Estonia, Estonia

City · Estonia

Estonia

Estonia combines Tallinn's layered old town with Baltic islands, bog landscapes, wooden villages and a quietly inventive Nordic-Baltic culture.

Travel by Ildy tip

Architecture

In Tallinn's Kalamaja, walk past the wooden workers' houses to the Seaplane Harbour, whose 1916–17 hangars were among the first large thin-shell concrete domes – a vast space without a single pillar.

Best time to visit

Best time to travel

May to September brings long daylight for islands and nature; winter suits a compact Tallinn stay and sauna culture.

Travel tips

Travel by Ildy tips

  • Reach Saaremaa by the ferry from Virtsu to Kuivastu on Muhu (about 25 minutes), then drive across the causeway to the main island. For Hiiumaa, sail from Rohuküla to Heltermaa; with a car, reserve a place in advance.
  • On Saaremaa, look for koduõlu, the island's unboiled farmhouse beer flavoured with juniper; the village of Pihtla is home to small breweries that still make it.
  • Time a spring trip for late March or early April, when Soomaa's rivers flood the forests and meadows in the 'fifth season' and guided canoes glide where paths were weeks before.
  • In Võromaa, in the south-east, the chimneyless smoke sauna – with its whisk-making and meat-smoking customs – has been on UNESCO's intangible heritage list since 2014.

Travel by Ildy recommends

Follow the rhythm of the place first, then shape the journey around the experiences that feel most like your own.

Location

Estonia on the map

Estonia

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Where to stay

Stay ideas — Estonia

Estonia, Estonia

Estonia

Estonia