Bordering the north of Europe, and to the east of Finland, Russia, and Latvia, Estonia is one of the three countries known as the former Soviet Union states. Being a country with a population of 1,3 million only, it’s one of the least densely populated countries in the European Union and can offer such a delightful way of living beside the closest relatives due to the chaos of cities’ chaos.
The offshore province that Estonia owns and legally holds comprises around 2,222 islands in the Baltic Sea. Besides, more or less half the territory is covered by forests that are the true haven for a myriad of creatures. For Estonians the love for nature is ingrained in their blood as soul stirring woods have been a muse for writers, poets and artists since the very beginning.
Estonians consider their history to be very colorful and rich, as well as one of the most important parts of their own legacy; they often communicate this idea by sharing the same historical notes with their neighboring nations of Latvia and Lithuania. Undergoing colonial rule endured for a few centuries; Estonia was a state territorial part of the Soviet Union for the last five decades until it regained independence together with its Baltic neighbors in 1991.
Starting a business in Estonia is a straightforward process due to its supportive regulatory environment and digital services. First, choose a business structure, such as a private limited company (OÜ). Next, register your company on the e-Business Register, which can be done online. You’ll need a registered address in Estonia, a share capital of at least €2500, and a unique company name. Additionally, open a bank account and obtain any necessary licenses or permits for your specific business activity. Finally, register for taxes and social security, and you’ll be ready to operate your business in Estonia.
What is more surprising is that, even with its limited size, Estonia shows outstanding features. When it comes to education statistics, Estonia can be proud of its high literacy rate—over 99 percent according to the latest measurements, and also of a good level of multi-language proficiency (mostly English and Russian). In comparison with Europe, Estonia sticks out as a leader. To begin with, introverted communication between people can happen because of shyness. However, later on, Estonians are known to have a warm and friendly nature once trust is established.
Quite often, Estonia does not only enjoy popularity because of its successful tech industry and a huge share of the internet connection, which is available at high speed everywhere but also because of the quality of air that is quite clean there.
Exploring the Must-See Gems and Activities In Estonia
High Sights in Tallinn
Tallinn, a town in the Baltic region, was built on the seashore of the Gulf of Finland which is a tie-up with the Baltic Sea. This place, being 80 kilometers in the South of Helsinki. Specifically, these super-Nature-alistic beautiful city walls have become the main magnet for tourists, covering the distance of nearly 2 km. The focal place of the city is definitely the tantalizing Town Hall Square with the massive Town Hall in front of it.
This space is of great historical and cultural significance, singing as the heart of the city and being very popular during the festivities, like at the Christmas market. Recognizable for its historical assets, the Old Town of Tallinn has the famous rank of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The Telliskivi Creative City, a once industrial complex that is now more artsy with many galleries, design shops, and coffee shops, gathers quite a large audience.
One festival, in particular, to be held in Tallinn this year is the Estonian Song Festival, a grand-scale choral event that has gathered up to 30,000 performers and about 80,000 attendees during its last five-year celebration in July. The Estonian Theatre and Music Museum is a strong attraction for music lovers because it is very interactive. Located 6 km from the city center, the TV Tower of Tallinn is the top-most structure in the city, being 313 meters high and holding an observation platform 170 meters above the ground surface, offering panoramic views of Tallinn and the surroundings.
Immediately next to the TV Tower is the botanical garden featuring a comprehensive collection of over 4,500 floral species from distant corners of the globe. During the season, a number of the crops and specimens are displayed in the garden alongside the running of thematic tours.
Exceptional Museums in Tallinn
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is one of the many cities in Europe that has not only branched but also developed culturally and historically, and it has as many as 60 museums and galleries to visit. The City Museum beside the Town Hall, the Estonian History Museum, and the Estonian Maritime Museum, among the nearby landmarks, are of high interesting sites.
The latter is located in the Seaplane Harbour, allowing the audience to examine a submarine, an icebreaker, a seaplane, and a tank with sea fauna, as well as to try different simulators in several hangars. The natural history museum at the Historic Center of Tallinn – the Estonian Museum of Natural History and the Estonian Health Care Museum – features striking exhibitions. Tallinn, along with its galleries, also has very elegant art museums, with the Estonian National Art Museum consisting of four units, the largest among them being the Kumu Museum. This museum is proud of its wide-ranging contemporary art pieces and has even gained the reputable title of European Museum of the Year to add to its repertoire.
To have a better comprehension of Estonia’s current history, visitors can go into more depth and embark on a journey through stories presented by reputable museums such as the Estonia Museum of Occupation and KGB Museum; they will be gaining insights into three major historical epochs: Nazi occupation, attempted Sovietization, and modern-day revival wrapped into one.
