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Information on Estonia

General Information Passport and Visa Information Climate and Weather Information Money Matters Electricity Language Postage Information Travel Insurance Travel Warnings

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General Information
Estonia lies along the Baltic Sea, just below Finland. Tallinn, Estonia’s capital city is only about 40 miles south of Helsinki, which is just across the Gulf of Finland. Sweden is Estonia's western neighbor and lies just across the Baltic from Estonia. Russia is to the east, with St. Petersburg just across the north-eastern border. To the south is Latvia with its capital city Riga. For additional information, visit www.riik.ee/en

Passport and Visa Information
Visitors entering the country must have a valid passport. A visa is not required of citizens from:
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Swiss Confederation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, USA and Vatican City. Please note that visa regulations can change, and we suggest you contact the Estonian consulate or embassy for up to date visa rules or look at Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ web site http://www.vm.ee
 

Climate and Weather Information
The climate in Estonia is temperate with warm summers but sometimes severe winters. This makes summer the more popular time to visit. The weather is often breezy and humid due to the proximity of the Baltic Sea. Average temperatures range from 20.9° C in summer (usually July is the hottest month) to - 8°C in winter.

Money Matters
The national currency of Estonia is called the Kroon. The Kroon is abbreviated as EEK. The smaller unit is called the Sent, 1 kroon = 100 sents. The kroon is pegged to the EURO at 1 EUR = appr. 15.65 EEK. Foreign currencies can be easily exchanged in banks and exchange offices.

Credit cards
Credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard/Eurocard, Diner's Club and American Express are accepted in most of the major hotels, restaurants and shops. Most banks will give cash advances on credit cards supported by a valid passport. Check with the credit card company for further details before traveling.

Traveler's Cheques
The most widely accepted traveler's cheques in Estonia are Amex, Thomas Cook and Eurocheque.

You can travel comfortably in Estonia for around US$100-150 a day. Travelers on a moderate budget could get by for US$75 a day, if they watch their meals and stay outside of the larger towns. And, if you are really on a budget, you can find campsite cabins are as low as US$8 per person, and decent meals can be found for under US$5.

Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare.  Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate

Language

I have found that it helps to know at least a little bit of the language as I travel in other countries. You do not have to be able to be a fluent speaker, but knowing a few key words and phrases will really help. I have found that, although almost everywhere I go I can find someone who speaks English, knowing just a few words of the local language can really be a help. And, it lets others know I am at least interested in their language. Visit the Getting Away Language Learning Center where you can find out how to learn another language, or where to purchase books, dictionaries, electronic translators, software and more

Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.

Electricity
The electricity supply in Estonia is 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. European-style 2-pin plugs are in use so, be sure to bring your adapter and converter. Find the converter you will need in the Getting Away Travel Store. Additionally, you will find just about anything and everything you will need when you travel. Across the state, country, or to a destination on the other side of the world, you'll find what you need in the Getting Away Travel Store!

Postage Information
Post offices are generally open during normal shopping hours which are from 09.00 to 18.00 hours on weekdays, and 09.30 to 15.00 on Saturdays. Postage on letters and postcards within Estonia is EEK 4.40. Letters and postcards within the Nordic countries: EEK 5.50, EU: EEK 6.50, Russia: EEK 6.50, USA and Canada: EEK 8.00 and other countries: EEK 8.00. For additional information, visit www.riik.ee/en

Travel Insurance
If you need medical care while you are away, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company and that you will therefore to pay in full for your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country's local embassy or representative. For compensation, you must be treated by licensed medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation and receipts. It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country. Visit the Getting Away Health and Safety Tips for Travelers page for additional information about insurance.

Travel Warning
Check with the U.S. State Department for Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets & Public Announcements.

If you have suggestions for items to be added to this this section of Estonia, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Getting To and Around Estonia

Getting There
There are flights between Tallinn and Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Kiev, London, Minsk and Stockholm.
Estonian Air operates from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, to twelve international destinations - Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin, London Gatwick, Stockholm, Oslo, Vilnius, Paris, Amsterdam and Munich.
Finnair has Estonia on it's route network and, depending on the timetable period, can get you there from about 50 international destinations.
SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) offers convenient air transportation to and from Europe, North America and Asia.

The bus is the cheapest mode of transport to and from Estonia, and Eurolines links Tallinn with Western and Scandinavian Europe. The daily Balti Ekspress train buffs runs between Tallinn and Warsaw.

Ferries service the region enabling travelers to sail directly between Estonia and Finland, Sweden or Germany.
Eckerö Line has regular daily service between Helsinki (Finland) and Tallinn (Estonia).
Nordic Jet Line runs between Helsinki and Tallinn.
Other services include, SeaWind Line, Silja Line, Tallink, and Viking Line.

