisoutfitemploysnaturalistguides from themainland, 22kmaway. anger theirelusive relatives. of theirfamilytree, asthis can however, Hiiumites rarely discuss thisunique aspect of bornontheisland.Modern-day those be ahaven forfairies andelves, ancestors ered trueresidents. to Hiiumaaisalsosaid islanders) for10years before beingconsid- the name People whomove ontotheislandmustcarry (theherooverlevipoeg onthemainland). whohadnothingtodowithKa-as Leiger, rich folklore fullof such legendary heroes, landers have auniquetake onthings,anda land Estonia,it’snotsurprisingthat theis- withabitofplace intheBaltics swell. ride or,onrare surf–theonly days,even abitmore activitycanhike,seeking horse with over 100different birdspecies.Those kers, emptybeaches andanature reserve old Soviet eerie turesque bun- lighthouses, and simplyrelax amidpastoralsplendour. ors comehere tobreathe air inthefresh sea there’s plentytodoontheisland,mostvisit- line andaforest-covered interior. Though stretcheswith somedelightful of coast- populatedis apeacefulandsparsely place Hiiumaa, Estonia’ssecond-biggest island, pop 11,000 HIIUMAA mari bird-watching trip,considercontacting in advance. Ifyou’re planninganextensive ing inthearea. the centre It’sbesttocontact bird-watching. Itcanalsorecommend lodg- daysoftrips aroundthereed bankstoseveral tours fromtwo-hourcanoe of the reserve, centre canhookyouupwithguidesoffering permanent exhibitionwithslideshow. The There you’llfindasmall Tallinn–Virtsu roadatPenijõe, nearLihula. Hiiumaa’s eastern from Tallinn end.Buses Rohuküla onthemainland andHeltermaa at and vehicleA passenger ferry runs between THERE&AWAYGETTING Hiiumaa (1000sq km)isnotquite visible Given theirrelative isolationfrommain- Scattered about Hiiumaayou’llfindpic- ( % 477 8214;www..ee) isehakanud hiidlane h 8am-5pm Sat-Thu, 8am-3.45pm visitor centre before youhead – mid (would-be - Apr)

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Ku- 472 472 ESTONIA ESTONIA 135 0 10 km 0 6 miles

HIIUMAA WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Hiiumaa

Tahkuna Tahkuna Peninsula 82 B A L T I C

Tourist Centre Hiiumaa Saksby Norrby VORMSI Mihkli Farm Hari Strait Rälby Diby S E A Museum euro currency converter Hullo 80 Ristimägi Sviby Kärdla Suuremõisa Airport Rumpo Kõrgessaare

81 Hellamaa HIIUMAA Ristna Kõpu Peninsula To Rohuküla Kalana (2km) Hüti 80 Kõpu  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 84 Suuremõisa 80 Heltermaa

Õngu 83 Heinlaid Salinõmme Männamaa ὈὈRavarahu Käina Leluselja Kassari Käina Chapel Haldi Bay Kassari Utu Saarnaki Orjaku Hiiumaa Hanikatsi Jausa Museum 83 Kõverlaid www.lonelyplanet.com Valgu Sääre Tirp Kõrgelaid 84 Anerahu Harju Hiiumaa Islets Kassari Bay Landscape Reserve

Tohvri Sõru

To Triigi (12km) ticket office ticket Rohuküla ticket office Rohuküla ticket ticketsYou canalsopurchase ateitherport: parts. Have yourvehicle registration handy. up atleast20minutes before theferry de- be onthesafe andshow side,bookahead, but ifyou’re acarandyouwantto taking ture times. way, 1½hours). Checkwebsite fordepar- daily (adult/child/vehicle 45/20/95Kr one Rohuküla andHeltermaa fourtosixtimes maa, nearthe ferry landing. of Hiiumaa,to TriigionSaaremaa. ferry terminal, onthesouthwesternmost tip hour) twotothree timesdailyfrom Sõru ferry (adult/vehicle 20/75Kr oneway, asyouleavethe right the pier. 245/215Kr, 30minutes). and Kärdla(adult/concessiononeway TallinnSaturdays andSundaysbetween per dayMondaytoFriday,andonceon SLK Ferries SLK Ferries Boat Avies Air Air maa, just5.5kmaway. end. hitch theferries or askforliftsoff ateither either ferry terminal. It’salsocommon to orpickyouupat willdropyouoff buses ferry crossingisincludedinthetrip.Other via Haapsalu runallthewaytoHiiumaa; www.lonelyplanet.com Kärdla, eral sideroutes; the rest are dirtroads.In Paved roadscircleHiiumaaandcover sev- AROUND GETTING andRohuküla.salu hours), which inHaap- canalsobecaught Tallinn toKärdla(140Kr to160Kr,4½ There are dailyfrom twotothree buses Bus Kärdla and Käina. as well bicycles.There are at fuelstations per day.Padu Hotell ( p138 ) alsorents cars www.laevakompanii.ee) .hiiumaa.ee; Põllu2a) alaenutus; perday €7) Most peopledon’tbothercallingahead, SLK Ferries A ferry alsoconnectsHiiumaaandSaare- Jalgrattarent Jalgrattarent Jaanus Jesmin Jaanus Jesmin ( %

(Saaremaa Laevakompanii; (Saaremaa Laevakompanii; ( % 605 8002;www.avies.ee)

463 1630) ( also operates ayear-round % rents outcars from300Kr rents bicycles in Helter- runsferries between 5660 6377; www.hot.ee/jalgratt ( % ( , asmallbuildingon % euro currency converter 473 3666) 511 2225;www.carrent or % flies twice Heltermaa Heltermaa 452 4444; WESTERN ESTONIA & THE ISLANDS •• Hiiumaa WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Hiiumaa  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt www.tiitreisid.ee; Sadamatänav13,Kärdla) are available through posted inKärdlaor insidethebusstation notveryisland, though often. Schedules are some fromKäina,get tomostplacesonthe the culturalcentre, thelibraryprovidesInternet access. fairly commononHiiumaa’sroads. Hiiumaa Protected Areas Administration Areas Protected Hiiumaa Centre Cultural INFORMATION down tothesea. which runs end. TothewestisRannapark, lies200mnorthofbus station itsnorthern main Heltermaa–Kõrgessaare road.The Square), alongplaza500mnorthof the The centre of townisKeskväljak (Central ORIENTATION of allkinds. Hiiumaa’s centre forservices phere andfew diversions exceptthatit’s and tree-lined streets, atmos- withasleepy ing WWII.It’sagreen townfullof gardens factory foundedin1829anddestroyeddur- Hiiumaa’s ‘capital’ grew uparoundacloth pop 3950 Kärdla manorandpark Suuremõisa you canvisitthechateaulike, late-baroque At Suuremõisa, 6kminlandfromHeltermaa, toKärdla Heltermaa Tourist office Tourist the busstation arrangesaccommodation andtours. this travelagencyinside experts, tänav 13)Run byHiiumaa Tiit Reisid Post office Library mark thegrave of arulerof Sweden. northeast of themanor,suggest thatthey Agreement of rocksknownasthe surroundingamoundcentury. Legends nearby rich baronialUngern-Sternberg family.The century. Thepropertyoncebelonged tothe h and brochures available. areas. Maps andprotected landscapereserves Hiiumaa’s Oversees 1;www.bka.hiiuloodus.ee) 2101; Vabrikuväljak mid-May–mid-Sep, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri mid-Sep–mid-May) mid-Sep–mid-May) 10am-5pm Mon-Fri mid-May–mid-Sep, tänav 1; occasional exhibitions and performances. occasional exhibitionsandperformances. Buses, nearly all radiating from Kärdla but nearlyallradiatingfromKärdlabut Buses, 10am-4pm Jun-Sep) h ( % Pühalepa Church ( (Keskväljak 3) (Keskväljak 9am-6pm Mon-Fri & 10am-3pm Sat & Sun &10am-3pm Sat&Sun 9am-6pm Mon-Fri % (Põhilise leppekivid),about 1km (Põhilise 463 2142; Rookopli tänav 18) Next doorto 463 2142;Rookoplitänav 18)Next ( % 463 2077;www.tiitreisid.ee; Sadama ( % 462 2232; www.hiiumaa.ee; 462 2232;www.hiiumaa.ee; Hiiu 463 2192;Rookoplitänav18)Hosts , created inthemid-18th dates fromthe13th Tiit Reisid Stones oftheAncient

(adult/concession 10/5Kr; . Hitching is

( % ( 463 2077; 463 2077; %

136 462 ESTONIA ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ

ESTONIA 137 House (100m) To NõmmeGuest

Kõrgessaare maantee 4 6 1 3 2 5 KÄRDLA

Pikk WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Hiiumaa Metsa

Allika Bay

Rannapark Tiigi

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Vabaduse Kärdla Lubjaahju 12 3 Kabeli 1 9

0.2miles 300m 0 0 Bus Station...... Baar Espresso...... Raanapaargu...... Konsum...... Arteesia...... Kivij˜ri Kulalistemaja...... Hiiumaa TennisClub...... Hiiumaa Museum...... Ühispank...... Tourist Office...... Post Office...... Library...... Administration...... Cultural Centre...... TRANSPORT DRINKING EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Hiiumaa ProtectedAreas INFORMATION

Rookopli 14 Rookopli 7 Keskväljak Vabrikuväljak

euro currency converter Käina maantee Käina 5 11

6 2 Kalda 13

Turu 10 4 To Käina (20km)

8

Linnapark B

Heltermaa maantee Heltermaa

Põllu Sadama Posti Airport (4km); Hotel (100m); Heltermaa 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Padu

(25km) Hiiu Uus A4 B5 A2 B5 A6 B5 A3 B5 B5 B4 A5 B4 Eha B4 A4  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Hotell. shore,clean, sandy acaféandminigolf. Mon-Sat, 11am-10pmSun) 300/500Kr; Kõrgessaare maantee1;s/dinclbreakfast/kivijuri; the patio andlotsof greenery nearby. hassimplerooms.There’shouse abackyard store. provisions at theisland’slargest grocery stop before sightseeing. pit the bestcoffee intown.It’sapleasant 65Kr) with asmallpool,andrelaxing café. rooms, allwithbalconies.There’s asauna two-storeypleasant hotel hascosywooden 6pm Mon-Satnoon-6pmSun) off, a 15-minuteoff, ride. road fromKärdla past theMalvaste turn- adaytravel buses alongthe main Several THERE&AWAYGETTING Raanapaargu EATING & DRINKING Padu Hotell SLEEPING % Jul-Apr) sion 10/5Kr; seum On arainyday,visitthesmall SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Ühispank great viewover thearea. office ishousedinanoldfire tower. Climbupthestepsfora Tour Italsosellsthe accommodation andguideservice. mapsandcanhelparrange centre distributes This friendly cloth factory,andworkfromlocalartists. there are few otheroptions. anyone?),but basic fare (meatandpotatoes, are held here onweekends (entrance25Kr). forameal. Danceparties setting a pleasant shaped restaurant withoutdoor patiooffers ns termaa maantee22;s/d/aptinclbreakfast 450/650/800Kr; You canhire bicyclesandcars fromPadu Arteesia Kulalistemaja Kivijüri Call theHiiumaa Call Konsum Baar Espresso Baar Espresso , a 40-page driving tour of the island in English. The touroftheislandinEnglish.The , a40-pagedriving 463 3010;Turu tänav2) beach Overlooking thebeach, thispyramid- Overlooking

( , which hasdisplaysrelated tothe % ) Oneof Kärdla’sbetter options,this n (Keskväljak 7)MoneyexchangeandATM.(Keskväljak (followLubjaahiutänav) there’s a 463 2091; Vabrikuväljak tänav8;adult/conces- 463 2091;Vabrikuväljak

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(Keskväljak; (

% ) ( ( Thisbright-red, warmcountry % % 10am-5pm May-Jun, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri 10am-5pm May-Jun, 10am-5pmMon-Fri 463 2173;Kesk ( % 463 2053; Lubjaahju tänav3; meals 35- 463 2053;Lubjaahju 463 3037;www.paduhotell.ee;Hel- 463 1213; H

This cheery place serves Thischeery placeserves h aboutcourthire. At This tiny café serves Thistinycaféserves tennis club tennis ( 9am-9pm) % www.lonelyplanet.com väljak 469 1002;www.hot.ee iiu tänav 1a; iiu tänav 5; Load upon Load

Hiiumaa Mu- Hiiumaa h (Tenniseklubi; 9am-11pm Lighthouse Lighthouse h 10am-

Farm Museum west of Kärdla, there’s theopen-air Kõrgessaare roadfromaturning10km bunker bringatorch. towander through; bases deserted you’llsee wards Lehtma, ially onthewindingdirtroadeastwards to- 1994, whenthe direction in September night asthatfatal andinthesame speed blows withthesame suspended; itonlyringswhen the wind sculpted facesis which abellwithcarved, ahuge cross,fromthebottom ofencases frame Facing metal the12m-tall outtosea, h mended forsensitive eyes. old-fashioned experience–butnotrecom- can holdupto 10 people. It’saunique, smoke (builtin1915)forhire, sauna which .ee; cabin perperson 180Kr,holiday house 2000-2500Kr; to thevictimsof the aneerie itstands Behind Germans. offwhilestillfiringatthe and flunghimself man climbedtothetopof thelighthouse bravely tothebitter end, andthelast fought Sovietthe official storywasthattheSoviets andRussian troopsduringWWII; German This area wasthesceneof abattlebetween tip, there’s a ors toHiiumaalayacrossthere. It hasbecomeatraditionforfirst-time visit- of worship before leaving theislandin1781. living onHiiumaaperformedtheirfinalact the spotwhere thelast1200Swedish people mark themainroad.These justoff crosses Crosses timägi, 7kmwestof Kärdla,there’s a of promise abetteron thefalse life. AtRis- to leave, withmanyendingupinUkraine late 18th century,whentheywere forced population of free Swedishfarmers untilthe west of Kärdla. NorthernHiiumaahada stretches Sea, 8kmnorthintotheBaltic populatedThe sparsely Tahkuna Peninsula Peninsula Tahkuna www.lonelyplanet.com Peninsula. there are goodoptions onTahkuna several If you’re of lookingfor adose nature, SLEEPING Less than 1km northofLess Malvaste, thisfriendly At Malvaste, 2kmnorthof theKärdla– On theroadsouthof Tahkuna, andespec- At Tahkuna, onthepeninsula’snorthwest Kalda Puhketalu Puhketalu Kalda 10am-6pm mid-May–mid-Sep) , includingacomplete underground , asmalldunedecked withhandmade

( % lighthouse Estonia ( 523 2225;adult/concession10/5Kr; % 462 2122;www.kaldapuhketalu Estonia euro currency converter wentdown. datingfrom1875. . Ithasaworking ferry disaster. Soviet army army Soviet memorial Mihkli Mihkli Hill of Hill n WESTERN ESTONIA & THE ISLANDS •• Hiiumaa WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Hiiumaa )

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt restaurant near the lighthouse base. base. restaurant nearthelighthouse small informationboothnextdoor tothe lighthouse atTahkuna.lighthouse Paris, where itwasmade,together with the toHiiumaabyfreighterwas brought from holm isjustover 200kmwestof here). It ern endof the peninsulanear www.paap.ee) (therefore oldest)partsof theisland. which takes inforest paths alongthehighest mark, isthe1.5kmRebastemäe ofaway. East here, nearthe61kmhighway 55km itcan beseen in 1845.At37mhigh, the present white limestonetowerwasbuilt bitof on thisraised landsince1531,though hasstood intheworld.Alighthouse house third-oldest, continuouslyoperationallight- a vodka factory), this place offers fairly in a picturesque 1880s building (formerly along Tõnupsi beach northof there. tion booth. Youcanalso campforfree concession 20/10Kr; Sauna available. tothebeach.wooden cabins.It’sclose fers more rusticaccommodationinsmall (see (see below ) onyourwaywestward. except aquaintrestaurant andguesthouse of Kärdla,offers littlebywayof distractions The harbourvillage of Hiiumaa Western and boathire are available. beach.cation 200mfromasandy Sauna,bike fireplace andbathroom.It’sanexcellentlo- larger each withkitchen, holidayhouses, shared(with separate bathrooms)andmuch tourist farmrents outsimplewoodencabins the inland ing youcanarrange At Kõpulighthouse, SLEEPING &EATING the we’re about. talking Sea the Baltic cam) before youcome. Remember, thisis conditions (Paradiis’ website hasaweb- and wetsuitsorhave Check surf asauna. beach. Youcanhire kayaks, surfboards sea n campsite50Kr,cabinperperson150Kr; /etutvustus.htm; You canget more informationatthe A second lighthouse stands atthewest- stands lighthouse A second Near Ristnais Viinakök Viinakök The best-knownlandmarkinHiiumaais Randmäe ) ( Justsouthof Kalda, thisplaceof- % 469 3476;campsite20Kr)

, set onastretch, set of lovely sandy ( Kõpu lighthouse % ( % 469 3337;Kõrgessaare; d500Kr) h 5691 3883;www.hot.ee/puhketalu 9am-10pm May–mid-Sep) uf Paradiis Surf Kõrgessaare

attheinforma- ( % Ristna 469 3474;adult/ ( % , 20km west , 20kmwest nature trail nature 5625 1015; (Stock-

camp- , the Set 138

, ESTONIA ESTONIA tory on theroadtoKassari, isa small reserve. naturetake youthrough trailswithinthe tion ( p137 ) publishesavarietyof leaflets to the HiiumaaProtected Areas Administra- Theheadquartersbreed atKäinaBay. of a mudfield.About 70 different species dries upandbecomesnothingmore than hot summermonths alarge partof the bay also findashort walkingtrail.Duringthe north ofonKassari, where Orjaku you’ll the actionfrom bird-watching tower Island sari to bythetwincauseways the opensea from thatisvirtuallycutoff bird reserve imity totheshore of some of Estonia’sfirst orchestral works. ofRudolf Tobias (1873–1918),composer 6pm) h Tobias Museum road. Onthewestern edge of Käinaisthe wrecked byaWWIIbomb,nearthemain of afine fairly nondescriptplace,apartfromtheruins Hiiumaa’s second-largest isa settlement pop 2390 Käina &BayBirdReserve the peninsula. times dailyto/fromKalana neartheendof of theKõpuPeninsula, andtwoorthree to/from Kõrgessaare andLuidjaatthestart timesmostdays runseveral Kärdla buses THERE&AWAYGETTING bar tohelpitallgodown. lunch (110Kr),andthere’s awell-stocked anOKbuffet restaurant downstairs serves and shared bathrooms.Themore attractive colours,shabby roomspainted inundersea 139 Hotell Liilia Hotell SLEEPING &EATING knitting. There’s adecent caféonsite. wool inbulkifyou wanttodoyourown to sweaters andmittens, thefactorysells some finetraditional knitwear. Inaddition weaving andspinning machines toproduce maantee 22; s/d/trinclbreakfast 700/800/1000Kr; ing, Liilia has bright, airy rooms with hard- ing, Liilia has bright, inaSpanish colonial two-storey build- Set Four kilometres fromKäina,atVaemla The mainappealof thetownisitsprox- 10am-5pm mid-May–mid-Sep)

WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Hiiumaa , which still uses original 19th-century , which stilluses (Hiiu Vill; (Hiiu 15th-century stonechurch . Youcanget agoodviewover ( % %

( % 463 6121;admissionfree; 463 6146; www.liiliahotell.ee; Hiiu Hiiu 463 6146; www.liiliahotell.ee; 463 2091;adult/concession10/5Kr; Käina Bay euro currency converter , formerhomeof , an important , animportant , which was wool fac- h 10am- n Kas- )

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt adult/concession 10/5Kr; 250/500Kr; dren’s playground. drapes. There’s asmallpoolandchil- rooms withwildcarpetingandbright uninspiring brickbuildinghidesclean single-storey westoftance theSääre Tirp fork,isthe acts. Suur Tõlltovisitandjoininvarious heroic to buildSaaremaa, tomake for iteasier the result of anaborted bridge hestarted hero. hasitthattheSääre Legend Tirp is He wasarelative of SuurTõll,Saaremaa’s carrying aboulderonhisshoulder.Leiger, to Orjaku). to Orjaku). swimming beach towards Sääre Tirp you’llpassbyasmall a beautifulplaceforwalk.On theway which, ends inathin3kmspitof landthetipof ontory withsomeunusualvegetation and Hiiumaa bytwocauseways. scenery.It’slinkedsome strikingcoastal to covered withmixed woodlandandboasts This 8km-longislandisthickly pleasant pop 90 Kassari with fewer runsonweekends. KärdlaandKäina, dailygobetween buses island fromKäinatoKärdla. Five orsix A goodpaved roadruns20kmacrossthe THERE&AWAYGETTING Estonian andinternational dishes. also apopularrestaurant andbarserving wood floors andprivate bathrooms.There’s Lõokese tänav14;s/dfrom600/670Kr; Lõokese in the 1960s. the wolf that allegedly the island terrorised Tahkuna bodyof andthestuffed lighthouse curiosities: thejewel-like prism of the1874 maa’s history andbiodiversity. Among the collection of artefacts andexhibitson Hiiu- ters ontheKassari estate. Ithasasmall rental are available. 6pm MondaytoSaturday).Boatandcar lodge thatalsohasa 2pm Sat) Just inlandof themainroad,a shortdis- You’ll alsonoticea Southern Kassari narrowstoaprom- Tondilossi Lõokese Hotel Lõokese , which was formerly servants’ quar- , which wasformerlyservants’ Sääre TirpSääre n

) This is a comfortable, wooden Thisisacomfortable, ( % Hiiumaa Museum Hiiumaa

(about 500mpastthefork , juts out into the sea. It’s , jutsoutintothesea. ( 463 6337; Hiiu maantee11;s/d 463 6337;Hiiu % h 463 6107; www.lookese.com; 463 6107;www.lookese.com; statue

10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am- 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, café (open11amto www.lonelyplanet.com of thelocalhero,

ns ( % 463 2091; ) This sari Ratsamatkad Ratsamatkad sari pass Hiiumaa’s largest farm, the horse Kassari’s northeastern corner. path continues nearly2km toasmallbayin ernmost pointof theisland’spaved road.A directs youdownadirt roadfromtheeast- the eastendof Kassari. Asign‘Kassari Kabel 2’ a pretty, whitewashed, 18th-century www.lonelyplanet.com Along the waytothechapel, you’ll also Another enjoyable walk,ride ordrive isto were inneedofrepair. the commissioned bytheferry’s Germanmanufacturers argued that,contrarytotheJAICfindings, lies were stillcallingforanewinvestigation. fromSwedenandaninquiry Subsequentreports whom were Swedes. claimedover In2000aSwedishnewspaper survey fami- 70%ofvictims’ The alsometwithcriticismfromrelatives report impartially. act themajorityof ofthevictims, legations followedthatvitalinformationhadbeenwithheldandtheCommission didnot timetoonlyminutes.survival of theferry. Forthosewhodidescape,thefreezing conditionsofthewater thatnightreduced only 15minutes andtheywere deniedaccesstolifeboats duetothe suddenlistandsinking Estonia tight sealoftheloadingramp.This exposedthecardecktotonnesofseawater thatsankthe that duringthestormvisorwastornfrombowandinprocessbreached thewater- claimed thebowgate, orvisor,wasengineered inadequately forroughsailingconditionsand fault andthecrew insafety were probably underskilled and emergency procedures. The report by theEstonian,SwedishandFinnish governments, concluded that theferry’s designwasat anofficialinquiry oftheJointAccidentInvestigationIn 1997thefinalreport Commission(JAIC), dock atTallinn’s port. Estonians, even forthosewhoseonlyexperienceofitwouldbeseeingthehugewhite vessel 14 years. The ferry wasasourceofprideandsymbolfreedom tothenewlyindependent was already aveteran ofScandinavianseas,havingsailedbetweenSwedenandFinland for creasingly popularroute betweenTallinn The 15,000-tonneroll-on/roll-offferry andStockholm. thetragedy,whichclaimed852lives inoneofEurope’ssurvived worstmaritimedisasters. Estonia About Tahkuna ofHiiumaa’s 30nauticalmilesnorthwest Peninsula liesthewreck oftheferry M/S has been found liable and no compensation has been paid to the victims ortheirfamilies.has beenfoundliableandnocompensation hasbeenpaidtothevictims as amemorialtothedead;anestimated 700peopleare thoughttobeinside. Todate no-one governments ofEstonia,Finland andSweden are resolute thatthe ferry willremain where itsank fuelledconspiracy claimsandcallsforanewinquiry.Thesand tostabiliseitin2000,further initially listed assurvivors. Claims ofacover-up have beenbolstered bytheallegeddisappearanceofeightcrew members, lawsabouttocomeintoeffect. withnewexport an illicittradeinweaponswastobecurtailed Conspiracy theoristsclaimthatthe underwater mine,whileithasalsobeensuggested that theferry collidedwithanothervessel. feasible explanationforthedamagesustainedandferry’s rapidsinking. Estlinesuspected an prompted believe theoriesofanexplosiononboard,which explosive wouldbethemost experts In 2000ajointUS-Germandivingexpedition andnewanalysesofthe The integrity wasquestionedafter ofthereport dissentwithintheJAICbecamepublic. Al- The causeofthetragedyremains ofcontention thesubject andburgeoning conspiracytheory. In 1993theSwedish-Estonianjointventure Estlinelaunchedthe Unexplained interference withthewreck, alongwith theSwedishgovernment’s dumping of Estonia ESTONIA: completely withinonehour. Escapetimeforthe989peopleonboardwasestimated at , whichsankduringastormjustafter midnighton28September 1994.Only137people was not seaworthy, it had been poorly serviced andthevisor-securing mechanisms ithadbeenpoorlyserviced wasnotseaworthy, ( CONSIGNEDTOMYSTERY % 469 7102; www.kassari.ee; 1hr/ 469 7102; www.kassari.ee; euro currency converter Estonia chapel Kas- at at was transporting unregistered wastransporting munitionscargo, as WESTERN ESTONIA & THE ISLANDS •• Hiiumaa WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Hiiumaa  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt person/apt 40/200/1200Kr; day tour€10/40) Vetsi Tall SLEEPING &EATING untouched coastline. riding excursions forests through andalong wooden, barrel-shaped cabins. It alsorents Vetsi Tall offers accommodation in simple, and theforktoSääre Orjaku Tirp,between

( % 462 2550;www.vetsitall.ee; camp site/rper , which offers arange of horse- Estonia Estonia’s n ) to service thein- toservice Onthe main road recovered visor

140 ESTONIA ESTONIA breakfast 790Kr; near Sõru),Nurste day. andÕnguevery Valgu, Harju, Emmaste, Tohvri (inthesouth Kärdla. idja, theendof thepaved roadwestfrom to thewestern KõpuPeninsula andtoLu- of Haldi, Õngu dirtroadscontinuethrough maa depart)isbleaker withfew trees. North the harbourof Sõru(where ferries toSaare- land. Thesoutherntipof Hiiumaaaround west-facing stretch of coastanditshinter- Hamlets andisolated farmsteads dotthe northwest toendatHaldi, justpastNurste. windmills. AtEmmaste themainroadturns wide marshy strip. lages fromthecoast bya3km- separated Valgusouthwest through andHarju, vil- The mainpaved roadfromKäinaruns Southern Hiiumaa possible tohitch. inKärdlaforthelatestoffice times.It’salso Kärdla andKassari. Check withthetourist There are adaybetween onlytwobuses THERE&AWAYGETTING the sideof theroad. to Sääre Tirp. by Stopinatthesnackstand able neartheswimmingbeach onthe way maa’s better options. 10pm). ThefoodisbasicbutamongHiiu- 50Kr to80Kr;restaurant open10amto have tavern amealatthepleasant (meals or thesauna kitchen. Youcancamp,use three-rooma comfortable apartment with 141 Over 600plant species –almost half Esto- Over and otherspecies.swans, barnacle geese goosanders, aswella migration haltfor cies, including avocets, eiderducksand a breeding placeforsome 110 bird spe- its headquarters ( p137 ) inKärdla. Thisis Protected Areas Administrationwhich has nowincorporated into theHiiumaa serve, form the Re- Hiiumaa IsletsLandscape southeasternand otherislets off Hiiumaa Saarnaki, Hanikatsi, Vareslaid, Kõrgelaid IsletsLandscape Reserve Hiiumaa room withabalcony.Saunaavailable. ettes and bathrooms.There’s alsoonelarge charming woodencabins, withtinykitchen- rents smallbut Seeba Ratsamatkad), sari There are fromKärdlaandKäinato buses Seeba Camping Camping WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa ( % ( % 5661 8036;www.hot.ee/seebatalu;dincl n 5625 3535;campsite50Kr) ) Nearthehorse farm(Kas- Harju euro currency converter has tworestored isavail-  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt .ee) ended. ginning of has July,after thenestingseason smaller islandsare limitsuntilthebe- off by boattotheislands.Note someof the first. Itcanarrange foraguidetotake you centreto get permissionfromthereserve Saarnaki orHanikatsi Islandsbutyouhave andpeaceful ondeserted to spendanight Reserve Centre Centre Reserve includingonenearthe reserve, vation towers have builtwithinthe been monitored since1974.Anumberof obser- no longer earnalivingfromfishing. boats,which meant peoplecould seagoing villages, ofcoastal because Soviet banson were depopulated, like manyotherEstonian were inhabited untilthe1960sor1970s.They lands atalmost1.5 and1sqkmrespectively, of Finnsand Swedes, jostling forbeach space When thelong daysarrive sodothe crowds asapremierlished itself summerdestination. Saaremaa’ssetting, hasclearlyestab- capital charming OldTown andpicturesque bayside thrust uponit.With itsmagnificentcastle, what withthemodernity thatKuressaare has andfiends. around theisland againstdevils manybattles hero, SuurTõll, who fought legend, forSaaremaa levipoeg hasitsown They don’trevere mainlandEstonia’s Ka- their owncustoms,songsandcostumes. of Estoniatofall toinvaders. Itspeoplehave pendent streak andwasusuallythelast part pride. Saaremaa hasalwayshadaninde- in-hand withinextinguishableSaaremaan outfromanoldstone wall. staring 15th-century church, andthestraysheep bushes slumberingbeneaththeruins of a stretches of sparklingcoastline,juniper of ‘oldEstonia’.There are longempty other placeinEstonia,offers aglimpse passage of time. Saaremaa, more thanany villages stillappearasifunchanged bythe andtinywindmills, slenderlighthouses thick pineandspruceforests, whileold Estonia’s largest islandstillliescovered in pop 35,600 SAAREMAA red helleborine. –growhere,nia’s total includingthe rare Birds ontheislandshave carefully been Yet thisvisionof the idyllicclashessome- hand- goes This uniqueold-timesetting Saarnaki atSalinõmmeonHiiumaa. Itispossible and ( % Hanikatsi 469 4299;www.laiud.hiiuloodus www.lonelyplanet.com , thetwolargest is- Hiiumaa Islets Hiiumaa www.lonelyplanet.com 0 20 km SAAREMAA & MUHU 0 12 miles Sõru HIIUMAA Nõmmkula

Vahtraste MUHU Pammana Pärase Hanila Tuhkana Peninsula Kõmsi Karuse Piiri Hellamaa Muhu & Saaremaa Triigi Liiva Panga Mõega Maasilinn Muhu Virtsu Metsküla Leisi Hiievälja B A L T I C Castle Stronghold Kuivastu Karja Church Orissaare Pädaste euro currency converter Võhma Angla Kiipsaare S E A Karja Pöide Pärsama Tagavere Peninsula Veere Mustjala Pöide Tagamõisa 74 Stronghold Peninsula SAAREMAA Kurevere Vilsandi Karujärve 79 Valjala Papisaare Oju Vilsandi Harbour Karujärv Vikati Kihelkonna National Kõljala Park Harbour Mihkli WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa Kärla Kaali Loona Viki Museum Aste  Viidumäe Saia 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Observation Tower Randvere Püha Lümanda 78 Upa Karala Sutu Ὀ Viidumäe Kuressaare Nature Reserve Nasva Mändjala Roomassaare Järve Gulf of R‹ga Salme

Kaugatuma Vahase Abruka

B A L T I C 77

S E A

Sõrve Peninsula Ohesaare Torgu

Mõntu

Sääre 142 ESTONIA ESTONIA Saturdays and Sundays between TallinnSaturdays and Sundays between per day Monday to Friday and once on erned fromR of theRussianprovince of Livonia,gov- Northern Warand Saaremaa becamepart Russia tookover in1710duringtheGreat compliments of theTreaty of Brömsebro. War, butby1645 theSwedeshadtheirturn duringtheLivonian a Danishpossession quered theisland). short-lived recon- (in1345theGermans were theirefforts alwaysisland), though wereand theGermans expelledfromthe castlewasdestroyed(when theKnights’ 1236 and1343numerous timesbetween who madeKuressaare hisstronghold. the Haapsalu-based bishopof Ösel-Wiek, and northwestern partsof Saaremaa, and whotookMuhu andeastern the knights, upbetween it. Theislandwasthencarved of Knights theSwordsubjugatedGerman in1227 the the early13thcentury;however nia. Denmark triedtoconquerSaaremaa in populated partsofthe mostdensely Esto- 13th centuriesSaaremaa andMuhuwere 15m over thelast5000years. Inthe10thto about thelandhasrisen inland because nowlie ing fromthe4thmillenniumBC) Saaremaa’s (dat- settlements earliestcoastal HISTORY ries runfromVirtsuonthemainland. neighbouring island,Muhu,towhich fer- tion of theisland’sruralcharm. dustrial build-upandtheunwittingprotec- to visit.Thisresulted inaminimum of in- apermit ‘mainland’ Estonianswhoneeded there),and rocket stationed to even base limits(duetoanearly-radarsystemwas off with noothersoulinsight. tifying oldruinsandwindsweptpeninsulas, possible tofindgorgeous beaches, mys- sandy trail byheadingoutof town,where it’sstill Meanwhile, houses. it’seasytobeatthetourist galleries andcafés,itsrestaurants andguest- They cometoKuressaare’s sparesorts, art beside urbanEstoniansarrivingfromthecity. 143 Avies Air Air THERE & AWAYGETTING In the16thcenturySaaremaa became Saaremaa rebelled rule againstGerman Saaremaa tothe isjoinedbyacauseway During theSoviet eratheentire island WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa ( % 605 8002; www.avies.ee) ī ga. euro currency converter flies twice  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt www.laevakompanii.ee) 503 1953;www.kuressaare.ee/yachtharbour) bound forTallinn orelsewhere. Likewise, atVirtsuyoucanboardabus nect withferry arrivalsanddepartures. Kuressaare; a1½-hourtriptimedtocon- each Kuivastu(Muhu) and waybetween and Saaremaa, andanotherfive daily buses to/from Pärnu(140Kr,3¼hours). hours) daily andthreesix toseven buses dailyto/fromTartubuses (200Krto220Kr, 195Kr, 4½hours, 220km).There are two Tallinntween andKuressaare (170Kr to direct travelAt leasteight buses dailybe- Bus SLK Ferries Boat 385/255Kr, 45minutes). and Kuressaare (adult/concessiononeway the new yachties. Thebestharbourfacilitiesare at and Ruhnu.See p162 fordetails. Roomassaarerunning between inSaaremaa see Latvia, p404 . see ther details, p137 . Saaremaa atvaryingfrequencies. Forfur- Hiiumaa toTriigionthenorthcoastof Ferries. aplaceforyourcarbycallingSLK reserve concession/vehicle 20/10/55Kr).Youcan and12timesdaily(adult/ seven between The ferries make the30-minute crossing land andKuivastuferry terminal on Muhu. Virtsuferrytween terminal onthemain- other harbours onSaaremaa. ofwww.tt.ee/renza/sadamad for details a stone’sthrowof three spahotels. Visit There are Virtsu five dailybetween buses Saaremaa isvery popularwithvisiting A newsummer-only line recently started ontheSaaremaaFor details ferry to Year-round ferries run from Sõruon warm summer day. onabest quaffed fromawoodentankard sour onthe palate. It’slightandrefreshing, malt, yeast andhops,butcomes offabit tradition, thebrew features the traditional try thehomemade beer. Alongtimeisland When you’re outontheislands,besure to ISLAND BREW Kuressaare CityHarbour Kuressaare (Saaremaa Laevakompanii; operates adailyferry be- www.lonelyplanet.com

