For a Russian traveler they are not something exotic and qualitatively new - rather, they are a kind of version of Russian reality. Calmer, more relaxed and more conducive to rest and relaxation.

It is worth noting the main points why you should visit Estonia:

• It is close - from St. Petersburg by car or bus the road to Estonia takes several hours.


• Estonia - beautiful country with a huge number of attractions - tourist centers Every year Estonia is surprised by a large number of tourists who do not expect anything special from their trip.


• It is relatively easy to obtain a visa to Estonia.


• Prices in Estonia are low - both by European standards and by ours. IN last years There is a trend towards purchasing housing in this country - people are buying apartments and houses just to come there for a summer vacation.

What are the main tourist centers in Estonia? Let's get to know them better

It is quite difficult to single out centers in Estonia - Estonia itself is a center for recreation and tourism. Tallinn, its surroundings, Narva, Pärnu, Haapsalu, Laulasmaa, Prangle, Otepää and many others - each town is attractive in its own way.

Capital Tallinn- the embodiment of a real fairy-tale city - just walk through the Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It seems impossible not to love this city! Ancient temples, cathedrals, the Town Hall, numerous museums and even more numerous houses - all this creates a unique aura of true Medieval urban charm. An endless number of excursions, which is noteworthy, many of them are conducted in Russian; in large cities, the majority of the population speaks it. This is especially true for the older generation, although young people also often surprise tourists with their excellent pronunciation and vocabulary.

However, it won’t be too difficult for you to find your way around Tallinn - at numerous tourist offices you can pick up a map of the city and get to know it on your own. It can be even more exciting than an excursion!

Tartu, a fairly large city by Estonian standards, is also of great interest to those interested in history. And just those who appreciate beauty in all its manifestations. Tartu can easily be put on a par with the most beautiful and ancient cities in Europe. Museums, ancient houses, and the very atmosphere of the city are conducive to long walks.

The famous Narva is practically a small Russia on the territory of Estonia - both adults and children will understand you here. A calm and quiet corner in picturesque surroundings, a number of historical buildings, ancient factories, a museum, a castle - the standard content for a small town in Estonia. If you're tired of life big city, if you want to change the rhythm, come to Narva! For residents of small Russian towns, a holiday in Narva may seem boring and monotonous; they usually come here for a couple of days or even just passing through.

It may seem that everywhere in Estonia there are only attractions. This is only partly true - in Estonia there are beach resorts, which also have excursions and interesting places. For example, Narva - Jõesuu is a picturesque place with pine forests and sandy beaches, where tourists love to spend time. From all over the country, as well as from other European countries lovers of spa treatments - therapeutic and simply relaxing and restorative - also come there. The resort is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, very close to Narva, which allows vacationers to combine a cultural program with a beach holiday.

If you find yourself in Estonia in winter, you should definitely go for at least a few days to the town of Otepää, which rightfully bears the title of one of the best winter places in the country. For lovers winter species Sports this place is a godsend! And, of course, you are in Estonia! - you will find ruins ancient castle, museums and a lot of interesting things. Otepää is also famous for its spa resorts, which traditionally offer treatments for every taste.

There are a number of smaller, but no less interesting places in Estonia - Haapsalu with its therapeutic mud and beaches with the warmest water, the island of Prangli, where time has stood still, preserving all the best from ancient times, Laulasmaa with its legendary singing sands, Pärnu, which has been welcoming guests to its spa resorts since the mid-19th century.

As you can see, Estonia is extremely interesting for tourists, anyone can visit there - the process of filling out documents is not too tedious, and it’s not far away. Many people choose this country for a honeymoon (photos even from non-professional photographers turn out simply amazing because of the local color) or for the first trip with a small child - due to the fact that there is no dramatic climate change, children tolerate the trip easily and rarely get sick.

Interesting holidays are held in Estonia- each region has its own customs, but it’s interesting to visit everywhere - many tourists speak especially warmly about the celebration of Fisherman’s Day - Estonian fishermen prepare real fish soup in large pots and treat everyone with it.

Almost the entire territory of Estonia has excellent conditions for those who like to ride a bicycle or for those who enjoy walking; for more extreme-minded guests of the country, kayaking and canoeing can be offered on numerous rivers.

Contrary to the emerging opinion that Russians are not liked in Estonia, tourists who vacation there every year, on the contrary, say that local residents have a very complacent attitude not only towards Russians, but towards tourists in general.

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Estonia– the northernmost of the Baltic countries, a land of coniferous forests, deep rivers and lakes. Proximity to Russia and Finland and Sweden has given rise to an amazing fusion of cultures, embodied in architecture, folk art and crafts, as well as in national cuisine.

Estonia is a very small country with a population of 1.3 million people, so even in the capital of the country you won’t find the hustle and bustle of big cities. Here you can slowly and thoroughly get acquainted with architecture in Estonian medieval fortresses and castles, ancient churches and cathedrals Tallinn and Narva, plunge into the culturally rich life of the university city of Tartu, or go to the Baltic coast resorts of Pärnu and Haapsalu, known as centers of beach and health recreation.

Geography

Estonia is located in the northeastern part of Europe. The state borders on Russia and Latvia. From the west, Estonia is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea, from the north by the waters of the Gulf of Finland. In addition to the continental part, the state includes 1,521 islands in the Baltic Sea, including the large islands of Saarema and Muhu.

The relief of Estonia is flat, since the country lies on the northwestern tip of the East European Plain; natural landscapes are represented by swampy lowlands, moraine, slightly hilly plains. The relief is characterized by features of ancient glaciation - moraine hills, kamas and eskers, basins of glacial lakes.

Estonia has a developed hydrographic network. 7,000 rivers and streams flow through the country. Large waterways are the Pärnu River, 144 km long, and the Narva and Emajõgi rivers. Estonia has a large number of lakes, the largest of which is Chudskoye, which acts as a natural border with Russia.

The flora of Estonia consists of vast tracts of coniferous and broad-leaved forests. About half the country's area is covered by forests. The most common tree species are spruce, pine, birch, aspen, oak, maple, ash and alder. Environmental protection complexes and reserves have been created in the country, including five national parks– Matsalu, Soomaa, Vilsandi, Lahemaa and Karula National Park.

The length of Estonia's coastline is 3,794 km. The beaches here are typical of the Baltic coast - long and wide, with fine whitish sand forming dunes.

Climate

Estonia lies in the temperate latitude climate zone. In the coastal areas the climate is milder and humid, coastal, in the eastern part of the country the climate is more continental. On weather influenced by Atlantic air masses.

Winter in Estonia is relatively mild. average temperature February on the coast is -4°C, in the northeast of the country -8°C. Thaws are common, but there are also sharp cold snaps.

In spring, the central part of the country warms up faster than the coastal part. The temperature difference in March-April can reach 3.5°C.

Summer is cool. The average temperature of the warmest month, July, is 16-18°C.

The average annual precipitation in Estonia is 500-800 mm. Their greatest number occurs in the summer.

The number of hours of sunshine, depending on the region, is 1620-1920 per year.

The swimming season in Estonia lasts from June to August. The temperature of the Baltic Sea during this period fluctuates between 17-23°C.

Time

Estonia lives according to Eastern European Time. Time is 1 hour behind Moscow in winter. Time zone –UTC+2, UTC+3 in summer.

Language

Official language Estonia - Estonian. For a quarter of the country’s population, Russian is their native language; almost half of the population speaks Russian to one degree or another, so for Russian tourists In large cities of the country there is practically no language barrier.

Population

As of 2015, the population of Estonia is 1,312,252 people. Most of the country's population, about 69%, are Estonians, a significant part of the population, about 24%, are Russians. Also living in the country are Ukrainians, Belarusians, Finns, Poles, Lithuanians and Latvians.

Currency

The official currency of Estonia is the euro (EUR). You can change currency at banks and exchange offices. Banks do not charge a commission; Russian rubles are accepted for exchange. Banks are open from 9.00 to 16.00 on weekdays, some banks are open on Saturdays from 9.00 to 12.00.

Cards of global payment systems are accepted for payment everywhere, including in remote cities. There are also ATMs everywhere where you can withdraw cash.

Customs regulations

Undeclared import and export of currency in Estonia is limited to an amount equivalent to 10,000 EUR. Allowed duty-free import of 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 2 liters of alcoholic beverages with a strength of less than 22 degrees or wine or 1 liter of alcoholic drinks with a strength of over 22 degrees, 200 g of coffee and 100 g of tea, perfume up to 50 ml or eau de toilette volume up to 0.25 l.

In the European Union, including Estonia, there is a ban on carrying the following food products in personal luggage:

• meat and meat products
• flour products filled with meat or containing meat;
• milk and dairy products

The only exception is baby food.

In addition, the import of explosive substances, drugs and drug-containing drugs, firearms and ammunition is prohibited into the country.

To import pets, you need an international animal passport, which must contain notes on the animal's immunization and vaccination against rabies, and a health certificate for the animal received no earlier than 10 days before departure.

Connection

Services cellular communications And mobile internet In Estonia, they are offered by the operators Tele 2, Elisa and EMT. All operators have special tariff plans for tourists and SIM cards that do not require a contract. You can purchase SIM cards from local operators in mobile phone stores, newsstands, gas stations and shops. In Estonia, SIM cards from Russian mobile operators operate in international roaming mode.

The international dialing code for Estonia is 372.

To call from Russia to Estonia from a landline phone, dial 8-10-372-city code/operator code-subscriber number.

To call from Russia to Estonia from a mobile phone, dial +372-city code/operator code-subscriber number.

Estonia is one of the most developed countries in the Internet sphere. Almost 95% of the country's territory is covered by wireless Internet. Wi-Fi points are equipped in most hotels, restaurants and cafes, at railway stations, in libraries and recreation areas.

Mains voltage

Electrical voltage 230 V, European sockets.

Tourism/features

Types of tourism. In Estonia, tourists have access to almost all possible types of recreation. The country's rich cultural and historical heritage and a huge number of architectural monuments have made it possible to develop excursion tourism as one of the main directions. Primorye areas are a place for beach holidays on the Baltic Sea and recreation. The central regions, rich in forests, lakes and other natural resources, offer tourists ample opportunities for active rest and ecotourism.

Traditions and customs. The culture and way of life of Estonians has been formed over many centuries, and the traditions and customs here are close to the cultural traditions of neighboring countries. Thus, in Estonia, as well as in Latvia, the holiday dedicated to the summer solstice is celebrated on a grand scale. On the night of June 23-24, Estonians go out into nature, remember ancient rituals and dances, and light bonfires. During the day, many Tallinn residents gather at the Singing Field, where they can hear choral singing.

There are special, original holidays in Estonia. At the beginning of February, Candles Day is celebrated here. On this day, it is customary to prepare ritual dishes - porridge and pork, to celebrate the “refraction of winter.” Centuries ago, it was customary to make candles on holidays; recently, the ancient tradition has come back into fashion. For the holiday, candle exhibitions are opened and master classes on making them are held.

Wedding ceremonies occupy a special place in Estonian culture. To this day, a marriage is considered complete after such rites of the wedding ceremony as putting on the bride a headdress of a married woman and tying her with an apron. Agriculture is of great importance in the life of the country, therefore, at the beginning of autumn, harvest day is celebrated in Estonia.

One of the components of traditional culture is folk crafts. In Estonia it is knitting and macrame. A variety of knitted items are decorated with floral patterns. The country is also famous for its wood and leather craftsmen.

Kitchen. The culinary traditions of Estonia were formed under the influence of the traditional peasant way of life. The main products for cooking are agricultural products - pork and beef, poultry, vegetables, dairy products, and seafood. The culinary traditions of Sweden, Germany, Russia and the Baltic countries have a significant influence on the national cuisine.

The first courses in Estonian cuisine are milk soups, soups with barley or pearl barley, dumplings, peas or potatoes. Herring soup is popular in coastal areas. Dishes that no Estonian feast is complete without are blood sausage, herring with sour cream and stuffed eggs. Baked goods are served as desserts; spicy piparkook cookies are an integral attribute of the Christmas table.

General rules for staying in the country

The norms of behavior in Estonia correspond to the established norms of behavior in Europe. There are no special rules of conduct, however, the country has a number of rules of public order, non-compliance with which may result in a fine or administrative arrest. It is not permitted to carry open bottles of alcoholic beverages in public places, and smoking is permitted only in designated areas.

Safety

Estonia is a safe country for tourists. The crime rate here is traditionally low. However, theft of personal belongings does occur, especially in crowded places, so it is recommended to adhere to standard precautions - do not leave personal belongings unattended, store valuables in a hotel safe, avoid unlit and uncrowded places at night.

