HQ_Estonia_viimane%20versioon by Kristian Lember

HEADQUARTERS E U R O P E , M I D D L E - E A S T, A F R I C A

Destination Report Estonia is a special edition of HeadQuarters Magazine - June 2011 published by Meeting Media Company (Belgium) - www.headquartersmagazine.com - press@headquartersmagazine.com

meet estonia

ÂŠ Graham Mitchell

a positively surprising e-country

Estonia, the hard facts + Official language: Estonian + Foreign languages spoken: English and German, often also Russian and Finnish + Official currency: Euro + Time zone: GMT +2 + Membership: Estonia is a part of NATO, EU and Schengen visa area + Neighbouring countries: Finland, Latvia and Russia + Registered public Wi-Fi hotspots: 1,140

E-country Estonia

Estonia is the smallest of three Baltic countries, but despite its size it offers a lot to everybody who sets a foot in this beautiful region. It is almost unbelievable how many high standard hotels, conference venues and opportunities Estonia boasts. This is a place to return back again and again - as every time one can find something new, let it be a new boutique hotel, a hi-tech congress centre, a fancy restaurant or an entertaining social programme. Report Anita Kalmane

My last visit to Estonia took place in 2009, and when I returned to this fascinating country in April I was amazed to see how much it’s changed. 2011 is definitely The Year of Estonia - from January 1 they have joined Euro-zone, Tallinn is the official European Capital of Culture and Tartu, the second biggest Estonian city, just inaugurated its new science centre Ahhaa. And that is not all as

HEADQUARTERS 2

high plans are also set for 2012: next year Tallinn will be the (unofficial) Capital of European Law and Tallinn TV-Tower will welcome its visitors again not only for a nice view of the city, but also for small conferences for up to 100 people.

Old and new par excellence Blend of old and new, modern and medieval, in the last years Estonia has been a destination for several large-scale conferences and events. In ICCA’s last statistics, Estonia ranked 40th, its capital Tallinn 44th, and Estonian capital of science Tartu 171th - not bad for an emerging destination! Estonia has just only 1,3 million inhabitants although its territory is slightly larger than Denmark or the Netherlands. That means that almost half of the country is covered with forests, and Estonians them-selves like to stress out how green and nature-friendly they are. It takes less than half an hour to get out of any city and organise a green meeting in the countryside, although it is possible to organise such a meeting also in the city centre - a good example is the 5th Interna-

tional Conference of Waste Management and the Environment which took place at Radisson Blu Hotel Olümpia. On the other hand, Estonia is also a true ‘e-country’. Upon my arrival, an Estonian friend reassured me in a heartbeat: ‘Wi-Fi is one of our basic human rights.’ That being said, all hotels have free wireless and some go even further - for example, the business rooms in Nordic Hotel Forum include a modern Skype telephone, which gives the opportunity to call Skype users free of charge. Oh and by the way, did you know that Skype was invented in Estonia (although Sweden is claiming the same as the lucky combination consisted of Estonian brain and Swedish money)?

Testimonial Erik Bongcam-Rudloff, member of the executive board of EMBnet and chairman of SeqAhead (Sweden), says: ‘We are looking Erik Bongcam-Rudloff for places to organise conferences in 2012-2014. Last year I went to

Past conferences held in Estonia

Estonia Song Festival © Anton Klink

> i n troductio n

+ AIDS 2011 International Conference + International Integrative Medicine Conference + Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals (AETAP) Conference 2011 + 2011 EFMD Entrepreneurship Conference + The World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) 2011 Convention + 5th International Baltic Congress of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care + Europe’s Ecotourism Conference 2010 + European Charophytologists Annual Conference + SUSI 2010: 11th International Conference on Structures Under Shock and Impact + 3rd World Conference on Science and Technology Education + European Conference on Cyber Conflict

Full list of past and upcoming events you can see at www.ecb.ee

Barcelona for EIBTM and got very interesting information in the booth of Estonia, and I was invited to come for the fam trip ‘Meet Estonia 2011’. We are very specific in our wishes – we want to get a place that is technically advanced, where there is good transportation (not far away from the airport) and which has good value for money. The first impression of Estonia is so far very good. Three years ago when I was here for one day as a tourist, I just saw the old town. For me it was very impressive, because it is one of the few places where you can see a town which looks like a medieval castle. Now that I have inspected hotels I must say that the quality standard is very high. Also it is very impressive that everywhere we go there is free internet. In the field of bioinformatics where I am working it is very important, because we must always be connected in order to be very efficient in our work.’