( % % , within 452 4444; 453 3540, handicrafts shop, withatiny settlement, is aquaint,sleepy underground chamber. Thetownitself arestoredthe ruins,andwanderthrough badly damaged in1576butyoucanstillsee during the14thto16thcenturies.Itwas built maps andgeneral info. knights The German Orissaare’s oldweavers inaction. their influence. the road,remains animposingsymbolof eastof and 14thcenturiesashortdistance inthe 13th Church, builtbytheGermans the StGeorge’s Uprising, butPöide Night maa. Their fortress wasdestroyedin1343 headquarters knights’ the German onSaare- h The small Orissaare The first placeyoureach onSaaremaa is Saaremaa Eastern ( the friendlyfolksat youheadout,call for permission.Before youhavements, though toaskthedriver put abike ortwointhebaggage compart- land, butnotvery frequently. It’spossibleto dogetminor roads).Buses aroundtheis- routes (butthere’s on notmuch traffic Hitching isnotuncommononthemain Saaremaa andmanymore dirtroads. There are over 400kmof paved road on AROUND GETTING www.lonelyplanet.com duction tothe island. maa, thisregion provides abucolic intro- If youare arriving ontheferry fromHiiu- &Tuhkana Triigi Angla, Karja, for thewell-marked ontheleft. turn-off from Kuressaare, andkeep youreyespeeled To getmade beer). there, take Rd10north style tavern withEstonianfare (andhome- andhotel heremuseum aswell as anold- There’s itlooks smallupclose. though anew largest andmostaccessiblemeteorite crater, known as‘thesun’sgrave’. It’s Europe’s In Scandinavian mythology,the site was blasted intoexistence about2700years ago. a 100m-wide,water-filled At Kaali, 18kmnorthof Kuressaare, stands Kaali 4pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pmSat) 4pm Mon-Fri, % Pöide 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 3pmSat&Sun) 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 453 1661) Maasilinn Castle Maasilinn , 3kmsouthof themainroad,was , theisland’ssecond-largest town. forhelpinroute planning. tourist office tourist Uku Uku justnorthof Orissaare , where youcanwatch euro currency converter Kuressaare busstation Kuressaare (Rana puiestee9; (Rana ( % 454 5051;Sadama1; meteorite crater meteorite canprovide h 9am- WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt inner walls. ononeof its elaborate crucifixioncarving east, which hasafortresslike façade andan off tothe14th-century side. Opposite thewindmillsisturn- various sizeslineduptogether ontheroad- of Saaremaa’s old the biggest andmostphotogenic grouping main roadtothenorthcoast,issite of to Leisi, thevenue for to Leisi, ber.ee) 3073; in themorningand afternoon. Orissaare tween andKuivastu(30Kr), mostly and Orissaare (30Kr,1¼hours) and 10be- There Kuressaare are dailybetween 10buses andwithin1kmof Pöide. Laimjala through takes themore southerlyroadservice Valjala, whilethelocalKuressaare– Kuivastu take themain road passingwithin1kmof Kuressaare between Buses andthemainland THERE & AWAYGETTING accommodation intheregion. Kuressaare ( touristoffice p147 ) canarrange SLEEPING road toget within walking distance. abus along either each, soyou could use Kuressaare–Leisi roads, about 3kmfrom theKuressaare–Valjalaway between and Church. byKarja go right Kaali ishalf- via Pärsama Church. toKarja Those close bytheAngla windmillsand passing right atripofsaare andLeisi, aboutanhour, Saaremaa information. good placetopickupmapsandget general Leisi, mostlybyunpavedLeisi, roads. north of Metsküla, which is10kmwestof from Hiiumaa,the with viewsacrosstoHiiumaa. Ifarriving picturesque bayonSaaremaa’s northcoast it’s3.5kmtotheharbourofLeisi Triigi,a both sophisticated andferal brews. From can alsopitch atent nearby. Kayaks are available (100Krperhour).You tion inawarm,superfriendlyenvironment. Püharisti offers hostel-like accommoda- person from200/50Kr; campsite/bedper puiestee11,Orissaare; saare; Ranna Angla, 40kmfrom Kuressaare onthe North of Angla, theroadcontinues5.5km Up to 14 buses daily run between Kures- daily runbetween Up to14buses Hostel Püharisti There’s beach atTuhkana,3km asandy h , a beer festival, abeer each Julyshowcasing noon-7pm Jun-Aug) ( n windmills % Leisi tourist office Leisi tourist ) Overlooking the sea, the sea, Overlooking 454 5149;www.eelk.ee/oris onthemainroadisa Õlletoober Karja Church Karja –five of themof (www.olletoo ( , 2km %

144

457 ESTONIA ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ

ESTONIA stronghold intheislandpartofstronghold hisdiocese. the Haapsalu-based Bishopof Ösel-Wiek’s which wasfoundedinthe13thcenturyas health spasopened. mudwereits coastal discovered andthefirst century, whentheameliorative propertiesof a healthcentre beganasearlythe19th andstylish resorts.sleek Itsreputation as range fromEastern-bloc to sanatoriums The townisalsofamousforitsspas,which magnificent castlerisingupinitsmidst. charming andcafés,a guesthouses picturesque townwithpeacefulleafystreets, Saaremaa’s attraction, star Kuressaare isa pop 16,000 Kuressaare 145 15 4 1 3 2 KURESSAARE

Suur-sadama Kuressaare’s reason for beingisitscastle, WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa

Sõrve Peninsula(40km) To Järverand(12km); Aia SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Monument toFreedom C2 Tourist Office...... Fighters...... Lutheran Church...... Kuressaare Castle...... Aaviks Museum...... Post Office...... Library...... Hansapank...... Estravel...... Arensburg TravelAgency......

Spa HotelRüütli...... Repo Hotel...... Ovelia...... Mardi Guesthouse...... Lossi Hotel...... Johan Hotel...... Hotell Arensburg...... Hotel Arabella...... Georg OtsSpaHotell...... Daissy Hotel...... Valguse Galerii...... Town Hall...... (see6) Saaremaa RegionalMuseum....(see8) Rowboat Rental...... Orthodox Church...... Töö ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ AC Kuressaare 23

Abaja Vahtra

Väike-

euro currency converter Pargi sadama 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 ὈὈ Ὀ ὈὈ Ὀ ὈὈὈ 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 36 C2 C2 C2 C2 D1 A3 B1 D4 B1 B3 B2 C3 C1 A4 C2 C3 B4 B3 C2 C2 B4 C1 Hotell (500m) To Staadioni

27 8 Tolli Tolli

B

Lasteaia Pikk Pikk 19

18 Allee

Turu 11 Kauba 12

Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ

20 39

Allee 22  Kohtu 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 41 34

7 Uus-Roomassaare 17 37

Lossi 3 13

Vallimaa Keskväljak. station yond Keskväljak, alongLossitänav. The reaches downtothecoast,are 750mbe- anditssurroundingpark, whichCastle the centralsquare, Keskväljak. Kuressaare modernsuburbsto ing southwestthrough enters Kuressaare asTallinna tänav, pass- The roadfromKuivastuandthemainland ORIENTATION munist of the1920s. after anEstoniancom- ViktorKingissepp, era Kuressaare wasnamedKingisseppa, into Swedishhandsin1645.IntheSoviet ing centre, quicklyafter developing passing Kuressaare becameSaaremaa’s maintrad- 10 40 Kitsas 38

28 32

5 Torni 26

Kitzbergi 35 Raekoja 29 16 31 ( 6 25

Uus Pihtla tee25) To Airport(3km);

44 Komandandi Garnisoni 9 4 Roomassaare 30 Port (5km) 2

14

Keskväljak Ὀ

Transvaali Pärna Kaevu Kungla Tallinna Rootsi 0 0 24

Liiva 33 islocated northwestof TRANSPORT Taxi Rank...... Hertz...... (see 35) Bus Station...... Bivarix BikeRental...... Autorent A-Rent...... SHOPPING DRINKING EATING umj...... C2 Õuemaja...... Central Market...... Antik...... Wildenbergi Kohvik...... Lonkav Konn...... John BullPub...... Hansa Café...... Bella MimiKohvik...... Veski...... Vaekoja (OldWeighouse)...... Raekelder...... RAE Supermarket...... La Perla...... Kuursaal...... Kulapood...... Kodulinna Lokaal...... Kapteni Kõrts...... (see18) Kalev...... Georg OtsSpaHotell...... (see15)

Rohu

Suve www.lonelyplanet.com 1

Uus 42 Koidu

21 Ὀ

To Orissare(50km); Talve Karja Kuivastu (65km);

Kevade Tallinn (215km)

D Põhja 300 m 43

Tu Sutu(12km) Pihtla tee Pihtla

0.2 miles

Hariduse Jaama Talve tee Pihtla

44 43 42 41 Tallinna 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24

Nooruse Ida bus C2 D2 D2 C1 C2 B3 C2 C2 B3 C2 C2 C2 C2 C2 C2 C2 B3 C2 C2 C2 Tallinna tänav2; 4pm Sat)Free Internetaccess. island tours. andarranges accommodation,andbooksboattrips Inside theoldtownhall.Itsellsmapsandguides, Oct-Apr) 9am-5pmMon-Fri 9am-3pm SunMay-Sep, office Tourist only). Post office Library Hansapank Estravel toVilsandi. trips knowledgeable abouttheislandandoffers arrangedboat Tallinna maantee25; agency travel Arensburg change bureaus onKeskväljak. There are banks,ATMs several andex- INFORMATION www.lonelyplanet.com that hasremained intact. and theregion’s stonecastle onlymedieval castleintheBaltics It’s thebest-preserved ficial islandringed byapartlyfilledmoat. the southernendof thetown,onanarti- The majestic Kuressaare at stands Castle Kuressaare Castle SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES maantee 8)Goodall-purposetravelagent. be called ‘the works’. Both spashave ‘em. What are youwaiting for? sage, aromatherapy, Vichy doucheandhydrobath massage. Inthesandwich world,thiswould in anenclosed capsuleandundergoing theeffects ofinfrared sauna, steam sauna, vibrationmas- deals,thoughyoucanalsoreserve a treatment ortwo(best tobookahead). package ness suspendedfrom theceilingandyoubounceacross a gymfloor).Bothoftheseplacesoffer a saltchamber(good forasthmatics),andyoucaneven go‘grossing’(theystrap youintoahar- water fromahose(improves There’s circulationwhile loweringself-esteem). alsomusic therapy, the caviarfacial,and ourfavourite, Charcot’sshower,where someone spraysyouwithstreams of leaning towardsthe category thefullbodymassagewithhotlava stones, of‘punishment’ –like hasamuchwiderrangeofofferingsnot beasstylish theGeorg Ots, –someofthemclearly a juniperbath,getbodywraporhave achocolate massage. Meanwhile,theRüütli, whichmay Spatendsthe Georg toleanmore Ots inthepamperingdirection. Forinstance,youcansoak in (where theyrollyouallover theflooruntilyou’re niceandsupple),aromatherapy andherbalbaths, Rüütli a hospital,youhave onlytwooptions:theelegant whatever youryin,ifyou’ve cometoSaaremaa, give a treatment atry. bizarre (somewouldsay innovative) treatments –anyoneupforaNeoQuiEnergy Cocoon? But coastal mud–aSaaremaa remedy forover 150years. You’llalsoencounter somedownright forpampering,detoxing and/or slidingintoabathtubfullofslipperyexcellent opportunities Saaremaa’s reputation as amajorspadestinationmaybebitpremature, butthere are stillsome SAAREMAA’S SPAS SEDUCTIVE Incidentally, aNeoQuiEnergy Cocoon (withorwithout cream) isn’tforsissies. Itinvolves lying Although theislandhasanumberofspas, ifyoudon’twanttofeel into you’re like checking (Tallinna maantee6; (Tallinna ( % ( p148) (Torni tänav 1) Public phones (telephone-card tänav1)Public phones (telephone-card (Torni (Kohtutänav2) 454 5345;www.estravel.ee;Tallinna ( h % uptheroad.Whilebothspasoffer thestandardclassicalmassage,Thai massage h 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pmSat,9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 453 3120;www.kuressaare.ee; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Extremely Extremely 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) ( h % euro currency converter 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 453 3360;[email protected]; WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt floor lookforthe 30/15/60Kr; Koduloomuuseum; function asalastrefuge intimeof attack. onlybyadrawbridge,crossed soitcould ated fromtherest of thecastlebyashaft towers, PikkHermann totheeast,issepar- hold. Themore slenderof corner itstwotall an administrative centre aswellastrong- 15th and18thcenturies.Itwasdesignedas some protective the wallsaddedbetween was notbuiltuntilthe14thcentury,with dolomite fortressmighty today thatstands houses the houses aboutGothicfortresses.one’s fantasies It to fuelany- andstairways halls, passages how hemethistragicfate. which hasgiven tovaryingaccountsof rise covery, bodydissolved theknight’s intodust, that,upondis- in the18thcentury.It’ssaid room wasopened body foundwhenasealed alsotellhungry lions.Legends of aknight’s near thebishop’schamber, tobereceived by dispatched asmallfloorless room through ing tolegend, condemnedprisoners were central-heatingsystem. Accord- a medieval the southwestern side,afurnacethatfuelled Georg OtsSpaHotell A castlewasfoundedinthe1260s,but Inside thecastleisawarren of chambers, h Saaremaa Regional Museum Regional Saaremaa 10am-7pm Wed-Sun) % 455 6307; adult/concession/audiotour 455 6307;adult/concession/audiotour hüpokaust ( p148) orthe . On the ground . Ontheground (hypocaust) on (hypocaust)on Spa Hotel

(Saaremaa (Saaremaa

146 ESTONIA ESTONIA the 1889 resort buildingsinandaroundit,notably in 1861andthere are somefinewooden that extends toKuressaare waslaidout Bay where youtryyourhandat the fortress walls.There’s alsoafew targets are thesummerjustinside heldthroughout countryside. Downbelow,outdoorconcerts ing fineviewsover thebayandsurrounding child 10/5Kr; Beaches (Allee tänav8;perhr80Kr; and floatidlyaroundthecastle. If theweather’snice,youcanhire rowboats Boating kväljak andan Lutheran Church 17th-century baroque. There’s ahandsome house stonelionsatthedoor,and fine 1670), ontheeastern side,withapairof Keskväljak, the notably ings are groupedaroundthecentralsquare The bestof Kuressaare’s otheroldbuild- Other Attractions 147 The biggest inKuressaare event isthe FESTIVALS &EVENTS fromKuressaarebuses gotoJärverand. at Sutu,12kmeast. Salme,Torgu orSääre 2km pastMändjala. There’s alsoabeach about 14kmwest,some atJärve, Järverand The bestbeach intheKuressaare area is miss it. Other events include the miss it.Other events fanfare take place. Ifyou’re in town, don’t a handicrafts market andlots of medieval tournaments,old-time feast, Renaissance tle Days Galerii Galerii One of gallerieson Lossi, several Aaviktalented cousin,Joosep (1899–1989). to theEstonianlanguage, andhis musically (1880–1973), whointroducedmajor reforms the life andworksof linguistJohannes Aavik at LossiKonncafé. block prints,sculptures andpaintings. tonian artists.You’llfindceramics, wood- asmallvarietyofcontains worksbyEs- 15Kr; The shadyparkaroundthecastlemoat On thetopfloor,castlehasacaféboast- Aaviks Museum Aaviks WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa h (nowVaekoja pub)acrossfromit,both ( fest held in earlyJuly.Vespers, an 10am-5pm) % Spa Hall h 513 0921;Lossitänav 13; 11am-6pm Wed-Sun) atthenortheastendof Kes- Orthodox Church Orthodox

. ( % (Kuursaal). (Kuursaal). 455 7553;Vallimaa tänav7;adult/ h euro currency converter noon-6pm) town hall archery isdedicated to

(Lossi tänav8) h isavailable Waltz Festi- (builtin 10am-6pm) (four arrows arrows (four Boat hire Valguse weigh- . Cas-

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt .ee; Lossitänav15;s/d/ste1050/1290/2100Kr; and gym(abargain for70Kr). pool here, thesauna, don’t stay youcanuse andasmallgym.Evenslide, asauna ifyou well asalarge swimmingpoolwithwater- available, as There are manyspaservices floored rooms,allof which have balconies. wood- spa hotel hasairyandcomfortable tänav2;s/dfrom€101/112; .ee; Tori and spa services justdownthehall. and spaservices ies, andthere’s alovely pool,fitnesscentre minimalist design.Mostroomshave balcon- be warned),enormousbedsandawarmbut striped carpeting(mostpeoplelike it,but has attractive modernrooms withwildly saare’s moststylishhotel, theGeorg Ots 27; s/d/ste850/990/1290Kr; .ee; Pargi tänav12;s/d€81/102; options. onout-of-town 200Kr) oradvise at tion inprivate flatsaroundtown(starting The touristoffice canarrange accommoda- Town Centre SLEEPING val hotell; Tallinna maantee15;s/d/ste950/1190/1600; which boaststunningviewsof thecastle. has elegantArt-Nouveau rooms,manyof grounds, thisbeautifullyrestored mansion and heavy-handed withthecolour green. out back.Roomsare decent,ifabitformal andalovely terracehotel hasgreat service historic buildingnearthemainsquare, this handsome wood-toned pubnext door. new carpeting. There’splace coulduse a rooms painted inwarmcolours, butthe has small,simple This peaceful guesthouse brick cellar. arrange scooter Can rental. rooms. Goodrestaurant intheold housed balcony –are lesscramped thantheattic the suites –witheither afireplace ora Daissy hassimple elegantrooms,though /johan; Kauba tänav 13; s/d/ste750/900/1700Kr; /johan; Kauba chamber-music festival chamber-music music festival (July), what’s underwayatthetouristoffice. concerts heldinthecastlegrounds.Findout related activities.There are alsofortnightly Days Hotell Arensburg Arensburg Hotell Spa Hotel Rüütli Spa Hotel Lossi Hotel Georg Ots Spa Hotell SpaHotell Ots Georg Daissy Hotell Daissy Hotell Johan Hotel (June), the (June), (August),which features lotsof sea-

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453 3633;[email protected];Lossitänav ( ( % % ( % ( % 453 3036;www.saaremaa.ee 453 3669;www.hot.ee/daissy (August)and Opera Days n 454 8100;www.sanatoorium ( 452 4700;www.sivainvest % www.lonelyplanet.com ) ns Set onthecastle Set 455 0000;www.gospa ns (August),the ) Thislarge n classical ) Maritime Maritime Kures- ) Ina n n ) )

room 700Kr; bath- camp site/cabinperperson 60/200Kr,cabinwithprivate .saaremaa.ee/repo; s/dinclbreakfast 560/790Kr; stop, about500m beyond thesite. to Torgu orSääre go tothe Mändjala bus beach. perdayfrom Kuressaare Three buses private bathroom. It’sashort walkto the You can also bookacabin withkitchen and cabins andcamping amidlotsof greenery. of Kuressaare, Mändjalaoffers rusticwooden colours. breakfasts. Goodbuffet small, charming roomspainted indifferent plats,Repohas short walkfromRaekoja for four. The beach isnearby. also rent –agoodoption thewholehouse and lookoutover apretty garden.Youcan sier suites. Someroomshave kitchenettes shared bathrooms,andmore spacious,co- basiccabinrooms with several contains of Kuressaare, thissmallhomeyproperty shared bathroom400/200Kr; n .ee; Vallimaa tänav5a;s/d/trinclbreakfast 370/470/600Kr; www.lonelyplanet.com with cars. places are mainlygeared towardspeople these Owing toinfrequent busservice, Out ofTown share abathroom. twoofhas clean,basicrooms,every which There’s nextdoor. anathleticsstadium facing eithertowardsthecastleorsea. Clean, modernroomshave bigwindows spot,1kmsouthofsecluded thecentre. Good viewsare onoffer atthis pleasant, snag thedoubleroomwithbalcony. dated rooms. Tryto ifslightly comfortable offersribly popular,thisguesthouse clean, Torni tänav12;s/d575/800Kr; the townsquare. person). It’sa12-minute walksouthwest of the outdoorgrillorhave (50Krper asauna among studenttravellers. Youcancookon hasafollowing cabins inthegarden.Ovelia small, poorlyfurnished rooms,andrustic has cheapest placesintown,friendlyOvelia hotell.ee; Staadionitänav4;s/d590/750Kr; ste/house 220/700/1300Kr) Staadioni Hotell Staadioni Hotell Repo Hotel Repo Kämping Mändjala Puhkemaja Nasva Puhkemaja Ovelia Ovelia Arabella Hotell Mardi Guesthouse Mardi ) Thiscentrallylocated budget place ( h % May-Sep; May-Sep;