The vanguard of the town hall, which is situated only 15 minutes of a journey from the heart of Tallinn, is referred to as the Estonian Open Air Museum, demonstrating the Estonian nation’s rural architecture and traditional way of life. Here, guests have a chance to stroll through the beautiful cottage, and they will be able to try out different Estonian cuisines, buy some handmade products and souvenirs, or even ride a horse.
One of the city’s must-see religious edifices is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the former Orthodox church built in the late 19th century during the Russian Empire, and the cathedral is one of the most famous and remarkable ones. The main sights are the monumental St. Olaf’s Church, the largest medieval construction in the city, which should be included on the sightseeing agenda, as well as visits to St. Nicholas and St. Mary’s churches.
Toompea Castle
The story of Toompea Hill is not isolated from those of the varied ethnic groups that ruled and occupied Estonia; each of them selected the hill as the site for the center of their authority. Throughout its history, Toompea was ruled by Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian authorities on the mound.
Built-in the 13th century, Toompea Castle had a lot of reconstruction work, such as changing its function from a former fortress into the present-day parliament logistics center. A combination of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Expressionist styles is in the paintings of these buildings.
Presumably Toompea Castle functions as the accommodation for the Estonian parliament, Riigikogu. The highest point of the city is the huge Hermann Tower, which is 46 meters high and plays the part of the national emblem. At around six in the morning, every day, the Estonian flag is raised above it.
Toompea Hill is the home of the ambassadors of several countries, while also there are the Estonian Academy of Sciences and the Estonian Academy of Arts. The hill further claims to be having a lot of viewpoints that are offering breathtaking views of Tallinn city. For the Estonians, this site holds substantial historical significance, and it is a classic destination for springing visitors.
Kadriorg Palace
As a wedding gift to Tsarina Catherine, Peter the Great was the builder of a marvelous pink Baroque Kadriorg Palace in 1718. The beautiful Kadriorg Park is open in front of Alexandre Room in Estonian capital city Tallinn. It is ornamented with stunning fountains, beautiful flower beds and other impressive sceneries.
Well-known for its magic of the brevity of historic monuments, Kadriorg Park in a similar manner to the Versailles in France depends on grandeur and French style. The project was well-designed by Italian architect Niccolo Michetti, who had organized everything.
In the present moment, the place is used for the Kadriorg Art Museum which is exhibiting a breathtaking collection of 9 thousands artworks, created by artists from all over Europe and Russia, from the middle of the 16th to the 20th century.
Tartu
Serving as the second-largest city in Estonia, Tartu is home to around 100.000 inhabitants. Unlike most other European cities appearing recently in the Baltic Region, it is one of the oldest cities. Tartu is a city that has been equipped with the first national newspapers, national theater, and national song festivals since the days of Estonia.
The city of Tartu is said to be built around intellectuals or those of the students who are studying in one of 16 institutions of higher learning. The students can visit the oldest institution of higher education – the University of Tartu, the National Museum, and the Ministry of Education and Research – here.
A large part of the restaurants, cafes, and museums are located within a short distance, so you can reach those places easily by hand. The city will give you an opportunity to look at a number of architectural styles as you walk. Tartu is often characterized as a cyclist city and less space is left for cars and traffic jams. As a young city full of youth and students, Tartu has a lot of advanced sports facilities. Tartu is rich with entertainment spots like escape rooms, adventure parks, and paintball arenas. Fans of extreme sports will adore Rahenge Wake Park, and there is also the interesting Upside Down House Museum.
The largest science center in the Baltic region is also located in this city. AHHAA Science Centre is a place that allows you to entertain yourself with simulators, interactive exhibitions, planetariums, and various other technologies. As well as a Typa museum you can go to, about how paper is made, you can see old printers, and also make a handmade notebook.
Tartu, a destination hosting multiple festivals annually, is renowned for events such as the Hanseatic Days and the Tartu Love Film Festival. The city also boasts a vibrant street art scene, with organized tours offering insights into intriguing graffiti and murals.
Tartu provides top-class recreational facilities. Aura Water Park has wellness facilities including saunas and Jacuzzis. Besides, you can swim in the largest pool in Estonia.
Matsalu National Park
Matsalu National Park is a natural territory in western Estonia. Before the Matsalu peninsula was put under the National Parks Protection System in 2004, it was a nature reserve. Matsalu National Park serves as the temporary rest stop for over 2 million birds, predominantly migrating birds in the autumn and spring seasons.
The designated national park in Estonia encompasses Matsalu Bay, the Gulf Coast, the Kasari River Delta, and 50 surrounding islands. Matsalu’s National Park Visitor Center gives you an opportunity to learn more about the area’s history and related cultural heritage, which is well-known.
Matsalu National Park has many hiking trails that are very diverse and enable you to hike in the pure nature. A bird watching facility including observatory towers are available from where you can relish breathtaking sights of the surrounding area.