Estonian Convention Bureau

Kadri Karu

Kadri Karu, Managing Director of Estonian Convention Bureau,

Tallinn Old Town © Jaak Kadak

explains: ‘Estonian Convention Bureau is a young membership-based organisation that was founded in 2008 and unites 23 key players of the Estonian meetings industry, including convention centres, conference hotels, PCO’s and DMC’s and the cities of Tartu and Tallinn. As a first contact point ECB provides free of charge neutral information and assistance in finding the local partners for any meeting or incentive.’ She continues: ‘Organising an event in Estonia is affordable and easy - facilities and services come at very competitive rates and offer good value for money when compared to other European countries. E-solutions and practically no need for transfers help to keep the budget costs down and also contribute to green approach that is widely recognized in Estonia. Using electronical conference materials and communication, avoiding plastic and paper and choosing local seasonal food for catering are just few examples how to act green in Estonia.’ She concludes: ‘Estonia is very informal and friendly hence it is possible to organise things quickly and easily. You can even rent

the centuries old Tallinn Town Hall for special occasions or have the former Prime Minister and historian Mart Laar as a tour guide in the UNESCO Heritage listed Tallinn Old Town! Just recently in May European Quality Association announced Tallinn to be the venue for 57th EOQ Congress in June 2013. We consider the possibility to host 500 European quality specialists as an important recognition to Estonia as a top quality meeting destination!’

Contact Kadri Karu, Managing Director Estonian Convention Bureau kadri.karu@ecb.ee T: +372 6 450 029 www.ecb.ee

The programme ‘Promoting Estonia as a Tourism Destination’ is supported by European Union Regional Development Fund.

HEADQUARTERS 3

Tallinn compact, yet diverse

Town Hall Pharmacy 漏 Toomas Volmer

Estonian capital Tallinn with its compact size surprises you in every aspect. It feels almost like being in a fairytale and going back to 15th century (especially when visiting the eldest still-running apothecary in Europe), while at the same time Tallinn amazes you with its 19th century factory district Rotermann and 20th century buildings just across the street.

Most of travellers arrive to Estonia at Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport, which was not only the first airport in the world to offer free internet, but is also one of the few places in Europe where one can literally walk from the airport to the hotel as driving to the city centre takes only five minutes. In May 2012 the Airport Council International - Europe Region and Tallinn Airport will be organising the 7th Routes Europe event in Tallinn. Thanks to their national carrier Estonian Air and other companies, Tallinn airport offers direct flights to 30 European cities as well as good flight connections to everywhere else in the world via Helsinki, Riga and other European cities. It is also no problem to arrive by train from Moscow or take a ferry

HEADQUARTERS 4

from Helsinki, Stockholm or St. Petersburg. Planners often decide to organise combined programmes including a post-conference tour to Helsinki, St. Petersburg or Riga.

hotels, which are suitable for those looking for something more unusual. Having visited the boutique hotel Telegraaf, which was built for the Estonian Telegraph company in 19th century, and several conference hotels, I can truly say that it is hard to choose where to stay as each and every hotel gives a good reason to come back for a longer time!