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( ( ( ( n % % % % Seven kilometres west Seven 455 5885;www.arabella.ee; n ) euro currency converter 454 4193; www.mandjala.ee; 454 4193;www.mandjala.ee; 453 3603; [email protected]; r/ 453 3603;[email protected]; 452 4633;mardi@ametikool 453 3556;www.staadioni ni Ten kilometres west ) Although notter- Although ) Oneof the ni n ) WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa A )

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt meals 80-165Kr) h the charm. and avibrantart gallerynextdooraddto mian ambience. Fresh homemade pastries finest cafés,Hansa exudesold-world bohe- d/ste 1140/1410Kr; baked cakes. Entrance onKohtu. and fresh- for lattes, waffles a cosy setting meats and salads aremeats andsalads onoffer. retreat duringchilly weather. Grilledfish, restaurant andbarthat makes apleasant chilli sauce. fish stew, steak andsalmon withsweet with vegetable fish andshell- ratatouille, favouritesfeast onseafood such astrout youcanbig windowsfacingontothesea, spa hotel. Amidalovely diningroomwith restaurant isfoundinsidethisattractive cousin Joosep Aavikcousin Joosep oncelived here. linguist Johannes Aavik andhismusician healthy foodinahurry.Noted writer and decent,notterrib no-frills restaurant serves ly h from 70Kr; SpaHotell Ots Georg EATING &DRINKING roasted meatsandotherdishes. inconsistent. Themenufeatures grilled fish, a windmill;unfortunately, thechef iswildly restaurant inside This cosymultilevel isset options. Italian brick-oven baked pizzasandplentyof other tasty restaurantscene, thisItalian serves A handsomenewadditiontothedining on thebeach. of ant outdoorterrace. all,it’sright Best hotel hastrim,modernroomsandapleas- ing Mändajala, whitewashed thispleasant meeting/drinking spotinthesummer.meeting/drinking elegance. Thefrontterrace isapopular amidhistoric grilledostrich,cheese, salads) eclecticfare (rainbowtroutwithblue serves ing restaurants onthemain square, Vaekoja h meals from70Kr; Bella Mimi Kohvik Kohvik Bella Mimi Hotel Saaremaa Saaremaa Hotel Hansa Café La Perla Veski Kodulinna Lokaal Kodulinna Lokaal Vaekoja Õuemaja 10am-9pm Mon-Sat,11am-8pmSun) 8am-6pm) 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat)

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453 6910;Lossitänav3;meals50-140Kr) h n 453 3423; Uus tänav 20a; meals 20-65Kr; 453 3423;Uustänav20a;meals20-65Kr; 453 3020;Tallinna maantee3;meals ( % ( 9am-10pm) % )

( About 600mpastKämp- ( % 455 4321;Tallinna 9; Maantee % ( ä % Oneof invit- several 454 4100;www.saarehotell.ee; rna t 453 1178;Tallinna maantee11; 453 3020;Tallinna maantee3; Oneof Kuressaare’s 454 5123; Kauba tänav6; 454 5123;Kauba ä Saaremaa’s best nav 19;meals55-125Kr) This popular Thispopular 148

ESTONIA ESTONIA market nearthesquare. ries andotherSaaremaa treats atthissmall mite woolsweaters, vases, honey, strawber- the downstairs entrance. licious smoked Anironfish marks salmon. the placeforfish-lovers. Don’t missthede- tonia’s famouschocolates here. h on theweekends. locals andtourists.Itsometimesgets lively battered, easy-going pubattractsamixof Central market Central SHOPPING 149 p4 Kuressaare’s p144. Kuressaare, the mainlandandHiiumaa, see For direct bus/ferry connections between THERE&AWAYGETTING browse. to Soviet memorabilia. It’s afunplaceto of antiques,from19th-century farmtools – it has a fantastic tea selection. – ithasafantastic charming caféisalovely placeforadrink summer. spotinfacing thecastle;anunbeatable outdoordeck friendly barhasapleasant to avoid tour-bus troops. meal,buttimeyourvisitwell coffee orlight fora isafinestop-off spa hall,Kuursaal 175Kr) to4pmSat) Fri, from 65Kr) draws alively crowd. on the island; schedules are posted inside. summer terrace, theKapteni K h h service islessenticing. service ment isafineplaceforcoffee. Thefoodand antique sittingroomof thetownhallbase- the stonefloors, oldbeamedceiling and in Saaremaa. Pihtla tee25) 120Kr) Antik RAE Supermarket RAE Supermarket Kuursaal Kalev Kapteni Kõrts Kapteni Lonkav Konn Lonkav Kulapood Raekelder John BullPub Kohvik Wildenbergi 9am-midnight) 8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pmSat) 8.30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-10pm) WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa Insideaformerearly-20th-century Anotherwinnerfortheambience,

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SampleEs- 9am-7pm Mon- ( % ō rts pub 453 1661; This This  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt hiking, bird-watching). and arange of excursions onoffer (boating, rustic cabins,comfy cottages withkitchens minute walktothecoast. Here you’llfind You canrent bicyclesat serve coversserve anarea of 19sq km,with a22m Founded in 1957, Viidumäe Nature Re- VIIDUMÄE NATURE RESERVE HolidayHouse Sõrve Peninsula inrugged windsweptsurrounds, graves inthecemetery nearby. Russian-Estonian deadlieburied in double intuition orfindingtheenemyby touch. blindly, firingon belief: botharmiesfought Russian RifleDivision.Thehorror defies retreating troopsandanEstonian- German battleinOctober 1944between some night which wasthesite ofbeach atJärve, agrue- large monumentatTehumardi, south of the defence There’santitank linesstillstand. a andtheremnantsbases of theLõme-Kaimri the ruinsof anoldSoviet Other armybase. on thesoutherntip,youcanwalk around tle scars at Sääre remain; bythelighthouse heavy duringWWII, andthebat- fighting fabulous views. or cartripalongthecoastlinewillreveal the island’smagiccanreally be felt. Abike fromSaaremaa. Thisiswhereing onSõrve, SuurTõll,whowasvacation- to separate wrench this spitof land fromthemainland were triedinvainto formedwhentheDevil Peninsula. Sõrve hasitthatthecliffs Legend the westcoastof the32kmsouthwestern (bank) andOhessaare pank,rear upalong such astheKaugatumaSmall cliffs, pank PENINSULASÕRVE Saaremaa Western to4pmSat) 6pm Mon-Fri, 7118; Tallinna perday150Kr; maantee22;bike tee 9) Vallimaa tänav5) jak. There’s a thedayto/fromKeskväl-run throughout southeast of thetowncentre. 2and3 Buses Kuressaare airportisatRoomassaare, 3km AROUND GETTING /sorve; bedperperson €8,d/cottagefrom€33/87) /sorve; Keskväljak. Hotel ( p148 Near thevillage of Torgu ontheSõrve populatedThis sparsely stripof landsaw For carhire, try . It’s wise tobookaheadinthesummer.. It’swise ) . or taxi rank Hertz Hertz

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( % ( % just off justoff h isa20- 453 6620; /fax 455 10am- Pidula isthe leans atasteep angletowardsthe sea. h Jala Galerii town of Mustjala, where you’llfind (350Kr) are available. andsimplewooden cabins wish. Camping cleanitandcookforyouif even ‘fish’ fortroutinstocked ponds.They’ll THE NORTHCOAST Some plantsare indigenous totheisland. Saaremaa yellowrattleandthewhitebeam. species such astheblunt-flowered rush,the conditions making it hometorare plant itsfavourable climate and reserve, botanical ferent of habitats thearea. Viidumäeisa thedif- and 1.5km),marked tohighlight Theresunset. are twonature trails(2.2km Theviewisparticularlymemorable at itself. andthewonders ofthe reserve theisland road atViidu,offers a panoramicviewof theKuressaare–Lümandaa dirtroadoff of Kuressaare. Thetower,about2kmalong point (54m)atViidumäe,about 25kmwest toweronSaaremaa’s highest observation www.lonelyplanet.com (Talumuuseum; adult/concession 15/10Kr; (Talumuuseum; asthe preserved has been 30km fromKuressaare, a19th-centuryfarm At VikiontheroadtoKihelkonna,about trout per kg 110Kr; trout perkg tip isthestriking rarely visited coastline. Atitsnorthwestern up thepeninsulastretches abeautifuland Saaremaans were shipped toSiberia. Further old Peninsula northof Kihelkonnathere’s an church.early German austere,helkonna, 3kmbeyond,hasatall, hour) orpitch atent (campsite 25Kr).Ki- rent (200Krperhouses, outthesauna Here youcantourtheoldwoodenfarm- tours. asmallexhibitionandbookguided can see You can’tmiss the clunky wooden insula isone of Saaremaa’s kitschier icons. with agarden patio. There’s ahandicrafts shop andahomycafé by Navitrolla and otherEstonianartists. colourfulworks gallery where youcan see East ofEast thepeninsulaand 1kmwestof Heading eastfromhere, you’llpass the At the reserve’s At thereserve’s On thewestern sideof theTagamõisa North of Mustjala Pen- along theNinase 10am-6pm Wed-SunJun-Aug) watchtower

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( ( % % 10am-6pm) , anart 454 6513; 457 6321; , which Musta folk WESTERN ESTONIA&THEISLANDS••Saaremaa .

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt s/d/ste/50/450/700/1200Kr; 550/860Kr; son 270Kr; .ee; cabin/campsiteperperson150/25Kr; basic facilities.Boathire possible. east of Kihelkonna, thiscampgroundoffers some9km on theeastsideof Karujärv, Lake mana Peninsula. the eastern andwestern sides of thePam- sites (forfree noless)alongthe shoreline on you’ll findsomeof Estonia’sloveliest camp tic voyages. explorer whoachieved fameforhisAntarc- theearly-19th-centuryRussian ingshausen, manor wasoncehometoFabian vonGell- grazing sheep nextdoor. this Incidentally, kitchenettes, andlarge windowsfacingonto floors, simplefurnishings, bathroomsand has nicelyrefurbished roomswithstone westofold countryestate Lümanda,Pilguse Loona Manor Loona Manor Sleeping &Eating down in2004. a giantclothedfemale windmill, burned traditional costume. Sadly,hiscounterpart, windmill try the somewhat sour home-brew. only organic ingredients. Beer-lovers should made with nips, white fish andpotatoes) prepared meals (fish soup,pork withtur- freshly tasty this cosy countryplaceserves In ared onthe main roadin house Lümanda, off theKihelkonna–Mustjalaoff road. just hiking tours. It’slocated nearSelgase, sible, andtheowners rent bicyclesandoffer ispos- dation inwoodencabins.Camping this well-kept place offers rusticaccommo- ested area alongtheidyllicnortherncoast, a tent ontheextensive grounds. farinadvance–orplanonpitching serve NationalPark.guided tripstoVilsandi Re- andthemanorarranges1st floor,asauna, ting. There’s restaurant apleasant onthe clean-swept guestroomsinahistoricset- offers16th-century manorhouse simple, the top. offer somelovely panoramicviewsfrom along thenortherncoastnearPanga and If you’re campingand youhave acar, Lümanda Söögimaja Lümanda Söögimaja Värava Tourist FarmVärava Tourist Panga pank Kämping Karujärve Pilguse Manor Pilguse Manor , builttoresemble agiantmanin h n mid-May ) ( Housed in the stables of inthestables an Housed , Saaremaa’s highest cliffs, run , Saaremaa’s cliffs, highest % 454 6510;www.loona.ee; campsite/ ( % – mid

( 454 5445;www.pilguse.ee; s/d % ( ( % % n - Sep) /fax 4542034;cabinperper- 457 6493;meals85-175Kr) 518 4814;www.varava.fie ) Thishandsome Amongthetrees n ) Inafor- 150

ESTONIA ESTONIA island’s beauty. ist farmoffering amidthe anidyllicsetting mer a the beginning of May tomid-June. In sum- excursions (onSaaremaa). of Kihelkonna. Italsooffers horse-riding cated inOju,atinyvillage 4kmnorthwest around theTagamõisa Peninsula. It’slo- .ee) ( knowntodropby. been even eagleandospreyand thewhite-tailed have stopovercle geese inmid-May, onVilsandi migration of waterfowl: upto10,000barna- spring andautumnthere isaremarkable 247 here, andin birdspeciesare observed with currantandjuniperbushes. Upto small isletssurroundingitare abundant 3km wide,isalow,woodedisland.The of orchid thrive inthepark. here and32species intheir breeding season here.closely canalsobeseen Ringed seals have monitoredbarnacle goose been very the commoneiderandmigrationof the ecological study.Thebreeding patterns of of 181.6sqkmandisanarea of extensive Estonia’s islands).Theparkcovers anarea National Park about 10%of (containing western coastprotected underthe Vilsandi est of 161islandsandisletsoff Saaremaa’s westofVilsandi, Kihelkonna,isthelarg- VILSANDI &NATIONAL PARK fromtheirschedules.parts candeviate remotefor yourreturn inthese tripasbuses Tagamõisa Peninsula. sure toarrive Be early towards Kihelkonnaorfurtherontothe ViidumäeNaturenorth through Reserve in thebaggage compartment), thencycling is bussingfromKuressaare toViidu(bikes routes. Agoodcombinationbus/bike trip and sixdailytoKihelkonnaalongdifferent Peninsuladown theSõrve toSääre orTorgu, dailygofromKuressaareAt leastthree buses Getting There &Away 151 0606; bedperperson250Kr; stay ontheislandisat stay travel agency (p147)inKuressaare. given advancenotice,ascantheArensburg commodation andwildlife-watching tours % Süla Talu The best timetovisitthe islandisfrom The 6kmlongandinplaces upto Vilsandi, Aside fromcamping,theonlyplaceto offers boating excursions or toVilsandi WESTERNESTONIA&THEISLANDS••VilsandiNationalPark /fax 4546554) private boat private Vilsandi NationalPark headquarters Vilsandi

( % , atLoona,canarrange ac- 454 6927,56490503; sylla.talu@mail ( % h euro currency converter 520 2656; adult/concession May Kusti Talu – mid - Sep) , atour- ( % 5623

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt way 30Kr) the islandcanbearranged. for anextracharge. tours Horse-riding of pick youupbyboatfromRoomassaare Port ning thecentre rents outbicyclesandcan tents canalsobepitched. Thefamilyrun- accommodation withkitchen facilities; the Kuressaare touristoffice. island openinthesummeronly.Inquire at recommended withoutlocaladvice. to walkacrosstheiceSaaremaa, butnot During particularlycoldwinters it’spossible fice inKuressaare ( p147 ) forthelatest times. island fromSaaremaa. Stopbythetouristof- taking about20minutes. taking pisaare toVikatiinstead, aone-wayjourney old busploughs itsway across fromPa- July, ifthewaters are an shallowenough, boat atnonscheduled timesfor300Kr. In and VikatiHarbour. Youcanalsobookthe day. Ittravels Papisaare between Harbour trips perdayonTuesday,FridayandSun- want tostick arounda while. that maymakecountry hospitality you more Teutonic ruinsand somedownhome region. There’s alsoaquirky ostrich farm, a graspon theculture andhistory of this whereing asalivingmuseum, youcanget has atraditional old village, nowfunction- ping. Infact,Estonia’s third-biggest island of but no-onestop- peoplepassingthrough, being theKansas of thearchipelago –lots Muhu, unfortunately, hasareputation for pop 1900 MUHU h during thesummer. Abruka, thepopulationincreases though 20 permanentresidents live year-round on butvery fewlighthouses people:lessthan tered about theisland.There are two1920s population(nowendangered)deer scat- ferns andrare plantspecies,with a small The woodedmeadowsare linedwithlush Roomassaare, off Saaremaa’s southcoast. neighbouring Vahase stretch 6kmfrom nians, the10-sq-kmislandof Abruka and Known asa‘Mecca fornaturalists’byEsto- &VAHASEABRUKA one way35/20Kr) Innu Farm There are touristfarmsonthe several In summera mid-May departs three times weekly for the departsthree forthe timesweekly – mid

makes oneandthree between ( - % Sep) private boat private 452 6633;bedperperson200Kr; , ontheisland,provides

( % 513 6961; one 513 6961;one site/s/d/from 40/400/550Kr; times booked withtourgroups. it’ssome- decent meals,though ant serves and bicyclehire. Thecountry-style restaur- as well asboattrips and friendlyservice, Vanatoa hashomy,down-to-earth rooms near theopen-airmuseum, idyllic setting Southwest of there isthe Church the islandis13thto14thcentury ste from1560/1820/3050Kr; adult/concession 25/15Kr; www.lonelyplanet.com enjoy onthe front terrace in thesummer. wholesome food,which you can ant serves Located airyrestaur- inLiiva, thispleasant, Manor Pädaste Sleeping &Eating leather. madefromacertain purses andshoes eggs, your fingers). feathers, Asmallshopsells creatures letyoufeed and even them(mind will give strange youanearfulaboutthese east of thewindmill. Thequirkyowners protected asan old-fashioned islandvillage, now preserved, 6km off theroad,isanexceptionallywell- 8148; adult/concession15/10Kr; lent restaurant (meals160Kr to350Kr). There’sfor adecadentstay. alsoanexcel- and beautifullymanicured groundsmake Elegant rooms,acosylobbywith fireplace side manordates fromthe19thcentury. Estonia’s grandesthotels, thislovely bay- Koguva Kunstitallis the handsomemodernartgallery andcafé into authorJuhanSmuul’sancestral home. by thelocalsinarea. Youcanalsopeer folkcostumesonceworn detailed takingly textiles fromthearea, includingthepains- beautifultraditional containing a museum of interesting anoldschoolhouse, houses: anumber allows youtowanderthrough and sells breadand sells baked withitsmilledflour. 5/3Kr; TuulikEemu the endof Estonianresistance. Thenearby ofthe Knights theSwordin1227,marking which iswhere theislanders surrendered to Muhu Restoran Restoran Muhu Near themainroadabouthalfwayacross Koguva Vanatoa Farm Also onthegroundsof thevillage is The turn-off tothe The turn-off h , withsomeunusualship murals. 10am-6pm Wed-Sun) , onthewestern tipof Muhu,

(windmill;