At Travelocity, not only can you find the lowest fare or best schedule on over 400 airlines, but you can also find Great Car Rental Deals, Low hotel rates when you click on Hotel Deals, hundreds of Cruise Deals, some of the Top Vacation Deals on the Internet and much more. You can click on the Weather Center to see what the weather will be like at your destination, and even use their Currency Converter So you will be ready to go as soon as your arrive. At Travelocity, you can find it all.

For Flights, Hotels, Cars, Cruises, Vacations, Tours and Travel Deals, Click on Global Travel International. If the link does not work properly, type www.gettingaway.globaltravel.com in the address line of your browser.

Getting Around
Driving is the best means of getting around Estonia. The roads are good, traffic is light and nothing's very far from anything else. There are major rental agencies in Tallinn. You'll need a passport and either an International Driving Permit or, if a European citizen, a regular license. If you don't mind taking your time to get around, Estonia has good bus and train services. Since the terrain is flat, bicycling is another excellent way to see the countryside. Domestic air travel is expensive. Baltic Aeroservis links Tallinn with the island destinations of Kuressaare and Kärdla, while charter flights operate between Tartu and Tallinn. You can get around the larger towns and cities via a variety of trams and buses. Taxis are plentiful and cheap.

 

Need to rent a car in Estonia and drop it off in another country? Getting Away and Auto Europe have joined together to allow you to rent a car in Austria and drop it in dozens of countries throughout Europe and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the UK and even some places in Africa. Click on Auto Europe more information.

 

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If you have suggestions for items to be added to this this section of Estonia, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Cities, Towns and Areas of Estonia

Abruka Hiiumaa Lahemaa National Park Saaremaa Soomaa National Park Tallinn Abruka This is a very small island that is a favorite of naturalists. It's a beautifully rugged spot that is sparsely populated. The main attraction is the botanical-zoological reservation, open in summer, which offers classes, horse riding, meals and rustic farmhouse accommodation. Abruka lies 4 miles from Roomassare, off Saaremaa's southern coast. Hiiumaa Located about 15 miles west of the mainland, this island has some very beautiful stretches of coast. The main town, Kärdla, is a nice place to visit. It is located on the north-eastern coast and is full of gardens and trees. This is the jumping off location for the Tahkuna Peninsula which is just a few kilometers north-west of town. There's a lighthouse at the northern tip of the peninsula that dates from 1874. With permission of the lighthouse keeper (who has the key), you can climb to the top. Nearby is a memorial to the victims of the 1994 Estonia ferry disaster. At Ristimägi at the southern base of the peninsula is the Hill of Crosses, where handmade crosses cover a dune, marking the spot where the last 1200 Swedes living here performed their last act of worship before being deported in 1781. Hiiumaa's second largest settlement is Käina where you can find a nice bird reserve in the south of the island near the shore of Käina Bay. The town's low-key atmosphere is its biggest charm. The ruins of a 15th-century stone church are worth a look. A passenger and vehicle ferry service runs between Rohuküla, about 5 miles west of Haapsalu on the mainland, and Heltermaa, at Hiiumaa's eastern end.

Lahemaa National Park
Estonia's largest national park is an interesting mix of coastal bluffs, dense forest, rivers and waterfalls. You can even spot the occasional bears and lynx in the park. Waterfalls cascade down some of the cliffs along the northern edge of the plateau known as the Glint. The two main areas open to visitors are the Koljaku-Oandu Reserve, an area of wet sea forest in the north-eastern part of the park, and the Laukasoo Reserve, home to the 7000-year-old bog in the park's centre. There are several old buildings and structures in the area including the restored manor house at Palmse, near the eastern edge of the park, an 18th-century baroque house (open to the public) that is filled with period furniture. In Palmse proper you'll find a restored 17th-century distillery, hotel and granary. There are several interesting villages on the northern coast. A few kilometers north of Palmse, on Käsmu Bay, is a  maritime museum that is located in an old Soviet Coast Guard barracks at Käsmu. There are excellent exhibits on the Soviet era and the history of the village. Not to  be missed is the 400-year-old fishing hamlet of Altja which has been beautifully preserved.

Saaremaa
Saaremaa is a thinly populated place of unspoiled rural landscapes. Farmsteads nestle among forests that still cover nearly half the island. This area has become a popular budget tourist destination for Finns, so book accommodation well in advance. Kuressaare, Saaremaa's capital, is the site of a 13th century castle founded as the Bishop of Ösel-Wiek's island base. You should also visit Viidumäe, about 15 miles west of Kuressaare, where there is a botanical reserve. The favorable climate and conditions make it home to rare plant species such as the blunt-flowered rush, the Saaremaa yellow rattle and the white-beam. There's a regular ferry crossing from Orjaku, 25km (16mi) south of Kärdla on Hiiumaa, to Triigi on Saaremaa.