Documentation

The list of documents required to cross the border includes:

• Schengen visa
• a foreign passport, the validity of which exceeds the validity of the visa by at least three months and has at least two blank pages
• health insurance policy valid in the territory of the Schengen countries
• if you plan to travel by car - a compulsory civil liability insurance policy valid in the Schengen area and in several other countries of the world ( GreenCard), international driving license
• Children under 18 years of age traveling unaccompanied by parents must have a notarized consent from both parents to leave, indicating the validity period and the countries they plan to visit.
• Russian Embassy

The Russian Embassy in Estonia operates at the address:
Tallinn, st. Pikk, 19;
Phone: +372 646 4170, +372 646 4169, +372 646 4168, +372 646 4089
Fax: +372 646 4178
Email:

The consular section of the Russian Embassy operates at:
Tallinn, st. Lai, 18, tel. (+372) 6464131; fax (+372) 6464130;
Email:

Important phone numbers

Emergency numbers in Estonia:

• Fire and rescue service and ambulance – 112
• Police – 110
• Tallinn Information Service – 1345
• Information for tourists in Tallinn - (+372) 645 7777

Directions

– the capital of Estonia, one of the most beautiful corners of Europe. City on south coast The Gulf of Finland attracts romantics and architecture connoisseurs. Historical Center Tallinn- a tight knot of winding streets connecting ancient squares, cathedrals and churches, parts of the medieval fortress wall and towers, castle and palace complexes. For its integrity and historical significance, the Old Town was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Geographical position Tallinn provided its guests with opportunities for recreation on the water - yacht piers cut into the waters of the Gulf of Finland, and there are many beaches and recreation areas in the vicinity of the capital.

IN Tallinn Of interest are not only silent witnesses of bygone eras, but also cultural centers. Life in the capital is a series of exciting events, festivals, exhibitions and concerts. The city is home to the country's main theater and music scenes, extensive museum complexes and galleries. You can feel the spirit of the Baltic capital not only on the streets of the Old Town, but in restaurants with traditional cuisine or at a medieval festival. Many tourists want to visit Tallinn in winter. At the end of December, the streets and squares of the city are filled with the aromas of cinnamon and ginger, Christmas melodies are heard everywhere, and a fair takes place at the town hall.

- most eastern city Estonia, lying right on the border with Russia. Narva is known for a large number of attractions. The city has preserved medieval fortifications and castles, ancient cathedrals and squares. Architectural monuments here include individual houses and former institutions, and cozy parks and a large number of sculptures only add to the charm of the city. Many tourists begin their acquaintance with Estonia from Narva, as the city closest to Russia in all respects.

is a famous seaside and mud resort on the western coast of Estonia. The small town is washed on three sides by the waters of the Baltic Sea, the streets of the resort are blown by sea breezes, and the leisurely pace of life and interesting architecture attracted the creative intelligentsia back in the century before last. The resort's fame is due to its therapeutic mud. The first health resort in Haapsalu was opened in 1825 and to this day mud from the sea is used here in a complex of medical and health procedures. Nowadays, large spa complexes and hotels operate here.

is a small seaside resort known for its deep traditions of spa therapy. The first bathing establishment in Pärnu, which offered treatments with sea water and therapeutic mud, received its first patients in 1837. Nowadays, along the wide sandy beaches, bordered by the coastal promenade, rows of hotels and spa complexes are lined up, offering treatment for diseases of the joints, nervous system and skin. People go to Pärnu not only in summer. Cozy parks, children's play complexes, craft workshops and farmsteads, entertainment centers and architectural attractions have ensured the resort's popularity throughout the year.

– the second largest city in Estonia, large Cultural Center Baltic and university town with a rich history. The main type of recreation in Tartu is excursions, visiting museums and cultural institutions. The city, founded in 1030, is the cradle of Estonian statehood and a favorite holiday destination for artists and musicians. In Tartu, the Middle Ages are intertwined with the modern – in the historical quarter of Jaani, where the Gothic church with terracotta decorations is located, there are Theater Halls and a Toy Museum, and the ancient building of the university, founded in the 17th century, is still active. More than three dozen museums and galleries and an interactive science center await tourists in Tartu « AHHAA", aquatic center "Aura", a chain of exciting events and holidays - film, theater and historical festivals, exhibitions, creative meetings.

– largest island Estonia, surrounded by the waters of the Baltic Sea. Saaremaa attracts connoisseurs active tourism and beach holidays. The island is covered with forests cut tourist routes, and the sea waters are a place for yachting, windsurfing and kitesurfing. The largest city on the island of Kuressaare is medical resort– spa hotels and spa salons, mud baths offer a wide range of health treatments. Enjoying the nature of Saaremaa can be combined with exploring local attractions - the Bishop's Castle, the Open-Air Windmill Museum and the Panga Cliff.

Tallinn Old Town– the historical center of the Estonian capital and a real treasure trove of architectural and historical monuments. Buildings from the 11th to 15th centuries have been amazingly preserved here, thanks to which Old Tallinn was included in the list of sites World Heritage UNESCO.

The capital of Estonia was once surrounded by a city wall; the 20-meter stone fortress had more than fifty towers and bastions, only half of which have survived. The most powerful of the buildings of that time - artillery tower "Kik in de Kek", its height is 38 meters, and the walls reach a thickness of 4 meters. The tower houses a museum displaying ancient weapons and armor. "Kik-in-de-Kek" is connected to the bastions by a system underground passages, which are also open to tourists. Another fortress tower, ironically called "Fat Margarita" is a squat building with a diameter of 25 meters. The tower houses the Estonian Maritime Museum, whose exhibits include artifacts recovered from the bottom of the Baltic Sea, the first diving suits, and materials on shipping and shipbuilding.

A counterweight "Tolstoy Margarita"is in Old Tallinn and " Long Herman" - the tower of Toompea Castle, standing on the hill of the same name. The Estonian national flag flies above the tower, which is solemnly raised every morning to the sounds of the anthem.

The upper and lower parts of the Old Town are connected two ancient streets – « Long leg"(Pikk-Yalg) and " Short leg"(Lyuhike-Yalg). The wide and steep Pikk-Jalg street is paved with cobblestones, and on both sides there are ancient buildings, which are replaced by a fortress wall. The street ends with a gate tower. On weekends, works by local artists are displayed on the ramparts, making Long Leg an open-air gallery. The "short leg" is even steeper and much narrower. For those who decided to climb Toompea Hill along Lühike-Jalg, a railing was installed. At the end of the street is the second of Tallinn's two surviving gate towers.

Town Hall Square - the central square of the city and the heart of the Estonian capital. Hundreds of years ago, decrees were announced here, there was brisk trade, and today Christmas is celebrated and tourists walk around, looking at the majestic architectural ensemble.

The square is located the only Gothic town hall in Northern Europe and one of the oldest buildings in Tallinn. High building It was built of limestone in 1404. The town hall is decorated with an arcade; on the façade you can see gutters in the shape of dragon heads. The building is crowned by a slender tower with a spire and a weather vane - a figurine of the patron saint of Tallinn, Old Thomas. Behind the building's austere Gothic façade are colorful rooms with arched ceilings decorated with intricate wood carvings. Visitors can see the Magistrate's Hall, decorated with paintings, the Burghers' Hall with city coats of arms, the kitchen and the treasury. There is a small torture museum in the former secret room of the town hall. A spiral staircase inside the town hall tower leads to an observation deck, from a height of 64 meters a panorama of Old Tallinn opens.

Second most important building on Town Hall Square - pharmacy, one of the oldest operating in the world. In a small room at house No. 11, already in the 15th century, medicines and all kinds of potions were traded. Nowadays, there is a small museum at the pharmacy, where ancient pharmaceutical instruments, a distillation apparatus, apothecary scales and press, medicinal powders and herbs are displayed.

House of the Blackheads in Tallinn- an ancient building that belonged to the merchant guild. The patron of the guild was the black Saint Mauritius, whose head appeared on the coat of arms of the merchant union. The unusual emblem led to the fact that the guild began to be called the Brotherhood of the Blackheads.

The House of Blackheads is fair considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Red-green carved gates with gilding and the coat of arms of the guild, a relief portal with mascarons made of cut stones, pediments on the windows and the coats of arms of the brotherhood attract the eye. Inside the building, historical interiors have been partially recreated. Visitors can see Gothic vaulted hall of Olaf with carved stone columns, tiled fireplaces and massive chandeliers, the White Hall in a classical style, basement rooms with low arches supported by quadrangular pillars. Chamber concerts are held in the House of the Blackheads, and excursions are organized telling about the history of the brotherhood and the architecture of the building.

Tallinn Dome Cathedral – the oldest church in the city and the main Lutheran temple in the country. The white-stone cathedral, rising majestically on top of Toompea Hill, began to be built in the 13th century, followed by centuries of reconstruction and rebuilding, giving the temple a unique appearance.

In the architecture of the Dome Cathedral in an amazing way different eras merged And architectural styles . The Gothic portal with a pointed doorway here harmoniously combines with a high Baroque tower topped with a pointed roof. Under the arched vaults of the cathedral there is a carved wooden altar in the Baroque style, a carved pulpit, and impressively sized ancient coats of arms and epitaphs. On the floor of the cathedral you can see gravestones, among the burials in the church is the grave of the famous navigator Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern.

The pride of the Dome Cathedral is the organ from the late 19th century; anyone can attend organ music concerts in the church. There is an observation deck in the cathedral tower, which offers a panoramic view of the Upper and Lower Towns, Toompea Castle, surrounded by gardens.

Rocca al Mare – a grandiose ethnographic museum located on the Baltic Sea coast. Rocca al Mare occupies the territory of an estate founded in the 19th century. On an area of ​​over 70 hectares, surrounded by centuries-old pine trees, there are thatched village houses, farmsteads, mills, village schools and village chapels.

The museum is conventionally divided into four parts - Western, Northern and Southern Estonia, island territories. Each of the departments is represented by traditional farmsteads for these places. All houses, barns and barns are open to tourists; inside you can see household items from dishes and handicrafts to rocking chairs and handmade carpets; in some farms master classes and interactive programs. Visitors to the complex can see the traditions and customs of the Estonian village and take part in folk festivals. Looking at the villages of Rocca al Mare, leisurely walking horses harnessed to carts, people in historical costumes, you can believe that you are in Estonia two or three hundred years ago. The immersion in history is complemented by lunch at the Kolu Farm tavern, where guests are served traditional Estonian treats.

Airplane Harbor – Museum-hydroairport “Lennusadam”, one of the most interesting museums in Northern Europe. The hangars of the Seaplane Harbor display unique exhibits from the field of shipbuilding and navigation. Visitors will have to visit inside submarine "Lembit» 1930, the only surviving submarine of this type, sit at the helm of the British float plane "Short S.184", walk along the deck of the icebreaker "Suur Tõll", go down to the steam compartment, boiler room, wardroom and cabins, where the atmosphere of the middle of the last century is recreated . The pride of the museum is the remains of a sailing ship from 1550; the ship’s skeleton was raised in 1985 from the Baltic Sea Day.

In addition to the main attractions of the museum, visitors to Lennusadam can see many small but interesting exhibits - sea mines, torpedoes, buoys, ship guns, and even a yellow submarine, in which a journey through the depths of the sea is simulated through audiovisual effects. The Seaplane Harbor Museum has many interactive stands and simulators– you can virtually shoot from anti-aircraft guns, take pictures in the uniform of submariners and sailors, control ship models in a special pool. The building of the hangars is also of interest; to appreciate the steepness of the vaults, a high arched bridge was built in the museum hall. You can climb it only accompanied by a guide.

Singing field – largest Estonian concert venue, a structure unique in its structure and architecture. Estonians jokingly call themselves the “singing people” - once every five years the country is united by a grandiose singing festival, in which several tens of thousands of singers participate. The Singing Field was built for the festival.

The country's main stage is a stone shell-arch designed to enhance the sound of singing choirs. Under the arch there are passages in the form of an amphitheater, capable of simultaneously accommodating up to 15,000 people. In this case, the spectators are located on the field, and the arch, reflecting the sound, directs it to the audience. Often, on the contrary, the stage is installed on the field, and the audience is placed under the arch. On one side of the Singing Arch you can see a 42-meter tower for the fire lit on holidays, on the other - a radio tower.

AHHAA is the largest interactive science center in the Baltics, located in the Estonian city of Tartu. The AHHAA exposition features interactive stands, puzzles, interesting experiments and other attributes of entertaining science. On an area of ​​3000 sq. meters there is a Hall of Technology, where you can ride a bicycle along a cable at a height of 8 meters, capture your own shadow on the wall and balance in a special tunnel, a Hall of Wildlife with a glass anthill, where you can observe the life of insects. An incubator is on display here and, if you're lucky, you can see the chicks hatching. The rest of the AHHAA collection is represented by a variety of exhibits - a mirror maze, cocoon-spheres for meditation and water cannons from which you can shoot.