(

% ( % open-air museum ( ( 454 8800;www.padaste.com;s/d/ h % 454 8884;www.vanatoa.ee; camp h % 11am-5pm) 5333 4005; meals40-125Kr) h n euro currency converter 10am-5pm) 452 8130;adult/concession h hasasmallexhibit Ostrich FarmOstrich May-Sep; May-Sep; ) Housingoneof 10am-6pm) Muhu stronghold Muhu . . Oneticket ( n SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA •• National Parks & Reserves SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA••NationalParks &Reserves % is200m ) 454 8885; Inan ( % Liiva 452 ,  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt foreign visitors year. every park andtworemote few islandsthatsee charming countryvillages, avastnational try’s mostpopularresort town, aswell Southwestern the coun- Estoniacontains ESTONIA SOUTHWESTERN the mainroad. possible tohitch toreach thepointsalong Use theKuivastu–Kuressaare bus;it’salso &Away There Getting mud baths anddrinkingspots. forthekids–and plenty ofamusements handicraft markets, goodtheatre, and mu andgalleries,boutiques seums – a littlesomethingforeveryone colourful Perhaps owingtotheoddmix,Pärnuhas spatreatmentsrive andmudcures. seeking ar-as busloadsof elderlyout-of-towners cafésandrestaurants,city’s nightclubs, just pear fromTallinn andTartu enroute tothe during thesummer. ap- Young partygoers Pärnu attractslegionsof holidaymakers canoe or hiking through ancientbogs. orhikingthrough canoe whether floatingalongstreams inadugout to experienceEstonia’snatural beauty – Full of wildlife, Soomaaisanexcellentplace rivers, woodedmeadowsandswampforest. Park, abiodiverse region of meandering stone church gardens. andfragrantrose region, river, isnoted foritspleasant old towninthe anotherpleasant Põltsamaa, ested Viljandi. valleyandthepristineLake ruins andbreathtaking viewsover afor- It hasatinybuthistoriccentre, oldcastle towns, Viljandiliesjustbeyond Soomaa. a 367 sqkm region comprising some of the attraction isSoomaa National Park,The star National Parks&Reserves that almost spiritualEstonian fashion. plenty of spotsforconnectingto thelandin beaches, anold woodenchurchsandy and tinierandmoreeven remote, hasafew of Estonia’smosttraditionalplaces. Ruhnu, coastlineontheisland ofserted Kihnu,one and de- settlements path canfindpeaceful Perched alongalovely, coastline, sandy East ofEast Pärnustretches SoomaaNational Among themostcharming country Visitors yearning toget off thebeaten

152 ESTONIA ESTONIA 153 0 30 km SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA 0 20 miles SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA

To Tallinn Koeru Palivere Rohuküla Haapsalu Koluvere (55km) ὈὈ Hiiumaa Märjamaa Endla Paide Nature Käina Heltermaa Kullamaa Reserve Lelle Käru Türi 2 Estonia Southwestern

Matsala Bay 4 Järvakandi Jõgeva Vana-Vigala Imavere euro currency converter Kivi-Vigala Adavere Lihula ὈὈ Vändra 5 Kurgja Põltsamaa Lustivere Muhu Hanila Pärnu-Jaagupi Karuse ὅὅὅ Võhma Orissaare Kuivastu Virtsu Lõhavere Pärnu Kalliὅὅὅ ὅὅὅSuure- 2 Saaremaa Jaani Tõusi To Tori Soomaa Kuressaare ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ Pulli ὈὈὅὅὅNational Parkὅ (25km) Emajõgi

 Kõrtsi-Tõramaal

1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Sindi ὅὅ Pärnu ὅὅὅὅ Tartu Viljandi Tõstamaa Pärnu Tipu Kõpu Bay ὅὅὅ Võrtsjärv Liu Pootsi Lao Tahku Uulu Munalaiu Rannu Port ὈὈMustla Elva Võiste 6 Vehendi Kilingi-Nõmme Gulf of Rannametsa Abja- Kihnu Paluoja Rõngu R‹ga Lemsi Häädemeeste Mõisaküla Karksi-Nuia Puka Tali Otepää Nigula Nature www.lonelyplanet.com Reserve 6 KabliὈ Tõrva 3 4 L A T V I A Sangaste

Ikla Rûjiena

Aina¢i Staicele Mazsalaca Ruhnu Valka Valga Karula National Park To R‹ga Aloja (80km) Salacgr‹va To R‹ga (140km) Ὀ Cars canbehiredCars inPärnuorViljandi. Park isnotreachable bypublic transport. to Kuressaare, Saaremaa. SoomaaNational withoneplane continuingon (twice weekly), Air Livoniafliesyear-round toRuhnuIsland and Kihnu,butonlyfromOctober toApril. Pärnu city port.AirLivoniafliesbetween from bothMunalaiuportandPärnu tions. ToKihnu,summertimeboatsdepart To reach theislands,there are afew op- Ten connectViljandiandPärnu. dailybuses Around Getting maa, butonlyinsummer. Ruhnu canbereached byboat from Saare- Kuressaare, Saaremaa ( p144 ). Theisland of Tartu ( p160 to dailybuses ), andseveral Pärnuand between also numerousbuses Tallinnbetween andPärnu( p90 ). There are andtwodailytrainsrun Numerous buses &Away There Getting the Nigulabog,liesfurthersouth. knownforitspaththrough Nature Reserve, have spotted inthearea. been TheNigula 46 mammalspeciesand172of bird ests inEstonia. Inadditiontotherich flora, biggest mires, floodplaingrasslandsandfor- www.lonelyplanet.com found atPulli, near Sindion thePärnu Stone-Age from around 7500 BC objects History main road toR and more modern,glitzier sparesorts. in bothold-school Soviet-style sanatoriums Pärnu’s vaunted mud treatments, available rest,who comeseeking ameliorationand Europe Finland andEastern the Baltics, popular healthresort foroldervisitors from spirits moving town.Pärnuisa through shops sprinkledabout OldTown. and galleries,withcolourfulboutiques and Pärnuhasfirst-rateside, though mu seums sea- cafés. Byday,peopleheadtothepleasant itscosywinebarsnightclubs, andoutdoor revellers packthecity’sbeachside bars and youngtown. Onwarmsummernights, ( Pärnu ing parksandahistoric,picturesque centre, beaches, lushsprawl- Boasting golden-sand pop 45,000 PÄRNU Ὀ Pärnu lies130km southof Tallinn onthe Yet youthandbacchanalia aren’t theonly pair -nu) isEstonia’spremier resort ī ga. euro currency converter  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt books. books,mapsand English-language 10am-5pm Sat)Sells BOOKSHOPS Information tending westwardtowardsthebay. and theshoreline are of aseries parksex- OldTown the farsouthernend.Between beach, which lieshalfakilometre furtheron gins afew blockssouthof theriver, andthe attractions, includingOldTown,which be- southern halfof themajor thetowncontains The estuary, which emptiesintoPärnuBay. Pärnu liesoneithersideof thePärnuRiver Orientation and thesite bed. of Pärnu wasstillsea that timethemouthof theriver wasatPulli oldest humanartefacts foundinEstonia. At River about12kminland,are amongthe Old Town, walking distance to many hotels. tomanyhotels. Old Town,walkingdistance Napoleonic wars. by theEurope-wideblockadesduring ish ruleuntilithaditstradedevastated prospered inthe17thcenturyunderSwed- Polish, SwedishandRussian rule,and German,plagues, andswitches between the 18thcentury.Itwithstood wars, fires, merchants fromLübeckorigintillatleast Pernau/Pärnu hadapopulationof German ing water have levels sincecutthislink.) port of Pernau inthe14thcentury.(Sink- Peipsi,and Lake becametheHanseatic town, joinedbyrivers toViljandi,Tartu (eastandsouth)in1234.Theknights bishop (westandnorth)theLivonian theterritoriesbetween of theÖsel-Wiek the PärnuRiver wasfixed astheborder the placeentered recorded historywhen before crusaders arrived, theGerman but Town have restored. sincebeen drove outtheNazis,butmany partsof Old spared severe damage in1944astheSoviets well asthebeach. Onlytheresort area was resort, withmudbaths proving adrawas Pärnu New Art Museum Pärnu NewArt Library Central ACCESSINTERNET Apollo h 30Kr; The bus station isatthewestern end of The busstation There atPärnu wasatradingsettlement From 1838itgraduallybecameapopular 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat)Free Internet. 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, h SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA••Pärnu ( % 24hr) 654 8485;Rüütli41; (Keskraamatukogu; Akadeemia tänav 3; Akadeemia (Keskraamatukogu; (Esplanaadi tänav 10;perhr h 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7pm Mon-Fri,

154 ESTONIA ὄὄὄὄὄ ὈὈὈὈὄὄὄὄὄ ὈὈὈὈὄὄὄὄὄ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ

ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ὅὅὅὅὅὅὅὅ ESTONIA 155 Virtsu (75km) To Pootsi(40km); 4 Breakwater 6 1 3 2 5 PÄRNU

Pärnu River SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA•• Pärnu Jannseni Pärnu 10 ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ Pärnu Bay AC 47 INFORMATION Water park...... (see23) Town Hall...... Red TowerTallinnGate...... Ranna Park...... Pärnu Museum...... Pärnu NewArtMuseum...... Mudaravila...... Museum...... Lydia KoidulaMemorial Elisabeth Church...... Craft Market...... (see15) City Bike...... (see46) Catherine Church...... 17th-century conjoinedhouses.... Ühispank...... Tourist Office...... Rüütli Internetipunkt...... Post Office...... Pakihoid...... (see 45) Pärnu NewArtMuseum...... (see12) Central Library...... Apollo...... SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES Muuli 14 21

46

Ringi 48 Seedri Lootsi euro currency converter

Lootsi Põik Uus- Vallikäär

Muru 26 park 27 Sadama 24

Mere puiestee Ringi Ringi

B Esplanaadi Beach 38 15 14 13 12 11 10 16 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 11 C3 C3 A4 D3 C4 B6 A1 C4 C3 C3 D3 C3 C3 B3 B3 C3

35 Õhtu Suvituse 32 Villa Kristina...... Victoria Hotel...... Vesiroos Hotel...... Tervise ParadiisSpaHotell..... Rannahotell...... Ranna Villa...... Majutüsburoo...... Lõuna Hostel...... Hotel Park...... Hommiku Hostel...... Ammende Villa...... (see27) SLEEPING 18 Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ Ὀ 40 2

Jaanseni 49 3

 Akadeemia Rannapark

1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Keskväljak 42 mantee Tallinna

19

Sääse Rüütli

44 To Foxman(1.6km); Vee Tallinn (130km) Airport (3.5km);

Esplanaadi

33 Kuninga

Pärna Ringi

Rääma

Lõuna 8 4 36 Lehe 12 16 Munga

Supeluse Uus Nikolai

Ranna puiestee Ranna

Tammsaare 400m 0.2miles 0 0 41

Kaarli 9 34 39

22

31 Ὀ ὈὈ 5 Pikk

24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 Roheline 26 25

Papli Pühavaimu 25 B4 C4 Aia Pühavaimu B4 D6 C6 A3 C3 C4 B5 C3 29 7 43 1 17 Trahter Postipoiss...... Suve Steffani...... Steffani Pizzeria...... Munga...... Mõnus Margarita...... Kadri...... Georg...... Ellen Bakery...... Central Market...... Café Grand...... (see25) Ammende Villa...... EATING

15 Hospidali 20

TRANSPORT ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING Ticket Office...... Taxi Stand...... Tõruke...... Pärnu YachtClub...... MDM Auto...... City Bike...... Cargobus...... (see 45) Bus Station...... Sunset Club...... Nooruse MajaCulturalCentre.. Endla Theatre...... Club Tallinn...... (see 38) Väike Klaus...... Romantic Bar...... (see23) Ranna Café...... Picadilly...... Kuursaal...... Jazz Café...... 30 37 Hommiku

50

Aisa To CampingKonse(750m)

51

Vöimlemise

www.lonelyplanet.com Ringi Kuninga

To TrainStation(5km); Rüütli Kõpu (73km);Viljandi Väike (90km); R‹ga(190km)

Side Ὀ Ὀ Väike Posti Väike 6 Aia 45

Aia D Suur-Sepa Karja 13

Vanapargi 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 36 35 23 Pargi

28

51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 maantee Lai Hõbe Pikk C4 B6 C4 C3 B3 C3 C3 C3 D4 B4 D3 D3 B5 A3 A2 A4 D3 C6 C1 C3 C4 B6 C3 B5 D4 135Kr, concession65-90Kr; near platform8. 5pm Sat&Sun)Atthesouthernendofbusterminal, Mon-Sat) puiestee1;mudtherapy160Kr; 9020; Ranna 9am-3pmSat&Sun) Fri, bank providesmanyservices. a fascinating example of ambitious early a pair of large floor, and a onthetop Today a small galleryishoused asaprison. one stage thetower wasused wall, of which nothingmore remains. At the southeastcorner of town themedieval 15th century.Originally bigger, thiswas city’s oldestbuilding, which dates fromthe Tourist office Tourist TOURIST INFORMATION postoffice Central POST Ühispank MONEY Pakihoid LEFT LUGGAGE Rüütli Internetipunkt www.lonelyplanet.com (Punane tänav11; Torn;Hommiku park water ( p159 ), which alsoboastsasparklingnew ex perience canbehadatTervise Paradiis mud towallowin.Amore upscalemud/spa baths insidetheneoclassical be completed bythetimeyouread this. attractions. Anewbeach promenadeshould early 20thcentury,are amongPärnu’sfinest tee, thebuildingsalongwhich date fromthe puies- beach, andRanna The wide,sandy Sights &Activities Just offthemain street isthe buildings datingbacktothe17th century. centre is slides, tubesandotherslipperyfun. level café. level h tänav 16; published annually(25Kr). maps, brochures andthehelpful Pick up Sep-May) 3pm SunJun-Aug,9am-5pmMon-Fri Two blocks west,onPühavaimu tänav, is You can experience Pärnu’s famous mud You canexperiencePärnu’sfamous mud The mainthoroughfare of thehistoric 10am-9pm Mon-Fri, to6pmSat&Sun)Abasement- 10am-9pm Mon-Fri, , which offers alarge of selection h (perday15Kr; (Rüütlitänav40a)Behindthebusstation,this

(Veepark; (Veepark; Rüütli tänav 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pmSat,10am- 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, ( craft market market craft % 17th-century conjoined houses 447 3000;www.parnu.ee;Rüütli (Akadeemia 7; (Akadeemia % (Rüütlitänav25;perhr25Kr; h h 445 1606;Sidetänav14;adult90- , linedwithsplendid 8am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am- 8am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-10pm) euro currency converter fills thecourtyard. Pärnu inYourPocket h Mudaravila h 10am-6pm) 8am-6pm Mon- , with pools, , withpools, h Red Tower Red 10am-6pm 10am-6pm

( % , the , 445 445 ,

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 6pm Wed-Sun) h .chaplin.ee; Esplanaaditänav10;adult/concession 25/15Kr; strengthening of Pärnu’sdefences. gates intherampartsbuiltaspartof the main roadtoTallinn. Itwasoneof three (Tallinna Värav), which oncemarked the it’s piercedbythetunnel-like thewestern endofmeets Kuningatänav Town wasdefended. Where therampart press, theGreat. Catherine 1760s, isnamedafter anotherRussianem- the stretch of Pärnu’s Hoon; cnrNikolaitänav&Uustänav) 3313; Jannsenitänav37;adult/concession15/10; even Sovieteven periods are ondisplay. Livonian, Russianand country’s German, logical findingsalong withrelics fromthe 11,000 years of regional history.Archaeo- poets intheformerschool sheattended.poets you canlearnabout oneof Estonia’s great further westistheformer classicist face-liftinthe1840s.Oneblock ate residences, thebuildingsreceived aneo- home-renovation Originallysepar- efforts. concession 30/15Kr; ( its littlespire wasaddedin1911. grey andwhite Jugendstil northwingwith 1797 asthehomeof arich merchant. The white classical edificeoriginallybuiltin Church of thetime. TheRussianOrthodox the 1740s,namedafter theRussianempress baroque Lutheran on thecornerof NikolaiandKuningaisthe ing from1740,andablockdownthestreet dat- house building there’s ahalf-timbered out back. statue entrance, andadecapitated Lenin tival. There’s acaféandartshopnearthe italsohostsanannualfilmfes-Soosaar, exhibitions. Foundedbyfilmmaker Mark of thecountry’smostforward-thinking inEstonia,andoftenlights features some headquarters, isamongtheculturalhigh- ris wheel, bumper cars ris wheel, and bouncy rides. tänav, park with aFer- isasmall amusement % The At thewestern endof Rüütlitänav a Open insummer, Despite itsmodestsize, the Across Nikolai fromthemainTownHall The 9am-9pm) 443 3231;www.pernau.ee; Rüütlitänav53;adult/ moat SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA••Pärnu

(Ekatarina Kirik; cnrUus&Vee tänav) Kirik; (Ekatarina Pärnu New Art Museum Museum Pärnu NewArt Lydia Koidula Memorial Museum Lydia KoidulaMemorial , fromwhere thewestsideof Old , intheformerCommunistParty stands northof stands theriver. Here h Swedish ramparts Elisabeth Church 10am-6pm Wed-Sun) Ranna Park Ranna Town Hall ( , ayellowand % ,

west of Seedri west of Seedri Pärnu Museum 443 0772;www Tallinn Gate , alsofrom overlooks , fromthe Catherine Catherine h covers

( (Raekoja (Raekoja % 10am- 156 443

ESTONIA ESTONIA Lõuna2; tänavdm € good place to meet othertravellers.good placetomeet shared kitchen doubles associalroom;it’sa rooms.The modation intwo-toseven-bed located hostel hasqualitybudget accom- Hommiku tänav17;d/tr 700/1000Kr; Hommiku arrange mudbaths andothertherapies. has madetheplace hypoallergenic andcan with woodenfloors. Theowner,adoctor, hasspotlessrooms family-run guesthouse beamed ceilings throughout. beamed ceilings throughout. vate bathrooms and kitchenettes, and old ern place hashandsome roomswithpri- your average hostel, this stylishmod- tänav 42A;d/tr Vesiroos Hotel MIDRANGE Lõuna Hostel BUDGET the flats, contact For inexpensive accommodationinprivate Sleeping pening aroundtown. Pärnu This Week, fordetails. www.chaplin.ee in town.See andother venuesPärnu NewArtMuseum andanthropologyfilms.It’sheldatthe tary tival isthe The biggest annualevent Festivals &Events ( ridingexcursions,ing andhorse summer cycling,walking,canoe- Offering Tours 157 Suur-Jõe 44a;campsite/caravan/d/trfrom€4/9/36/50) 5319; Hommiku 7;rfrom200Kr; 5319; Hommiku pastels, withwoodenfloors. features airyrooms painted incheery bright, Vesiroos wasfullyrenovated in2001and in townwithanoutdoorswimming pool, share bathroom.Openyear-round. tent, rowboat andbike rentals. Mostrooms on aperfect spotontheriver, andoffers city, thisoneisbarely 1kmfromthecentre One of camping optionsnearthe several intheMaritimeis based Hotel. tina; Suvitusetänav1;d/ste 680/1200Kr; % Camping Konse Camping Hommiku Hostel Hostel Hommiku The tourist office distributesThe touristoffice theannual Villa Kristina Villa SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA••Pärnu 5660 8990; www.citybike.ee; Seedri 4; Seedri 5660 8990;www.citybike.ee; (first of week July),featuring documen-

