Estonia

Like its enchanting capital Tallinn, the Baltic country of Estonia is a living museum of medieval towns criss-crossed with cobblestone streets, fairy-tale castles featuring imposing moats and keeps, grand Gothic cathedrals with spooky spires, magical onion-domed Orthodox churches, and majestic country manor houses. You can kick back in an old village where locals still wear traditional costumes or party in a lively university town where the young hipsters hang out in bohemian cafés and bars till all hours. And for those who prefer getting away from it all, Estonia boasts spectacular landscapes and bucolic countryside — from isolated, ...

Like its enchanting capital Tallinn, the Baltic country of Estonia is a living museum of medieval towns criss-crossed with cobblestone streets, fairy-tale castles featuring imposing moats and keeps, grand Gothic cathedrals with spooky spires, magical onion-domed Orthodox churches, and majestic country manor houses. You can kick back in an old village where locals still wear traditional costumes or party in a lively university town where the young hipsters hang out in bohemian cafés and bars till all hours. And for those who prefer getting away from it all, Estonia boasts spectacular landscapes and bucolic countryside — from isolated, windswept beaches backed by enormous sand dunes and national parks with well-maintained nature trails through shady forests, to pine-covered islands skirted by pristine coastline and sleepy seaside towns boasting spas and natural springs. The country is easy to explore, whether by public transport or with your own wheels, although things move at a much slower pace here than the rest of Europe, so it's best to take it easy and adjust to Estonian time.

About the Expert

Lara Dunston and Terry Carter have traveled to over 60 countries and written more than 40 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, DK, Rough Guides, Footprint, and others on destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and South America.