Estonia in a week
2024
Highlights of the trip
During your stay you can enjoy the following highlights: Culture / Heritage, Faune and flora, Discovery, Adventure / Sports & Leisure, Relaxation / Well-being.
Best times to go
The best time(s) to go is/are : Printemps, Eté.
Where to stay - Pärnu ?
The map of your stay "Estonia in a week"
Detail of the stay : Estonia in a week
How to get there - Pärnu
From Rīga to Pärnu
Steps: Pärnu
From Rīga, set off early in the morning in the direction of Sigulda. Here you can visit the Gutmanis caves along the Gauja river, and Turaida Castle, which looks like something out of a fairy tale. Ask to be told the legend of the Rose of Turaida. From here, take the road to Saulkrasti to join the Via Baltica towards Estonia.
All along the way, you'll find fishing villages whose restaurants may not have any stars, but offer honest, traditional cuisine. A few kilometers after the border, you arrive at the Estonian seaside resort of Pärnu. Take time to dip your feet in the water while admiring the wooden summer architecture.
From Pärnu to Kuressaare
Steps: Kuressaare
From Pärnu, go to the port of Virtsu to take a ferry to Kuivastu, on the island of Muhu, which is linked to Saaremaa by a dike. Discover the wild beauty of Saaremaa's unspoilt flora and fauna on your way to the island's capital Kuressaare. Once in Kuressaare, stroll through the narrow streets of the old town.
From the main road, you can reach the town's central square, Kesk väljak, and then follow Rue Lossi, which leads straight through the old town to Kuressaare's bishop's castle and park. The castle faces the sea.
Places of interest : LE CHÂTEAU ÉPISCOPAL (SAAREMAA MUUSEUM)
From Kuressaare to Haapsalu
Steps: Haapsalu
Hiiumaa, the country's second largest island, and Saaremaa are only 5.5 km apart. From May to September, a ferry service links the two islands, from Orjaku (Hiiumaa) to Triigi (Saaremaa). Hiiumaa is surrounded by beaches (the most beautiful are to the northwest, the warmest near Kassari), while the interior is marshy and forested. From Heltermaa (east of Hiiumaa), a ferry runs between Rohuküla on the mainland (south-west of the town of Haapsalu) and the island of Hiiumaa. Once you've arrived in the seaside resort ofHaapsalu, you can begin your tour by visiting the ruins of the Bishop's Fortress, the Gothic cathedral, the railway station and the Kuursaal.
From Haapsalu to Tallinn
Steps: Tallinn
After an hour and a half's drive, you'll finally be in Tallinn. Start with a visit to the Upper Town(Toompea Hill). Once inside the Old Town, take Pikk Street to Toompea Hill. From the hilltop, a belvedere offers a magnificent panorama of Tallinn. Take a photo break before visiting the Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral and theDome Church. Leave Toompea to discover the lower town, the heart of which is Town Hall Square, the former Market Square. Then wander through the narrow streets and backyards to soak up Tallinn's medieval atmosphere. Be surprised by the Estonian cuisine on offer in the capital's restaurants. Take a trip to the west of the old town to visit the Kadriorg Palace and its museum. If you still have time, take a stroll along the nearby beach to enjoy the peace and infinity of the Baltic Sea.
Places of interest : PALAIS DE KADRIORG CATHÉDRALE ALEXANDRE NEVSKI ÉGLISE LUTHÉRIENNE DE LA VIERGE MARIE RUE PIKK
Tallinn to Tartu
Steps: Tartu
The oldest university town in the Baltic States. Today, Tartu is Estonia's second-largest city, renowned for its student atmosphere and nightlife. Its oldest part is Mount Toomemagi, once home to the fortified town of Estes. Here you can see Tartu's oldest monument: a pagan sacrificial altar. The city center is home to the famous University of Tartu, as well as a number of classical-style buildings: theTown Hall, Assumption Cathedral and apartment blocks. Among the medieval monuments, the most interesting is undoubtedly St. John's Basilica.
Places of interest : ÉGLISE SAINT-JEAN (JAANI KIRIK) HÔTEL DE VILLE
From Tartu to Viljandi
Steps: Viljandi
Viljandi is one of the country's prettiest towns. Visit the ruins of the Teutonic Order castle overlooking Lake Viljandi, followed by the last surviving medieval monument,St. John's Church. Finally, take a tour of the villages to the east of the town, drowned in lush vegetation.
Places of interest : CHÂTEAU DE L'ORDRE TEUTONIQUE ÉGLISE SAINT-JEAN (JAANI KIRIK)
