Cool Facts About Estonia- from bog lakes to e-government and fairy tale castles
Some say there is something magical about this small country of 1.3 million inhabitants, who speak in an elvish sounding language, think wireless internet access is a basic human right and consider singing their religion- meet the Estonians.
Here is a great introduction to Estonia and it´s people, culture, country and more. A must read before your trip over to the Baltic Sea pearl of Tallinn, the enchanting capital city.
Estonia connects the dots between Scandinavia, Central Europe and what lies to the east
Hop over!
You can fly, sail, ride or drive to Estonia from anywhere in Europe. Located in northeastern Europe, this small coastal country is a short ferry trip away from Finland and Sweden, a coach ride away from such European capitals as Warsaw and Berlin, and an overnight train from Saint Petersburg will land you at the heart of Tallinn.
Photo by: Toomas Volmer, Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau
Estonia’s capital Tallinn is the best preserved medieval city in Northern Europe
Fairytale-like
Estonia’s UNESCO world heritage capital city Tallinn was granted city rights in the 13th century by the King of Denmark. Since then, the streets of Tallinn have seen many world powers, from the Danes and Swedes to Germans, and tsarist and Soviet Russia. Tallinn Old Town is filled with medieval houses and alleyways and is still protected by the remnants of the city wall. The wealth of architecture in Tallinn means that there are many legends and stories to explore.
Photo by: Erik Peinar
Estonia speaks Estonian…as well as English, Russian, Finnish and German
No barriers…
Estonians tend to be at least bilingual, and according to recent studies, are among the best English speakers in Europe. Many visitors tend to think that Estonians speak elvish. This magical sounding language is in fact Estonian, belonging to the Finno Ugric branch of European languages.
Photo by: Nieminen
Estonia is about 50% forest
Where the wild things are
Estonians love their forests, bogs and all the creatures that live there such as lynxes, brown bears, wolves, foxes, rabbits and deers. It’s right to say that Estonians come with a tree hugging trait.
Photo by: Sven Zacek
Estonia has a population of just 1.3 million but is larger than Denmark and Holland
Stretch out and relax
Being among the least densely populated countries in Europe, Estonia makes for a great nature and city break destination for those looking to stretch out their limbs and enjoy some peace and solitude.
Photo by: Kristjan Lust
Estonia has over 2000 islands
Roots deep within
Although mostly uninhabited, Estonia is the only Baltic country with far-stretching and deep rooted island culture. Estonian islands are mostly rural, some holding traces of local Viking, traditional and medieval culture.
Photo by: Toomas Tuul
Estonian Song Celebration dates back to 1869, attracting thousands of singers in every 5 years
The singing nation
Estonian Song and Dance Celebration is the local signature event and a reason why Estonians are often referred to as the “singing nation”. The uniqueness of this mesmerising event has even earned the song and dance celebration a place at UNESCO’s prestigious list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Photo by: Kaarel Mikkin
Estonia is one of the least religious countries in the world
Architectural heritage
While Estonia has a great range of historical churches, only over a quarter of the population are affiliated with a particular religion, with Lutheranism being most prevalent among Estonians in particular.
Photo by: Toomas Tuul
Estonia is a digital society
E-estonia
From voting to signing documents online, Estonia implements hassle free and modern approach to running one’s errands. This means less bureaucracy, while adding more transparency and efficiency in some vital sectors such as healthcare and education.
Photo by: Kaarel Mikkin
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Hear ye-hear ye! Tallinn is Lonely Planet’s best value destination for 2018
This is fantastic news! #justESTonishing
Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book publisher in the world, has ranked the best value destinations for 2018 – and the Estonian capital, TALLINN, IS NUMBER ONE!
The travel guide ranked the top ten destinations to “tempt frugal travelers”. “Estonia’s capital is compact, fashionable and terrific value. Explore one of Eastern Europe’s loveliest old towns on foot for free, stay in good-value dorms, guesthouses or private homes, and take in Baltic Sea views and a superb panorama of the city from the flat roof of the vast Linnahall (one of Tallinn’s best free things to do),“ Lonely Planet said.
“Connected by budget flights from around Europe, the city isn’t a secret – but if you want a taste of Tallinn to yourself then head to Kalamaja, a fast-changing neighbourhood home to Telliskivi Creative City. The food trucks here offer Instagrammable fill-ups that won’t tax your wallet,” the travel guide added.
In 2018, Estonia will also celebrate the anniversary of 100 Years of Republic of Estonia with an extensive program of cultural, pop and all-around fantastic events not to miss when in town, read more here: https://www.ev100.ee/en
Best in Travel 2018 – Top 10 Best Value (Lonely Planet)
1. Tallinn, Estonia
2. Lanzarote, Canary Islands
3. Arizona, US
4. La Paz, Bolivia
5. Poland
6. Essaouira, Morocco
7. United Kingdom
8. Baja California, Mexico
9. Jacksonville, Florida, US
10. Hunan, China
In 2016, Tallinn hosted 2.5 million foreign visitors who stayed at least a day in the city. It remains to be seen whether an endorsement by the Lonely Planet will drive this number up in 2018.
KOHTUMISENI TALLINNAS /Estonian- SEE YOU IN TALLINN!
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Best restaurants in Tallinn in 2018 by White Guide Nordic
Restaurants are assessed by 30 representatives of the food media, from whom 12 are from Estonia and 18 from abroad. Every place is judged several times with half of the judges being local and half of them from abroad. Judges visit the restaurants anonymously, decide by themselves what to order, and also pay the bill on spot. Focus of the evaluation is on food (maximum of 40 points) while drink list (maximum of 20 points), service (maximum of 25 points) and milieu (maximum of 15 points) are also taken under consideration. Maximum points that a restaurant can receive is 100. Based on the assessment the restaurants are divided into categories.
Global Masters Level restaurants
Masters Level restaurants
Very Fine Level restaurants
Fine Level restaurants
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