900/1250 (

% ( %

( 13-17; % 443 0943;www.hot.ee/hostell Majutüsburoo Majutüsburoo 443 0940;www.pina.ee; Esplanaadi ( ( % Kr; 442 9803;www.zone.ee/villakris % which hap- listsevents n ns 5343 5092;www.konse.ee; 445 1122;www.hot.ee/pav; euro currency converter ) n Thisspotless,well- ) ) . n The only hotel Theonlyhotel n ( % Pärnu Film Fes- ) Nicerthan ) This small 443 1070,518 h City Bike City Bike Jun-Aug) ouna;

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt 6500Kr; puiestee 7;s/dcottages1200/1550Kr,d3100Kr, ste4300- tänav 12;s/d500/700Kr; of thehotel’s restaurant. boxedschnapps. See text, above forareview picnic outsidewithbonfire andvodka or fortheguests,such asawintersurprises includes comfortable. Top-notch service furnishings whiletheotherrooms are quite manicured period grounds.Suites contain Nouveau amidhandsomely building,set fabulously refurbished 1905Russian Art- Ranna puiestee5;s/d from€71/95; Ranna inga tänav 25;s/d from945/1265Kr; Ammende Villa TOP END 52; d/ste€66/80; beach action, it’sthebestlocation intown. the park); someroomshave balconies.For and bigwindows (overlooking thebeach or tifully renovated rooms withwoodfloors stunning 1930sbuilding you’llfindbeau- centre, this 1920s gem has lavish rooms has panoramicviews(andatelescope). views.Thetopfloorbar a balconywithsea find tidyroomswithfaux-woodfloors and the uninspiringcorridors, you’ll however, hotel screams Onceyou’re ‘sanatorium’. past lescing elders, thisunattractive seven-storey orange); someroomshave balconies. wood floors andasplashof colour(usually has good-sizedroomswithbigwindows, Rannahotell Ranna Villa Villa Ranna Victoria Hotel Victoria Hotel Park Hotel .ee; Mere puiestee7;meals190-310Kr) .ee; Mere Ammende Villa THE AUTHOR’S CHOICE concerts are heldonthelawninsummer.concerts salmon andchampagne).Weeklyclassical breakfasts (fresh fruit,French toast,smoked In themorningdon’tmisssuperbbuffet range ofFrench andMediterranean dishes. with morel sauce,seared tunasteak anda Thereback. youcandineonroastbeef and goinstead tothelovely garden atthe pass thesplendidArt-Nouveau diningroom coming here. Iftheweatheriswarm, by- but thefoodisreal reason welove lovely villaboastsbeautifulrooms( below ), n ) Classandluxuryaboundinthis ( %

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( % % (

% ( % 447 6915;www.spaestonia.ee; Pärna )

444 1120; www.rannavilla.ee; Ringi 444 1120;www.rannavilla.ee; Ringi This pleasant guesthouse guesthouse Thispleasant ( 447 3888;www.ammende.ee; Mere % 443 2950;www.scandic-hotels.ee; n 444 3412; www.victoria.ee; Kun- 444 3412;www.victoria.ee; 447 3888;www.ammende ) Packed fullof conva- www.lonelyplanet.com n n ) Inthe town ) Insidethis This 230Kr) meals 65-145Kr) you candinealfresco inthecourtyard. pan pizzas,particularlyinsummer when sive, home-cooked meals. inexpen- tasty, time localfavourite serves cently openednear thebeach. branch ofsecond Pizzeria,thisre- Steffani strawberry margaritas. fare, with vegetarian options,andseductive freshly prepared serves taurant Mexican h meals 65-80Kr) Postipoiss Trahter Eating Grand. the Café is oneof Pärnu’s mostelegantrestaurants, old-fashioned touches; ontheground floor walls,soft colours andlotsofwith curved www.lonelyplanet.com crème brûlée and cafémake acosy spotforcoffee and 1920s grandeur. Theplush chairs inthebar and, rackof lambandotherfavourites amid updelicately preparedserves Chateaubri- floor, andahandsomebaronthetopfloor. There’s agoodrestaurant onthe ground fitness club,poolandwaterpark. services, and balconies;guestshave access tospa nicely designedroomswithwoodenfloors This enormousspahotel nearthewater has spacious patioopensduringthesummer. portraits watching over The theproceedings. cially after afew vodkashots) andimperial Russian cuisine,agarrulouscrowd(espe- Russiantavern,a delightful withexcellent verted building houses 17th-centurypostal .terviseparadiis.ee; Side tänav 14; s/d/ste €82/102/159; Sidetänav14;s/d/ste€82/102/159; .terviseparadiis.ee; 70Kr) h 130-220Kr) petizers andambiencewarrantthe visit. Meals are buttheeclecticap- fairlystandard, this charming caféhaslots of homytouches. served buffet style. buffet served stroganoff, and basicssuch as beef salads streamlined diner hasinexpensive soups, Suve Steffani Steffani Suve Georg Kadri Grand Café Tervise Paradiis Spa Hotell ParadiisTervise SpaHotell Munga Mõnus Margarita Mõnus Margarita Steffani Pizzeria Steffani 7.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-7.30pm Sat&Sun) 7.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm Sun) Inatucked-away 19th-century cottage, Oneof Pärnu’s newadditions,thiscon-

( Pärnu’s most stately diningroom Pärnu’smoststately

( % % ( % Agoodchoice forthin-crustand 442 9782;Nikolaitänav 12;meals22-45Kr;

443 1110;Rüütli tänav43;meals30-50Kr; ThiscolourfulTex-Mex res- . ( 443 1099; Munga tänav 9; meals around tänav9;meals around 443 1099;Munga % ( ( % % 444 3412;Kuningatänav25;meals

( % ( 449 5505; Ranna puiestee 1) 449 5505;Ranna % 446 4864;Vee tänav12;meals80- 443 0929; Akadeemia tänav5; 443 0929;Akadeemia 443 1170;Nikolaitänav24; euro currency converter ( % 445 1600;www Thislong- This n A )

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt for sipping cocktails at sunset. atsunset. for sippingcocktails terraces andalaid-back ambience perfect three-storey outdoor caféboastsseveral looking thebeach, thishandsomenew of thecentre. .noorusemaja.ee; barb tart, strudelandotherfreshbarb tart, delights. 8Kr; the touristoffice. weekendcerts every insummer. with Check Pärnu TownOrchestra holdsclassicalcon- Entertainment Café Ranna Drinking 18; Suur-Sepa (Turg; tre stages periodic folkshows and concerts. Endla Theatre Theatre Endla THEATRE like interior orthepatiooutside. can’t denytheappealof thestylishlounge- extraordinary viewsover thewater, andwe uninspiring, thisglass-sidedhotel barhas spot over drinksorbilliards games. man-inspired pub;it’sapopularmeeting welcoming ambienceprevails atthisGer- and occasional rock shows. and occasionalrockshows. mix of touristsandlocalscomefordraftbeer hall withalarge terrace attheback. Anolder transformed intoaspaciouscountrifiedbeer This early-20th-centuryspahallhasbeen Fridays. spot foradrink.Live performancesmost indoor-outdoor caféstill makes alively forjazz-lovers,A bitdisappointing this rooftop. an artgallery andanopen-air caféonthe wide range of performances.It alsohouses This is Pärnu’s besttheatre andit stages a Hotell, 8thfl,Sidetänav14) allure. artwork andasmallfrontpatioaddtothe Colourfully painted wallsdecked withlocal someofwhile yousample thevintages. wine barhasplushchairs you cansinkinto Picadilly Ellen Bakery Ellen Bakery Provisions aboundatthe Väike Klaus Väike Romantic Bar Kuursaal Nooruse Maja Cultural Centre Cultural Nooruse Maja Jazz Café h SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA••Pärnu 7.30am-4pm)

( ( ( % % ( % % ( Roheline

% ( ( 442 0368;www.kuur.ee; puiestee22) Mere % % 442 0085;Pühavaimu15) 442 7546; Ringi 11; 442 7546;Ringi 446 4890; Ranna puiestee3) 446 4890;Ranna h ( 442 0667;www.endla.ee; % A tiny bakery serving rhu- Atinybakery serving 447 7208;Supeluse3) 447 0044; Kuninga tänav 32; tarts 6- 447 0044;Kuningatänav32;tarts 8am-3pm Tue-Sun) tänav 445 1600;Tervise Paradiis Spa Although thenameis Although 1b) This cultural cen-

( h % central market 10am-midnight) 444 1768;www , southeast Thiscosy Acasual, Keskväljak Over- 158 1)

ESTONIA ESTONIA way). Bookwellinadvance. but onlyfromOctober toApril(120Kr,one fromPärnutoKihnu, also hasdailyflights one way,hour),Saaremaa. AirLivonia Kuressaare (adult/concession300/200Kr utes); continuesonto oneof flights these concession 300/200Kroneway,25min- fromPärnutoRuhnu(adult/ twice weekly out Estonia,the from thedriver. For destinations through- tickets youcanpurchase beyond, though sells Eurolinesticketssells toR The BUS Yacht Club trip fromPärnutoKihnu(see p162 ). It’s possibletotake aferry orprivate boat BOAT Pärnu’s AIR &Away There Getting Tallinn Club NIGHTCLUBS 159 Tartu R Ranna puiestee3;entrance60-100Kr; Ranna Pikk. at thenorthendof Ringitänav, justoff lent DJsandaneager youngcrowd. ( p159 ). It’sthecity’shottest spot,withexcel- of only clubisheldinonesection Kuursaal 40-100Kr; Kuressaare to/fromPärnu include: Russia. Other buses for information ongetting fromPärnuto parture pointforferries toKihnu.See p397 daily (onehour) for MunalaiuPort,thede- 115Kr, twohours). departthree times Buses connect PärnuwithTallinndaily buses (80- opposite sideof Ringitänav. More than20 a red-brick building,is100msouthonthe passport control. has aharbourwithcustomspoint and nooks whenthedancefloorgets crowded. multifloorinterior withplenty ofsleek cosy this clubhasanoutdoorbeach terrace anda buildingdatingfrom1939, In agrandiose tion totheairport(20minutes). Tallinn road.Bus23runsfromthebussta- on thenorthernedge of the town,westoff ī ga Sunset Club Air Livonia SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA••Pärnu 110Kr, three hours,two daily. 85Kr to 115Kr,two tothree hours, 16daily. bus station Cargobus h airport

(Pärnu Jahtklubi; (Pärnu Jahtklubi; 140Kr,3¼hours, three daily. (www.clubtallinn.ee; Mere puiestee 22; entrance puiestee22;entrance (www.clubtallinn.ee; Mere Tue-Sat Jun-Aug)

( %

(

( % % ( ( % 447 5007;www.airlivonia.ee) % ticket office ticket 442 7845) 443 0670;www.sunsetclub.ee; 447 1002; 447 5001;www.eepu.ee) % euro currency converter Thissummertime- 447 1740;Lootsitänav6) near platform8 near h ī h ga, Vilniusand

( h closed Sun&Mon) 5am-8.30pm) 6am-7.30pm) Pärnu flies lies is ,

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt per hr/day35/150Kr) Sat &SunSep) h tänav) Ringi City Bike City Bike fice there; buytickets onthetrain. along theR Foxman ‘SEAT’look outforthesignthatsays –and has a A tiny town alongthe Pärnu river, Tori TORI way museum 25km northwestof Pärnu,andthere’s a inanareaindustry atLavassaare, of bogs are inthe peat-extraction used Railways LAVASSAARE Around Pärnu rentals are forthebestrates.office Acoupleof budget alistfromthetourist agencies intown.Get ping Centre. There are numerous car-hire nexttothePort ArturShop-fuel station aremaantee allopen24hours. There’s a Neste, alongRiia Shell stations andStatoil CAR &MOTORCYCLE 40/150Kr) from During thesummeryoucanrent bicycles BICYCLE front of themainpostoffice. in tee is theSidesõlmstoponAkadeemia A mainlocalbusstopinthetowncentre Around Getting maantee116) (Riia Pärnu (50Kr,three hours). The TallinnTwo dailytrainsrunbetween and TRAIN Virtsu Vilnius Viljandi or central Pärnu, thengoabout 12kmnorth. turn northoff the Lihularoad13kmwestof narrow-gauge tracks.To reach Lavassaare rides onitslittleold steam enginealongthe offerscome onSaturday, whenthemuseum motives from allover It’s best to theBaltics. get better rates bycalling Pärnu Takso 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun Jun-Aug, 11am-5pm 11am-6pm Mon-Sat,11am-5pm SunJun-Aug, 11am-5pm 55Kr,1¼hours,three daily. Tõruke Tõruke 280Kr,eighthours,twoweekly. 65Kr,1½totwohours,10daily.

stud & horse-riding farm stud & horse-riding , abike nearthebeach, stand and ( % ( % line up near the bus station. You’ll lineupnearthebusstation. close tothepeat fieldswithloco- close MDM Auto 443 4800;Rohelinetänav64) ī

5660 8990; www.citybike.ee; Seedri 4; bike 4;bike Seedri 5660 8990;www.citybike.ee; ga road.There’s of- nostation ( ( %

% is5kmeastof the towncentre ( % . 502 8269; Supeluse; bike perhr/day 502 8269;Supeluse;bike 527 2584;www.museumrailway.ee; 443 1200)

( % www.lonelyplanet.com 443 2113;Jannseni36b) . E-Takso Taxis

Pärnu station

( . ( % %

(cnr Pikk & 446 6080; 443 1111) rail- –

radical newspaper was aprofessional educatorandedited the Estonian nationalistmovement. Jakobson learn aboutthemuch revered leaderof the call atleastonedayinadvance. carriage inwinter. –orsleigh Justbesure to museum Estonia’s finestbreeds atthe morefarm andcarthorses. about Learn began tobreed bigger, stronger Estonian in operationsince1856,whenattempts KURGJA per hr150-250Kr; perperson Pärnumaantee13;rides www.hot.ee/torihobune; www.lonelyplanet.com was bornat dent of independentEstoniabefore WWII, presi- Päts, thesemidictatorial Konstantin Sights &Activities longer operational. roadfromHädemeeste isnoant coastal land. Theborderontheolder,more pleas- much of theway,usually2kmto3kmin- der, a65kmstretch, forest runsthrough bor- 4fromPärnutothe Latvian Highway PÄRNU TOTHELATVIAN BORDER ( the stands of Vändraand65kmnortheastof Pärnu, At Kurgja, onthePärnuRiver 15kmeast land, sothere’s Ten little tosee. kilometres but they areHäädemeeste, forested and in- at highway Estonia. Estonia’s biggest dunesare the off itical monument herefrom Pärnu.Hisstatue wasthefirst which stretches downhillfromthehouse. 100Kr) topaddlearoundthePärnuriver, (per person 25Kr)orhire akayak(perhour tional Park. Youcanalsopitch atent here along thenearbyrivers and inSoomaaNa- and two-daykayakingtrips(from300Kr) a friendlyadventure outfitthatoffers one- activity withschool groups. the grounds(50Krperperson), a popular you cantake a swim intheriver orcampon addition totouringtheoldcountry estate, operates using19th-centurymethods.In son’s farm,which hefoundedin1874,still face adornsthe500Krbanknote.) Jakob- Matkakeskus Matkakeskus % Across theroadfromfarmis Tori lies20kmnortheastof Pärnu. 445 8171;adult/concession15/8) . Youcanalsogoriding,byhorse or Carl Robert Jakobson Robert Carl Rannametsa ( %

Tahku h toberestored inpost-Soviet 511 4253; www.tori.ee, inEstonian) 511 4253;www.tori.ee, 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) , 20kmdownthe coast Sakala , about3km northof euro currency converter inViljandi.(His , where youcan

farm &museum horse-breeding horse-breeding that’s been that’sbeen Tori Tori pol- ,

 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt stop inthe thewildsceneryhere.that passthrough follow a6.8kmtrailalongwoodenplanks sited, asare 144otherbirdspecies.Youcan and black-throated divers are occasionally bird-breedingportant area: goldeneagles there are five ‘bogislands’.It’salsoanim- and hollows,inthewestern partof which This treeless peatbogisfilledwith pools border, about10kmeastof 4. Highway bog n site/caravan €3/8,s/d/cottageinclbreakfast €46/66/33; 6668; www.loodus.ee/nigula; Pärnutänav2) to thebeach. tages onthegrounds.It’sastone’sthrow ies. There are alsosomesimplewoodencot- balcon- are withsea-facing set comfortably the oldborderroad.Roomsinsidehotel near thecoast,justsouthof Kabli, following the mainland. Kihnu menmade aliving turies ago,were criminals andexiles from owing to theisland’sisolation. remained forso manycenturies intact crafts. Inpart,the customsof Kihnu have spiritual festivals andthemakingof handi- song, dance,the celebration of trad itional tural traditionsthat are in stillpractised, This honourisa tribute totherich cul- HeritageOral andIntangible of Humanity. Kihnu Cultural Spaceamasterpiece of the Russian Orthodox religion. Estonianswhofollowthe the few non-Setu line thewestern coast.Kihnuansare among centre of theisland.Long,quietbeaches and combinedvillage hallandbar in the the 7km-longisland,plusaschool, church, day.Thereevery are three mainvillages on wear thecolourfulstripedskirts nearly itional placesinEstonia. Mostwomen still the Gulfof R Kihnu Island,40kmsouthwestof Pärnuin pop 500 KIHNU Lepanina Hotell Sleeping fronted bysandy is south of Rannametsa Nõmme. For more informationabout thebog, The Many of theisland’s first cen- inhabitants, In December2003 Unesco declared the ) (Nigula raba), just north of the Latvian (Nigularaba),justnorthof theLatvian Thissprawling,moderncomplexlies SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA •• Kihnu SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA••Kihnu Nigula Nature Reserve Reserve Nigula Nature Nigula Nature Reserve office Reserve Nigula Nature

ī ( ga, isoneof themosttrad- % beaches 446 5024;www.lepanina.ee; camp Kabli . protects the , a seaside town , aseaside inKilingi-

