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The best Baltic beach holidays: where to go for summer, sea and sand

With culture and beautiful sands aplenty, the coastal towns of Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia make for a break with a difference

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Gdańsk and Gdynia, Poland

Gdańsk is one of the most interesting cities in Europe. Birthplace of philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, author Günter Grass (when it was still known as Danzig) and the Solidarity movement, the old town, artfully rebuilt after the second world war, thrives with hotels and a buzzy bar scene (a standout is the Red Light pub, with comfy armchairs and vodka cocktails). The city has two superb museums, the European Solidarity Centre and the immersive Museum of the Second World War .

In summer, it is easy to escape north to the beach, taking a train from Gdańsk’s handsome neo-gothic railway station (renovation work is ongoing but it is fully functioning) to Gdynia, an under-celebrated compact coastal city with maritime heritage and sandy beaches a 15-minute ride away.

Gdynia beach has clean, sugary sand, a pier and a promenade popular with cyclists and skaters. One of the quays, Nabrzeże Pomorskie, features two museum ships – a fully rigged tall ship and a decorated second world war destroyer – and the marina is Poland’s largest yacht port.

The place to eat is Osteria Fino , which as its name suggests is not very Polish, but the prawns in lobster sauce are superb. This year’s summertime Open’er music festival (day tickets £88), starting at the end of June, has a strong lineup featuring Lizzo and Kendrick Lamar, and is another reason to go. The chic Willa Wincent boutique hotel (doubles from about £60 in summer) is close to the beach, where staff can arrange a guided walk of the city’s best modernist buildings or hire of bikes and scooters.

Palanga, Lithuania

In summer, the little Lithuanian seaside town of Palanga transforms from backwater to buzzing social hub. Edged by small dunes, the six-mile beach fills up quickly at sunrise, and the day ends with crowds taking a sunset stroll along the unusual L-shaped pier.

Pedestrianised Jono Basanavičius is the centre of things, lined with cafes and bars, though one of the nicest spots in town for coffee and sandwiches is a five-minute walk away, inside a photography shop called Fotokava .

At dinnertime, shashlik sizzles, pilaf is piled on to plates and vodka flows at popular alfresco Armenian restaurant Armėniška Virtuvė , while concerts start up at the rose-filled Birute park, where Palanga’s orchestra performs free evening serenades in the rotunda. In the same garden, the Amber museum , in a grand mansion, is home to several thousand items of “Baltic gold” – clocks, ashtrays, clogs, you name it – and is far more interesting than it sounds, with modern jewellery exhibitions and ancient lizards and mayflies fossilised in amber.

Palanga is a place of sanatoriums, spa hotels and wellness centres, all making use of the local pine forests, mineral waters and sea air, so the place to stay is spa hotel Gradiali (doubles from £123 in summer), which offers an “amber honey” treatment with amber powder, amber oil and warm amber bags (£65 for 90 minutes), and a massage incorporating warmed-up Baltic Sea stones (£50 for 30 minutes). With a car, it’s possible to head further south to the Curonian Spit with its national park of lagoons and sand dunes.

Pärnu, Estonia

Estonia has 2,350 miles of coastline, and the resort of Pärnu is its best-loved stretch. Popular since 1838, when the first baths opened, its streets are lined with glorious architecture, from wooden villas to gingerbread houses and grand Swiss-style chalets, leading down to a large sandy beach, often dotted with driftwood.

There are several surf schools, with Aloha and Surf Centre offering rentals of kayaks, boards and instructors by the hour. The former has a nice cafe selling crepes and salads. Rannakohvik beach cafe is small and welcoming, with traditional smoked fish and herbed potatoes on the menu along with zingy rhubarb spritz cocktails.

There is just enough going on in the town, too, with the Museum of New Art , Estonia’s first modern art museum a top pick. In June, the Grillfest festival takes place in a meadow close to the centre, attracting hundreds of cooks and caterers.

The smart Rosenplänter hotel (doubles from £149 B&B in summer) is in a building dating back to 1696, right in the centre of town. Some rooms are a little small but all 13 are beautifully and individually designed. The on-site cafe Pastoraat is excellent too, especially for its breakfasts of ricotta pancakes and egg and bacon burgers.

Riga and Jūrmala, Latvia

With its art nouveau buildings, affordable opera performances (from £5) and riverside walks along the banks of the Daugava, Riga is captivating all year round. But in summer there’s also the chance of a jaunt from the Latvian capital to the beach.

An easy 15-mile cycle path (bike rental in Rīga is about £9 a day) leads from the city’s cobbled streets to the resort town of Jūrmala, with its ornate early 20th-century villas. The route follows the railway line through stands of pine trees to the Gulf of Riga where you can pedal right up to the shoreline. Majori beach, with silvery-white sand, is a Blue Flag beach and one of the most popular stretches.

Close by is the 1930s-built Dzintari Concert Hall , which has regular performances in the summer. Jūrmala Museum is brilliantly quirky and its shop sells postcards and gifts inspired by Jūrmala’s spa culture, which dates from the early 19th century.

For lunch and dinner, the resort has lots of choice: sushi places, Italian cafes and even an Uzbek bistro. But the alfresco Laivas restaurant offers a Latvian menu inspired by surrounding forests, sea and rivers, with dishes such as herring paté with apple, and duck breast prepared at the restaurant’s own smokehouse. For something light, French-style Madam Brioš cafe does excellent buckwheat pancakes. The quirky Hotel MaMa (doubles from about £80) in central Jūrmala has just seven rooms, a sauna and a sun terrace.

