A small country with a population of less than one and a half million people lives a quiet life. It is worth coming here for people who want to take a break from big cities and walk peacefully through castles and small streets of Tallinn with interesting shops and cafes. We have chosen the ten most interesting places to visit while in Estonia.
Tallinn TV Tower
The 314 m high tower is the highest point in Estonia. You can climb up here and explore the whole city, but at the same time tickle your nerves: you can walk along the very edge of the observation deck on the 22nd floor of the building. But there is no risk in this, the perimeter of the platform is fenced with a cable, which will not let you fall and will not prevent you from taking a beautiful picture.
In addition to sightseeing and panoramic views, there is a restaurant with a transparent floor and an outdoor terrace. There is also an area with telescopes next to the restaurant, so you will have the opportunity to view every building in the city from a high altitude.
Upper town in Tallinn
This place is located on Toompea Hill, which was named after the ancient castle standing here. Nowadays the Estonian Parliament sits here, but the building is open to tourists. However, it is only allowed to be inside for half an hour during a tour.
The historical part of Tallinn was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The Upper Town was originally inhabited by the nobility and the lower town by traders and craftsmen. The Upper and Lower Town was separated by a fortress wall, part of which has been preserved to this day.
The Rocca al-Mare Museum
The open-air museum is dedicated to the history of the country and its traditions. There are old peasant houses, where you can see original household items and tools, and last year the exposition was enlarged with a new exhibit – the hut of a fisherman-starover.
Lahemaa
This is the name of the national park, which was founded in 1971. Its area of 725 square kilometres is the largest park in Estonia. There are not only huge forests, waterfalls and gardens on the territory, but also manors of landlords who once lived here.
One of the estates, Palms, was built in the middle of the XVIII century. Now there is a museum there, which tells about the history of the local land and the biography of the family of the Baron who owned the estate. Lahemaa can easily be rounded all day, so it is better to come here in the morning and stay until the evening.
Gapsala Castle
This place is often simply called the “Bishop’s Castle”. The cathedral, which is located in Kuressaare, was built in XIII-XIV centuries, but the reconstruction and changes took place during another two centuries. Now there is the Saaremaa Museum, where you can learn about the history of the castle.
Thick margarita
This is not an Estonian variation of the famous alcoholic cocktail, but the tower of the city wall. It stands on Pikk Street. The tower was built in the XVI century, it has 155 loopholes. The thick tower was named for its stocking – at a height of 20 meters, its diameter – 25 meters.
As for Margarita, the origin of this name has several versions: according to one, in the tower worked a cook with this name, according to another – so the soldiers called the biggest gun. Now inside Tolstoy Margarita there is a Maritime Museum.
Sync by honeybunny
Five years ago a museum was opened in the Kalamaja area of the Estonian capital, which is dedicated to ships and everything connected with navigation. There is even the British submarine Lembit; the submarine was under the command of the Estonian Navy during the period when the country was part of the Soviet Union.
The Kaali Crater
A meteorite hit this place about three and a half thousand years ago. The diameter of the funnel is about 110 meters, although according to the photos it seems to be smaller.
The meteorite fell on Saaremaa Island. The inhabitants have composed many fears, based on the idea that the crater is a gateway to the afterlife. For example, there is an adage that there was a church in which a brother and sister were engaged, and the dark forces destroyed the building for this sin.
The Kipu lighthouse
The lighthouse of Hiiuamaa Island is one of the oldest in the world and the oldest among those still operating in the Baltic States. It was built in the early 16th century. Over the years, the lighting system has been modernised several times: first fires made of wood were lit, then oil and kerosene were added, and then electric light was switched on.
The height of the lighthouse is just over a hundred meters above sea level, and the building rises 36 meters above the ground. The lighthouse helped the ships that followed a large trade route from east to west through the local waters.
Kadriorg
The palace and park ensemble is also called Catherineenthal in honor of Empress Catherine I. The construction began in 1718 by order of Peter the Great, Italian craftsmen were responsible for the appearance of the complex, which was then replaced by the Russian architect Mikhail Zemtsov.
In the 1920s, there were exhibits from the Estonian Museum of Art, and a little earlier the building was used as a residence by the head of the Estonian government. Now you can walk around the beautiful gardens and enter the palace to appreciate the luxury of the interior and see the conditions under which the most influential people of their era lived.