Conference Hotels in Tallin Swiss么tel Tallinn

Once in Tallinn, most of the conference venues and hotels are located in the city centre which is only 10 minutes by foot from the port and railway station. The short distances in the capital and the fact that all venues are about 5 to 10 minutes away from each other help avoiding using public transport. It also makes it convenient to discover the city by night! All together there are 7,500 hotel rooms in Tallinn. In addition to numerous conference hotels, there are five star boutique

During my time in Tallinn I stayed on the 29th floor of Swiss么tel, which is the tallest hotel in Estonia. The view from my room was priceless, as I woke up with the sun, admiring the view of the ferries slowly sliding along the port. In total the hotel has 238 luxurious guest rooms as well as the largest ballroom in Estonia and seven other multi-functional meeting rooms with various capacities from 9 to 500 people. Not to forget also the only Executive Lounge in Tallinn, business centre, spa and wellness centre, several restaurants and two private dining rooms.

> talli n n

Nokia Concert Hall

Swissotel conference hall

Tallink Spa

Tallinn, 2011 European Capital of Culture Elo Aun and Liina Guiter, Project Managers at Foundation Tallinn 2011, explain: ‘All together there are around 251 projects and 7,000 events as a part of Tallinn 2011 - European Capital of Culture. One of the biggest events that will last till September is a straw theatre. Another highlight is the 11th Youth Song and Dance Festival at the beginning of July, which tells seaside stories about Estonia and its people. It is the most important event for Estonians and will take place in open air, so it practically cannot be sold out and tickets can be bought even at the last minute. Of course, there is also a whole area by the seaside with special events and simply nice places to walk.’

Meriton Grand Conference & Spa Hotel It seems that Meriton with its 21 treatment rooms and several pools, saunas and jaccuzis has the largest spa and wellness centre in Tallinn, therefore it is an ideal place for participants to relax after a hard day’s work. Fourteen multifunctional conference rooms give the possibility to organisers to choose the most suitable one for them, let it be a room with a terrace overlooking the old town or a small meeting room next to the aqua and sauna centre. The biggest plenary room is suitable for 380 participants and the hotel also offers cocktail receptions for up to 600 people.

nal luxury suites, reminiscent of different, distant worlds, whether it be French, Arabic, Metropolitan or even from the Cosmos!

room alone is suitable for 400 participants). Being just 500 metres away from each other, it is easy to host a large conference in both venues.

Altogether there are 7,500 hotel rooms in Tallinn. In addition to the expected conference hotels, there are five star boutique hotels, which are suitable for those looking for something more unusual

Nordic Hotel Forum

Radisson Blu Hotel Tallinn & Radisson Blu Hotel olümpia

Sokos Hotel Viru

If there is one thing to be said about Nordic Hotel Forum, it is definitely its unique Skype phones in all of its 23 business rooms, making it clear that a real working atmosphere is possible everywhere. In addition to its 267 rooms, the hotel boasts six multifunctional conference and meeting rooms with daylight, the biggest one seating 200 people in a theatre style. Definitely a good choice for smaller conferences.

Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel Tallink Hotel is not only special because of its original pool bar and outdoor swimming pool, but also because of the nice feeling it gives its guests. During the day participants can have a meeting in one of the six conference halls (the largest one can seat 263 guests); at night they are welcome to rest in one of its 275 rooms, among which there are four origi-

For those who prefer well-known brands, both Radisson hotels situated in Tallinn’s skyscrapers are the best choice. Combined, the hotels offer 670 guest rooms and 29 multifunctional rooms, which in total can host almost 2,000 delegates (the largest

Back in 1972 Sokos Hotel Viru was the first skyscraper in Estonia. Today it’s been fully modernised and includes 516 guest as well as 11 multifunctional conference rooms, the biggest one of which seats up to 500 delegates. Those looking for entertainment will be thrilled: the hotel has a nightclub,

HEADQUARTERS 5

> T A L L I NN

Estonian Song Festival © Kaarel Mikkin

Estonian National Opera © Harri Rospu

a shopping mall or there is even the KGB museum on the 23rd floor! Indeed, KGB, the national security agency of the Soviet Union, used several rooms in the hotel to spy on the foreign guests and now hotel guests have the exceptional possibility to hear the stories about KGB and see the proofs of their work.

