Estonian Idyll Holiday

Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic republics, and the one which has proven most popular with British visitors in the 14 years since the tiny nation won its independence from the dying Soviet Union.

The Estonians are a distinct people, who claim to have inhabited their corner of north-eastern Europe since 2,500 BC, making them the longest settled of any Europeans.

Nevertheless, Estonia is a melting-pot of influences: having been Christianised by German Teutonic knights in the 13th century, the country was conquered by successive waves of Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians.

Its proud national tradition won Estonia independence between the World Wars, but in 1941 it was forcibly subjugated by the Nazis, only to be reconquered by the USSR in 1944.

Today, Estonia is perhaps the most westernised of all parts of the former Soviet Empire, and as such it is perhaps the easiest for the inexperienced traveller to visit.

The capital, Tallinn, is Estonia’s biggest city and principal port, situated on the Gulf of Finland looking north to Helsinki, which is just 80 kilometres away.

This city of half a million has established itself in recent years as a prime destination for short breaks, and particularly stag weekends – for whom Tallinn has gained something of a reputation as the new (cheaper) Prague.

As such, British visitors are sometimes sadly regarded with some suspicion by the locals – not least because English is much less widely spoken than in other popular hotspots.

The city is well connected by ferry and air to Finland in particular, with Tallinn airport just four kilometres from the city centre.

Tallinn’s old city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on account of its almost completely intact medieval milieu and setting. Despite the city’s troubled history, its cobbled streets and stone buildings have remained virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages.

Away from the centre, there is the Kadriorg palace and park, built in the 18th century as a summer palace for the Russian Tsar, Peter I.

A few kilometres from the city is the seaside resort of Pirita. Estonia’s summer climate is reasonably warm – although winters are severe – and Pirita offers many outdoor activities, from bathing and watersports to hiking.

Pirita is also home to the famed Tallinn TV tower.

Built in 1980 for the Moscow Olympics, the 314 metre-high tower has a viewing platform at 174 metres, from which visitors can survey the surrounding land and sea. On a clear day, it is even possible to spy Finland from the tower.

Since Estonia joined the European Union in 2004, British visitors no longer need a visa. Accommodation tends to be of a relatively high standard – provided it is certified by the local tourism authorities.

As one of the poorer members of the EU, prices in Estonia are naturally low. Travellers’ cheques are widely, but not universally, accepted, and it is always sensible to carry some Estonian kroons with you.

Estonia is still an unusual destination for British visitors, but it has come a long way since 1991’s “Singing Revolution”.

Take a trip there today, and see a truly unique country, before it moves too much further west.