Operates at the Science Center spherical planetarium, the projector of which allows you to simultaneously show more than five million stars. Several times a day, the Science Theater hosts shows during which the laws of nature are clearly demonstrated and chemical experiments are conducted.

Transport component

Air transport. There are four airports in Estonia, only one of which has international status. By air gate country is the airport Tallinn, serving ships of 27 airlines. Regular flights connect the Estonian capital with Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vilnius, Warsaw, Helsinki, Stockholm, Amsterdam and London. There are bus stops at the airport, from which you can go commuter buses to the center Tallinn and intercity buses to major cities. In addition, the airport has a car rental office and a taxi dispatch desk.

Railway transport. There are 900 km of railway tracks across the country. There are 8 main lines.

Motor transport. Large transport routes run through the territory of Estonia, connecting the state with neighboring countries, including European routes E20, E67, E77. Center for motor transport passenger transportation is Tallinn, there is an International Bus Station, where buses from Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland arrive.

Sea transport. Estonia is connected by international ferry service to the ports of Finland, the Åland Islands, Sweden, Germany and Russia. The country's largest ports are in Muuga and Tallinn.

Water transport. Estonia has more than 320 km of navigable river routes. Navigation is carried out along the Emajõgi.

Urban public transport in Estonia - buses, trolleybuses, trams and minibuses.

General information

The Baltic Sea coast has always been the center of health in Estonia. Expressive natural landscapes, sandy beaches, clean air, saturated with sea salts and healing aromas of pine forests, complement deposits of medicinal mud. Already in the 20s of the 19th century, the first water and mud baths were opened in Pärnu, Haapsalu and Kuressaare, and kurhaus, embankments and parks for recreational walks were landscaped.

Nowadays, a chain of modern resorts stretches along the Baltic coast of Estonia. All in the same towns Parnu And Kuressaare operate as traditional multidisciplinary sanatoriums and rehabilitation centers, as well as comfortable hotels, focused not only exclusively on medical, but also on wellness holidays. There are more and more of the latter every year, and the most promising area is medical spa – a full-fledged treatment combined with the comfort and wide range of spa hotel services.

To maintain high quality health services in Estonia, the Spa Union was created(ESPAL), whose functions include monitoring the quality of services and compliance with international requirements. The union certificate was received by 16 leading spa hotels in the country, including Tervis Medical Spa in Pärnu, Georg Ots Spa hotel" and "Grand Rose Spa" in Kuressaare.

The main methods used in spa treatment are: balneotherapy and hydrotherapy - therapeutic baths, sea water baths, showers and underwater massage, mud wraps and applications, various types of manual and hardware massage, procedures with paraffin and ozokerite, kinesitherapy, speleotherapy and inhalations. Has a major role in health improvement climatotherapy– health-improving walks along the seashore, thalassotherapy – holidaymakers are offered seaweed wraps and peelings with sea salts. In large health complexes We have our own diagnostic centers that allow us to conduct basic functional studies.

All resort centers have swimming pools, aquathermal areas with baths and saunas, own park areas with routes for recreational walks and Nordic walking, lawns for yoga or other wellness practices. Tourists are offered a wide range of programs - therapeutic, lasting 2-3 weeks, and wellness, lasting from one day. There are ample opportunities for recreational recreation with children in almost all health centers and hotels “Mother and Child” programs were implemented And "Family holiday".

Natural healing factors. The two main healing factors of Estonian resorts are the seaside climate and therapeutic mud. The climate of the resorts of Pärnu, Haapsalu and Kuressaare is coastal, characterized by high ionization of the air and its saturation with salts, trace elements of iodine and bromine. The pine forests familiar to the Baltic coast enrich the air with medicinal phytoncides. At the same time, Estonia is located in a zone of temperate latitudes, which allows even people with diseases of the cardiovascular system to feel comfortable at local resorts.

In Pärnu there are deposits of medicinal peat mud, which has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic properties. In the form of baths and applications they are used for diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Natural healing factor are the waters of the Baltic Sea. The high concentration of salts, minerals and trace elements, as well as organic components in the form of algae, make swimming in the sea comparable to balneotherapeutic procedures. In many spa centers in Estonia, sea waters, algae and salts are used for health procedures - baths, massages, wraps.

Indications for spa treatment in Estonia are::

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system
• diseases of the nervous system
• heart and vascular diseases
• respiratory diseases
• gynecological and urological diseases

National tour operator Alean offers your tourists holiday insurance:

Insurance program “Standard Plus” (amount of insurance coverage 100,000 euros*)

Age of the insured	Type of insurance	Insurance coverage, euro*		Insurance period
Age of the insured	Type of insurance	Insurance coverage, euro*	Policy cost per day, euro*	Insurance period
up to 64 years old		100 000	2,0	any
from 65 to 79 years old	Medical insurance “Standard +”	100 000	4,0	any
from 80 years old	Medical insurance “Standard +”	100 000	8,0	any

Insurance program “OPTIMA” (amount of insurance coverage 50,000 euros*)

Age of the insured	Type of insurance	Insurance coverage, euro*	Policy cost per day, euro*	Insurance period
Age of the insured	Type of insurance	Insurance coverage, euro*	Policy cost per day, euro*	Insurance period
up to 64 years old		50 000	2,50	any
from 65 to 79 years old	Medical insurance "OPTIMA"	50 000	5,0	any
from 80 years old	Medical insurance "OPTIMA"	50 000	10,0	any

Insurance program “OPTIMA” (amount of insurance coverage 100,000 euros*)

Age of the insured	Type of insurance	Insurance coverage, euro*	Policy cost per day, euro*	Insurance period
Age of the insured	Type of insurance	Insurance coverage, euro*	Policy cost per day, euro*	Insurance period
up to 64 years old	Medical insurance "OPTIMA"	100 000	3,0	any
from 65 to 79 years old	Medical insurance "OPTIMA"	100 000	6,0	any
from 80 years old	Medical insurance "OPTIMA"	100 000	12,0	any

* payment in rubles at the Central Bank rate (+ 2%) on the day of booking

Information on the conclusion and termination of an insurance contract, the scope of insurance obligations, the actions of the parties upon the occurrence of an insured event, the procedure for paying insurance compensation and other necessary information for the insured tourist are specified in the insurance rules.

The Republic of Estonia is located in northeastern Europe.

Estonia borders on Russia in the east and Latvia in the south. In the west and north, the country is washed by the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. The area of ​​the state is 45.2 thousand km 2. Approximately 10% of Estonia consists of islands. In total, Estonia has more than 1,500 islands, both large and very tiny.

The capital of the state is the city of Tallinn. Other large cities in Estonia: Tartu, Narva, Kohtla-Jarve, Pärnu.

Estonia is part of the eurozone and the European Union, and participates in the Schengen area.

Time

Estonia is located in the Eastern European Time zone, that is, the UTC+2 time zone. Due to Estonia's transition to summer time, along with most European countries, time here lags behind Moscow by one hour in summer and two hours in winter. Daylight saving time begins at 03:00 on the last Sunday in March, and the country switches to standard time at 04:00 on the last Sunday in October.

In summer, the sun rises at 04:12 and sets at 22:38. In winter, the sun rises at 10:16 and sets at 16:35.

Climate

The climate type in Estonia is moderate, smoothly transitioning from maritime to continental as you move from the coast inland. Autumn is the rainiest time of the year. Due to the influence of sea air masses, the weather in Estonia is very changeable and can change noticeably several times even within one day, but this has little impact on the tourism industry.

The average temperature in winter in Estonia is -5 °C, and in summer - +15 °C.

The best time for a beach holiday in Estonia is summer, which lasts from June to August. And cultural tourism with excursions and sightseeing is good from May to September.

Population

The population of Estonia is about 1.3 million people, in the capital Tallinn there are more than 410 thousand people. There are more than 62% Estonians in the country, the second largest nation is Russians (30%), Ukrainians (3%), Belarusians (1.5%), and Finns (1%) also live here.

Device

According to the form of government, Estonia is a parliamentary republic.

The country is divided into 15 maakondas (districts).

Language

The only official language of Estonia is Estonian. Russian and Finnish are very common languages ​​in the tourism industry, and English is much less common. But for residents of European countries who do not know Russian and Finnish, it will be useful to take Estonian language reference books on the road.

Money

The national currency of Estonia is the euro. Credit cards can be used throughout the country; they are accepted in shops, large shopping centers, hotels and restaurants.

You can exchange money at banks, exchange offices located at the airport, train stations and hotels. The exchange rate is different everywhere, information about the exchange rate and commission for exchange must be found out in advance. It is usually most profitable to change money at banks.

Customs

You can import and export cash in any quantity, both local and foreign currency. However, amounts over US$4,350 (or equivalent) must be declared upon entry.

Information on the volume of goods allowed for duty-free import into Estonia:

Tobacco products: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 100 cigarillos, 250 gr. tobacco products;

Alcohol: 1 liter of spirits, 2 liters of wine;

Perfumes: 50 ml perfume, 250 ml eau de toilette.

You can also import personal goods for a total amount of 430 euros.

Visa

Estonia is part of the Schengen zone, therefore, to enter the country for tourism and recreation, you must have a Schengen visa or a national Estonian visa to cross the state border.

The application for an Estonian visa must be completed electronically, then printed and submitted to the Consulate in printed form. An exception is made only for pensioners.

Information on the procedure for obtaining an Estonian Schengen visa: http://www.estemb.ru/konsulskaja_informatsija/cat-472/aid-2137

Healthcare

Medical services are provided at a fairly high level, but tourists only have to pay for it, including calling an ambulance. However, only a small number of medications can be purchased without a prescription; it is better to take the necessary medications with you on vacation. All tourists must have health insurance, there are no exceptions for Russians.

Behavior rules

This country honorably preserves the culture, traditions and customs inherited from its ancestors. Estonians are a nation of calm, friendly and patient people. They are simple in everyday life, even their everyday clothes are extremely simple and functional. This is partly why you shouldn’t dress too pretentiously on weekdays, so as not to attract unnecessary attention from local residents.

Smoking in public places is strictly prohibited. World War II and Soviet times are inappropriate topics when communicating with Estonians. Some of them, even knowing Russian, prefer to communicate with Russian speakers in English, thus maintaining a distance. But in general, residents treat Russians calmly and reservedly, especially tourism workers.

It is not necessary to leave a tip, as they are included in the bill by default in the amount of 5-10%. But if you wish, you can leave change or change for very good service.

Attractions

Estonia is often called the Country of Bays - it is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The nature of Estonia is unique; there are few places on earth where you will find such stunning landscapes, in which forests and seas, lakes and meadows are amazingly combined.

For most tourists, a holiday in Estonia is a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with the unique history of this region, look at the ancient settlements that have stood here for centuries, and, of course, relax on the Baltic Sea coast. Estonia is suitable for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling.

The capital of the state - Tallinn - is one of oldest cities Europe - has preserved its historical sights. The city center, also known as the Old Town, is still built up with ancient buildings, towers, fortresses, and the Vyshgorod castle is also located here. The lower city was previously built up with defensive buildings, some of which have survived to this day. One of the oldest attractions of Tallinn is the Town Hall Square, which houses one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, a complex of buildings of the Great Guild, and a monument to the sailors of the battleship "Rusalka".

Guidebooks also recommend tourists to see Narva Castle and the city of Narva itself, visit the Narva-Jõesuu resort area, observation tower and the memorial cross in Sinimäe in the province of Viruuma, the Mourning Park of the Victims of Evil in Hiemägi, the island of Saaremaa, the Island of Hiiumaa and many other attractions.

Holidays

Information about numerous popular holidays in Estonia:

March/April - Good Friday

In June, the Slavic Wreath festival is celebrated, in July - the Viru Saru folklore festival and the Baltic Folk Festival, one of the largest in the country, and in October - the Days of Finno-Ugric Peoples. In summer, the Olesummer Beer Festival and the International Organ Music Festival take place, as well as the White Lady Festival.

In the spring, it’s worth visiting Estonia for Estonian Film Week, Estonian Music Days, and a jazz festival. In the fall - to the film festival and jazz festival "Joulujaz", timed to coincide with the upcoming Christmas in December.

A tourist's first visit to the All-Estonian Song Festival will be truly wonderful, when a huge crowd gathers on the Singing Field and sings in chorus.

One of the most interesting traditions, for which it is worth planning a vacation in Estonia for the summer, is the Grillfest holiday, which is held on Midsummer Day, also known as Jan's Day or Jaanipäev, also known as the summer solstice. All over the country, bonfires are lit the night before, people dance around them, sing and look for the magical fern flower. Many Estonians plan their own vacation during this time.

Traditional cuisine

National Estonian cuisine has much in common with German and Swedish, but is still very different from them. Estonian dishes are simple, but varied and satisfying, often including meat, including blood and liver, fish, potatoes, cereals, and vegetables. But Estonians very rarely use spices and seasonings.