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Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Estonia Travel Guide

Last Updated: August 25, 2023

Tucked away in the Baltics, Estonia has become a popular destination thanks to cheap flights, beautiful cities, a wild nightlife, and the country’s stalwart support for digital nomads and remote workers (it’s also a popular spot for cruisers since many ships stop there as well).

I loved my time here. Unlike the stereotypes many people have about Eastern Europe, Estonia is a modern, organized, and tech-forward country. It has more start-ups than Silicon Valley and everything is done online here.

With more than 1,500 islands, swaths of untouched old-growth forests, and historic castles and churches, Estonia seamlessly blends old and new. Be sure to get out of Tallinn, too. There’s more to the country than just its capital.

This travel guide to Estonia can help you plan your trip, save money, and make the most of your time in this underrated European destination!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Estonia

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Estonia

1. Party in Tallinn

Estonia’s historic capital city Tallinn is a cultural melting pot on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Here you can explore one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Northern Europe. Wander along the cobblestone streets while taking in historic architecture of the Old Town. While it has a lot of history to offer, it’s also ripe with bars, pubs, nightclubs, and cheap drinks. If you love live music, you’ll be impressed with Tallinn. There’s a vibrant party scene here that’s both fun and affordable.

2. Visit Pärnu

Overlooking Pärnu Bay is the resort city of Pärnu. Perched over the Baltic Sea, it’s a lovely place to relax for a few days. In the warmer months you can walk 20 minutes from the town center to the expansive Blue Flag beach with soft sand and calm water that is perfect for swimming and sunbathing. It makes for a perfect jumping-off point for anyone wanting to do any sailing while in Estonia. When you’ve had your fill of sand and saltwater, pamper yourself with a mud bath at the seaside 1920’s era spa. Like everywhere in Estonia, there’s some incredible historic architecture, like the old Russian style Transformation of Our Lord Church. Divided by the Pärnu River, the city is known for its 19th-century timber villas as well as the relaxing beaches of Pärnu Bay.

3. Get lost in Vanalinn

For the perfect mix of medieval and modern, venture into Tallinn’s Old Town, Vanalinn. This part of the city was built between the 13th and 16th centuries and was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1997. The original architecture is unbelievably well preserved — even after aggressive World War II bombings. Within the historic town square, you’ll find the 13th century Gothic Town Hall complete with a 64-meter-tall (209 feet) tower. It’s full of cobblestone streets and gothic architecture and makes for stunning photos and fun people watching.

4. Relax in Saaremaa

Home to the medieval castle Kuressaare (which dates to the 16th century), the island of Saaremaa is a beautiful place for hikers and bird watchers to escape into nature. Saaremaa is known for its beaches and traditional villages. Archeologists believe the island has been inhabited since 5000 BCE. The island is home to Vilsandi National Park, which spans 238 square kilometers (91 square miles) and is home to almost 250 species of birds. The climate makes it a hotspot for all types of flora and fauna. You can also visit the site of the Kaali meteorite strike (which happened over 3,000 years ago) with its huge craters and a unique museum full of chunks of the meteor.

5. Visit Lahemaa National Park

Located one hour east of Tallinn, this park showcases Estonia’s incredible natural beauty. The park was established in 1971 to protect the region, and it remains one of the main tourist attractions in the country. Spanning 750 square kilometers (289 square miles), it’s a wonderful hiking spot perfect for nature lovers thanks to the many large mammals living in the forests, including deer, wolves, bears, and lynx. About 70% of the park is covered in forest and there are a few incredible hiking trails to explore. Raised bogs are another interesting feature, especially Laukasoo Reserve which is believed to be 7000 years old. Those interested in architecture will love exploring the historic manors within the park, including the famous Baroque masterpiece Sagadi Manor. Admission is free.

Other Things to See and Do in Estonia

1. spot wildlife in soomaa national park.

Soomaa National Park is one of the most magical natural landscapes in Estonia. Spread out over 359 square kilometers (138 square miles), the park is home to elk, deer, boar, lynx, wolves, beavers, bears, and more. Located 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of Tallinn, the park is a popular getaway for hikers. The nearby Raudna River and Parnu Basin also offer the opportunity to kayak and canoe. Much of the park floods in the spring, giving you the chance to explore the forests via canoe/kayak. Admission to the park is free. Canoe and kayak rentals cost 27 EUR. Guided tours cost around 50 EUR.

2. Go skiing in Otepaa

A much-loved hiking and mountain biking destination during the summer, in the winter Otepaa transforms into the winter capital of Estonia. There are a couple of kilometers of mountains here and 8 different lifts that offer access. It’s one of the most budget-friendly places to ski in Europe . Lift passes cost around 38 EUR. Expect to pay another 35 EUR for a one-hour ski lesson and 15 EUR per day for ski rentals.

3. Explore Kuressaare Castle

Located on Saaremaa Island in western Estonia, Kuressaare Castle is the best-preserved castle in the Baltics. Built in the 14th century, the castle and its moat were constructed on the grounds of the original castle that dated to the 13th century. The current castle was constructed in the late Gothic style and consists of a large square building surrounding a spacious courtyard. A 36-meter (121-foot) defensive tower and traditional medieval portcullis make up the castle’s defenses. There’s a museum inside that sheds light on the castle’s history, including when the Nazis used the castle to execute dissidents. Admission to the castle is free while the museum costs 10 EUR. Bike rentals cost 4 EUR an hour and rowboats cost 10 EUR per hour.