( % Nigula

160

445 ESTONIA ESTONIA country fare. hearty ant (meals18Krto45Kr)serves rooms withshared bathroom.Therestaur- Tolli, thisplaceoffers simplewood-floored located about2kmnorthof theport. and guestscanordermeals.The farmis Tolli offers bike rental, boatingexcursions, You canalsopitch atent. Saunaavailable. orinamoremain house rusticlogcabin. 250/60Kr; available 50muptheroadat Town informationandInternet access is from thepicturesque Orthodox church. Tolli Tourist FarmTolli Tourist Sleeping &Eating ( Kihnu atthe island’s church. hometoKihnuandreburiedbrought inthe town of Oksbybutin1992hisremains were retirement. He wasburied intheDanish was tohave hislastvoyage before been Denmarkonwhat off when hisshipsank all theworld’soceans,drownedin1913 tohave KihnuJõnn,said on the sea. sailed riod whentheywere virtuallybannedfrom freedom forEstoniansduringtheSoviet pe- Kihnu Jõnn),whobecameasymbolof lost EnnUuetoa(better captain knownas sea ThemostfamousKihnuanwasthe sence. effectively governed theislandintheirab- hunting,whilewomen from fishingandseal 161 ferry From mid-May the September, through &Away There Getting for Kihnu’sinhabitants. ofcontinue tobethemainstay employment Fishingestablished. andcattleherding shippedoverhouse, fromBritain. child 15/6Kr; in the village of Pootsi, 40km southwest of about 50minutes. Munalaiu Port is taking Sunday to Friday,oncedaily onSaturday, from Munalaiu PortforKihnu twicedaily best placetopop inforameal. ant withapatio out theback.It’sKihnu’s centre, restaur- thisfoodshop hasapleasant Near thechurch intheisland andmuseum h Kurase Pood Kohvik Kurase PoodKohvik Rock City You canlearnmore abouthimandlife on After WWIIafishery collective was apicturesqueIn thesouthstands light- SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA••Ruhnu 10am-4pm Tue-Sat, 11am-3pmSun) Amalie n h ) Offers accommodationinthe ( ( % % Kihnu Muuseum Muuseum Kihnu 10.30am-4pm)

( 446 9956;d350Kr; 448 9924;one way30Kr) % 446 9908;r/campsiteperperson ( % euro currency converter 446 9938;mealsfrom20Kr) , acrossthestreet ( % . 446 9983;adult/ tourist office tourist n departs ) Near

 1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt brick building150mfromtheport. 120Kr) concession oneway 300/200Kr) ferry departure times. about2½hours. day toMonday,taking PärnuandKihnudailyfromThurs-tween Ruhnu (200Kroneway,twohours). Roomassaare and between times weekly evocative castleruins, historic buildingsevocative town isrelaxed and peaceful, withsome the lovely Viljandiatits centre. Lake The jandi overlooks apicturesque valley with One of Estonia’smost charming towns, Vil- pop 20,500 VILJANDI from Saaremaa. 31 August),youcanreach Ruhnu byboat year-old pinesonitseastern dunes. is flatbutthere’s aforest of 200-to300- 1755 initsatmosphericinterior. The island andpulpit dating from has awoodenaltar woodenstructure inEstonia. It surviving (dating backto1644),makingitthe oldest isavery impressivehighlight beaches, buttheRuhnu hassomesandy stock, toavoid theadvancingRedArmy. August 1944,abandoning homesandlive- population of about 300,buttheyallfledin eral centuriesRuhnuhadamainlySwedish thantheEstonianmainland.Forsev- Latvia is 100kmsouthwestof Pärnuandnearer to Ruhnu, smallerthanKihnuatjust11sqkm, pop 65 RUHNU grattaläe nutus pick upamap(10Kr)of theislandat way toget around.Youcanrent bikes and Once youreach Kihnu,bicycleis the best Around Getting to KihnubutonlyfromOctober toApril. the ferry theferries.timed tomeet fromPärnuarePärnu; buses theoretically Ruhnu. Kuressaare between it fliesonceweekly and PärnuandRuhnu; between flights weekly panii; Air Livonia keepsThe Pärnutouristoffice updated Air Livonia If you’re arrivinginsummer(19May to From thePärnucityport(Kalda tänav 2), % has one or two daily flights from Pärnu fromPärnu hasoneortwodailyflights 452 4444;www.laevakompanii.ee)

( ( ( % % % (bikes perhr/dayfrom25/125Kr) (bikes 447 5007; www.airlivonia.ee; one way 447 5007;www.airlivonia.ee; oneway 477 5007;www.airlivonia.ee; adult/ 5344 1294;oneway70Kr) SLK Ferries Ferries SLK www.lonelyplanet.com operates twice (Saaremaa Laevakom- wooden church sails five sails sails be- sails , ina Jal-

ὈὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈὈ ὈὈ

tee north of thecentre, pastthe 1) park. The tänav. Lossitänav leadssouthtothecastle Keskväljak, where Tartu tänavLossi meets down totheshoreline. Thecentralsquare is Viljandi,withstepsfrom Lake leading The centre of townisabout500mback Orientation route toValga border. ontheLatvian stepped backintime. lovely strolls,andit’seasytofeel like you’ve mix of 19th-centuryarchitecture, makes for sians. Todayitstinycentre, withaneclectic ings andgoingsof Swedes,PolesandRus- thenwassubjecttotheusualcom- League, town arounditlater joinedtheHanseatic castle atViljandiinthe13thcentury.The just unwindinginapretty countrytown. wonders of SoomaaNationalPark, orfor makes forexploringthenatural agoodbase and abundantsurroundinggreenery. It www.lonelyplanet.com (Tallinna maantee22) (Tallinna

Paala 1 is2kmwestof thecentre alongVaksali.

3 2 VILJANDI Pärnu (90km) Headquarters (40km); Soomaa NationalPark Train Station(1km); Soomaa National To UnistarAuto(400m); Kaare ὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈ ὈὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈ Ὀ Viljandi is160kmsouthof Tallinn en ofThe Knights theSwordfoundeda

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Valouja Pappa Pizza ; the Suspension Footbridge Viljandi

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20 To Lõhavere(20km);  Suure-Jaani (22km); 1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Tallinn (160km) 19

Lutsu 10 Endla Uus Ilmarise Laidoneri Ranna puiestee 15 2pm Sat) .viljandi.ee; Vabaduse plats6; maantee 7; puiestee) the medieval the medieval ectly below.Alsointhecastleparkare over valleyandthelake theprimeval dir- viewsSword. Thecastleparkhassweeping Order Castle ing theruinsof the13th-century Park isvisiting One of thehighlights Sights &Activities The Information Internet access,trythepublic has manybrochures onthearea. Forfree Ühispank can change theATM moneyand use at the fighting. final resting placeof killedin theGermans cemetery totherear of thecastlearea isthe trenches from WWIIcamelater. Asmall ruins are whatremain of thecastlemoat; 1931. Theravines surroundingthe castle

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suspension footbridge Õuna 400m 0.2miles 0 0

SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Hostel Ingeri...... Grand HotelViljandi...... Centrum Hotel...... Viljandi OrderCastleRuins..... Viljandi Museum...... St John'sChurch...... Old WaterTower...... Kultuurimaja Kohvik...... (see6) Kondase Keskus...... Cultural Centre...... Boat Rental...... Tourist Office...... SEB Ühispank...... Post Office...... Library...... Bus Station...... Nukuteater...... Telegaste TubaPubi...... Suur Vend...... Sevan...... Café Viljandi...... TRANSPORT ENTERTAINMENT EATING SLEEPING Järve . h

10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, ( %

(Jaani Kirik; Tasuja Kirik; (Jaani Library 433 0442;www D builtin Viljandi (Tallinna (Tallinna 15 20 19 18 17 16 14 13 12 11 10 . You 6 9 8 7 1 5 4 3 2 Castle

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162 SEB ESTONIA ESTONIA Jun-Aug) soe storey old market square themodesttwo- stands Facing details. with finelywrought the streets andhandsomewoodenbuildings 15/5Kr; tänav 2c;s/tw 300/500Kr; the Nuku teater ( right ). (right Nukuteater the Inter national Puppet Festival around Viljandiin mid-May don’tmiss the for venue and ticket information. Ifyou’re (end of July).Stopinatthetouristoffice Church. Thetownalsohostsa July) isstaged inandaroundStJohn’s happen inJuly;its Viljandi’s smallbutworthwhile festivals Festivals &Events (paddleboats/rowboats perhr30/40Kr; 10; adult/concession10/5Kr; 163 Hostel Ingeri Hostel Sleeping platform justoffshore. Youcanrent cafénearthewatera pleasant andswim for aswimonwarmsummerdays.There’s try’s onlygallerydedicated tonaive art. ing outsidethemainstream. It’sthecoun- artistswork- Kondas andotherself-taught brantly colourfulworksbythepainter Paul terrace café. summertime symposiums. Ithasapleasant year, aswellexhibitions,workshops and ber andchoral the concertsthroughout the main kohvik Kauba tänav. the steps tothelake along byheadingeast Sep) Kauba tänav;adult/concession10/5Kr; Kauba onto Castle Park.onto Castle The largest onehas abalcony with views offershouse rooms. comfortable bright, jandi’s loveliest streets, this smallguest- like. Nearby,the of whattheoriginalcastleprobably looked white photosof thecity,andamock-up tury. There are folkcostumes,black-and- from theStoneAge tothemid-20thcen- which hasdisplaystracingViljandi’shistory dase Keskus dase Keskus A few blockssouthistheexcellent The oldpartof townislinedwithbrick The Doubling asanartgallery, offers fineviewsover thecountryside. SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA••Viljandi

h Viljandi Museum Viljandi fromashackbythewater. Access ( lake lake % 10am-7pm Wed-Sun) cultural centre 433 5888;Tallinna maantee5) ( % (Viljandi järv) isalovely place (Viljandi järv) ( % 433 3968;Pikk tänav8;adult/concession 433 4414; [email protected]; Pikk 433 4414;[email protected]; old water tower old water n Old Music Festival Old Music

( % euro currency converter , which hostscham- h ) Alongone of Vil- 433 3316; Laidoneri plats 433 3316;Laidoneri , which isheldat , withsomevi- 10am-5pm Wed-Sun) h 11am-6pm May- Kultuurimaja Kultuurimaja h (Vana Veetorn; (Vana Folk Festival is inside 10am-8pm (mid- boats Kon- ,  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Tallinna maantee24;s/d700/900Kr; tarian optionsonthebackyardpatio.tarian 55; Tartu tänav11;s/d1100/1400Kr; meals 35-65Kr) displayed inthefrontcounter). come forcoffee andpastries (seductively full menuoffers basicmeals,oryoucan cosy caféhaslotsof old-worldcharm; the of darkwoodambience inside. outdoordeckandlots one hasapooltable, It hostsapuppet festival inmid-May. catching theyear. performances throughout to 60Kr, 1½ to two hours), seven toValgato 60Kr, 1½ to twohours), seven (65Kr, 1½to twohours), 16to Tartu (50Kr hours). There are toPärnu 10daily buses with Tallinn (70Kr to85Kr,2½ tofour connect ViljandiAt least 13 dailybuses &Away There Getting Nukuteater Entertainment Viljandi Café Eating &Drinking front. There’s indoor-outdoor apleasant caféin windows andwildlypatterned carpets. chairs,with darkwoodtrim,satiny large most eleganthotel hassumptuousrooms grilled meats,dolmas, menian cuisine. Duringthesummerenjoy deliciousAr- This unassumingcaféserves sauna andarestaurantsauna onsite. rooms withmodernfurnishings. There’s a haslarge butuninspiring Centrum station, Lossi tänav31) 120Kr) ular summer meeting spot. ular summermeeting beer. outdoor terrace isapop- Thepleasant andplenty ofEstonian standards ice-cold clude breakfast. thekitchen. Prices in- and guestscanuse floors. Mostroomshave private bathrooms, hasneat,airyroomswith wooden house east of thecentre, thissmall,friendlyguest- peaceful neighbourhood 10minutes’ walk .ee; Jakobsonitänav55;s400Kr,d500-700Kr; Suur Vend Telegaste Tuba Pubi Grand Hotel Viljandi Grand Hotel Kulalistemaja Alice Kulalistemaja Sevan Sevan Centrum Hotel Centrum h Oneof pubsinthearea, several this 8am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9am-10pmSat&Sun) 8am-10pm Mon-Fri, ( % ( Thispuppettheatre stages eye- This inviting pub serves hearty Thisinvitingpubserves

% 5566 5295;Postitänav6;meals40-95Kr) ( ( % % 433 4295;www.viljandinukuteater.ee; 433 3021;Lossitänav31;meals28- ( 433 3644;Turu tänav4;meals65- %

435 1100;www.centrum.ee; ( ( % ( % % shawerma www.lonelyplanet.com 433 3944;Pikk tänav2b; 434 7616;alice@matti 435 5800;www.ghv.ee; n n ) ) Nearthebus Thetown’s andvege- n ) This Ina

10am-4pm Mon-SatSep-Apr) h National Park. option forreaching andexploringSoomaa Lake Võrtsjärv atwww.hot.ee/vjarv. Võrtsjärv Lake office. You’llfindloadsof informationon map isavailable fromtheViljanditourist stones frompre-Christian times.Adetailed from the Jaani, andPaistu Leie layclaimtoscenes road. Nearbyhamletsof Paissu, Kaalgu- the Viljandi–Tartu justoff end of Võrtsjärv, of of tourist office tourist English-style gardenshousingthe withawatermill, distilleryand manor house few kilometres eastis ite monumentnearahillbutlittlemore. A ofKnights theSword.There’s alarge gran- up themostresistance totheinvading the 13th-centuryEstonianleaderwhoput road, isthesite of the fortress of Lembitu, At Around Viljandi % call (65Kr, three hours). Forbusschedules, maa (4¾hours). (1¾ hours) andthree toKuressaare, Saare- www.lonelyplanet.com ing a ‘fifth season’ for the inhabitants of forthe inhabitants this ing a ‘fifthseason’ the Pärnu River, thespring flooding creat- places. The bogsare of splitbytributaries the peat layerof which measures 7min Valgeraba, Öördi, Kikepera andKuresoo – wetlands’) isprimarilymadeupof fourbogs– National Park (Soomaa:literally ‘landof flat meadowsand waterside forests, Soomaa Embracing Estonia’s largest area of swamps, SOOMAA NATIONAL PARK 5921; Tenika tänav2;carsfrom600Kr cilities little over twohours. three daily)alsostopatOlustvere, a taking Tallinn-bound trainsfromViljandi(twoor in Olustvere ontheViljandi–Tallinn route. (25–45 minutes) stop dailybuses least eight in theelegantdiningroom.FromViljandiat can alsoorderameal,which willbeserved the manor,andifyoucalldaybefore, you sites/caravans/cabins 50/150/280Kr) Suure-Jaani Car hireCar isavailable at Two trainsrundailyto/fromTallinn Vaibla Lõhavere 434 9425. 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun May-Aug, 11am-4pmSat&SunMay-Aug, 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, %

( % 433 3680;fortrainschedules, call is a sandy beach isasandy with 504 9102;www.vaibla.ee, inEstonian;camp Kalevipoeg , justnortheastof thelovely town

( on the Viljandi–Vändra–Pärnu ontheViljandi–Vändra–Pärnu % 437 4280; www.olustvere.edu.ee/loss; 437 4280;www.olustvere.edu.ee/loss; Olustvere Manor Olustvere epicandsacrificial . You’re free totour euro currency converter Unistar Auto Unistar Auto atthenorthern ). Thisisagood camping fa- , a 1730s , a1730s Olustvere Olustvere ( % 345  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt www.soomaa.ee) Pärnu orToriavailable atextra charge. timeatthevisitorcentre.meeting Pick up in inadvance, andthey’llarrange June. a Call four-day excursions. Theyalsooffer wolf-tracking bird-watching, mushroom-picking and tripstomultiday from five-hour canoeing heading intothe region. castle. Itmakeseval stopwhen apleasant church andthecinematic ruins of amedi- quiet leafystreets, arestored 17th-century along anidyllicriver,quaint townset with gardens, Known foritsrose is a Põltsamaa pop 5100 PÕLTSAMAA in March andApril. land,whereboggy thewaters to5m canrise with the17th-century church adjoining it– it–along date from the1770s, although River.Põltsamaa Theruins of the upafortification alongthe the Sword set species. year,with172observed every otter. of Thousands birds migrate toSoomaa the wolf,lynx,brownbear,elk,wildboarand habit thesurroundingforests, amongthem hauling hay and transportation. hauling hayandtransportation. forcenturiesfishing, hunting, and used Ugric fromaspen single-tree boatcarved orby by canoe and itnumerousmeanderingwaterways, is because theywerebecause scared of thewitches). etrate thebogsaseasilyforests (probably from outsideinvaders whocouldn’tpen- escaping also hidingplacesforpartisans toreality, Closer bogswereout foralltosee. fire, drivingthegrotesque boginhabitants are untiltheboggascatches forced tostay wisp wholeadspeopletothebog,where they to Estonianfolklore, will-o’-the- itistheevil Witches were tolive said there. According vided isolationandprotection toEstonians. Soomaa NationalPark visitorcentre the centre inadvance). (besttocontact modations andguideservice distributes hikingmapsandarrange accom- pro fessional outfitinKõrtsi-Tõramaal.It sions from€30) SOUTHWESTERN ESTONIA••Põltsamaa During the 13th century the Knights ofDuring the 13thcentury the Knights Up to46different mammalspeciesin- The bestwaytoexplore thenationalpark Bogs, asforest, have historicallypro- Park informationisavailable fromthe Soomaa.com Soomaa.com haabja offers anumberof excursions, , which is a welcoming, highly , which isawelcoming,highly ( % haabja -building workshops each 506 1896;www.soomaa.com; excur- , atraditionalFinno-

( % 435 7164; 435 7164;