A trip to the Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn
The recently unveiled flagship Olympic Park Casino is centrally located at the Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel in the heart of Tallinn. Spanning an impressive 16,000 square meters, this casino provides a luxurious gaming environment akin to the experience found in Las Vegas, catering to discerning VIP players. The casino has its own cocktail bar, the city’s most exquisite, and a cozy lounge, and it boasts 95 state-of-the-art slot machines accompanied by a great variety of table games. Either international or weekly, the poker experts can play their games on up to 10 available tables. The casino includes multi-tier jackpot systems, including the Split, the Scientific Games, and the Mystery Jackpot, and VIP customers with Olympic Casino Gold and Diamond cards will be granted full access to the VIP room with 4 table games. Along with that, our hotel has a comfortable smoking room with slot machines for guests’ complete enjoyment. Moreover, the convenient proximity to the Hilton Tallinn Park Hotel, The Able Butcher restaurant, and Eforea Spa within the same building offers ample opportunities for a day of complete relaxation and enjoyment, complemented by the added convenience of complimentary parking.
In 2009, the online gambling landscape in Estonia was legalized, and the initial restriction of only local estonia casino online sites to be allowed to provide such services was stipulated. Subsequently, the Estonian gambling market was opened only to licensed offshore operators who could get permission from the Estonian jurisdiction. The country also enforced roadblocks to prevent disowned sites that have no licensing from providing services to Estonians. Currently, Estonia runs over ten real licensed web operators. Moreover, various age restrictions apply to different forms of online gambling: the provision of internet casinos is forbidden to persons under 21, whereas there’s no participation in sports totalizers for those under 18. Moreover, the lottery has become out of reach for people who are 16 years old or younger.
Note that the Gambling Act states that the overall return to player (RTP) ratio for any online game must at least exceed 80% of the total stake wagered, with the maximum amount winnable from a remote gambling game capped at EUR 50.
Parnu
Parnu is situated on the scenic coast of Parnu Bay, and it has become a popular recreation spot. The city is not only known for its long beaches but also offers a variety of cafes, restaurants, bars, and hotels.
A Dance Music Festival in the summer capital of Estonia- Parnu, brings almost 10000 tourists from Finland, Sweden, and Russia every year.
Guests of Parnu can enjoy beautiful sea views as well as leisurely walks along the embankment and spa services. Those who wish to have an active vacation can choose among activities, like water skiing, kayaking, and boat tours to nearby islands.
Delving into local sites such as the remains of a medieval fortress of the 14th century, both intact towers called the Red Tower and the Tallinn Gate, provides the trip with a historical background. Also, the town has famous buildings like St. Catherine Church, which is a Baroque structure and Parnu museum, where exhibits from prehistoric to modern times are displayed. To know the area around better, a 40-minute drive brings you to the magical Soomaa National Park that is famous for its viewing decks used for walking.
Saaremaa Island
Saaremaa Island, the largest island in Estonia, lying in the Baltic Sea, is to the south of Hiiumaa Island and to the west-west from Muhu Island. A true gem, it is the farthest west location in Estonia and also happens to be the denser spa spot in the nation.
Avid nature lovers will find their way into the island’s magical Vilsandi National Park and Viidumae Nature Reserve, two places with a high reputation among bird lovers. Besides, the settling down of the Saaremaa region offers so many engaging options, including the geological feature constituting the Kaali Meteorite Crater Field which is 110 meters across and 22 meters deep; the windmill Hill, renowned for having a view of the five windmills; the image-worthy Jarve Beach; and the gigantic Panga Cliffs.
The city of Kuressaare, the central location of the county and situated in the southern part of the island at Saaremaa, functions as the administrative center. Visitors can learn more about their tactics and have fun by visiting The historic castle fortress of Kuressaare House and the Saaremaa Regional Museum.
Lahemaa National Park
Estonia is home to one of Europe’s largest national parks, Lahemaa National Park, situated in the northern region of the country, approximately 70 km from the capital city of Tallinn. This renowned area is celebrated for its rich diversity of plant and animal species.
Spread across nearly 70 percent of the park area, those forests represent the most important ecosystems for a wide range of species from bears and foxes to wolves and red deer. The day can be spent exploring the Viru bog with its many trails in the forest or lying in the sun soaking up the sun on the sandy beach in Loksa. Spice up the tour with a different mode of transport, be it a bicycle or a horse, to widen its appeal. Also, the old fishing village of Altja and the beautiful waterfall of Jagala can be seen changing the park.
By Jurgen NeustadtJurgen is a globetrotting adventurer with an unwavering thirst for travel. He craves the thrill of discovering new places, cultures, and flavors. Jurgen's life is a journey of exploration, where each destination offers a new chapter in his ongoing story of adventure and wonder.