4. Hang out in Tartu

Tartu holds the title of the intellectual (and hipster) capital of Estonia. Located two hours south of Tallinn, here you’ll find the country’s most prestigious university (University of Tartu), a historic citadel, and the ruins of the city’s cathedral (which dates to the 13th century). Be sure to explore Soup Town (a neighborhood composed of old wooden houses), see the 18th-century town hall (which stands out because it’s pink and red), and spend some time people-watching at a café in Raekoja Square, the city’s historic main square.

5. Visit the Estonian National Museum

Founded in 1909, this museum is located in Tartu. It was expanded in 2016 and moved into a massive new building. There are tons of exhibitions on Estonian history, with a detailed gallery on the Russian occupation of the country (which lasted from 1940-1991). The museum provides a solid historical and cultural foundation to help you better understand Estonia’s past and present. Admission is 14 EUR.

6. Visit Kaali Meteorite Crater Field

Located on Saaremaa Island, this site is where a giant meteorite hit over 7,500 years ago. There are 9 craters in total, with the largest crater spanning 110 meters in diameter (360 feet) and reaching depths of 22 meters (72 feet). All kinds of animal bones have been found here and there is a stone wall built around the area (dating to the Bronze Age), leaving archaeologists to surmise that the area was used for some kind of cult or religious ceremonies after the craters were made. Admission is free, though the small museum nearby costs 1.60 EUR to enter.

7. Enjoy an open-air festival in Viljandi

For summer festivals and live music, head to Viljandi. Located in the middle of the country, the town’s medieval castle is used for concerts and music festivals (especially traditional folk music). While you’re here, be sure to spend some time relaxing at Lake Viljandi where you can swim and enjoy the beach. Lake Võrtsjärv, the largest inland lake in the country, is also nearby.

8. Visit the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is in the heart of Tallinn’s Old Town. Standing 45 meters tall (150 feet), it was built between 1894-1900 in the Russian Revival style. It was left to decline under Soviet rule, however, once Estonia gained independence it was restored to its former glory. As well as the elaborately decorated bells (the largest weighing almost 16 tons) there are some beautiful religious mosaics inside and incredibly detailed stained glass windows. Admission is free but it’s a place of worship so dress respectfully.

9. Try windsurfing

With so much of the country surrounded by water, Estonia is a perfect destination for windsurfing. There are windsurfing shops on the west coast and in the north that offer rentals for 25-40 EUR and lessons from 66 EUR per hour. If windsurfing isn’t your thing, you can also enjoy stand-up paddleboarding, wakeboarding, or water skiing. Expect to pay around 20 EUR for those activities.

10. Visit the KGB Museum

Located on the top floor of Tallinn’s luxurious Hotel Viru are the KGB’s former spy rooms (the KGB was the Soviet Union’s secret police). The rooms were discovered after the KGB fled Estonia in the early 1990s. The hotel owners decided to keep the rooms exactly the way they were. Inside are listening and surveillance equipment that looks like something straight out of a vintage spy movie. The museum is only accessible as part of a guided tour that can be booked from the hotel lobby. The tour costs 12 EUR.

11. Go birding in Matsalu National Park

This is one of the best places to spot endangered species like the white-tailed eagle or watch the migrating cranes. Established in 1957, the park was created to protect the nesting and migrating birds. It’s located on the west coast of the country, spanning almost 500 square kilometers (192 square miles). Every year, between 10,000-20,000 cranes and upwards of 40,000 ducks visit the park as they migrate. Admission is free.

12. Wander Linnahall

Commissioned by the Soviet Union to accommodate the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics, Tallinn’s Linnahall sports complex is now a giant, imposing, concrete ghost town. An amphitheater that seats 5,000 was unable to be utilized once the Olympic-sized crowds had departed so it now lies crumbling (construction was rushed and was done poorly so the buildings are falling apart). Over 66 countries boycotted the games due to the U.S.’s disapproval of the Soviet-Afghan war. Today, the venue is not in use so you’re free to wander and explore. Its location above the city makes it a great lookout spot. It’s an interesting place to wander around if you have a spare few hours.

13. Visit the Estonian Open-Air Museum

Hidden amongst the trees and forests just outside of Tallinn, this open-air museum is a reconstruction of an 18th-century rural village. It’s home to all kinds of traditional Estonian buildings. There are actors dressed up in historical garb as well as traditional professions on display, such as basket weaving and blacksmithing. There are over 80 wooden buildings you can visit, including a church, school, tavern, and farmhouse. Admission is 10 EUR.

Estonia Travel Costs

Accommodation – Hostel dorms start at 10 EUR per night for a bed in a 10-20 bed dorm. A smaller dorm with 6-8 beds costs 15 EUR per night. For a private room in a hostel, expect to pay at least 30 EUR per night. Free Wi-Fi is standard and most hostels have self-catering facilities. A few include free breakfast.

Budget hotels start at 40 EUR per night for a double or twin room that includes free breakfast and free Wi-Fi.

Airbnb is available around the country with private rooms starting at 20 EUR per night. For an entire home or apartment, expect to pay at least 35 EUR per night (though prices average double that).