Boutique hotels - Telegraaf, The Three Sisters and Schlössle

Telegraaf Hotel

Although Tallinn boutique hotels do not have facilities for big conferences, they represent a good choice for discerning business travelers. It can either be Telegraaf with its 86 rooms, special service cabinets and a lounge for up to 50 persons, The Three Sisters with 23 unique rooms and suites, small meeting rooms for a maximum of 90 people, or Schlössle with 23 rooms and a board room for up to 12 people. These places are perfect for either small and very special meetings or those conference participants seeking for a difference. All three boutique hotels are in the old town and just a few minutes by foot from the biggest conference venues.

CONVENTION VENUES Nokia Concert Hall

The Three Sisters Hotel © Toomas Volmer

HEADQUARTERS 6

Built only two years ago, Nokia Concert Hall is proud to have the best sound system in Northern Europe and the biggest multifunctional room in Estonia, which can host a wide amount of people, let it be 1,800 delegates or only 500 people (while covering the rest of the hall with curtains). During

my visit, General Manager Aivar Sirelpuu even mentioned you can drive a car on the stage - everything is possible! Extensive foyer areas are suitable for exhibitions catering and posters. As if that was not enough there are 9 auditorium-style cinema halls in the same complex that can be used as break-out rooms.

Tallinn University Conference Centre Tallinn University Conference Centre has found its home next to the port near Kadriorg Park. The academic environment here is a good place for seminars, workshops and conferences in one of the seven meeting rooms the facility boasts. The biggest one of them is suitable for 255 people, although next year 15 new rooms will open. Then their largest room will accommodate 400 delegates.

Tallinn’s unique meeting facilities Estonia Concert Hall and Estonian National Opera Just across the street of Nokia Concert Hall there is a ‘two in one’ facility, Estonia Concert Hall and Estonian National Opera, connected with the White Hall belonging to the theatre. Hosting a conference in such a majestic place guarantees a special atmosphere and the guests can have a seminar in the morning, a gala dinner in the evening and a concert the next day - all in the same hall as the removable chair system

The XXV Congress of the International Federation for European Law (FIDE) in Estonia

Julia Laffranque

> talli n n

Dr. iur Julia Laffranque, President of FIDE 2011-2012 and President of Estonian Association for European Law, says: ‘Inspired by Tallinn being the 2011 European Capital of Culture, Tallinn will be known as the Capital of European Law in 2012, when it will host one of the most distinguished EU law conferences, the XXV Congress of the International Federation for European Law (FIDE). The Congress will be hosted by the Estonian Association for European Law and the Estonian Lawyers Association. As hosts to the 2012 FIDE Congress, we would like to give the Congress a wide perspective and offer the people of Estonia and other Europeans during the whole year of 2012 a unique opportunity to learn more about their rights under EU law and how they can influence policy making at different levels. While the Congress will surely contribute to the development and enrichment of European law, it will also introduce Estonia, Tallinn and the country’s jurisprudence to European and global audiences, and help Estonia prepare for the Estonian Presidency of the EU in the first half of 2018.’

Kumu Art Museum © Karel Koplimets

of the Concert Hall enables to change the set up in less than ten minutes. Besides the theatre and concert halls both suitable for conferences up to 800 persons, there are foyer areas and 3 smaller rooms suitable for exhibitions, catering and break-outs.

Thanks to their national carrier Estonian Air and other companies, Tallinn airport offers direct flights to 30 European cities as well as good flight connections to everywhere else in the world

Kumu Art Museum Kumu Art Museum offers more than culture, as it hosts exhibitions of Estonian art that can be used for private events. Awarded the best European Museum of the Year in 2008, it has an auditorium suitable for conferences and performances up to 245 people and the main exhibition hall can be used for receptions (up to 500 people) and gala dinner (up to 280 people).