Popular both among local residents and tourists are such dishes as: stewed cabbage with pork and barley, peas with pork legs, sausage, cheese (an original dish made from curd mass), smoked trout, blood dumplings and pancakes with blood, barley dumplings, porridge rutabaga with potatoes, pea porridge with buckwheat, beer soup.

Estonian sweets cannot be compared with others, especially chocolate with nuts, sweets with liqueur, with cherries and other fillings - they are fundamentally different, special.

The national drink is light beer, as well as beer with honey and unique mulled wine.

Estonia - comparatively inexpensive country, so food here is much cheaper than in many European countries.

Airports

There is only one in Estonia international Airport, which is located in the capital of the state Tallinn.

Transport

Rail transport in Estonia has become less and less popular over the years, although there are plenty of roads in the country. They mainly use commuter trains.

Russian International Academy of Tourism

Essay

discipline: Foreign regional studies

on the topic: “Estonia”

Student group 210

Arseny Roman.

Gangway

2005 year.

……………………………………..3

I.Recreational resources ……………………………………………....4

1.Geographical location of the country………………………………...….4

2.Natural resources……………………………………………………………......4

3.Historical and cultural resources……………………………………………………6

4. Ethnographic resources……………………………………………………………… 7

4.1Estonian cuisine ……………………………………………………….. 9

………………..9

4.3Festivals and holidays in Estonia …………………………………...10

4.4National costumes ……………………………………………… 10

5. Socio-economic resources……………………………………1 1

5.1Population……………………………………………………………….1 1

5.2Big cities …………………………………………………………1 1

5.3Religion…………………………………………………………………..1 1

5.4Economy………………………………………………………………. 11

II.Main types of tourism ……………………………………………...12

1. Number of foreign tourists visiting Estonia…………...12

2. Income from tourism………………………………………………………. 12

3.Types of tourism…………………………………………………………….. 12

III.Resorts………………………………………………………………… 15

IV.Tourist centers ……………………………………………………. 16

1.Large cities………………………………………………………... 16

2. Tallinn excursion routes.................................................... .....2 6

Material used ……………………………………………….27

Application………………………………………………………………....28

Map of tourism sites in Estonia

Introduction.

I chose this country for my work because it is a completely unusual, mysterious country. It is not at all necessary to travel to distant countries. The amazing is often very close by: a small country where there is everything - ancient cities and untouched nature, comfortable hotels and popular resorts, small shops and large shopping centers, noisy nightclubs, cozy cafes and restaurants. And most importantly - the smiles of people who are always happy to see you.

I.Recreational resources

1.Geographical location of the country.

Estonia is located in the northeastern part of Europe, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. The closest northern neighbor is Finland. From Tallinn to Helsinki it is only 87 km by sea. A little further, 401 km northwest of Tallinn, is the capital of Sweden - Stockholm. The Narova River and Lake Peipus serve as a watershed between Estonia and Russia. Southern Estonia shares land borders with Russia and Latvia. The area of ​​Estonia is 45,227 km2.

2. Natural resources.

Estonia is a flat country. Most of the territory lies at an altitude of 50 m above sea level. The highest point - 318 m - is Suur Munamägi hill in southern Estonia. This is the most high point Baltic.

Estonia - maritime state. Heavily rugged coastline together with the islands it is 3794 km. There are more than 1,500 islands in Estonia, the largest of which are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu, Vormsi, Naissaar, Aegna, Prangli, Kihnu, Ruhnu, Abruka and Vilsandi. Sea Islands make up 9.2% of the territory.

There are more than 1000 lakes in Estonia. Lake Peipsi, in Estonian Peipsi, - 3555 km 2 - ranks fourth in size in Europe.

Estonia has a temperate maritime climate. The favorable season for tourism is from early May to mid-October. In the summer months the air temperature is 15-25°C. Thanks to the shallow water, the water in the sea and lakes quickly warms up and reaches 20-24°C in July. The swimming season lasts from the beginning of June to the end of August. Estonian beaches - beautiful place for a family holiday with children. In shallow and warm water with a clean sandy bottom, there is not the slightest danger for vacationers. On natural beaches stretching for tens of kilometers, you can relax in complete privacy.

Winter in Estonia is good for skiing. The best month for this is February.

In the northern part of Estonia there is a limestone plateau, the northern edge of which forms a steep ledge - the North Estonian Klint, stretching along the entire north coast from Narva to Cape Pakri. In some places the cliff gently descends to the sea itself (Cape Pakri) or suddenly moves away and becomes a steep cliff (the highest height in Ontika is 56 m). On the limestone plateau, covered with only a thin layer of soil, there are unique fields of juniper thickets.

The numerous lakes and hills of Otepää, Haanja and Sakala give the southern part of Estonia its uniqueness and attractiveness. Rivers that originate at higher elevations flow along ancient valley, unexpectedly revealing outcrops of reddish Devonian sandstone.

There are 11,800 bogs in Estonia. Their total area is 9150 km 2, which is over 20% of the territory. Of interest are the drumlin landscapes of Vooremaa and Kõrvemaa, waterfalls on the rivers Jägala, Keila, Narova and karst springs. Estonia's great wealth is forests, covering about 40% of its territory. Estonia is located in a zone of mixed forests, although there is a predominance of coniferous species. The forests are inhabited by elk, wild boars, and roe deer; There are wolves, bears, lynxes, and flying squirrels. The bird fauna includes about 350 species, of which wood grouse, partridge, hazel grouse, and black grouse are widespread. The sea is inhabited by herring, cod, pike perch, sprat and eel.

Specially protected natural areas:

There is the Lahemaa National Park. National Lahemaa Park located on an area that includes virgin landscapes of various types - coastal lowlands, pine forests, limestone plateaus, rocky fields, waterfalls and fast rivers. The natural national park is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, in the central part of the North Estonian Lowland, with an area of ​​64.9 thousand hectares.
Organized in 1971.
The northern part of the park is characterized by rocky islands, bays, boulder fields with giant stone blocks, pine and spruce forests. In the central part there is a vast plain with alvars, waterfalls, karst fields, and swamps. In the southern part there are many lakes, rivers with rapids and waterfalls.
The forests are inhabited by elk, wild boar, roe deer, and lynx; on reservoirs - waterfowl.
On the territory of the park there are architectural and cultural monuments (ancient settlements, burial grounds). There are cultural landscapes where economic activities (agriculture, fishing, forestry) are carried out in the interests of the park. Traditional crafts are preserved and supported, and individual villages and hamlets are taken under protection.
Visits to the park are regulated; excursions are educational and recreational. In areas of natural landscapes where visiting is limited, nature educational trails (length up to 15 km) have been laid, which are equipped with signs. For recreational recreation, zones with a boarding house, motel, and rest house are allocated (urban-type settlement Võsu and its environs).

There are 4 nature reserves in Estonia (Viidumäe, Vilsandi, Matsalu, Nigula) and 30 nature reserves.

Vilsandi,a group of islands of the Baltic Sea and the northwestern coast of the island. Saaremaa, in Estonia. Area 10,689 hectares, including water area 9,400 hectares. Since 1910, an ornithological reserve has been organized (Vaika and Vilsandi islands). Over 200 bird species live here, including eider, greylag goose, mute swan, and Scandinavian mountain pipit.

Matsalu, bay of the Baltic Sea on west coast Estonia. Length 21 km, average width 4 km. Shallow water. The Kasari River flows into the bay. The shores are sandy and covered with reeds and reeds. Matsalu Nature Reserve and its surroundings - habitat large quantity species of waterfowl. Matsalu Nature Reserve is located on 50 islands of the Moonsund Strait. Area 13.5 thousand hectares (1973). Founded in 1957 on the basis of an ornithological reserve and a hunting educational and experimental farm for the protection natural complexes and a diverse fauna of birds (about 250 species, including over 160 nesting ones). Ornithological research on the territory of Matsalu has been carried out since 1870. Waterfowl and wading birds are especially numerous in the reserve. On migration there are flocks of whooper swans, northern ducks and waders. Mute swans, gray geese nest in the reeds, and molting drakes of mallards and red-headed ducks. Ducks and many waders make their nests in grassy meadows. Eiders, tufted ducks, shelducks, mergansers, scoters, gulls and terns nest on the islands.

Reserve Nigula is located in southwest Estonia. Founded in 1957. Area 2771 hectares. It is a raised bog with peat deposits up to 4 m and pine forests. The forests are home to elk, roe deer, wild boar and other animals and birds.

3.Historical and cultural resources.

The territory of modern Estonia was inhabited approximately five thousand years before the birth of Christ. Thus, Estonians can be considered one of the ancient peoples Europe. Profitable geographical position at the crossroads of trade routes from East to West and from North to South, it led to great interest in this piece of land, prompted many kings to go on military campaigns and gave rise to many strife. Since the 13th century, Estonia has been under the rule of the Teutonic Order. Knight's castles, more or less preserved to this day, are one of the most important tourism sites.

In 1285 Tallinn became part of the Hanseatic League. Trade affairs were carried out mainly by German merchants. Subsequent generations of Germans, who finally settled in Estonia, built family estates throughout the country. The Baltic Germans had a huge influence on both Estonian and Russian culture.

The Germans were the first wave in a long line of conquerors. Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians all passed through Estonia, building cities and castles and leaving their mark on the culture.

At the end of the 19th century, a wave of national liberation movement arose in Estonia. On February 24, 1918, Estonia declared independence. True, Estonia did not remain free for long. In 1940, it was annexed by the Soviet Union, and only in 1991 was it able to regain independence, leaving the USSR peacefully as a result of the “singing revolution”.

Estonia is rich in historical monuments: castles, religious buildings, fortresses, fortifications, monuments to outstanding figures. The capital of Estonia, Tallinn, with its medieval Old Town, is rightfully included by UNESCO among the monuments of world significance. The ancient city hall, 26 watchtowers and part of the fortress wall, churches and monasteries, houses of merchants and townspeople, through passages and courtyards, squares and parks - all this creates the unique charm of the medieval Old Town.

The fortress defense tower Kiik in de Kek (which means “look at the kitchen” in Estonian) now houses a museum of ancient weapons and other defense items.

And in the Fat Margarete Tower (Pax Margarete) there is an interesting exhibition of the Maritime Museum, where you will be curious to find out what, in what and why Estonian fishermen went to sea in ancient times, look at models of ancient ships of fine workmanship, hold on to thick ship ropes and feel the harsh sea spirit of Tallinn.
In total, Tallinn has 13 museums with their branches, including the Tallinn City Museum, the State historical Museum, Tallinn Art Museum and others.

It is necessary to say about a unique private museum. A trip to Tallinn can be associated not only with visiting traditional architectural sights. While relaxing in one of the hotels in Tallinn, you can make interesting trip to Laahemaa National Park and see private collections vintage cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Here you can see bicycles from 1830, carriages from 1850, cars from 1910, motorcycles from 1940.

Also in Tallinn are located: the Kadriorg Palace of the early 18th century, the house-museum of Peter 1, the Dominican monastery of the 13th-16th centuries, where portals, cellars and a gallery have been preserved. Almost all cities have local history museums. There are 9 museums in Tartu, including the history of the city, the history of the university, the literary museum, and the O. Luts House Museum; in Võru - House-Museum of F.R. Kreutzwald; in Kohtla-Jarve - Oil Shale Museum. Of the architectural monuments, pay attention: in Tallinn - medieval buildings in the Gothic and Baroque styles of the 14th-16th centuries; Town Hall with a 17th-century spire, town hall pharmacy; Holy Spirit Church with a bell from the 15th century. and carved interior; buildings of the Olai Guild of the 13th century, the Brotherhood of the Blackheads of the 14th-17th centuries; Church of Oleviste (St. Olai) 1267 with a tower 120 m high; Great Sea Gate, two towers of the Viru Gate of the 15th century; medieval town mill and residential buildings from the 15th century. - all in the Lower Town. The medieval Lower Town is a historical and architectural monument. The only entrance to Vyshgorod was the most old street in Tallinn - Pikk-Jalg (1454); The gate towers of Pikk-Jalg (1380) and Lühike-Jalg of the 15th century have been preserved. Toompea Castle (Small Fortress) has preserved walls and three corner towers: “Long Herman” with a medieval dungeon; "Pilshtiker" and the remains of "Landskrone". In the 17th century Swedish bastions were built according to the Vauban system: Linda Hill (Swedish Bastion), Rannavyarava Hill (Skåne Bastion) and Harju Hill (Inger Bastion), which covered the Kiek-in-de-Kök gun turret with a height of approx. 49 m (1475), the most powerful in the Baltics (now a museum). The center of the Great Fortress is the Dome Church of the 13th-18th centuries. with a wooden altar of the 17th century. Interesting are the ruins of the monastery in Pirita, an ancient settlement of the 1st millennium BC. - Iru, Kadriorg Park, in Tartu - an ensemble of university buildings early. XIX century; castles and cathedrals XIII-XV centuries. - in Tartu, Narva, Kuresaare on the island. Saaremaa, Viljandi.