For anyone traveling with a tent, Estonia is one of the best places in Europe for wild camping. Wild camping is permitted on government land (though some of the national parks do have restrictions). Here’s a list of the places you can wild camp in Estonia .

Food – Estonian food has a mix of influences from Russia, Germany, and Scandinavia. Dishes are commonly based around meat and potatoes as well as seasonal vegetables. Soups are a common main course as well. Pickled foods like beets, cucumbers, and fish, as well as rye bread and herring, make up the basis of much of the local cuisine. As in Scandinavia, open-faced sandwiches are a quick to-go snack. Verivorst and mulgikapsad (blood sausage and sauerkraut) are two of the most popular national dishes.

For an inexpensive meal at a café or restaurant, expect to pay between 6-13 EUR. A traditional sausage or stuffed pancake costs just under 3 EUR while fast food meals (think McDonald’s) cost around 7 EUR.

A multi-course meal at a restaurant with table service costs around 40 EUR, including a drink. Expect dishes like grilled salmon, lamb ribs, and roasted pork or duck. For something like Thai or Indian food (which is only really available in Tallinn and Tartu), expect to pay around 12-15 EUR for a meal.

Beer costs around 5 EUR. A latte/cappuccino is 3 EUR while bottled water is 1.50 EUR.

If you are planning to cook your own food, you can expect to spend around 30-40 EUR for a week’s worth of groceries. This includes basic staples like pasta, rice, seasonal produce, and some meat or fish.

Backpacking Estonia Suggested Budgets

On a backpacking budget of 35 EUR per day, you can stay in a hostel dorm, cook your meals, limit your drinking, take public transportation to get around, and do mostly free or cheap activities like free walking tours and visiting national parks. If you plan on drinking, add 5-10 EUR per day to your budget.

On a mid-range budget of 110 EUR per day, you can stay in a private hostel room or Airbnb, eat out at cheap restaurants serving traditional cuisine, drink more, take the occasional taxi to get around, and do more paid activities like museum visits or ski trips.

On a “luxury” budget of 225 EUR or more per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out anywhere you want, drink as much as you want, rent a car to get around, and do more paid activities and guided tours. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in EUR.

Estonia Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Estonia is a perfect destination for anyone on a budget. It’s not as cheap as it was years ago but there’s still a lot of value here — and still plenty of ways to reduce your costs! Here is how to save money during your visit:

• Take a free walking tour – Tallinn offers a handful of free walking tours which are great ways to get familiar with the city and the culture. Most hostels offer them and there are even some that have a special focus (such as the city’s Communist past). Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!
• Wild camp – If you really want to save money in Estonia, bring a tent. Wild camping is legal here so you can pitch your tent on public land throughout Estonia. Just make sure to pick up your trash when you’re done.
• Cook your own meals – Many hostels have kitchen facilities so you can cook your own meals. Buying your own groceries may not be as glamorous as going out to eat but it does save you money.
• Stay with a local – Staying with a local via Couchsurfing will get you a free place to stay while connecting you with a local who can share their insider tips and advice.
• Walk everywhere – All the major cities in Estonia are walkable so skip the public transportation if you want to save a few extra euros.
• Enjoy the free spaces – There are plenty of free parks as well as many free hiking trails around the country. If you’re on a tight budget, enjoy the outdoors.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water in Estonia is safe to drink. Bring a reusable water bottle to avoid having to buy single-use plastic. LifeStraw is my go-to bottle as it has a built-in filter to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Estonia

Budget accommodation in Estonia is plentiful. Here are some of my favorite hostels in Estonia:

• Old Town Mukenof (Tallinn)
• Looming Hostel (Tartu)
• Hostel Louna (Parnu)
• Kalda Talu Puhkekeskus (Valga)

How to Get Around Estonia

Public transportation – In most smaller towns and cities in Estonia, it’s possible to walk everywhere. However, in larger cities like Tallinn, you may want to use public transport to get around. In Tallinn, you can purchase QR-code tickets or load money onto a Smartcard (a pre-paid bus card). There is an extensive network of trams, trolleys, and buses that service the city and surrounding suburbs.

Public transportation prices vary by city but expect to pay around 1.50 EUR for a standard 1-hour adult ticket.

Train – The trains in Estonia are reliable, cheap, and fast. Many even have free Wi-Fi. You can take an express train to Tartu from Tallinn in just two hours for 8-12 EUR each way. The two-hour journey from Tallinn to Viljandi is 10-12 EUR while the seven-hour train ride from Tallinn to Riga, Latvia starts at just 15 EUR.

Bus – Many people favor train travel over bus travel in Estonia because the prices are similar and, in many cases, the trains are faster. However, there are more scheduled buses per day than trains so the bus might better fit your schedule.

Buses start at just 5 EUR. To get from Tallinn to Tartu takes 2.5 hours (just 30 minutes longer than the train) and costs around 10 EUR. The bus from Tallinn to Saaremaa Island takes around 4 hours and costs 11 EUR while the journey from Tallinn to Viljandi takes just over 2 hours and costs 9 EUR. Expect to pay around 16 EUR for the 5.5-hour bus to Riga, Latvia.

Flying – Although there are domestic flights within Estonia, they’re prohibitively expensive and won’t save you any time as a high-speed train is almost as fast when you include check-in time. Skip flying.