Tallinn Song Festival Grounds Going further, the most extraordinary place to have a conference is Song Festival Grounds as you will not find anything like this out of the Baltic states. Once every five years it is home to the Estonian Song Festival

gathering 30,000 singers and 8,000 dancers in once place (this July there is 11th Youth Song and Dance Celebration, so do not miss it if you are nearby!). At any other time, the indoor facilities are available for banquets, conferences, exhibitions and concerts, hosting up to 1,000 people for a reception. The empty indoor layout is highly flexible, adapted to anyone’s demanding needs.

House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads In terms of majesty and special feelings, the House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads is competing with Estonia Concert Hall and National Opera. During the medieval times when Tallinn was part of the Hanseatic League unmarried merchants gathered in their guild here. Now there are two spectacular halls where one can get away from the bustling noises of everyday’s life and feel like one is back in the past. Maybe the only preserved Renaissance building in Tallinn, it can host up to 300 guests for reception or 150 guests for conference.

Tallinn Town Hall

House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads © Toomas Tuul

Contact Meeli Jaaksoo, Convention Manager Tallinn City Tourist Office & Convention Bureau Meeli.Jaaksoo@tallinnlv.ee T: +372 6 404 414 www.tourism.tallinn.ee

HEADQUARTERS 7

> TARTU

Tartu, Estoniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital of science

lobby and a small, interesting choice of travel books one can read there while waiting for the rest of the group to be ready - as I did! Besides offering 60 rooms, the hotel has a conference room for up 100 people with an exit to a quiet courtyard, where it is possible to organise banquets and coffee breaks.

Every place can be capital in Estonia. If Tallinn is the capital

Hotel Pallas

of culture this year and capital of law next year, then the second

Hotel Pallas is proud of its 61 rooms: the interior decoration received the Annual Award of the Union of Estonian Architects. Located just across the main department store and at the same time just a few minutes away both from the old town and all conference venues, Hotel Pallas also has a small conference room for up to 40 people, with a wonderful view over the city.

biggest city Tartu is capital of science and students every year.

Estonian scientists have achieved great results in several areas - for example, gene technology, nanotechnology, software development, astronomy and biology, and most of those scientists come exactly from Tartu as the city has not only several higher education institutions, but it is the national centre of science and research, base to the oldest science park in the Baltics and many research institutes. In the summer, when the students are resting and there are no lectures, the city might seem more quiet, but every spring and summer during Tartu Student Days the city becomes really vibrant and opens up for everybody, not only students.

flight connections with Tallinn and Riga, the capital of Latvia. As the city proudly boasts the oldest university not only in Estonia, but in all Baltic states, around 400 large-scale science conferences and events take place there every year. Tartu has only 100,000 inhabitants and is therefore compact and easily walkable. There are four main conference hotels plus several smaller available and a number of unique venues for conferences. As Tartu is a small city, conferences truly stand out there.

Hotels in Tartu Hotel London

Located only 180 km away from Tallinn, Tartu is easily accessible by bus or train from the Estonian capital and Tartu airport has regular

HEADQUARTERS 8

Hotel London has not only the most central location in Tartu (directly in the middle of the pedestrian street), but also a spacious

Hotel Antonius Hotel Antonius is a special place with a very special atmosphere. You can feel it as soon as you enter the lobby full of 19th century vibes. Although the hotel has only 18 rooms, it is all about quality, not quantity as they combine both antique furniture and modern bathrooms. I had a chance to visit Antonius Suite and I can only envy those who stay there while enjoying their time in Tartu - although once there, you might not want to go out of the hotel at all! And why should you? Hotel Antonius has also one of the best kitchens

> TARTU in Tartu (the cellar restaurant seats up to 40 people and can be booked also for non-residents) and a cosy lounge which is suitable for either a meeting or a meal for 15 people.