There are 13 universities in Estonia, 7 of them public and 6 private. One of the most famous is the University of Tartu, founded in 1632. Most of Estonia's famous people, scientists, writers and statesmen studied at the University of Tartu. The oldest museum in Estonia, the Tartu University Art Museum, displays plaster copies of the most prominent sculptors of ancient times against the backdrop of wall paintings in a pompous style.

Estonia has many architectural monuments from the 12th to 16th centuries. Traditional Estonian folk art is famous for knitted items, woven decorative household items, metal and wooden ornaments. The singing festivals held in Tallinn are very popular and have contributed to the development of choral singing. Various sports are popular in Estonia, especially games, athletics and rowing.

Estonia has many architectural monuments from the 12th to 16th centuries. Traditional Estonian folk art is famous for knitted items, woven decorative household items, metal and wooden ornaments. The singing festivals held in Tallinn are very popular and have contributed to the development of choral singing. Various sports are popular in Estonia, especially games, athletics and rowing.
The city of Kuressaare is known as a mud and climatic resort. The landmark of the city is the Order Castle (14-15 centuries). Other architectural monuments: Baroque town hall (17-18 centuries), classicist church of St. Nicholas (18th century).
A castle (13th-15th centuries), city fortifications (14th century), and a town hall building (17th century) have been preserved in Narva. Pärnu is a seaside climatic and mud resort. There is a theater and a local history museum.

4. Ethnographic resources.

The population of Estonia is 1.37 million inhabitants. More than 100 different nationalities live in Estonia. Largest ethnic groups (as a percentage of the total population):

Estonians - 67.9%
Russians - 25.6%
Ukrainians - 2.1%
Belarusians - 1.3%
Finns - 0.9%
Tatars - 0.2%
Latvians - 0.2%
Poles - 0.16%
Jews - 0.16%

In total, about 500 thousand inhabitants or 32% belong to various ethnic groups other than Estonian. Estonians increasingly see Estonia as a multicultural and multinational state. According to Research of interethnic relations conducted in March 2000, 75% of Estonians believe that the diversity of nationalities and cultures enriches Estonia and makes it more interesting. 86% of Estonians believe that different nationalities can coexist on the territory of one state and have good relationships.

Before World War II, Estonia was a relatively homogeneous society - national minorities made up 12% of the total population. The most significant minorities were Russians, Germans, Swedes, Latvians, Jews, Poles, Finns and Ingrians.

By 1991, minorities constituted more than one-third of the total population, which was mainly the result of forced migration policies during the Soviet occupation - administrative and military immigration of non-Estonians from other republics of the USSR, as well as the deportation of Estonians to various areas of the Soviet Union. The predominant number of migrants come from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, as well as from other regions of the USSR, such as Tatarstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, etc.

Nationalities

1934 (population census)

1989 (population census)

2000 (population census)

Estonians

992 520

963 281

930 219

Russians

92 656

474 834

351 178

Ukrainians

48 271

29 012

Belarusians

27 711

17 241

Finns and Ingrians

1 088

16 622

11 837
358

Tatars

4 058

2 582

Latvians

5 435

3 135

2 330

Poles

1 608

3 008

2 193

Jews

4 434

4 613

2 145

Lithuanians

2 568

2 116

Germans

16 346

3 466

1 870

Armenians

1 669

1 444

Azerbaijanis

1 238

Swedes

7 641

other nationalities or nationality unknown

4 174

10 891

14 347

Total

1 126 413

1 565 662

1 370 052

* Data included in “other nationalities”
Source: Statistics Estonia,
Ministry of Internal Affairs

Minorities other than Russian currently account for 6.5% of the total population. Unlike the Russian minority, they did not have government support to preserve and develop their culture and language until 1991, when Estonia regained its independence.

Official language Estonian(belongs to the Finno-Ugric group

languages ​​and is related to Hungarian and Finnish). Russian, Finnish, English and German are widely spoken in everyday life.

4.1 Estonian cuisine

Traditional Estonian National cuisine was formed largely under the influence of German and Swedish culinary traditions, and consists mainly of simple and satisfying “peasant” dishes created on the basis of pork, potatoes, vegetables, a variety of cereals, fish (herring is especially popular) and bread products. A distinctive feature is the widespread use of meat by-products (blood, liver) and a variety of dairy dishes - there are more than 20 dairy soups alone.

Soups themselves are a fairly common dish - there are, for example, soup with barley and potatoes, with dumplings, with peas and pearl barley, bread, blueberry, herring with potatoes and even beer soup. Seasonings and herbs are used extremely poorly, and in small quantities and in strictly defined dishes: dill - in herring, marjoram - in blood sausages, caraway seeds - in cottage cheese, parsley, celery - in meat soups (not all). Among the flavoring seasonings, in addition to milk, cream and sour cream in their pure form, they use “kastmed” - milk and milk-sour cream sauces that accompany almost every Estonian dish.

The most popular are "syyr" - a special dish made from cottage cheese, smoked trout "suitsukala", pork legs with peas, blood sausage "evereverst", "mulgi puder", pancakes with blood "vere pakeogid", dumplings made from barley flour, "mulgikapsas" - specially stewed pork with barley and sauerkraut, “piparkook”, rutabaga porridge “kaalikapuder”, rutabaga-potato porridge “kaalikakartulipuder”, boiled meat with vegetables, pea-buckwheat porridge “hernetatrapuder”, soup with beer, blueberry soup with dumplings, a variety of cheeses and jelly.

In Estonia they make amazingly delicious chocolate with nuts, unusual candies with mint, liqueur, coffee, and nut fillings, excellent cakes and all sorts of other sweets.

The national drink is undoubtedly beer - light "Saku" and darker "Saare" from the island of Saaremaa; honey beer and mulled wine "Hoegwein" are also original products.

4.2 Official holidays and days off in Estonia

January 1 - New Year.
February 24 is Independence Day.
March/April - Good (Great) Friday.
March/April - Easter.
May 1 - Spring Festival.
May/June - Trinity.
June 23 - Victory Day (anniversary of the battle of Vynnu).
June 24 - Midsummer's Day (Jaanipäev, Yanov's Day).
August 20 - Day of Restoration of Independence.
December 25 - Christmas.
December 26 - Christmastide.

Also celebrated on January 6 (Three Kings Day, Epiphany), February 2 (Conclusion of the Tartu Peace Treaty), 2nd Sunday in May (Mother's Day), June 14 (National Day of Mourning, day of remembrance for victims of Stalinist repressions), November 2 (Remembrance Day deceased) and November 16 (Proclamation of the Declaration of Independence). Banks, government offices and many shops are closed on public holidays.

4.3 Festivals and holidays in Estonia

Estonia's main festivals are the Baltic Folk Festival, held in mid-July in Tallinn, and the wonderful All-Estonian Song Festival. Also interesting in the capital are the jazz festival "Tudengijaz" (Student Jazz, February), Estonian Film Week (March), Days of Estonian Music at the National Opera House "Estonia" (April), the largest jazz festival in the Baltic countries - "Jazzkaar" (April) , traditional festival "Slavic Wreath" (June), the country's largest beer festival - "Olesummer" (early July), International Organ Music Festival (August), International Street Theater Festival (August-September), traditional festival "Days of Finno-Ugric Peoples" "(third week of October), festival of children's and youth theaters "Banaanikala" (Banana Fish, October-November), international festival pianists "Klavier" (October-November), the International Film Festival "Dark Nights" (November-December) and the Christmas jazz festival "Joulujaz" (early December).

Leading musical groups perform throughout the country as part of the “Open Festival of Baroque Music” (January-February). Summer is literally full of events. On the night of the summer solstice (Jaanipäev, Jan's Day), the most colorful and cheerful summer festival takes place - "Grillfest", accompanied by dancing, singing and fun around the fires, as well as the search for the mystical fern flower, which, according to legend, blooms only on this night and brings good luck to anyone who finds it (many Estonians usually take vacation during the week before Midsummer). In the vicinity of the Bishop's Castle in Haapsalu, every year on the August full moon, a colorful "White Lady Festival" is held, dedicated to "Estonia's most famous ghost." The Viru Saru folklore festival is held in Lahemaa National Park on the first weekend of July. Numerous song festivals and concerts take place in many populated areas according to an individual schedule. The Tartu Ski Marathon starts in Otepää (February). In and In July, the Rock Summer festival takes place in Tallinn; in August the White Lady Festival in Haapsalu.

4.4 National costumes

Along with language, clothing is a distinctive feature of a people. Folk clothing has become a phenomenon in the social life of Estonia since the end of the last century. Peasant costumes, which vary by parish, still occupy an important place in the wardrobe of Estonians.

Estonians themselves are accustomed to national clothing, so they practically do not notice women in heavy striped skirts and men in dark caps walking along the city streets. Only tourists pause for a moment to focus their cameras on the curiosity.

Over the century-long history of its existence, the Estonian national costume has gone through several stages. Roughly stylized as the original by the 1930s, clothing experienced an unprecedented boost in the state’s anniversary year of 1938 (20 years of the Republic of Estonia). Bit by bit, based on the original peasant clothes available in the ethnographic museum's collections, the Estonian national costume was restored. Dresses, skirts, sweaters, pants and shirts were recreated in the form that is known to us to this day.

In 1940, the costume acquired the status of a national symbol. Traditionally held song festivals only contributed to strengthening the stereotype. The event was unthinkable without colorful outfits.

5. Socio-economic resources.

5.1 Population

As already mentioned, the population of Estonia is 1.351 million people. The last population census was carried out in 2000. Population density: 30 people/km 2 Birth rate (2003): 9.7/1000 people.Mortality (2003): 13.5/1000 people.Urban population (2003): 67.5%.Rural population (2003): 32.5%. Resident nationalities: Estonians (68%),

Russians (26%), Ukrainians (2%), Belarusians (1%), Finns (1%), others (2%).

5.2 Major cities

Capital: Tallinn (397.2 thousand people, accounting for 29.3% of the total population, 2003),

Tartu (101.2 thousand people), Narva (67.8 thousand people), Kohtla-Jarve (46.8 thousand people) and Pärnu (44.8 thousand people).

5.3 Religion

Main religion – Lutheranism (70%) . Other major denominations include:

Orthodox (20%), Baptist, Methodical and Catholic churches. In Kuremäe there is an Orthodox women's Assumption Pyukhtitsa Monastery.

5.4 Economy

Estonia is an industrial-agrarian country. Today, the national economy is based on transit, servicing financial flows and tourism. Estonia's most important natural mineral resource is oil shale. But at the same time, their development employs a small proportion of the economically active population. The republic's oil shale processing industry produces fuel gas, which is exported and used domestically as raw material for power plants. The chemical industry, operating on products from the oil shale processing industry, produces benzene, adhesives, tanning agents, resins, formaldehydes, and detergents. Estonia produces cars, rolled metal, and building materials. Light industry is developed, especially the production of cotton fabrics, wool, silk, and flax products. In agriculture, livestock farming is mainly developed (meat and dairy cattle breeding and bacon pig breeding). Crop farming specializes in growing potatoes, grains (barley, rye, wheat) and fodder crops, vegetables and berries. The timber processing industry is an important part of the Estonian economy, despite excessive logging, which threatens the very existence of the industry in question. Reforestation has recently begun, but part of the wood demand is now met through imports. The industry produces pulp and paper products, furniture, and building materials. Exports: machinery and equipment, pulp and paper products and timber, textiles, food, iron and steel, chemicals. Import: equipment and machinery, food, chemicals, rolled metal, textiles. Main trading partners: Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, Germany, USA. The monetary unit is the Estonian kroon.

GDP per capita population: US$11,000

II.Main types of tourism.

1.Number of foreign tourists visiting Estonia in:

1996 – 600 thousand people

2000 – 1240 thousand people

2001 – 1320 thousand people

2002 – 1360 thousand people

2.Tourism income:

2000 – 506 million US dollars

2001 – 507 million US dollars

2002 – 555 million US dollars

3. Types of tourism

1) Health tourism in Estonia is in great demand, not only among local residents, but also among foreign tourists. In such prestigious sanatoriums as Tervis in Pärnu and Laine in Haapsalu, as practice shows, it is necessary to reserve a place at least two months in advance. The level of service at Tervis is high: there are a lot of foreigners there. This is understandable, because Pärnu is considered the summer capital, although prices there are much lower than in Tallinn. Many people prefer to spend their holidays either in Pärnu, or on the islands - Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Vormsi and others, or in the south of Estonia - in Virumaa, Põltsamaa.

