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Estonia

By Amy Adejokun Amy Adejokun Section editor
Welcome to New Europe. With its seaside front on the Baltic Sea and its northern position, Estonia offers a change of scenery in total security. On the agenda : a historical capital, a traditional countryside, a seafront slowly getting over the industrial exaggerations of the Soviet era. All night partying like in St. Petersburg, a good hotel infrastructure, roads with no trouble. Still, be careful of the season: in winter, bring out the parka jackets and the fur lined gloves. If you were to travel to Estonia you would find yourself a short distance from the Article Circle.

Our Editorial team's advice

Let yourself enjoy the calm atmosphere that seems to run through the country. Lovers of architecture and medieval history will have plenty to do in Tallinn: some areas look like they haven't changed since the sixth century! Once there, you can get the Tallinn Card, presented as the key to the city. For a fixed price, it gives you access to museums, galleries, a guided tour of the city and to public transport for 24, 48 or 72 hours.

pros

  • +Tallinn or the return of the Middle Ages.
  • +Forests and lakes galore.
  • +Saaremaa, the spa island.

cons

  • -The coast is not much of "seaside".
  • -Ferocious mosquitoes in nature during summer.

Food

Estonian cuisine is generally speaking pretty heavy and not particularly refined. Meat and potatoes are at its base although a lot of fish, sometimes smoked, is also consumed, especially on the coast. Most meals are accompanied by black rye bread. Cold meats and sausages are sometimes eaten before the main meal, with jellied meats and marinated eel also a possibility. The national dish is valmistusained, a kind of saurkraut, served with verivorst, or blood sausage. There are many influences on Estonian cuisine from Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. One of the country's most popular tipples is kali.

Souvenirs

The local craft is rich of objects made from wood (toys, dolls) or of leather. You can find hand made jewels. Many of the craftsmen, such as the glass blower, work on their stalls. Amateur artists sell their paintings representing the streets of the old city. In Tallinn, shops are generally open from 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM during the week, and from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays. Many of them are open on Sundays, especially in the city centre. Careful, many shopkeepers will only accept cash.

Estonia : Discover our cities

Tartu