Dorpat Convention Centre & Hotel For the bigger groups there is Dorpat Convention Centre and Hotel which is both the largest hotel (205 rooms for 410 guests) and the largest convention centre (10 multifunctional rooms, the biggest one of which is for up to 500 people) in Tartu. It has a spacious lobby with more than 600 m2 of exhibition area and several possibilities for catering. The convention centre is connected with a corridor to the hotel, which has a separate floor for people with allergies and five rooms for guests with physical disabilities. What makes it different from other hotels in Tartu is its spa with ten different massages and body treatments.

Tartu’s meeting facilities AHHAA Science Centre The new AHHAA Science Centre opened just a few weeks ago in the beginning of May as the biggest science centre in the Baltic states. The new building includes an interactive exhibition area totalling 10,000 m2, an auditorium for conferences up to 120 and 3 smaller meeting rooms.

Vanemuise Concert Hall Up to 959 people can feel comfortable seating in Tartu’s largest concert hall, which can be transformed into a nice hall for a gala dinner or a reception in about 20 minutes, thanks to the ingenious removable chair system. The spacious foyer areas around the main hall are a perfect place for coffee breaks, exhibitions or informal gatherings they also can be converted into 3 to 6 smaller rooms with sound-proof transportable walls.

Athena Conference and Culture Centre Just a few seconds away from the University of Tartu, Athena Conference Centre with three main halls and a next-door restaurant offers its services for those who are in favor of a 1920’s style. The grand hall can host 253 people together on the floor and balcony, the ‘black box’ is suitable for 150 people, and the smallest private room welcomes 35 people. One should note that the conference centre does not have an elevator. Right next door, Restaurant Volga caters for 260 people in total.

seated on the floor and balcony either for conferences, concerts, lectures, gala event... you name it! A good idea is to spend a longer time in the University Main Building and pay a visit to the top floor, where in the old days students were locked-up for not obeying the rules of the university. Accommodating up to 100 people, the university also offers to book the so-called ‘Soiree with Parrot’, with the first rector of the university. GeorgesFrederic Parrot himself then tells about the university and the life in the beginning of 19th century when it was built.

University of Tartu History Museum On the top of the hill where a medieval Dome cathedral once was, University of Tartu History Museum has found its home. Being more than a museum, its two conference halls are an extraordinary place for congresses, concerts and receptions for up to 100 people. The museum has also a magnificent view of the city and its cathedral ruins.

Contact

University Assembly Hall If one of Tallinn’s highlights is the House of Blackheads, then Tartu can be proud of its University Assembly Hall with its neoclassical architecture, its white columns and magnificent chandeliers. 470 people can be

Tartu University Main Building

Angela Järg, Executive Director Tartu Convention Bureau Angela.Jarg@visittartu.com T: +372 7 441 464 www.visittartu.com

Hotel Antonius

Tartu © Sven

Zacek

HEADQUARTERS 9

Estonia’s third capital is Pärnu, the ‘summer’ capital. Being even closer to Tallinn (129 km) and on the seaside, it is a common weekend destination not only for Estonians, but also for their Latvian neighbours as Riga is less than 200 km away. Pärnu has been a renowned spa resort town since the middle of the 19th century. Nowadays it offers a wide range of activities for anybody who likes active holidays either in the forest or on the seaside, with yachting

Pärnu Concert Hall

HEADQUARTERS 10

and golf. Once in Pärnu, you can easily forget the outside world, as every part of the city demands you to relax and lay back. You can take a walk on the beach, listen to the sea waves and after a calm get-away return back to the conference. Besides that, the city hosts several festivals all year long, including Pärnu International Opera Music Festival and Pärnu Hanseatic Days.

A hotel, a concert hall… The most common place for conference delegates in Pärnu is Strand SPA & Conference Hotel with its 187 rooms and a large conference hall which seats up to 500 people. The biggest hall can be divided into three smaller sections, and besides that the hotel also has six other rooms, all but one named after different Baltic seaside cities. For bigger events there is Pärnu Concert Hall with 800 seats in its Grand Hall. Built less than ten years ago and therefore being one of the most modern concert halls in Estonia (the same as in Tallinn and Tartu, also this concert hall as a removable chair system), it is no wonder that most of the biggest city events take place exactly there, including receptions by the city mayor, international scientific conferences and coroprate events like Price Waterhouse Coopers’ and Astrazeneca’s conferences. If necessary, extra sessions can be held also in a chamber hall (for up to 170 delegates) and three other session rooms.