Sanatoriums on the west coast in the cities of Pärnu (Tervis Paradise - new 2004, Tervis, Estonia, Syprus) and Haapsalu (Fra Mare) offer the prevention and treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, nervous and cardiovascular vascular system, rehabilitation after fatigue and stress. On the island of Saaremaa in Kuressaare (“Ryutli”, “Meri”, “Saaremaa Waltz”) mud therapy has been practiced for 175 years. Rich medical experience, a unique range of procedures, local mud and mineral water will restore strength and improve your health. Water entertainment and recreation centers “Tervis Paradise” and “Rüytli” are available to vacationers. New for the season (May 2004) is the Georg Ots SPA Hotel.

Northern Estonia (“Toila”, “Narva Jõesuu”) is a changing landscape, where steep Coast gives way to sandy beaches. In addition to traditional mud therapy, treatment of the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract is offered. The “salt chamber”, the walls of which are made of salt blocks (“Toila”), has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system.

Southern Estonia (“Pyhajärve”, “Värska”) is an untouched nature, the amazing beauty of the hills, here is the highest point of the Baltic states - the Haanja Hills, national parks and nature reserves with numerous rivers and lakes. "Pyhajärve" and "Värska" are located on picturesque lakes. This is where you can find peace and quiet and restore peace of mind. Värska uses local mineral water in its treatment.

All spa hotels and sanatoriums in Estonia offer accommodation in rooms whose quality meets international standards. The hotels' spa facilities, guaranteed service, and the presence of swimming pools make a wellness holiday in Estonia enjoyable, regardless of the time of year.

2) Educational tourism. Undoubtedly, this type of tourism is very popular in Estonia. The country is rich in history, architectural monuments, museums and other attractions that interest tourists from all over the world. The centers of educational tourism are Tallinn, Narva, Tartu.

3) Active recreation is well developed in Estonia.

• Water sports recreation. During a canoe trip, a tourist will not only be in close contact with nature, but will also be able to see the most beautiful places in Estonia, which are usually difficult to get to without a boat: sandy cliffs of the high banks of the Ahja River with colorful geological deposits; raised bogs in the Soomaa nature reserve, where the pristine silence will only be disturbed by the splashes of your oars.
  There are several canoe trip options to choose from. This can be a short trip along fast-flowing rivers or a long descent downstream of “lazy” rivers. An accompanying person can take part in a hike with tourists and help in steering the canoe and show interesting places. Typically a canoe trip lasts from one to three days. The season opens immediately after the rivers are free of ice and ends with the first frosts. The cost of the trip (from 200 to 1000 CZK) includes canoe rental, life vest and a short course in safe canoeing techniques, as well as guide services and light refreshments at rest stops. The price depends on the duration of the trip. If a tourist has never sailed a canoe before, he will be able to learn basic boat control techniques very quickly. Sailing can be a delight even for an observer. White sails, playing water, beautiful and brave people who, despite a hopeless calm or an uncontrollable storm, steer their ship wherever they want. In Estonia, not only coastal areas, but also large and small lakes offer the opportunity to enjoy water sports. The first experience of sailing is truly an experience that can develop into a passion for longer, more challenging and more advanced and exciting adventures. Estonia's territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coast. In territorial sea waters, the peaceful passage of a foreign vessel engaged in an entertaining walk. Once cleared through customs, exit inspection is not required until leaving territorial waters. Yachts are advised to ask the port authorities to notify the next port they arrive at.

• Ski tourism. Skiing came to Estonia from Scandinavia at the beginning of the century and quickly took root here. It is no exaggeration to say that every resident of Estonia has skied at least once. Cross-country skiing is popular due to its flat terrain and low hills. Specially laid trails provide an opportunity to break out of confinement within school walls and offices. The climate of Southern Estonia, where there is almost always snow, makes the Otepää resort a particularly attractive destination for winter holiday enthusiasts. The largest and most modern ski center in the Baltics has been created here. In South Estonia for lovers alpine skiing there are conditions for descents from 200 - 300-meter slopes of moderate steepness. Some of the slopes are equipped with lifts. All necessary equipment can be rented. The center of ski tourism is the city of Otepää; there are also ski resorts in the area of ​​the city of Võru and other areas of southern Estonia.

• ATV safari. This type of recreation is suitable for thrill-seekers who have good coordination of movements and have experience driving motor vehicles. Vehicle. ATV safari takes place in beautiful natural place Estonia (Põhja and Lyuna Kõrvemaa) in any weather and at any time of the year. Instructions and study tours are provided.

• Horseback riding.It doesn’t matter here who the tourist is - a novice rider or an experienced rider. There are plenty of opportunities for horseback riding in Estonia: forest trails and groves, juniper-covered banks and dunes, or historical parks, where you can follow in the footsteps of famous people. At different times of the year, nature has different faces. Morning dawn and sunset with a new friend – a horse – is an unforgettable experience. If a tourist is a beginner rider, he can undergo a week-long riding camp or initial training in an arena under the guidance of experienced instructors - and he will have the ability to control a horse and the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature, observing it from a higher height and in a different way than usual. There are several riding clubs and schools in Estonia. If a tourist doesn’t know how to sit in the saddle, it doesn’t matter, they will teach him how to do it. Many farms have horses that you can ride for a small fee.

• Hiking. The best way relax, get out into nature and get to know the local culture - this is a hiking trip. There are four in Estonia national parks and several protected areas, where, walking along marked hiking trails, a guest of the country will have an excellent opportunity to see everything that a hurrying tourist would never see from a car window. In a small area of ​​Estonia, various landscapes have merged together, widespread and rare plants, birds and animals coexist. Only on a hike can you experience the deep layers of nature and culture; listen to the silence, stroke the rough bark of a hundred-year-old oak, pick wild berries, inhale the pungent aroma of marsh wild rosemary, notice the small and large wonders of nature. The best guide will be a local guide who knows the uniqueness of his region down to the smallest nuances. In order to get closer to the untouched nature of Estonia, it is best to walk along special trails for hiking, laid in many picturesque places, or along a special route in one of the nature reserves.

• Fishing. You can fish without paying anyone for it with only one simple fishing rod with a rod no longer than 1.5 m, a single hook and live bait. The rod can be equipped with a sinker and a float. Fishing on private reservoirs is allowed only with the permission of the owner. Fishing with spinig, net, etc. is paid. Such fishing is permitted only if you have a fisherman's ticket and taking into account the established restrictions on seasons, fishing places and types of fish. Tickets and information about restrictions can be obtained from regional conservation departments of the Ministry of Environment and registered fishing societies. The price of a fisherman's ticket is 25 – 200 CZK depending on the duration of validity.

• Cycling. Estonia, with its varied landscapes, is an ideal place to travel by bike. People with different riding experiences can choose a suitable route on hilly or flat terrain. You can ride a bicycle where it is impossible to reach by car.

• Golf. Estonia's only 18-hole golf course is located 33 km southeast of Tallinn, next to the well-known horse riding center of Niitvälja. Total length the tracks are 6,280 m. The shortest distance to the hole is 153 m, and the longest is 510 m. The owner of the course is the Estonian Golf Center. The field was equipped in the so-called “Floridian style,” which is characterized by slightly steep slopes, the presence of water barriers and free approaches, alternating with narrow approaches with areas of dense forest. The quality of the playing field in hot and dry summers is guaranteed by a watering system designed by Danish designers. The course is open from the end of April to the end of November.

III.Resorts.

Estonia has famous resorts: Pärnu - climatic and balneological, Haapsalu - balneological and Narva-Jõesuu - climatic. Main ski resort Otepää. Large beaches are located in the city of Narva - Jõesuu, Padliski, Pärnu, Klooga (Klooga-rand beach).

Parnu- a small seaside town, which, thanks to its beautiful beach and bay, is known primarily as a resort and place summer holiday. Pärnu is located 123 km from Tallinn. The population of Pärnu is 45 thousand inhabitants. The first information about the city of Pärnu dates back to the 11th century. The oldest historical monuments preserved here date back to the 16th century, that is, to the heyday of the trading Hanseatic League. Pärnu actively participated in the lively Baltic trade, but due to its position did not achieve such influence as Revel (Tallinn). Among the defensive structures of the 17th century, the Tallinn Gate, the construction of which was completed in 1678, the Lutheran Church of Elizabeth (1747) and the Orthodox Church of St. Catherine (1768) have survived. In the seaside region of Pärnu, separated from the sea by a magnificent park, there are many hotels and health resorts. The most famous of them: sanatoriums Tervis, Estonia, Syprus, Viking.
Haapsalu- washed on three sides by the sea, it is considered the most sunny resort Estonia. Haapsalu (until 1917 official name Gapsal), a tiny town on the western coast of Estonia, 100 km from Tallinn, home to 12.5 thousand inhabitants. The city was founded around the 13th century. The ancient episcopal castle, completed in the 16th century, speaks of its former greatness. The fact is that for several centuries Haapsalu was the center of the Catholic bishopric and was a fairly influential city. Haapsalu experienced the rule of the Swedes and Russians. In 1825 it became a seaside resort, visited by members of the imperial family. The resort is famous for its healing mud. Today, Haapsalu's heyday as a resort is reminiscent of the preserved promenade along the seaside and the wooden Kursaal located there. Beautiful nature, clean air and silence of coastal pine forests, a warm bay and picturesque reed thickets, sea ​​bathing and the healing mud of the bays - all this is the most attractive side of Haapsalu. And also the attractiveness of the ancient streets, because the city was founded in 1279. Everything is interesting here: the ruins and the 38-meter watchtower of the bishop's castle, the legend of the ghostly vision of the White Lady, who appears in the window of the sacristy of the Dome Church on a full moon on an August night as a symbol of eternal love, an alley with a memorial bench made of dolomite with a portrait of P.I. Tchaikovsky. As expected ancient city, Haapsalu has a Town Hall building, which now houses a museum, a fortress, a Dome Church with a round chapel from the 14th century, and several ancient churches.

IV.Tourist centers.

1.Large cities.

a)Tallinn- the capital of Estonia, the city is a museum of medieval architecture. The heart of Tallinn is the Old Town of Toompea (Vyshgorod) with numerous cathedrals, fortress walls and medieval towers and the adjacent Lower Town. Upper town was built in the XIII-XIV centuries, the Lower Town - in the XIV-XVI centuries.
Attractions: the Kadriorg park and palace, built at the beginning of the 18th century by order of Peter the Great, where the residence of the President of Estonia is now located; Tallinn Bay is a beautiful harbor known since ancient times; many upscale hotels; nightclubs, restaurants, bars, shops and supermarkets.

While traveling around southern Estonia, you can also visit a popular holiday destination - the town Otepää, and in the city Võru, where Estonian national literature originated.

Sights of the capital of Estonia.

Old city

In 1997, the historical part of Tallinn - Old Town (see Attachment)– was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Old Town of Tallinn is given special significance primarily by its unique medieval architecture and unique spirit antiquity, which other capitals of Northern Europe have largely lost.
In Tallinn, as one of the best preserved cities of medieval Europe, the street network and property boundaries formed between the 11th and 15th centuries have remained virtually unchanged.
Thanks to powerful defensive fortifications, the Old City was able to protect itself from significant destruction during attacks by enemy troops. And the stone houses that were mainly built here survived the fires. The Old Town and new massive developments were bypassed, which, in turn, also contributed to the preservation of its architectural value.
Today, all the most important administrative and sacral buildings of the Old Town have been preserved in their original medieval form; many residential buildings, barns, and warehouses that once belonged to noble citizens and merchants have safely survived the centuries.
The beginning of the 15th - mid-16th centuries - the golden age of ancient Tallinn: the city was part of the Hanseatic League and played an important role in the Baltic Sea region. The economic recovery of those times contributed not only to the thorough strengthening of the city’s borders, but also created all the prerequisites for active creativity - the creation of architectural and artistic values.

Town Hall Square

Town Hall Square has been used for centuries as a market and fairground, and also served as a gathering place for people.
The square in front of the Town Hall has long been used for trade - even before the construction of the Town Hall itself. All kinds of festivities were held here, and city criminals were also executed.
The modern Town Hall Square, especially in the summer months, is filled with street cafes. Open-air concerts and craft fairs are held here. In winter, according to a tradition that has been preserved since 1441, Town Hall Square is decorated with a huge Christmas tree. It stands here for a long time, a month and a half, and around it there is a bustling and colorful Christmas market, where you can buy wonderful gifts for the winter holidays and enjoy the wonderful Christmas atmosphere.
In summer, Town Hall Square is the main center of the annual Old Town Days, a kind of medieval carnival in a modern style. These days, such ancient traditions as holiday parades, jousting tournaments, parrot shooting competitions and the election of the Earl of May, while the streets and courtyards of the Old Town are filled with music, dancing, fairs, theater performances and exhibitions.

