Highlights
Tallinn Old Town
One of the best-preserved medieval towns in northern Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site, with city walls and towers, the Town Hall Square and a Gothic town hall. Toompea hill has viewing platforms over the red roofs and the Baltic.
Kadriorg and Telliskivi, Tallinn
Kadriorg is a baroque palace and park built for Peter the Great, now an art museum, beside the modern KUMU art museum. Telliskivi Creative City, in former factory buildings, is full of studios, cafés and markets.
Lahemaa National Park
Forests, bogs, boulder-strewn coastline and restored manor houses an hour's drive east of Tallinn. The Viru Bog boardwalk is an easy introduction to Estonia's raised bogs.
Soomaa National Park
A wilderness of bogs, rivers and flooded forest known for its 'fifth season', when spring meltwater floods the area and visitors explore by canoe. Bog-shoe walks are offered at other times of year.
Saaremaa
Estonia's largest island has windmills, juniper meadows, the well-preserved episcopal castle at Kuressaare and the Kaali meteorite crater, formed by a meteorite impact thousands of years ago.
Tartu
The university city, home to one of the oldest universities in northern Europe, has a lively student atmosphere, the Leaning House on Town Hall Square and the Estonian National Museum in a striking modern building.
Pärnu
Estonia's summer capital, a resort town with a long sandy beach, spa hotels and wooden villas, busiest in July and August.
Hiiumaa
A quieter island with lighthouses, including Kõpu, one of the oldest lighthouses in the world still in use, plus forests and empty beaches.
Interesting facts about Estonia
- In 2005 Estonia became the first country to allow online voting in a nationwide election.
- The country offers e-Residency, a digital identity that lets people from around the world set up and run an Estonian company online.
- Skype was developed by Estonian engineers, and the ride-hailing company Bolt was founded in Tallinn.
- Around half of Estonia is covered by forest, and the country has more than two thousand islands.
- The Estonian Song Festival, held every few years, brings together tens of thousands of singers, and choral singing played a big part in the country's path to independence in 1991.
Best time to visit
May to September is the best time to visit, with long days, mild temperatures and festivals; around midsummer the nights are barely dark, and Jaanipäev on 23 to 24 June is a major celebration with bonfires. July and August are the warmest months and the busiest on the islands and in Pärnu. Winter is cold, dark and snowy, with Christmas markets in Tallinn and cross-country skiing in the south. Soomaa's spring flood usually comes in March or April.
Practical information
| Capital | Tallinn |
|---|---|
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Languages | Estonian |
| Plugs | Type C, F |
| Voltage | 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 112 for all emergencies |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | Not obligatory. Leaving around a tenth of the bill in restaurants for good service is common in Tallinn; elsewhere rounding up is fine. |
Getting around
Long-distance buses are frequent and comfortable, linking Tallinn with Tartu, Pärnu and other towns, and trains serve several routes. Ferries cross to Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and to Helsinki from Tallinn's port in a couple of hours. Tallinn has trams, buses and trolleybuses. Renting a car is the easiest way to explore national parks and the islands, and roads are quiet outside the capital. Cycling is popular in summer.
Staying connected in Estonia
Estonia has excellent mobile coverage across most of the country, including the islands, with fast 4G and 5G in towns. Signal can be weaker deep in forests, in large bogs and national parks, and at sea. Free Wi-Fi is widely available in cafés, hotels, buses and public places, a source of national pride. Estonia is in the EU, so EU roaming rules apply for EU plans; visitors from elsewhere should check roaming charges. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Estonia eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Estonia
- Bolt: The Tallinn-founded app for taxis, scooters and food delivery across Estonian cities.
- Wolt: Food and grocery delivery in Tallinn, Tartu and other cities.
- Google Maps: Public transport routes in Tallinn and driving directions around the country.
- Google Translate: Translate Estonian signs and menus, although English is widely spoken.