... and a well thought-out point of view Tarmo Mutso, Director of Enterprise Estonia, says: ‘Positively surprising Estonia is a new and exciting destination – it is relatively undiscovered, but easily accessible. We have brand new accommodation establishments, conference centres, restaurants, unique venues and also professional conference organisers with extensive international experience. Estonia has a rich cultural and historical heritage, but at the same time it is also the most modern and high-tech capital in the Europe.’ Tarmo Mutso

Tarmo continues: ‘It is important that Estonia supports international conferences that are held in Estonia. Enterprise Estonia has Conference Support Scheme that can cover up to 70 percent of the costs of international conferences. In 2010, eight international conferences were financed with 355,265 euro and for 2011 we have 320,000 euro. The programme is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the aim of the programme is to promote Estonia as a conference destination and increase the number of overnight stays. Together with Estonian Convention Bureau we are working to promote Estonia as an attractive conference destination. Welcome to Estonia!’

Closer to the nature

In and Around Estonia Before visiting Estonia, I was vaguely aware of the fact that this small country has 1,521 islands. The two biggest ones Saaremaa and Hiiumaa are well known holiday destinations both for Estonians and foreigners. But Estonian islands are also a great place for green and small conferences forup to 100 people who seek something special and unusual.

For pre- and post-conference tours, Estonia could well be the place to be

Hotels on the islands have attractive spa facilities - the first spa in Saaremaa opened almost at the same time as in Pärnu. For example, the small luxury resort and spa Pädaste Manor on Muhu Island (which has only 2,000 inhabitants) gives the possibility not only to relax, but also to organise a small meeting in one of its three private rooms which in total are suitable for more than 150 guests. On an island where ‘the time rests’ (their own slogan) it is also possible to order party tents to be set up in the hotel’s courtyard, a bonfire, horse-drawn carriages, folklore dancers, fishing trips at dawn - again, you name it! And there are also Estonia’s beautiful forests. The country’s oldest and largest national park Lahemaa is worth discovering not only for those looking for wireless internet in the middle of the forest, but also for lovers of nature and small villages. It is possible

to follow bog walking trails in the nature reserve, fish and later have a campfire, stay at manor houses or visit small villages. Smaller conferences and meetings (with the possibilities to stay overnight) are possible in manor houses Palmse, Sagadi and Vihula. And whether it be in Käsmu, an EstonianFinnish-Swedish village of captains or in the little fishermen village of Altja, it is a true voyage to the old days. Going more east, Estonians welcome visitors in the Peipsi area. Lake Peipsi is the natural frontier between Estonia and Russia, and in the west bank of the lake old believers still live their life the same as in the old times. Four chapels and several villages show how these people have strived to keep their traditions alive. Estonian Ministry of Culture is working to preserve these villages and local culture as it is. Not far away from the old believers there is also the only Rus-

sian Orthodox cloister in Estonia - Pühtitsa Dormition Convent in Kuremäe. It has been a sacred place already since the ancient times and every year it welcomes thousands of religious and curious visitors.

For pre- and postconference tours, Estonia could well be the place to be In the most Eastern point not only of Estonia, but of the European Union a completely different world can be seen in Narva, a melting pot of cultures and languages, where Estonianspeakers are even in minority. Just across the river Narva (yes, the same name as the city itself) there is already Russia - just a short walk away from the city centre. Who would have thought Estonia had so much to offer?

HEADQUARTERS 11

Taste for something new? Estonia: Positively surprising! Estonian Convention Bureau is your partner for any and all meetings you plan to hold in Estonia. For more information on what we have to offer, please visit