Estonia Travel Guide @ TravelNotes.org

Travel Notes: Europe: Estonia Travel Notes

Estonia tourist information with details about travel to and around the country. Where to stay and what to see is made easier with insider tips and hand-selected Estonia links, by dedicated editors and visitors to TravelNotes.org - The Online Guide to Travel.

Estonia

Estonia was formerly the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. There are more than 1,500 islands belonging to Estonia, the largest being Saaremaa and Hiiumaa.

Countries neighbouring Estonia are: Latvia and Russia, and Finland by ferry.

Weather in Estonia

View a graphical weather forecast for the week ahead in places around Estonia.

Maardu Weather, Raasiku Weather, Tallinn Weather, Turi Weather, Valke-Maarja Weather.

Tallin

The capital of Estonia is located on the Bay of Tallinn; an inlet of the Gulf of Finland.

Tallinn is divided into three zones that quite clearly show its historical development: the upper town, with its 13th-14th century citadel, built on a steep hill; the lower walled town, built between 14th-16th century; and the newer district.

In 1219 Waldemar II of Denmark established a fortress on the site.

The town gained commercial importance by the turn of the century, and in 1346 was sold by Denmark to the Teutonic Knights.

Sweden acquired Tallinn 215 years later, and it was annexed by Russia in 1710.

The Russians used the city as a naval base for the  Baltic fleet, but lost it for a while to the Germans during World War II.

Digital Tallinn:
Take a virtual tour of Tallinn through high-quality panoramic images.

Tallinn:
The best preserved of the old Baltic cities.

Tallinn Tips:
Ideas of what to see and do in Tallinn from the In Your Pocket guidebook series, as well as other useful information for travel to Estonia.

Tallinn Tourism:
The official tourism site for Tallinn.

Accommodation in Tallin

Hotels in Tallin:
Find hotels in Tallin with special online rates.

Sort Tallin Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, Hotel Name.

Getting to Estonia

By Air

Air Baltic:
The Latvian carrier flies 8 times a week between Riga and Tallinn.

Estonian Air:
The national carrier of Estonia operates regular direct connections to: Amsterdam (4 flights a week), Copenhagen (8), Hamburg (4), Helsinki (33), Kiev (3), London Gatwick (6), Minsk (3), Moscow (4), Riga (3), Stockholm (12), and Vilnius (7).

Getting To The Airport

The downtown bus-stop is located on the street corner next to the Estonian Art University, 100 metres from major department store (Kaubamaja) and 300 metres from Viru Hotel.

Estonian Language

The Estonians are ethnically and linguistically close to the Finns, speaking a non-Indo-European Finno-Ugric language.

The City of White Nights

Estonia is a wonderful historical country and White Nights in the summer are only one reason to visit the region..... as if that's not reason enough!

A pleasant coach trip takes you along the northern Estonian coast to the border town of Narva, which has for centuries been the historical gateway between East and West.

Trade routes passed through Narva, a link between the Baltics, Russia, the Mediterranean and even as far as the Orient and until World War II, visitors enjoyed the wonderful Old City.

The architecture, combining local traditions of building and elements typical of the Baroque style, was almost completely destroyed during the war.
Sent in by: Restling Travel Service.

Around Estonia

Narva:
If you visit this part of the Baltic coast, you'll be joining the Saint-Petersburg aristocracy who used Narva-Jesuu as a relaxing resort in the 19th century.

Parnu:
The official website of Parnu, the summer capital of Estonia.

Soomaa by Canoe:
Soomaa (Land of Bogs), in south-western Estonia, is a large complex (370 km2) of four extensive bogs, located in the catchment of one of the longest rivers in the country; the Pärnu River.

Tartu:
Tartu is the oldest town in the Baltics and the second largest town in Estonia. It is probably best known for its famous university.

Virtual Viljandi:
Viljandi is situated in South Estonia, 164 km from Tallinn, on Sakala uppland in a picturesque place near Lake Viljandi. The symbol of Viljandi is the ruins of the Order Castle dating from the Middle Ages.

Getting to Viljandi

By Train

Three trains a day to Tallinn take about three hours.

By Bus

The buses to and from Tallinn are generally quicker and there are more of them. (Also: To Tartu - 1hr 30mins; To Pärnu - 7 a day).

Estonia Tourism

Visitors to The Baltics should explore the small islands of Estonia - Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Ruhnu and Prangli. In summer they are like quiet little paradises where you can enjoy a peaceful holiday in pure nature, away from city stress.
Sent in by: Kaili Rätsepp.

Visit Estonia:
The Estonian Tourist Board present their country superbly, with further links to other towns and regions away from their server.

Directories

Infoatlas:
A phone directory of Estonian companies issued twice a year by Ekspress Hotline.

Estonia Tours

Private Tours in Estonia:
Ahti Arak's private tours offer travellers the opportunity to discover Estonia, learn about its past, and become familiar with its present through the eyes of an historian.

Restling Travel Service:
Founded in March 1994, Restling is an Estonian travel agency managing accommodation, transfers, sightseeing, study, conferences, spa-treatments and incentive tours in the Baltic States and neighbouring countries.

Tallin Sightseeing Tours

Olga Yeryomina is a qualified guide available to show you the sights of Tallin. Here are some of the sights she'd like to show you on your visit to the capital of Estonia.

The Upper Town (Toompea)

Toompea Castle, Tall Herman (Pikk Hermann), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Cathedral School, Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin, Estonian Nobility House, Town Mansions of the Nobility, Von Stenbock Residence, Viewing Platforms, Long Leg (Pikk Jalg), Danish King's Garden, Kiek-in-de-Kök and Short Leg (Lühike Jalg).

The Lower Town

Town Hall, Town Hall Square, Town Hall Pharmacy, Guild Buildings, Church of the Holy Spirit, St. Nicholas's Church, Town Wall and Its Towers, St. Olaf's Church, Dominican Monastery, Great Coast Gate and Fat Margaret.

The Fringes of the Old Town

Vabaduse Väljak, Viru Väljak and the Rotermann Quarter.

The Eastern Outskirts of Tallinn

Kadriorg and Pirita.

The National Park of Estonia (Lahemaa) and the Open-Air Museum of Rocca-al-Mare.

Touring The Baltic States

Combing a tour of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is a great way to discover The Baltic States. Once hidden behind the Iron company, all three countries are now in The European Union.

Capital Cities Tour:
Regent Holidays, located in Brsitol (UK), offer 10-day tours from £615 per person (including return flights with Lithuanian Airlines and Estonian Air), all air taxes, accommodation in three-star centrally located hotels with breakfast, all arrival transfers and coach tickets between the capital cities.

Classic Cities of The Baltics:
Scantours UK offers 9-day tours of The Baltics from £970 per person (including return SAS flights from Heathrow) -- from May to September.

Grand Tour of The Baltics:
Specialists in custom travel to Northern Europe since 1967, Scantours have had a Los Angeles branch since 1984. This 10-day tour of The Baltics starts at $1,400 per person (excluding flights) -- between June and August.

Group Tour of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania:
Realworld-Travel, a company based in the UK, offer a 14-day tour of The Baltic States; starting at £630 per person (excluding flights) -- between May and October.

Estonia Travel Guides

Books on Estonia Travel:
Browse Amazon's best-selling list of books on travel in Estonia.