Estonia, a place to be!
It’s finally summer time and the holidays are quickly approaching. Have you ever thought about going to Estonia?
Estonia has fascinated me since the first time I went there a few years ago. Although I admit that different times I had never travelled much further than Tallinn. This year I had the opportunity to make a true review of nearly the whole Country and I must say that it was a great surprise.
It’s common practice for tourists to land or arrive in Tallinn and stay there for a couple of days even less just a day heading further to Riga, Vilnius or Helsinki.
But what is Estonia hiding from us? In Tallinn there are neighbourhoods not far from the centre where you can dive into contrasting nineteenth-century atmospheres, enjoy parks and decorated royal palaces or even forests containing ghostly abandoned Soviet military bases.
Estonia, much to see above Tallinn!
However, Estonia offers much more than its vibrant and lively capital. This country surrounded three-quarters by the Baltic Sea offers landscapes and stories to be explored. The eastern border with Russia opened up to former Soviet cities with a peculiar charm mixed with grandeur and decadence at the same time, or castles that have seen the battles that marked the history of Europe as they happened along the river Narva.
Its natural parks are and ideal place to rejuvenate the soul afflicted by routine, stress and work. The only thing that greets you there is a green, astonishing, enveloping, lush of nature. Endless beaches where you can listen to the warm summer breeze and the sound of the calm waters that lap the wandering rocks. Should you not believe me, I recommend the Laheemaa park less than 70 km from Tallinn, to change your mind.
For those who want to experience the city, all that remains is an abundance of choice. In summer, Estonians are immersed in an incessant succession of musical events and festivals of all kinds.
Tartu is the student city with its ancient university par excellence. In the summer, however, it calms down as its 20000 students are generally relaxing elsewhere.
Should you visit the seaside, you will be amazed by the Baltic Sea. Pärnu is definitely Estonia’s most loved and crowded summer destination. The beaches here welcome you with a fine golden sand that stretches to the not far Latvia. But be careful because it may be difficult to find a place where you can sleep as demand for accommodation in summer is extremely high.
If you want to follow in the footsteps of the Vikings and their ancient fishing villages, you only have to visit one of the many islands. Saaremaa Island is the largest. Kuressaare is a beautiful seaside town with an incredible castle. Outside of this town time stops and you can enter a dimension of rural villages, towering lighthouses on the coasts and endless forests in the surroundings.
If you think of Estonia as a former Soviet underdeveloped Country, you will be pleasantly surprised. You will find cleanliness, order, renovated buildings, a well kept nature and a Nation that proclaims to be “digital”. Since 1991, the year of its independence, Estonia has literally reborn.
Ready to leave?
You can find my Tallinn guide edited with Morellini in many big bookshops and is also available on Amazon (in Italian). Furthermore, in the spring, my book entirely dedicated to Estonia will also be published.
Happy holidays!
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