Estonia

Sten's homeland - A Great little Country

People from larger countries may find it odd that there are in fact no distant places in Estonia – one can travel from one end of the country to another in just four or five hours without having to rush. And yet Estonia is larger on the inside than on the outside, the “secret” well known and shared by the locals. It is quite unusual to find such a variety in landscapes, flora, seasons, weather and moods within only a couple of dozens of kilometers. At the same time the traveler in Estonia has plenty of space: on the territory with a size comparable to that of Denmark or Holland there are four and twelve times less inhabitants here, respectively.

Everything that you see while travelling around in Estonia is inseparable from our history. Estonians belong to the oldest peoples in Europe and were already living on the coasts of the Baltic Sea at the time when the first pyramids were erected in Egypt. Since the 13th century we have been invaded and ruled by Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians, but each one of them have left behind also something good. The Republic of Estonia was declared on 24 February, 1918, and for a couple of decades the people felt pride in their home country, work, children and achievements. The vile and destructive occupation by the Soviet Union which lasted half a century interrupted the natural development of many spheres of life in Estonia, which until then had been keeping up well with its northern neighbor Finland. In 1991 Estonians regained their independence in the course of the “Singing Revolution” and returned to their rightful place in Europe and the world.

Most tourists who visit Estonia arrive first in Tallinn. Since this medieval Hanseatic town, the capital and the business and cultural centre of Estonia deserves a guidebook of its own (of which there are plenty available), we will cover only the most important facts about Tallinn in this publication. First and foremost we will focus on interesting places, activities, food and culture in other parts of Estonia.

North Estonia – this is a mixture of colorful history and the dynamic present time, contrasts in lifestyles and nature, a journey from trendy Tallinn to the quiet of bogs and romantic fishing villages, an ascent from the primeval forest to the height of a limestone cliff and a view over the sea.

South Estonia is unique and mysterious: the rich nature, lakes and hills of the heartland nourish the character of the hard-working country people, the nostalgic atmosphere of small towns and the academic-bohemian ambience of the university town Tartu.

West Estonia is characterized by vast expanses of land, peace of mind and fresh sea air, bays abounding in birds, juniper fields, pine trees and people toughened by the sea breeze on the coast.

After having taken the chance to travel in the world after the regaining of independence, more and more Estonians spend their summer holidays at home. What could serve as a better recommendation to a visitor?

We wish that you will enjoy yourselves here and leave Estonia richer – with new impressions and knowledge, and a warm feeling in your hearts.