Tallinn Town Hall

The Tallinn Town Hall building is the best preserved medieval Town Hall building in Northern Europe.
The first written mention of the Tallinn Town Hall dates back to 1322, and there is every reason to believe that in the distant past it stood in the same place where it is now. The Town Hall acquired its current appearance as a result of a thorough reconstruction in 1402 - 1404, so that in 2004 it celebrated its 600th anniversary.
Tallinn Town Hall, where the magistrate held his meetings, was the real heart of the city, as well as a representative building where the most important issues of city life were decided over the centuries. The first mention of the Tallinn Magistrate is found in the charter of the Danish king Eric V dated May 15, 1248, in which the monarch orders that Lübeck law be assigned to Tallinn.
Members of the magistrate - ratmans - held their meetings in the hall on the second floor of the Town Hall; today festive receptions and concerts are held here, and the three-nave hall in the basement of the Town Hall is used as a room for exhibitions.
However, the most famous element of the Tallinn Town Hall building, built from the traditional Estonian building material limestone, is the “Old Toomas” weather vane that crowns the tower, the current symbol of the Estonian capital.
As the legend says... Every spring in medieval Tallinn, on the square near the Great Sea Gate, competitions were held for the best archers in the city. The most accurate shooter who managed to hit the target - a wooden figurine of a parrot mounted on the top of a high pole - was awarded a large silver cup. And then one day, when the honorable knights had just lined up and pulled their bows, the parrot suddenly fell down, pierced by someone's arrow.
The unknown shooter turned out to be an ordinary Tallinn youth - a poor man named Toomas. The prankster was properly scolded and forced to put the target back in its original place. However, the news had already spread throughout Tallinn, and Toomas’s mother prepared for the worst... Fortunately, the matter took a different turn - the young man was not punished, but was offered to become a city guard, which at that time was a great honor for a poor man.
Subsequently, Toomas more than once showed heroism in the battles of the Livonian War and fully justified the trust placed in him. And in his old age he grew a luxurious mustache and became surprisingly similar to the brave warrior who towered on the tower of the Town Hall. Since then, the weather vane on the Town Hall has been called “Old Toomas”.

Tallinn city wall

Tallinn city wall, fortified with defensive towers (see Attachment), by the 16th century it had become one of the most powerful and reliable fortifications in Northern Europe.
Medieval fortifications built around the city towards the end of the 13th century turned it into impregnable fortress. By the 16th century, these fortifications had virtually no equal in power throughout Northern Europe. The thickness of the city wall with 46 powerful defensive towers reached 3 m, height – 16 m, and length – 4 km.
To this day, a part of the wall 2 km long and 26 defensive towers.
You even have the opportunity to climb the city wall: near the intersection of Suur-Kloostri and Väike-Kloostri streets, you can climb the Nunnathorn tower and from there, along the former battle passage, go to the Saunathorn and Kuldjalathorn towers.

Kiek in de Kök

Kiek in de Kök (see Attachment)- the most powerful gun turret in Northern Europe of the 16th century.
According to historians, the Kiek in de Kök tower, built in the second half of the 15th century, was once the most powerful gun tower on the entire Baltic Sea coast. Its diameter reached 17 m, height - 38 m, and wall thickness - 4 m.
From the upper floors of the tower, not only the rear of the enemy troops, but also the kitchens of Tallinn housewives were clearly visible. Hence the unusual name of the tower, which translated from Low Saxon means: “Look into the kitchen.”
During the Livonian War (1558 – 1583) the tower was seriously damaged, but still survived. Subsequently, it was rebuilt several times and was used as a gunpowder warehouse until the 20th century. Today, Kiek in de Kök has been completely restored - now it looks exactly the same as it did in the 17th century.
Currently active in the tower permanent exhibition, telling about the history of the emergence of Tallinn and the most important military events of that distant era, which we are reminded of by the stone and cast iron artillery cores of the Russian Tsar Ivan IV stuck in the thickness of the walls.

Great Sea Gate and Fat Margaret Tower

Great Sea Gate and Fat Margaret Tower (see Attachment) were built to protect the city from attack from the sea, and also to impress overseas guests arriving in Tallinn.
The Great Sea Gate, located in the northern part of the city, next to the harbor, was built at the same time as the city wall.
At the beginning of the 16th century, next to the gate, during its reconstruction, a gun tower with 155 loopholes was erected, which was nicknamed Fat Margaret for its impressive size - 25 m in diameter and 20 m in height. Over its long history, Fat Margaret was also used as an armory and prison.
Today the tower houses the Estonian maritime museum, introducing the history of navigation and fishing in Estonia. The four floors of the museum display rare exhibits: antique diving and fishing equipment, finds from the bottom of the sea, a captain's bridge from 1950, and much more. Co observation deck At the top of the tower there is a breathtaking view of the sea.

Viru Gate

The Viru Gate was built in the 14th century and has only partially survived to this day.
The Viru Gate is located in the eastern part of the city wall. Main tower The gate was built in 1345 - 1355. Today, through this gate you can enter Viru Street with its many shops, restaurants and cafes, from where it is a stone's throw to the Town Hall Square.

Maiden's Tower

The Maiden's Tower (Neitsitorn) is a medieval prison tower for maidens of easy virtue.
This tower was built in the second half of the 14th century, simultaneously with the construction of the city wall. Over the past centuries, the Maiden Tower was repeatedly subjected to serious damage and was rebuilt each time during restoration. Today on the floors of this ancient building There is a cozy cafe.

Toompea Castle

Toompea Castle (see Attachment)- one of the oldest and most majestic architectural complexes Estonia.
The castle was built in the 13th century. XIV centuries on the steep slope of Toompea Hill, at an altitude of 50 m above sea level. Over the centuries, Toompea Castle has always been one of the most majestic symbols of the ruling power in Estonia, including foreign ones. Today the Parliament of the Republic of Estonia is located here.
At the end of the 14th century, the high tower LONG GERMAN was built in the south-eastern part of the castle complex. The tower owes its name to the glorious hero of medieval legends Lange Hermann, which translated from German means “long warrior” or “leader”. In those days, this was the name given to the most powerful fortress towers.
Today, the Estonian national flag flies at the top of the 48-meter-high Long Hermann.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (see Attachment)– the largest Orthodox cathedral in Tallinn with majestic domes.
This majestic, richly decorated Orthodox church in a mixed late historicist style was built by the famous Russian architect Mikhail Preobrazhensky in 1900 - at that time Estonia was part of Tsarist Russia. The cathedral is dedicated to the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the Teutonic knights during the famous Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipsi on April 5, 1242.
Previously, in this place in front of Toompea Castle there was a beautiful square with a monument to Martin Luther. The cathedral is the most significant example of Orthodox sacred architecture in Tallinn and is well maintained. It has the most powerful ensemble of church bells in the city. There are eleven bells in total, the largest of them weighs 15 tons. Before the start of services, the cathedral bell rings out over the city. The interior of the cathedral, richly decorated with mosaics and icons, also deserves attention.

Church of the Holy Spirit

The Church of the Holy Spirit is the only sacred building in Tallinn that has preserved its appearance from the 14th century.
This simple, very modestly sized church was built in 1360 and, with the exception of the Baroque tower shako, has completely retained its original appearance. The Church of the Holy Spirit occupies a special place in Estonian culture: the first sermons in Estonian were read here, and the famous chronicler, Estonian by birth, Baltazar Russov held services here. And the pastor of this church, Johann Koell, became the author of the first book in Estonian - the catechism (1535).
The oldest street clock in Tallinn shows the time on the façade of the church building.
Here is also one of the four most valuable works of art of medieval Estonia - the altar, which was made in 1483 by order of the townspeople by the famous medieval master Bernt Notke.

Danish King's Garden

Danish King's Garden (see Attachment) located next to Toompea Castle.
According to legend, it was in Tallinn that the Danes found their national flag. This significant event took place on July 15, 1219 during one of the heated battles. The Danish troops were already on the verge of defeat when the heavens suddenly opened up and a flag descended right from there at their feet.
Encouraged by this sign from above, the Danes won. After which the reign of the Danish king in Tallinn and Northern Estonia lasted for more than 100 years.
Every summer Danebrog's Danish Flag Day is traditionally celebrated in this romantic garden.

Medieval residential buildings

Approximately 2/3 of medieval residential buildings have survived in Tallinn (see Attachment), now rebuilt to a greater or lesser extent, but at the same time being an example of medieval architecture. The best preserved include: the building of the Tourist House (Raekoja plats 18), the building of the Tallinn City Theater (Lai 23), as well as houses on Vana-Turg 6; Kuninga 1; Pikk 71; Lai 29 and 40; Vene 17 and 23; Rüütli 12; Suur-Karja 8.
In the Middle Ages, residential buildings were built according to the same principle; the layout of the interior premises was also of the same type, which, depending on the wealth of the owner, differed only in size and design.
Typically, a dwelling consisted of a spacious entrance hall (diele), a small kitchen under a chimney projection, one heated living space (dörnse), several closets and basement rooms that were not heated, and storage rooms located on the upper floors. Such a medieval house, as a rule, had a rather narrow facade and a pointed pediment. And since the upper floors of the building were used as warehouses, bales of goods were lifted directly to the top using a winch suspended on a bracket. The walls of a medieval house were made of limestone and plastered, and the roof was covered with special bricks made of baked clay.
The houses in the Lower City stood so close to each other that many even had common walls. Behind the building, as usual, there was a long, narrow courtyard on which there were outbuildings, barns, stables, stables and housing for farm laborers and servants.

Kadriorg

The formation and formation of the seaside district of Kadriorg took place under the influence of the traditions of the Russian royal court and the local nobility. The representative architecture of the historical wooden buildings of Kadriorg that have survived to this day testifies to the former wealth of this part of the city.
A walk through the streets of Kadriorg takes us to a unique architectural museum where centuries and styles are intertwined. Luxury villas, summer estates and functionalist residential buildings with luxury apartments coexist perfectly alongside the typical Estonian inexpensive wooden apartment buildings.
Kadriorg is still one of the most prestigious areas of Tallinn. The residence of the President of the Republic of Estonia and many embassies are located here. And Kadriorg Park has always been popular among Tallinn residents as a wonderful place for holding family leisure.
Kadriorg is known primarily for its Baroque palace and park ensemble. Construction of the Kadriorg Palace, which Peter I intended to use as a summer residence for the royal family, began in 1718.

Kadriorg Park

Kadriorg Park (see Attachment)– the most famous artificial park in Estonia.
Kadriorg Park, which, unfortunately, has not been completely preserved, at the time of its creation occupied approximately one hundred hectares.
One of the most popular places in the park is the symmetrical Swan Pond and its surroundings. Across the street from Swan Pond, where there are now dense thickets of trees, a lush Italian-French formal park was originally laid out. According to the plan, only a small part of the total park area was allocated for a regular park. On the rest of the territory, the natural landscape with meadows and clearings was preserved, along which park alleys were laid.
To speed up the work on forming the park, they decided to replant large trees (in 1722, soldiers planted 550 trees in the park at once). Some of the trees, primarily chestnuts, were later going to be taken to the parks of St. Petersburg, but after the death of Peter I the idea was forgotten - and the chestnuts remained in Kadriorg.
Near Weizenbergi Street, along which the promenade past the Swan Pond to the Kadriorg Palace usually took place, there are several palace extensions. The premises of the palace guest house and park pavilion, standing side by side, now house the restoration workshops of the Estonian Art Museum.
Directly opposite the palace gates there is a watchman's house, behind it there is a kitchen and an ice cellar. The restored kitchen building now houses the Johannes Mikkel Museum, presenting the collection of this famous art collector.

Tallinn Botanical Garden

Tallinn Botanical Garden – more than 8,000 species and varieties of plants.
Founded in 1961, the Tallinn Botanical Garden covers an area of ​​110 hectares. The garden features five large outdoor collections: bushes and trees, a rose garden, perennials, bulbous plants and summer flowers.
There are much more individual exhibitions here: heather, low-growing bulbous and alpine plants, lilies, peonies, perennials, primroses, and cultivated plants. In total, more than 5,000 different species and varieties of flora are presented to visitors. IN botanical garden You can see most of the plants growing in Estonia, including some quite rare ones. Among them are new ornamental plants, as well as representatives of the flora that are most hardy in the local climate.
The greenhouse exhibition (2,100 m2 of area under glass) presents about 2,400 plant species. Along with the well-known, widespread representatives of the flora (palm trees, cacti, thick-leaved, orchids), here you can see quite rare species from Australia, from Madagascar, Canary Islands etc. Cultivated plants are also widely represented (coffee and chocolate trees, vanilla, cardamom, banana, date palm, lemon, olive and carob trees, black pepper, etc.), including species suitable for growing at home.
Almost monthly, the botanical garden hosts changing exhibitions (medicinal and poisonous plants, exotic fruits, spices and aromatic plants, mushrooms, cut flowers and much more). Thematic excursions are held here throughout the year, the most popular of which are “Summer Night Walks into the World of Smells” and “Rose Days”.