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164 ESTONIA ESTONIA seum has an seum residents.opment and itsnotable The mu- devel- as well historyaboutPõltsamaa’s Loss tänav 1; 165 museum here the year. throughout its restoration in2004.Concertsare held organs, which was out of commission until boasted oneof Estonia’smostmagnificent was badlydamaged inWWII.Thechurch Apr) 8/5Kr; Also insidethecastle wallsisthetown advantage both for their own survival andinthefighttorestoreadvantage bothfortheirownsurvival therepublic. some remained there foryears. They knewtheirterrain wellandusedthis knowledgetotheir resisted the Soviet occupation.Manyresorted toanunderground existence inthewoodsand of theMetsavendlus movement. pro-independence The Metsavennad ( Forest Brothers)fiercely tween 1944and1956muchofwhatisnownationalparknature reserve wasastronghold Today thesleepymarshesandquietwoodlandsofEstoniaare ahaven onlyforwildlife, butbe- THE FORESTBROTHERS’ RESISTANCE ANDTHEUNDERGROUNDWAR international assistancedidnoteventuate, theindependencecauseremained Estonia’sown. restored whenforciblyremoved), forwhatsomethoughtwouldbeanewwar. ralliedsupport As the British–USAtlantic treaty of1941(whichstates thatsovereignty andself-governance shouldbe The earlyresistance, believingthislatest occupationwouldnotberecognised inaccordancewith retreated occupation,secured fromadifficultthree-year thisclaimbyadvancingonTallinn in1944. at mouldingEstoniaintoanewSoviet state. incidents ofsabotageoninfrastructure suchasrailwaysand roadsthathindered earlyattempts Brothers’. The ofresistance impact isfoundinSoviet activity records fromthetime,whichdetail whichincludedwomen,theelderly,youngpeopleandanetworkof‘Urbanand theirsupporters, offensives onSoviet targets. At theheightofresistance there were over 30,000Metsavennad around 3000soldiers. Tactical andsecure intelligence expertise networksresulted indamaging base andcover forresistance activities. people –mainlywomen,children andtheelderly–manyofwhomhadprovided thesupport The greatestor killed. of20,000 blowtotheMetsavendlus camein1949withthedeportation againsttheresistance.coerced intoacting By194715,000resistance fighters hadbeenarrested suspected tobesympathetictheresistance causeandsomeMetsavennad were supporters who were abletoinfiltrate theresistance. The Sovietsofthose coordinated massdeportations (Sovieting opposition.The secret NKVD police)provided incentives tosomeofthelocalpopulation andCanada. Some oftheMetsavennadfor collectivisation. orimprisonedescapedto whowere notkilled andtheclearingoffarmhouses duetoongoingdeportations Soviets andlossof local support final active Lillenurm,wasfound –shotdeadinLäänecounty. Forest Brother,Oskar withwhichthey persistentlyhumour andtact eludedtheSoviets. Itwasonlyin1980thatthe ( Kaljurand are regarded asnational heroesandare awardedsomeofthecountry’shighest honours. witnesses. members EnemiesofMetsavennad are whilesurviving stillfindingthemselves incourt, , which hasphotos of theoriginal castle, SOUTHWESTERNESTONIA••Põltsamaa h The Soviets of1939and,after claimedEstoniaintheMolotov-Ribbentrop pact theGermans Resistance action beganwithisolatedResistance action attacksonRedArmyunitsthatclaimedthelives of In theyearsthatfollowedMetsavendlus suffered highcasualties, with variedandincreas- The movement continuedforsomeyearsbutwasgreatly impededbythestrength ofthe There are manyheroesoftheMetsavendlus; ArroandAnts mostcametoatragic end.Kalev Much workhasbeendonetocompilea historyofthemovement byrecording accountsoflocal ( 10am-6pm May-Sep, 10am-4pmMon-SatOct- 10am-6pm May-Sep, % h 775 1390;Losstänav1; adult/concession hirmus, 10am-6pm May-Sep, 10am-4pm Mon- 10am-6pm May-Sep, information centre information centre orhorribleAntstotheSoviets) were famous fortheirdeftdisguisesandthe euro currency converter ( % 775 1390;  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt admission 10Kr) found atthe spot –and agoodarea forapicnic. Upstream from theislandsis a swimming gardens. the summerrose area forseeing stroll southeastof thecastle. Thisisa good centre canopenitfor you. the church whenyouarrive, isclosed the get excellentlocal and regional infohere. If friendliest bureaus. Pick upatownmapand Sat Oct-Apr) A more extensive collectionof is roses Several Several , andisprobably oneof Estonia’s islands , which over contains 3000 Roosiaed in theriver are a short ( % www.lonelyplanet.com 776 9877; Karja tänav; 776 9877; Karja Tallinn daily). (twohours, 10buses with Tartu daily)and (twohours, 10buses hasmorePõltsamaa frequent connections withViljandi(oneto twohours);samaa inthesummer.seating dishes, tasty withoutdoor 65Kr), serving popular caféandrestaurant (meals20Krto in theatticof Downstairs isa thehouse. spot rents rooms outsmallbutcomfortable along theeastsideof theriver, thispleasant h countries, see theRegionalDirectory. countries, see toallthreegional informationpertaining tion related totravelling inEstonia. Forre- practicalinforma- The followingcontains ESTONIA DIRECTORY maantee). bridge over theriver themainroad, (off types. TheRoosiaedis1½kmnorthof the www.lonelyplanet.com embassies and consulates in Estonia, con- diplomatic organisations aswell asforeign For ofup-to-date details Estonian contact EMBASSIES &CONSULATES tänav14,Tallinn)6578; Sakala Objects ofCultural Division oftheExport fromthe can beobtained country. These specialpermits tobetaken outofneed the nia before 1850orin Estonia before 1945 tions. Antiqueobjects madeoutsideEsto- forthelatest restric- www.customs.ee see limits foralcohol andtobaccoare generous; If arriving fromanotherEUcountry,the CUSTOMS theActivitieschapter. see Baltics, hotels. It’sthetrueEstonianexperience. lakesides, tucked awayinforests andinmost out atriptothesauna.You’llfind themon bylakes idealforswimming. well served waters. Southeastern Estoniaisparticularly rivers forswimminginpristine,refreshing heading tothecountry’sbeautiful lakes and most enjoyablesummeractivities is simply laxation amidpastoralsplendour. Oneof the Estonia offers plentyof adventure andre- ACTIVITIES One or two buses dailyconnect Põlt- One ortwobuses Rivaal Rivaal For acomplete listof activitiesinthe Whatever youdo,don’tleave Estonia with- 8am-10pm Mon-Sat; ( % 776 2620; www.rivaal.ee; s/d400/600Kr; 776 2620;www.rivaal.ee; n . euro currency converter ) On FlowerIsland,

( % 644  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt Hamburg) 450 4026;fax40-45040515;Badestrasse38,20143 Hildebrandstrasse 5,D-10785Berlin); Hildebrandstrasse 75008 Paris) .net; 202-958BroadviewAve, M4K2R6) Toronto,Ontario Hyde Park LondonSW75DG) Gate, Mickevi .vm.ee; IslandiVäljak1,Tallinn) Riversdale House,StAnn’s,AilesburyRd,Dublin4) Riversdale Schiphol Airport) Schiphol Airport) [email protected]; Snipweg101,1118DPAmsterdam -ee.org; Toom-Kuninga 20) -ee.org; Ave, NW,WashingtonDC20008) ( 26th fl,6603rdAve, NewYork 10016); Puistotie 10, 00140 Helsinki, Suomi) Puistotie 10,00140Helsinki, Australia indicated.unless otherwise sulates are inornearTallinn’s OldTown Most of thefollowingembassiesorcon- inEstonia Embassies &Consulates USA UK Sweden Russia Netherlands Lithuania Latvia Ireland Germany France Finland Canada Australia following: number of overseas countries,includingthe Estonia hasdiplomaticrepresentation ina Estonian Embassies&Consulates the tact Kohtu tänav 4) .ee; Toom-Koolitänav13) Germany France Finland Canada .ee; Marja tänav9)Southwestof thecentre. .ee; Marja 13, R Petersburg) 0920; fax812-1090927;BolsajaMonetnaja14, 197101St 5,103009Moscow); Kislovski .com.au; 86LouisaRd,Birchgrove,NSW2041) .ee; Toom-Kuninga tänav11) Tyrgatan 3,10041Stockholm) %

London

ī 202-588 0101; www.estemb.org; 2131 Massachusetts 202-588 0101;www.estemb.org;2131Massachusetts New York ga LV 1010)

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Berlin Vilnius % ( ( % ( % Amsterdam % ( ( ( 020-7589 3428;www.estonia.gov.uk; 16 % ( % ė ( 781 2020;www.estemb.lv;Skolasiela ( % ( % 01 56622200;46ruePierre Charron, % 4a,Vilnius) % % ( 212-883 0636;www.nyc.estemb.org; 1-219 6730;[email protected]; % 095-290 5013; www.estemb.ru; Malo 095-290 5013;www.estemb.ru;Malo 416-461 0764;[email protected] 9-622 0260;www.estemb.fi;Itäinen 30-25 460600;www.estemb.de; % 02-9810 7468;eestikon@ozemail % 5-278 0200;www.estemb.lt; % 08 54512280;www.estemb.se; % % ( % 631 1492;www.ambafrance 627 3311;tallinn@canada 610 3200;www.finland.ee; St Petersburg 650 9308;mati@standard 627 5300, www.germany . 3120-316 5440;embassy Hamburg Washington DC ( (631 7600;www % 812-109 ( %

40- 166 ESTONIA ESTONIA .ru; Laitänav18) Tallinn musicians from aroundtheBalticregion. ternational festival heldinmid-February inTallinn attracts otherwise dreary season. abitofcheer toan this 63km cross-country race brings tänav6) Wismari Pikk tänav28) [email protected]; Vene tänav2) www.culture.ee. plete listingof Estonia’sfestivals, visit and furtherafield.Foracom- the capital ( p68 around) hasinformationonevents mer months. ThetouristofficeinTallinn especiallyduringthesum- tural events, Estonia hasalonglist of festivals andcul- FESTIVALS &EVENTS USA UK Sweden Russia Lithuania Latvia Ireland 167 Marathon Ski Tartu Student JazzFestivalu February Tallinn) [email protected]; Tõnismägi10,EE10119 manni tänav20)Southeastofthecentre. .ee/lietambasada; Uustänav15) (Map (Map pp66–7 „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ PRACTICALITIES (Map (Map pp66–7 ESTONIA DIRECTORY ••Festivals &Events ESTONIADIRECTORY

(Map (Map pp70–1 ; menus listed bythegram(200gofwine,500gschnitzel, etc). Estonia usesthemetricsystem for weightsandmeasures. Foodanddrinkoften appearson currentElectrical is AC. require220V, 50Hz Sockets aEuropean plugwithtworoundpins. PAL isthemain videosystem usedinEstonia. 24 hoursaday. Estonia’s popandEuro- disco lovers. (100.5FM) Youcanalsolisten totheBBCWorldService 2(101.6inTallinn)Radio andSkyPlus(95.4)are thetwomostpopularradiostationsamong www.etv.ee, network). isthestate-run (Eesti TV, Tallinn visitorscanpickupthree Finnish channelsinadditiontoEstonia’sthree channels downloads). forTallinnpublished quarterly andtwiceyearlyforTartu andPärnu(alsoavailable aspdf For events listingspickuptheexcellent features. The bimonthly For news,thebestEnglish-languageweeklyis (Map (Map pp66-7 ;

Narva Mp pp70–1 (Map (Map (Map pp70–1 ; (Map (Map pp70–1 ; ( % % % 356 0652;fax0654;Rüütlitänav8); % 667 4700; www.britishembassy.ee; 667 4700;www.britishembassy.ee; % Heldoutside Tartu in mid-February, 668 8100;www.usemb.ee;Kent- % % 646 4175;www.estonia.mid City Paper % (www.tudengijazz.ee) This in- 646 1313,consular1310; 681 1888; 640 5600;www.sweden.ee; 631 4030;www.hot euro currency converter is a glossy magazine with in-depth articles andsometimesquirky is aglossymagazinewithin-deptharticles In YourPocket  1 = 15.64Kr / 0.70Ls / 3.45Lt where hugebonfires flare forall-nightrevellers. outinthecountry Night,bestexperienced Midsummer’s biggest annualnightout isacelebrationofthepagan May theendoftermanddawnspring. celebration marking inthiswild,pagan students lettheirhairdowninlateApril April performers. somecolourful attracts Tartu’splace inmid-March, smallworld-music festival Song-Festival Grounds ontheroad toPirita) inearly July. Be Summer Beer Tallinn OldTownDays St John’sDay PuppetFestivalInternational StudentDays Tartu Days Estonian Music in townsthroughoutthecountry.HeldlateApril. inTallinn,festival isheadquartered happen thoughevents Jazzkaar Days World Music March July features amusement. lotsofmedieval inearlyJune,thisfest cinematic 14th-century quarters June crowd atthisfour-dayfest inmid-May. Viljandi’spuppettheatre gathersaspecialist nukuteater) mid-April. new, emergingworksduring and featuresevent bothclassicalEstonianperformances BalticTimes series (www.inyourpocket.com), (www.jazzkaar.ee) Thisinternational jazz (www.jazzkaar.ee) ( ( Heldon June23 Jaanipäev) , Estonia’s A hugely popularfestival inTallinn (atthe (www.baltictimes.com). (www.maajailm.ee, inEstonian)Taking (www.studentdays.ee) Tartu’s (www.ehl.kul.ee) InTallinn,(www.ehl.kul.ee) this (www.vlp.ee) HeldinTallinn’s www.lonelyplanet.com (www.hot.ee/viljandi Song Bowl. international rock-music placeintheTallinn festival takes early Julyfeatures chicanery. lotsofmedieval fest in the Baltics’mostmagnificentcastles,thistwo-day biggest film festival showcases world cinema in its myriad biggest filmfestival showcasesworldcinemainitsmyriad August val inlateJulyfeatures bandsfromEstoniaandabroad. FolkFestivalViljandi Festival Future Music Muhu Days Castle Kuressaare SummerFestivalSaaremaa ogy Film Festival Documentary&Anthropol- Pärnu International Tallinn RockSummer www.lonelyplanet.com Black NightsFilm Festival Film Nature Festival Matsalu LadyFestivalWhite heldinmid-August. salu’s popularmusicalevents, Festival Blues Festival Music Organ International Ladies inJazzFestival in earlyJuly. film fest features dozensoffilmsfromallover theworld September lateAugust. visitorduring appearance ofamysterious Haap salu’s castlegrounds,thisfestival culminatesinthe many musicfests. HeldinearlyAugust. held inTallinn earlyAugust. andthroughoutEstoniaduring inearlyJuly. Muhu heldontheislandof event are onoffer atthiscolourful music,progressive rockandmuchmore Jazz, experimental held invenuesthroughouttheislandmid-July. placemostly inKuressaare, butisalso takes classical event November &December late September. in Nature Reserve It’s heldinLihulanearthelushMatsalu offilmmakers. nature filmssubmittedbyawidevariety unusual filmfestivals intheBaltics,thisonefeatures „ „ ON THEHORIZON

and Tallinn; Tallinn willhost itin2007. festival isshared betweenR on Balticand otherfolktraditions, this music, dance anddisplaysfocusing FolkloreBaltika Festival itional choir,duein Tallinn in 2009. and culminates ina30,000-strong trad- .laulupidu.ee) Convenes every five years All-Estonian Song Festival (www.haapsalu.ee/kk) AnotherofHaap- (www.chaplin.ee) Pärnu’sbig-name (www.haapsalu.ee/kk) On The Baltics’ biggest three-day TheBaltics’biggestthree-day (www.folk.ee) Thisfour-dayfesti- (www.folk.ee) (early August)OneofHaapsalu’s Against thebackdrop ofone euro currency converter (www.poff.ee) Estonia’s This week-long largely (www.nordicsounds.ee) Oneofthemore A weekof ī (www ga, Vilnius Features concerts  1 = 15.64Kr /0.70Ls / 3.45Lt search on ‘tourism’. search on‘tourism’. your and hundreds ofotherbusinesses inEstonia. Start has linkstonationalparks, car-hire agencies, guesthouses sary oftheBattleVõnnu(1919),23June. people. the excuseforaweek-long midsummerbreak formany June. Taken DayandStJohn’sare together,Victory portal toTallinn’sportal andattractions. events and nature. with informationonEstonian history,culture, theeconomy Estonia Directory Estonia Directory out thefollowingwebsites: For more information aboutEstonia,check RESOURCES INTERNET may have towaitinline. charge. you Duringpeaktimes,however, computers free thatanyonecanuse of Kuressaaresalu, etc)have Web- connected braries (Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu,Haap- Narva, cornerofevery the country.Mostpublicli- connectionsinvirtually hour) withspeedy Internet cafés(charging around€2to€4 per not packingalaptop,there are numerous to alocalhostsuch Ifyou’re asmail.hot.ee. (SMTP) youroutgoingmailserver to set only adjustmentyoumayhave tomake is prices are perminute. around35senti The list). Ifyoucan’tfindafree connection, foracomplete www.wifi.ee tion isfree (see spots inTallinn andinmanyplacesconnec- spread inEstonia. You’llfindover 200hot Wireless ACCESS Internet access(wi-fi) iswide- INTERNET Day Boxing Day Christmas ofIndependence Day ofRestoration St John’sDay Day Võidupüha Victory Day Spring Monday Easter Good Friday Independence Day Year New HOLIDAYS films. HeldinlateNovember–earlyDecember. films,animatedfilmsandstudent forms: feature-length Tallinn Tourism Estonian Institute Estonica on Estonian cuisine, art, song traditionsandmore. on Estonian cuisine,art, info cations’ that youcanclickon,which providecolourful 24 February. ESTONIA DIRECTORY ••Holidays ESTONIA DIRECTORY (www.estonica.org) Nicelydesignedwebsite ’ s Day 1May 26December March/April March/April (Jaanipäev; Midsummer’s Night)24 Midsummer’s (Jaanipäev; (Jõulud) 25December (Jõulud) March/April March/April 1January (www.tourism.tallinn.ee) Thisisthe (www.tourism.tallinn.ee) (www.ee) This Estonia-wide directory (www.ee) ThisEstonia-wide directory Anniversaryof1918declaration, (www.einst.ee) Thissitehas‘publi- Commemoratingtheanniver- (1991) 20 August (1991)20August

168 ESTONIA ESTONIA Europe/rest of theworldcosts6/6.50/8Kr. country codeis Maps are available atmostbookstores. reference, mapsonCD-ROM. anddigital andmapsforprofessionalduces roadatlases digits, andallbegin with mobile phonenumbers have oreight seven All land-linephoneshave digits.All seven try, justdialthenumberasit’slisted here. If you’re callinganywhere withinthecoun- Estonia outallcitycodesin2004. phased TELEPHONE central postoffice ofto onemonth,inthebasement Tallinn’s restante bureau, where mailiskept forup nations outsideEurope. There isaposte- toNorthAmericaand otherdesti- a week or fourdaystoWestern Europeandabout about oneortwodayswithinEstonia,three Mostlettersefficient. orpostcardstake Mail service inandoutof Estoniaishighly POST by 2007. nia hasafairchance of adoptingtheeuro as wellone-andfive-kroon coins.Esto- there are coinsof five, 10,20and50sents, (cents),and kroon isdividedinto100senti five, 10,25,50,100and500Krnotes. One euro at15.64Kr. Thekrooncomesintwo, nounced krohn), which ispegged tothe rates. See the insidefrontcover forexchange MONEY EO Map MAPS 169 the above - ‘Do the right thing withour content.’ the above -‘Do theright thetermsand conditionsonour siteforalongerway ofsaying youknow,or resell it.See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inother words,please don’t uploadthischapter toapeer-to-peer In return, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseit forpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasierforyoutouse, accesstothischapterisnotdigitally Tomake several dozencities. several Pocket, excellent roadatlasorits centre maps.Ifyou’re driving,pickupEO’s Estoniancounty,andcity-town- every To postaletter upto20gScandinavia/ Estonia’s currency isthekroon(pro- ESTONIA DIRECTORY ••Maps ESTONIADIRECTORY

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170 ESTONIA