Car rental – Car rentals cost as little as 28 EUR per day. You need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in order to rent a car here. For the best car rental prices, use Discover Cars .

When to Go to Estonia

The summer months of June-August are the busiest of the year (though busy in Estonia is far less busy than cities in Western Europe). During this time, the days are longer and the temperatures hover around 20°C (68°F). Almost all of Estonia’s festivals are held during these months.

To beat the crowds, visit between April-May or September-October. During these months, the temperatures are cooler, making it the perfect time to get outdoors and camp or hike. Plus, the peak tourist season is over so the crowds are thinner and things are a little cheaper.

During the winter, temperatures plummet and the country is blanketed in snow. Visiting Estonia during the winter can be a magical experience if you are interested in skiing or Christmas markets. Be warned though — temperatures can drop to -10°C (15°F).

How to Stay Safe in Estonia

Estonia is a safe country with a low crime rate. Within Tallinn, petty theft (including pickpocketing) is possible in the heavily-touristed areas, as well as on crowded public transportation and in busy bars/clubs. Keep your valuables out of sight and watch out for people (especially younger children) trying to distract you.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.).

If you’re heading out to enjoy Tallinn’s famous nightlife, leave your valuables at home. Avoid walking alone at night and stick to the main roads. Muggings are rare, but they can occur. Travel in pairs or groups if possible and avoid walking alone at night if intoxicated, just to be safe.

One thing to be aware of is that reflectors are required by law to be worn by pedestrians at night. You can pick them up in most supermarkets cheaply and you just need to attach one to your jacket or bag when out after dark.

Scams here are rare but you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Estonia Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

Estonia Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Europe travel and continue planning your trip:

The 6 Best Hotels in Florence

The 7 Best Hotels in Madrid

The 6 Best Hotels in Vienna

The Best Walking Tours in Barcelona

How to Be a Digital Nomad in Europe

The Best eSIM for Traveling Europe

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Tallinn Fashion Week (TFW)

26.04 - 28.04

Haapsalu Horror & Fantasy Film Festival (HÕFF)

10.05 - 12.05

41th Tartu Forest Marathon

LHV May Run

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Before you leave

Below is a list of immunizations (vaccines) and screenings recommended or required by local health authorities for Canadians travelling to this destination. Note that these are general recommendations. For a personalized protection program adapted to your travelling and health needs, visit a Travel Health Clinic. If you need several vaccines, plan ahead and give yourself several weeks to complete the immunization schedule.

During your trip

Once there, stay alert as you could be exposed to other diseases for which no vaccines or preventive treatments are available.

Assistance abroad

It is recommended that travellers purchase a travel insurance policy that includes a 24-hour emergency assistance service to help them access care and coordinate payment. Be sure to have your insurance company’s phone number with you at all times.

It is also recommended that you sign up for the “Registration of Canadians Abroad” service. This is a free service that allows the Government of Canada to notify you in case of an emergency abroad or at home. The service also enables you to receive important information before or during a natural disaster or civil unrest. For more information, visit the Government of Canada website at: travel.gc.ca/travellingegistration .

The Canadian Government has several offices abroad that can provide you with various services when faced with a medical emergency, including:

• Providing you with names of doctors and health care facilities.
• Visiting you in the hospital and providing translation/interpretation services.
• Arranging for a medical evacuation if you require treatment that is not available in the area (note: costs for this service will not be covered by the government but are usually covered by your travel insurance).

If you need any help while travelling, contact:

Emergency services

Consular services.

• Toom Kooli 13, 2nd Floor, 15186 Tallinn, Estonia
• +372 627 3311 / +372 627-3310
• +372 627 3312
• [email protected]

Make sure that your passport is valid for the entire duration of your stay. Several countries also require travelers’ passports to be valid up to six months beyond the expected return date.

© Copyright Vigilance Santé The patient information leaflets are provided by Vigilance Santé Inc. This content is for information purposes only and does not in any manner whatsoever replace the opinion or advice of your health care professional. Always consult a health care professional before making a decision about your medication or treatment.

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Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga

Highlights and Inclusions

• Guided tour of the Finnish capital Helsinki, a melting pot of Scandinavian and Russian influences
• Visit to the Latvian capital Riga, with a guided walking tour of the riverside Historic Centre, a UNESCO World Heritage gem boasting a mix of gothic and Art Nouveau architecture
• Walking tour of the Suomenlinna Fortress, an impressive UNESCO World Heritage Site straddled across six of Helsinki’s islands, with a local guide
• Visit to picturesque Kadriorg Park to see its fairy tale Swan Lake, manicured gardens and the crowning glory baroque palace on a guided tour
• Guided walking tour of the Estonian capital Tallinn featuring the charming Medieval Lower Town and the hilltop Upper Town
• Enjoy a relaxing countryside drive from Tallinn to Estonia’s cultural capital Tartu, with time to enjoy the impressive museums, university-town atmosphere and Old Town
• Journey across the Gulf of Finland to Estonia aboard a modern, comfortable ship
• Seven nights in four-star accommodation, including all local taxes, with breakfast and three dinners including two at local restaurants
• The Signature Tour option includes all of the above as well as:
• Experience the romantic compositions of Jean Sibelius at a live musical performance in the historic Balder Hall in Helsinki
• Sample typical Estonian delicacies as you explore atmospheric Tallinn in the company of a local
• Discover historic brewing methods and enjoy a selection of delicious local craft beers at a brewery in the heart of Tallinn
• Enjoy the more exclusive atmosphere of travelling in a small group with an average of 22 guests
• Click here to see our departures exclusively for solo travellers
• The price of this holiday is per person based on two people sharing a twin room. Single rooms are subject to availability at the relevant supplement. The price includes: 
• Seven nights’ in four-star accommodation
• Daily breakfast and three dinners (including two in a local restaurant),
• Return flights 
• Departures taxes and transfers
• All tours as mentioned
• The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
• Included excursions are: tour of Helsinki; guided visit of Suomenlinna Fortress; ferry crossing from Helsinki to Tallinn; visit to Kadriorg Park; guided tours of Tallinn and Riga

Fly to Helsinki and transfer to your hotel, where you'll stay in the four-star Scandic Grand Marina.