Soomaa National Park
According to local legend, witches have enjoyed the isolation of the bogs in this park area for centuries. The only way to explore the park is by canoe or haabja, a traditional Finnish boat carved out of a single aspen tree. You can fish and camp in the park. The park is located in the south-western corner of Estonia; its headquarters are at Viljandi, accessible by bus or train from Tallinn

Tallinn
Here you can go back in time to the 14th and 15th centuries in Tallinn's Old Town, a jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding, cobbled streets. Toompea, the hill on which Tallinn is centered, is a very popular stop for tourists. It's home to the 19th-century Russian Orthodox Alexandr Nevsky Cathedral; Toompea Castle, the meeting place of Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu; Toomkirik, the Lutheran cathedral founded in 1233; the Estonian Art Museum, housed in an 18th century noble's house near the Toomkirik; and Kiek-in-de-Kök, a tall, stout tower built around 1475.

You should also visit the park at Kadriorg which is a pleasant wooded with oak, lilac and horse chestnut trees and the location of the baroque Kadriorg Palace that was designed for the Russian Tsar, Peter the Great. The palace was built between 1718 and 1736. Behind the palace there's the little cottage that housed Peter as his palace was being built. It now houses the Peter the Great Home Museum.

If you have suggestions for items to be added to this this section of Estonia, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Some Things To See And Do In Estonia
Estonia's bogs offer activities as bog walking and canoeing. Popular bogging spots include the Soomaa National Park in the southwestern corner of the country and the Endla Nature Reserve in the north. There are also ample opportunities for sailing, rowing and diving activities. Bird-watchers travel to Estonia to watch for birds. Especially popular is the Matsalu Nature Reserve, which arranges guided day hikes, and the Käina Bay Bird Reserve on the south-eastern coast of the island of Hiiumaa, where over 70 species breed. In the winter you can ski and snowboard at the Kuutsemäe Sports Centre, near Otepää in southeastern Estonia. Also in the southeast, motorized snow-bike expeditions are available from Võru.

Lahemaa National Park
Estonia's largest national park is an interesting mix of coastal bluffs, dense forest, rivers and waterfalls. You can even spot the occasional bears and lynx in the park. Waterfalls cascade down some of the cliffs along the northern edge of the plateau known as the Glint. The two main areas open to visitors are the Koljaku-Oandu Reserve, an area of wet sea forest in the north-eastern part of the park, and the Laukasoo Reserve, home to the 7000-year-old bog in the park's centre. There are several old buildings and structures in the area including the restored manor house at Palmse, near the eastern edge of the park, an 18th-century baroque house (open to the public) that is filled with period furniture. In Palmse proper you'll find a restored 17th-century distillery, hotel and granary. There are several interesting villages on the northern coast. A few kilometers north of Palmse, on Käsmu Bay, is a  maritime museum that is located in an old Soviet Coast Guard barracks at Käsmu. There are excellent exhibits on the Soviet era and the history of the village. Not to  be missed is the 400-year-old fishing hamlet of Altja which has been beautifully preserved.

Soomaa National Park
According to local legend, witches have enjoyed the isolation of the bogs in this park area for centuries. The only way to explore the park is by canoe or haabja, a traditional Finnish boat carved out of a single aspen tree. You can fish and camp in the park. The park is located in the south-western corner of Estonia; its headquarters are at Viljandi, accessible by bus or train from Tallinn

Abruka
This is a very small island that is a favorite of naturalists. It's a beautifully rugged spot that is sparsely populated. The main attraction is the botanical-zoological reservation, open in summer, which offers classes, horse riding, meals and rustic farmhouse accommodation. Abruka lies 4 miles from Roomassare, off Saaremaa's southern coast.
 

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If you have suggestions for items to be added to this this section of Estonia, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Accommodations In Estonia

Visit Getting Away Accommodations, world-wide reservations available on line.  And, if you are looking for a nice resort, check the Getting Away Resort Accommodations page or ResortDiscounts.com where you can find discounts at some of the world's most desirable resort locations

Coming Soon. If you have suggestions for this section, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Books, Maps and Other Resources

My favorite guidebooks when I am traveling is Fodor's. I find them to be quite complete, easy to use, and almost always on the money with helps and tips for traveling in the country I am visiting. Click on Fodor's Travel Guides to find the perfect guidebook for your travels.
 

I always research the destinations to which I intend to travel with books and maps. I normally use Fodor's as I find their guidebooks very informative and easy to read and understand. Click on the Amazon logo to search for travel books and maps. If you don't find what you are looking for, click on the Getting Away Travel Bookshelf to find some of my favorites! Still can't find what you need? Contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

Shop Amazon for Travel Books and Maps!

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Some Suggestions For Dining In Estonia
Coming Soon. If you have suggestions for this section, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Some Favorites In Estonia
Coming Soon. If you have suggestions for this section, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Links For Estonia
Coming Soon. If you have suggestions for this section, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

If you have suggestions for items to be added to this this section of Estonia, please send them to me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com

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Date this page was last edited: Saturday, August 02, 2008 17:10:43

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