Estonia Travel Guide & Overview

Toompea Castle in Tallinn

Tranquil, laidback and unspoiled, Estonia's 1,500 Baltic islands provide a splendid getaway to nature. Located off the west coast of Estonia, the two largest islands are:

• Saaremaa, including the town of Kuressaare and one of few well-preserved medieval castles in the Baltics
• Hiiumaa, including the town of Kärdla

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. It is bordered to the north by Finland across the Gulf of Finland, to the west by Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by the Russian Federation. The territory of Estonia covers 45,226 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate.

In 1989, during the "Singing Revolution", in a landmark demonstration for more independence, called The Baltic Way, a human chain of more than two million people was formed, stretching through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. All three nations had similar experiences of occupation and similar aspirations for regaining independence.

Jägala Falls

The Jägala Falls is Estonia's largest waterfall

For the visitor Estonia offers some nice natural parks, a few old towns, some remains from the Middle Ages and a lot of Islands just off the coast.

Tallinn is a beautiful medieval old city, comparable to Prague with it's multitude of spires and orange-tiled roftops.

National Parks

Overseen by the country's Ministry of the Environment or "Keskkonnaministeerium", the five renowned national parks are:

• Karula National Park
• Lahemaa National Park, 50km east of Tallinn, with 1000 sq km of bays, peninsulas and forests.
• Matsalu National Park
• Soomaa National Park (Soomaa translates to "Land of Bogs")
• Vilsandi National Park, covers 238 sq km, including 163 sq km of sea and 75 sq km of land, plus 160 islands and islets.

The Kaali meteorite crater is the result of a meteorite impact possibly in the 8th century BC. It is about 100 meters wide and 20 meters deep. The crater walls are covered with trees and vegetation. A path around the rim of the crater allows you to observe it from all sides.

The walls of the crater have been used as a fortress in the middle ages. The crater is also part of many Estonian myths and stories. This place is definitively worth visiting if you are on the Estonian island of Saaremaa. It is very close to the main road to the island's capital Kuressaare.

Major Cities in Estonia:

Prague