Helsinki is a beautiful, bustling capital city – an idyllic archipelago nestled on the Gulf of Finland and boasting over 300 islands. Surrounded by lush forests and vast, picturesque parks, both Central Park and Kaivopuisto Park offer stunning views overlooking the sea, just two of the city’s tranquil spots that provide us with an uplifting breath of fresh air. Our morning tour takes us around many of Helsinki’s highlights, including its striking Railway Station and the sculptural Sibelius Monument, resembling organ pipes. During the afternoon, we’re free to explore the city’s vastly varied sights Signature Experience Perhaps there is no better way to fully appreciate the heritage of Finland than through the music of Jean Sibelius. With its perfect acoustics, the Baroque-style ballroom of the Balder Hall is the perfect venue for a magical live performance in these beautiful and historic surroundings. 

Today, prepare to be transported back in time as we take a short ferry ride from the mainland to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Suomenlinna Fortress. Despite a tumultuous history, the fortress is now the epitome of peace and tranquillity. Our expert guide will bring the fort’s history back to life as we explore Suomenlinna’s four bastions, as well as a wealth of other attractions within the fortress walls, including deep and eerie connecting tunnels, a turquoise-topped dual use church/lighthouse, the ominous canons, lakes, gardens and even a beach. Outside of the crumbling fortress walls, we meander through the cobbled streets, across connecting bridges and in between old wooden buildings now home to quaint restaurants and artists’ workshops. In the afternoon you’ll have some free time where you may choose to head back to Helsinki or stay on Suomenlinna.

Today, we leave Finland in our wake and cross the Gulf from Scandinavia to Estonia. We dock in the port of Tallinn and drive east along the coast until we arrive at picturesque Kadriorg Palace. Built in the 18th century by Russian Emperor Peter the Great as a gift to his wife Catherine, this sweeping confection of a building now houses one of the country’s best art collections. Here, we take a guided tour of its intricate interior, taking in the exquisite and mesmerising ceiling in the main hall, as well as the impressive manicured gardens and fountains that the palace overlooks. After this most regal outing we continue to Tallinn to settle into our hotel before heading out for dinner in a local restaurant. You will stay for two nights at the four-star Nordic Forum Hotel. 

Estonia’s capital Tallinn is, quite simply, a time warp. Its fairy tale UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, a rabbit-warren of atmospheric streets neatly situated below an impressive hilltop Upper Town, offers endless discovery: an ancient castle, a pastel-coloured baroque Parliament building, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. As you enter Tallinn’s Old Town through its landmark 14th century Viru Gate, you’re immediately struck by the heady fragrance of fresh blooms from the plethora of flower shops that line the road ahead. Sitting in the shadows of the church steeples, castle walls and grand cathedrals you’ll happen across a hotchpotch of winding streets and alleyways, colourful buildings and traditional traders. Stroll through Catherine’s Passage, an atmospheric hidden alleyway lined with all manner of artists’ workshops. Once we’ve enjoyed our morning walking tour of the upper and lower Old Town with a local guide, there’s time to seek out various local treasures, wander through the shadows of the city walls, or maybe just a short stop to sip a coffee and watch the world go by. Signature Experiences: As you wander mingle with the locals and sample a selection of local delicacies, what better way to experience to experience the aromas and distinctive flavours which are typical to Estonia.  The craft beers of Tallinn are gaining in popularity and later this afternoon you’ll visit a local brewery for tasting. In these unique surroundings discover secrets of the brewing process which date back to the 16th century and later enjoy a delicious selection of the finest local beers as you reflect on an entertaining and insightful visit.  

After breakfast we continue our tour to Tartu, Estonia’s second largest city and its cultural capital, home to the country’s most renowned university. On our arrival we’ll have time to enjoy lunch and explore the picturesque city centre. The Old Town Square is the perfect place to people watch and take in the views of the Emajogi River, the Kissing Students Fountain, the pretty pink Town Hall and the curious Leaning House – home to the Tartu Art Museum. Not only has that, but the medieval St John’s Church, boasted some of the best views over the Old Town from its belfry. We set off again mid-afternoon on our journey to Riga, capital of Latvia, where we’ll settle into our hotel before heading out for the evening to sample some local cuisine in a nearby restaurant.  You will stay in either the four-star Radisson Blu Elizabete or the four-star Wellton Hotel and Spa. 