Tallinn Zoo

Tallinn Zoo has one of the most interesting collections in Scandinavia.
The Tallinn Zoo, founded in 1939, houses over 5,400 representatives of almost 350 species of fauna. Among them there are many rare specimens that live not only in temperate climates, but also in Arctic latitudes and other exotic places. In the “tropical house” you can watch crocodiles, monkeys and other jungle inhabitants. Favorite place kids - a pet zoo with hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs and other animals.

Museums in Tallinn

Estonian History Museum - Great Guild Hall

The Great Guild Hall is the second largest secular medieval building in Tallinn after the Town Hall.
The large guild, which united wealthy merchants, was obliged to protect their interests. The mayor and ratmans were elected from the members of the Great Guild. It is no coincidence that the small coat of arms of Tallinn - a white cross on a red background - was also the coat of arms of the Great Guild. Only married merchants who had their own house in Tallinn could be members of this guild. Foreigners were given this privilege only after they decided to stay in Tallinn forever and married the widow of a guild member.
The Great Guild building was built in 1407 - 1417 and was intended to hold meetings. The high level of prosperity and influence of the guild members is evidenced by the impressive size of the building and its elegant appearance. The guild's outbuildings were located in the area of ​​Börsi (Birzhevoy) lane, which connected Lai and Pikk streets. On the Pikk street side there was an excise chamber and a silver storage facility, and on the Lai street side there was the so-called. "bride's chamber" and servant's apartment.
Appearance and the interior of the building have been preserved since the 15th century, having undergone only minor changes. The facade of the building is decorated with the coat of arms of the Great Guild, and the bronze lock on the entrance door dates back to 1430.
Nowadays the Estonian History Museum is located in the Great Guild building. Its permanent exhibition introduces the history of Estonia from ancient times to the end of the 19th century.

Estonian Open Air Museum

An open-air museum - unique ancient buildings on 79 hectares of coastal forest park.
In the museum you can see farm buildings from different times and regions of Estonia, as well as mills, a church, a school, a tavern, a forge and other buildings associated with the life of villagers. Folk festivities with singing and dancing are often held on the territory of the museum, especially on national holidays, which are traditionally celebrated here.
The museum is located away from the noise of the city and is an ideal place for picnics and relaxation.

Kadriorg Palace - Museum of Foreign Art

Kadriorg Palace (see Attachment)- one of the traditional places of pilgrimage for tourists.
Kadriorg Palace, designed by the Italian architect Niccolo Michetti, was the summer residence of the royal family.
In 1718, Peter I began construction of the palace, which was named Ekaterinenthal in honor of his wife, Catherine I. The Estonians named it in their own way - Kadriorg - Catherine's Valley.
The author of this palace and park ensemble is the famous Italian architect Niccolo Michetti, who later also participated in the creation of the famous palace in Peterhof. As the rumor goes, the king himself laid the first stone in the foundation of the Kadriorg Palace.
Nowadays, the collection of works of foreign art of the Estonian Art Museum is exhibited in the restored Kadriorg Palace. Along with exhibitions, concerts and theatrical performances, lectures and receptions are held here. The upper flower garden located behind the palace has been completely reconstructed according to an 18th-century design and is open to visitors in the summer.

Tallinn City Museum

The Tallinn City Museum is located in the very center of the Old Town, in a medieval merchant's house.
Its exhibits introduce the history of the city, covering the period from the 13th century to the last decade of the 20th century. The new permanent exhibition, The City That Will Never Be Built, is particularly impressive, incorporating elements of theatrical performances, video and slide programs, and sound.

Valga

Located in southern Estonia Valga and northern Latvia Valka are twin cities since 1920.
The area of ​​the city of Valga is 16.5 square meters. km, the city of Valka - 14.2 sq. km. The number of inhabitants at the beginning of 2001 was 15,085 and 7,100 people, respectively. Valga is located at the crossroads of highways and railways.
The city is crossed by highways in the direction of Jõhvi - Narva, Uulu (Pärnu), Võru, Riga.
The Tallinn - Tartu - Riga railway lines are connected via Tapa to the Tallinn - Narva - St. Petersburg highway. Valga is crossed by the road in the direction of Võru - Petseri to Pskov. Valga is the center of international railway traffic. Since there is no railway station, arrivals are directed passenger trains from Latvia to Valga, where their final station is located.

Narva

Narva is an Estonian city bordering Russia, which is separated from its Russian “twin” - Ivangorod - by the narrow Narova River.

Narva is located 212 km from Tallinn. The exact date of the founding of the city cannot be determined. It is known that the Danes founded a fortress on the site of an already existing settlement in the 13th century. Now this fortress is called “Herman” and it houses the Narva Museum. In European history, Narva is known as a traditional center of international trade. The waterway along the Narva River was founded already in the Viking Age (V-XI centuries) and was a branch of the famous Baltic-Mediterranean river route, called by the ancient Russian chronicle “The Path from the Varangians to the Greeks.” Later (from the 13th century), the land road from Tallinn to Novgorod that passed through Narva was actively used. On it, near the river crossing, a trading settlement arose in the 13th century, which received the status of a city in 1345 under the privilege of King Valdemar IV Atterdag of Denmark. This is how the city of Narva arose.
The modern appearance of Narva took shape in the 50-70s of the twentieth century. It so happened that the new Narva almost completely overshadowed the old Narva, both from the point of view of architecture and from the point of view of the general way of life. This was due to the active development of Narva as an industrial center. In addition to the Krenholm Manufactory, which was restored after the Second World War, a furniture factory, a machine-building plant are being built within the city, and near the city - a building materials plant and two largest power plants using local fuel - oil shale. Due to the sharp influx of workers into the city, there is a need for mass cheap housing. This is how large southern, western and northern districts of the city arise, built up with standard houses.
The symbols of old Narva are the Town Hall building and several houses that have preserved the appearance of the lost city, the belt of the famous Narva bastions, the Orthodox Resurrection Cathedral, as well as the Narva Castle, which is the “calling card” of the city.
Narva - Museum of Defense Architecture.
Throughout its centuries-old history, the strongest European powers of that time constantly fought for the possession of Narva. The owners of Narva at different times were Denmark, the German order, Sweden, and Russia. Military actions took place many times in the vicinity of the city. Therefore, Narva has always been a fortress city.
The fortification of Narva began in the 70s of the 13th century, when the Narva Castle was founded by the Danes on the steep bank of the river. In the middle of the 14th century, it passed into the hands of the knights of the German order and was rebuilt into a fortification of the “convention house” type, typical of order architecture. The castle acquired its final form at the beginning of the 15th century during the military-architectural rivalry with the Russian Ivangorod fortress. Its architectural appearance is determined by a powerful tower (over 50 meters high), called “Long Hermann”.
At the end of the 14th century, a surrounding city wall was built, reinforced with fortress towers. In the XV - XVI centuries. In connection with the advent of firearms, the fortifications of Narva begin to be modernized, the medieval towers are rebuilt into artillery towers - rondels. The Swedes were especially active in improving the Narva fortress in the 17th century. In the first half of the century they built bastions according to the Italian and Dutch types, and in the 80s of the 17th century. The grandiose construction of a new defensive line begins, consisting of French-type bastions designed by the outstanding Swedish military engineer and architect Erik Dahlberg. Thus, the fortification system of the Narva fortress was finally formed, which remained without significant changes until the middle of the 19th century.
Today, in terms of diversity and degree of preservation, the military engineering structures of Narva have no equal in Estonia. Together with the Ivangorod fortress they form a historical and architectural ensemble of pan-European significance.
Krenholm: a city within a city
The area of ​​Narva waterfalls is interesting not only because it is unique natural object. Here, in the second half of the 19th century, the famous Krenholm manufactory arose - one of the largest textile enterprises in Europe at that time. The manufactory used the cheap energy of falling water and had advanced technology for its time. The products of this enterprise were awarded the Grand Prix at the Parisian world exhibition 1900.
The Krenholm manufactory was created as an integral urban planning ensemble, including not only a production, but also an administrative, residential and public complex. The construction of Krenholm realized the philosophical and architectural idea of ​​an industrial city of the future, popular in the sociology of the 19th century. The involvement of talented architects of the St. Petersburg academic school in the design, as well as the influence of English traditions, the guide of which was the founder of the manufactory L. Knop, determined the originality of Krenholm as architectural monument. Krenholm architects created their own original style, in which the connection with the historical traditions of Narva architecture is clearly visible. As a historical and architectural monument from the era of the emergence of a large manufacturing industry, Krenholm is unique in Estonia and occupies a prominent place among similar monuments in Northern Europe.
A few tens of kilometers north of the city is the resort area of ​​Narva-Joesu - a favorite vacation spot for the St. Petersburg intelligentsia back in Soviet times. There is still a good sanatorium-resort base here: dispensaries, sanatoriums and hospitals, but for the most part they have not been renovated for a long time and are going through far from the best times. However, large Estonian and foreign capital is already coming to this resort area, and by 2004 hotels of European standards will appear here.

Tartu

Tartu is the second largest and at the same time the oldest city in Estonia, which was mentioned for the first time in 1030.

Photos of Tallinn

Towers of the city wall Toompera Castle

Bakery street Kiek in de Kök

Kadriorg Palace Kadriorg Park

Open air museum in winter Christmas market

Town Hall at night Danish King's Garden

Oleviste Church and Fat Margaret Tower

Panorama of Tallinn

Old city

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The tourism sector shows stable growth year on year, approximately 8% annually. There are more than 800 hotels in the country. If you don’t chase expensive hotels, then the cost of accommodation per person will not exceed 30 euros per day, and you can calculate your vacation budget from this amount. The vast majority of tourists come from Finland, followed by Russians and Germans. The capital Tallinn and the region are visited most often by tourists. Consistent growth is noticeable independent tourists who came to Estonia with their own or rented cars.

To improve the tourist attractiveness of Estonia, there will be enough best rules and standards in the tourism sector, the infrastructure is unsatisfactory, but in the tourism and travel industry it is more or less at an acceptable level compared to other popular tourist destinations in Europe, in other words, Estonia is not yet so promoted in terms of tourism to inflate. Estonia also has unsatisfactory natural and cultural resources; the situation with human resources is slightly better.

On the other hand, in Estonia top level, and tourism infrastructure in general.

Estonia is chosen by tourists from Russia, first of all, it is geographical proximity; Tallinn, unlike other Baltic cities, is strongly reminiscent of medieval cities in some Germany with its Gothic architecture. Do you want to get to Western Europe, here you go, it’s not far away. In Estonia there are absolutely no problems with the Russian language; it is understood both in the tourism sector and by ordinary passers-by on the streets. Nowadays Estonia is not as close a country for Russians as it was during the USSR, it is necessary to obtain a Schengen visa, the set of documents is standard, but there are significantly fewer refusals here, and besides, having received such a visa, you can travel with it to all countries that have signed the Schengen legislation.

Estonia will surprise you with its pristine nature, bright sunsets, excellent excursion program, the place is magnificent local kitchen, the people have preserved their roots and customs. Every Estonian town is a small resort; in recent years, service has improved and new hotels have opened.

Tourists primarily fly or arrive by personal transport or by railway to the capital city of Tallinn, where the old medieval city. A trip to the north of Estonia will bring the joy of exploring the coast of Lake Peipus, the high Valaste waterfall, which reaches 25 meters, the Oru landscape park, the valley and the old town of Padaorge. In the town of Rakvere there is the Wizenberg fortress built in the 13th century, the Purtse fortress and the Pühtitsa convent are also interesting; in the dunes of Smolnitsa you can listen to the singing sands. In the south of Estonia there is the old city of Tartu, the Nightingale Valley in Vyra, the Otepää resort, the town of Viljandi with the ruins of a fortress, charming churches are located in the cities of Valga and Põlva. In the west of the country there is a balneological resort of Haapsalu with mud.

Estonia is a country of thousands of islands, and the largest of them is Saaremaa with wooden mills, churches and the largest medieval castle throughout the Baltics. There are many places in Estonia where fans of eco-tourism can have a successful holiday; the Ahja River with hundreds of lakes, ravines and forests will be of interest here; tourists will visit “ sacred lake» Pyhajärv, Haanja Hills and Kotiorg Valley. For walks in nature, you should go to the suburbs of Tallinn, Narva, Vändra, Elva, Pärnu, Tartu; the calm beauty of the north is hidden in nature reserves Sooma and Endla.

Medical tourism in Estonia

This area is developing very intensively, and all thanks to the residents of neighboring Finland. Low prices for health and medical services with high European quality and favorable location of clinics in Tallinn and Tartu attract foreign tourists.