Today, we visit beautiful Riga, largest of the Baltic State cities. Situated at the mouth of the River Daugava, this charming, cosmopolitan city offers a real mix of architectural styles. Spires of dark, gothic churches tower above the shadowy cobblestone streets below. During our morning walking tour, we explore these hidden delights and the medieval maze that makes up the Old Town, including the striking foliage-covered Powder Tower - home to the Latvian War Museum, and the central Dome Square - the heart of seven atmospheric streets. Stand on the marked spot on the square and you can see all three golden cockerels on top of the Old Town church spires. During the afternoon, you’re free to explore the city as you wish, a stroll through Riga’s famously vast Central Market, five pavilions of old Zeppelin hangars so iconic that it’s included on the UNESCO World Heritage list, along with the city’s Old Town.

After breakfast it’s time to bid a fond farewell to the beauty of the Baltics and take the transfer for the flight home.

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A modern pilgrimage through Herefordshire’s Golden Valley

With nights spent in ancient churches and wayfarers’ meals at farms and pubs, this spiritual four-day walk is all about the journey – and rural England at its finest

I’m lying on my back. Directly above me is “a vault of heaven” with great wooden beams. I’ve never woken before under such a high ceiling – but then I’ve never gone to sleep in a church before.

We have arranged pew cushions on the stone slabs for increased comfort and, while this may sound austere, my fellow pilgrims and I agree we have slept remarkably well – helped by pies and cider from the Bridge Inn nearby. Just as in Chaucer’s time, there’s no point doing a pilgrimage if you can’t eat heartily and swap stories with your fellow travellers, accompanied at the inn by local musicians having an impromptu ceilidh.

St Michael’s Church in Michaelchurch Escley, in rural Herefordshire, is one of the churches that has signed up to the new and innovative night sanctuary scheme arranged by the British Pilgrimage Trust. Pilgrims can sleep there for a nominal £15 each – as rural accommodation can be costly or scarce. The Trust also arranges guided pilgrimages where luggage is transported for you by a “sherpa van” from church to church. All you need do, happily, is carry a day pack. They will even supply a pilgrim’s staff, hand-whittled from fallen wood and with a satisfying heft.

Our pilgrimage guide, Simon Lockett, assembles us in the churchyard where we lean on our staffs – inevitably someone makes a joke about a staff meeting – and talks us through the day’s journey, then leads us in a short prayer from the First Nations of North America about respect for animals.

While this is ostensibly a Christian pilgrimage, in that we travel from church to church and are guided by a vicar, the Pilgrimage Trust is always clear that this is for those who “bring their own beliefs” and is nondenominational. The pilgrimage route visits many pagan sites with spiritual resonance, such as old water sources and Arthur’s Stone . The emphasis is on those making their own personal journeys who might want peace and quiet at times to do so. Guides suggest some stretches of the walk are done in silence.

But that is generally later in the day when everyone has had time to do a bit of chattering. We set off along a wonderful green holloway carved by generations of travelling livestock, down into the Golden Valley – surely the best branding in the country – with its fields of high maize and deep broadleaved forests, where startlingly bright rowan berries are out in profusion.

The group is a mixed one: some from Norfolk, some from the south-east, one from Sweden – which replicates medieval pilgrimages, when people would often travel from overseas. Aneka is amused by the British penchant for stiles, uncommon in her native country.

Having crossed a fair few, we reach an unusual tree formation, where an oak and ash have fused to grow up out of the same trunk and a hawthorn has come to join the party. Michael, a builder from Kent, decides the triumvirate has to be climbed and heads up it in sandals, to the group’s general admiration.

One pleasing thing about the pilgrimage is that it’s all about the journey and not the destination. Nobody is concerned about how fast we get anywhere, as happens on more competitive guided walks. With swallows flying around our heads, we stop for a late breakfast at Chapel House Farm , welcome after three or four miles. Proceedings are extended when, in addition to scrambled eggs, sausages, beans, roast garlic and Mexican salad, we discover their supply of chilled Herefordshire perry – which has to be sampled now, because if carried in our packs it will warm up too much. This is the sort of logic that always make sense at the time.

It’s a happy party of pilgrims who crest the hill above Crasswall for our first view of the great bulk of the Black Mountains as a ridge to the west, so out of scale compared with what we’ve seen before that it’s like coming up from underwater to find an aircraft carrier looming in front of you.

These mountains form the great natural barrier between Wales and England. We don’t need the motte and bailey castles we come across to remind us that this was the scene of almost constant medieval warfare. Some swallows are determinedly mobbing a sparrowhawk that has had the temerity to fly down among them.

I’ve walked the Offa’s Dyke Path along the top of those Black Mountains and looked down on England from Wales – and speculated on how tempting those green fields of Herefordshire must have been for Welsh raiders determined to test the resolve of the marcher lords guarding them; but this is the first time I’ve seen the view looking back up.

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After a delightful walk that heads south alongside the mountains, we reach the church at Clodock, which is defiantly flying a union jack in case any Welsh are peering down. The pub next door, the Cornewall Arms , is so small it’s essentially a living room with a hatch to the kitchen. One beer only is kept on draught and a few shaven-headed farmers take on the passing pilgrims at a game of quoits.

In St Clydawg church there is still a list on the vestry wall from the local assizes of 1805 detailing the tithes that must be paid: two-and-a-half pence for each milking cow, but only two pence for any cow that is barren; four pence for any colt; and two pence for every day’s supply of hay stored. Parishioners memorialised in the graveyard, such as the wonderfully named Theophilus Cope, must have forked out considerable dues.

A stream with a pool and a weir runs past the pub and provides a perfect way to wake up the next morning, with a swim under overhanging trees. Then it’s into more of the deep forest to find the charismatic “lost” Llancillo Church which, while no longer in service, is not entirely abandoned – a fine organisation called The Friends of Friendless Churches maintain its upkeep. The large Celtic cross has a plinth big enough to accommodate our group of nine as we eat packed lunches.

This is a created pilgrimage walk rather than an ancient one and very much the initiative of our guide, Simon. Simon has been a local vicar for the past 18 years and has also been a farmworker, countryside ranger and environmental activist. He wanted a way for locals and visitors to experience Herefordshire’s deep spiritual past, prehistoric and Christian. The full walk takes seven days – shorter options are available – and begins and ends at Hereford Cathedral, so loops round the Golden and Wye Valleys in a wide circle of about 60 miles. Detailed instructions on the trust website mean you can either self-guide and still stay in the churches, or sign up for occasional group walks such as ours.

While the British Pilgrimage Trust has promoted the revival of some ancient routes – such as the Old Way from Southampton to Canterbury in honour of Thomas Becket, later suppressed by Henry VIII because he didn’t want to honour a troublesome priest – it also wants to create new ones, and in doing this it is reviving the vibrancy of the call of the pilgrimage. It’s a sign of spiritual health that new routes should be created.

Perhaps now more than ever pilgrimage has an allure – it’s why the famous Camino to Santiago de Compostela in Spain has grown from fewer than 10,000 pilgrims 30 years ago to more than 200,000 today. For those who want a chance to reflect on their own lives or perhaps on the life of someone close to them who has recently died – or for anyone who wants to tap into the deep waters of the English past, such as the well of Saint Clodock we visit – a pilgrimage may answer a need.

I found the communal aspect appealing. There is a different and interesting dynamic in a pilgrimage group: less a feeling you’re a paying customer – although you are – who expects everything to be delivered and more a sense that you’re giving yourself as you go. That you are contributing to a group and sharing experiences, some of which can be revealed slowly over the course of the journey as you come to know each other. The range of subjects I learn about is enormous, from how to make blue cheese to the difference between a native and a turkey oak. And, as must have happened with pilgrims in the past, with the liberation of being away from home, people say things to strangers they might not share with family or friends. We are, in any case, all sleeping together every night – albeit each time in a different church.

Guided walks by the British Pilgrimage Trust in 2024 run from 8 May to 12 May ( four days at £450 ), 10 June to 16 June (7 days at £740) and 18 September-22 September (four days at £450). Or self-guide using the instructions at britishpilgrimage.org .

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NATO commander warns critical undersea cables and pipes 'under threat' from Russia and other foes

• A NATO commander says sea cables and pipelines holding sensitive materials are vulnerable.
• Suspicious activity and instances of damage raise alarms about the potential threats from Russia, he said.
• NATO countries are using AI software, sensors, and more to protect vulnerable underwater networks.

Important deep sea cables and pipelines are at risk, warns NATO's Allied Maritime Command's deputy commander Vice Adm. Didier Maleterre.

"It's a security issue for nearly 1 billion NATO-nation civilians. We need to be protected and well supplied by our vital undersea infrastructures," Maleterre told the Guardian on April 16.

NATO allies have detected several instances of suspicious activity around underwater infrastructure within the past few years and the commander noted that the Russians have "developed a lot of hybrid warfare under the sea to disrupt the European economy, through cables, internet cables, pipelines."

Maleterre said that some of Russia's nuclear-powered submarines were built for hybrid warfare purposes, as may have been the case with a Russian sub that caught fire a few years ago. The commander's concerns come amid rising tensions between NATO.

"All of our economy under the sea is under threat," he said.

Last month, as the Ukraine war rages on, Moscow said that it planned to grow the number troops surveilling NATO member states' borders, taking up a similar stance it had during the Cold War.

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Amid tensions, NATO countries have been scanning the waters extensively using sensors, satellites, various submarines, and other tools to identify culprits and protect underwater networks.

Maleterre emphasized that these underwater networks are extremely vulnerable to attacks.

"More than 90% of [the] internet is under the sea," he said. "All our links between the US, Canada and Europe are transmitting under the sea, so there are a lot of vulnerabilities."

There have been a number of suspicious incidents involving underwater infrastructure.

In October 2023, an unknown source damaged communication cables and a gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland. In February 2022, police investigators found that human involvement might have been the cause of damage to a Norwegian fiberoptic data cable. A year earlier, a lengthy section of cable disappeared.

One particular incident that garnered significant attention was the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany in September 2022. Western officials were quick to blame Russia but lacked evidence to prove the country's involvement in the incident. Ukraine has also been a potential suspect .

NATO officials have long expressed concerns about the threats to key infrastructure in the maritime space . In 2017, for instance, the commander of NATO's submarine forces, told The Washington Post that "we are now seeing Russian underwater activity in the vicinity of undersea cables that I don't believe we have ever seen."

He said that "Russia is clearly taking an interest in NATO and NATO nations' undersea infrastructure."

And with the Ukraine war, those concerns have been exacerbated. Last year, NATO's assistant secretary general for intelligence and security told reporters that "there are heightened concerns that Russia may target undersea cables and other critical infrastructure in an effort to disrupt Western life to gain leverage against those nations that are providing security to Ukraine."

Watch: Ukrainian army tests new Western weapons as NATO boosts supplies

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