OTEPÄÄ − the Jewel of Estonian Landscape
Summer is Experience If you wish to enjoy nature, to have an active vacation and to get in touch with rich cultural heritage and traditional Estonian way of life, come to Otepää!
Welcome to Otepää! To a Hiking Fan To get to know the charms of Otepää, you have to stay longer, hike along the paths of the Nature Park, watch birds and animals, study the variety of local plants and vegetation, or record the unique views and moments with a camera. Hikers are always welcome to the paths of different length and complexity offering rich opportunities for discovery.
To a Sports Fan People fond of sports find their way to Otepää all year round. As a change to jogging and skiing paths, there are also opportunities to go in for extreme sports here. Winter sports competitions both local and international often take place in the roundabouts of Otepää. Annual events are the Wordloppet Tartu Marathon, competitions of the World Cup series in cross–country skiing, and competitions in snow–boarding. Summer also offers a choice of sports events both for taking part in and watching.
Snow is Adventure Differently from other tourist regions, the peculiarity of Otepää is that there are two tourist seasons here – summer and winter. The brand of the town is the title of the winter capital of Estonia.
To a Pleasure–Seeker Numerous places of accommodation make it possible to enjoy both the simplicity of farm life and the sophistication of the manor. Pubs, restaurants, and cafés offer food, drink, and entertainment. There are several night–clubs in Otepää. When you get a bit tired of the conveniences of a spa, you can try the traditional Estonian sauna.
To a History Fan In the Otepää pastorate there is the Museum of Estonian Flag. In 1884 the blue–black–and–white tricolour of the Estonian Students’ Union was celebrated in local church, which later became the Estonian flag. The history of Estonian skiing is extensively introduced at the skiing museum. In 2002 the museum was recognized by the International Skiing Federation. On the Otepää castle hill there was a castle of ancient Estonians in the 7–8th century A.D. By the 12–13th century Otepää had become an important centre of south–eastern Estonia.
Triumph Inspires Otepää with its developed infrastructure has won recognition as organizer of major events. The first bigger skiing event took place here in 1928. It is in the roundabouts of Otepää where the Estonian Olympic medallists live and train. In addition to traditional skiing events, Otepää has also become an attraction for European snow–boarders. A lively and attractive family event is the winter fishing competition in February on the ice of Lake Pühajärv with its annual number of participants about several thousands.
Founding of the
Tehvandi
winter sport training
centre for the Olympic team in 1978 gave new impetus to Otepää as a sports centre. The Tehvandi Centre is recognized as a training area all year round among high level sportsmen. The well kept cross–country skiing tracks of international level, 2 shooting ranges for biathlonists, K70 ski jump hill, and 4 smaller ski hills offer opportunities for serious training.
Kääriku
has more than half a century been a favourite of Estonian winter sports fans.
The Kääriku complex, founded at first as a study and training centre of the Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences of the University of Tartu, became soon very popular among the top skiers as well as amateurs. In addition to the ski stadium, high quality tracks, and a sports hall, Kääriku also offers everything for summer training and a sporting vacation. Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, the Finnish President who loved skiing visited Estonia in 1964 and was taken to a skiing trip near Kääriku. The so–called Kekkonen trip along the same track has now become a popular annual winter event.
Winter Vacation Winter vacation at Otepää is variable. Besides the opportunity of taking part in great winter events it is always possible to discover the countryside undisturbed and “far from the madding crowd”. Thanks to the climatic peculiarities of the region winter pleasures can be enjoyed on the hillsides and tracks of Otepää as late as in the beginning of April.
Tourist Enterprises and Farms Offering Opportunities for Active and Sporting Vacation In several tourist farms the boldest guests can try bathing in the icy lake after the hot smoke sauna. Winter offers experience rather different from that of other seasons. Hiking trips in winter are good for getting to know the picturesque landscape around Otepää. In the roundabouts of Otepää there are hillsides suitable for alpine skiing and snow–boarding and also hillsides good for snow– tubing. Novel winter attractions such as ATV and snowmobile trips have become popular recently. Night safaris and sleigh rides are organized.
Dashing and Athletic The Saku Suverull, an international summer competition for skiers at the Tehvandi Centre gathers the
top skiers of the world to participate in roller skiing
competitions. At the time of the competitions several other actions also take place. At other times the roller skiing tracks are open to amateur sportsmen. Roller skiing on these tracks takes good preparation and can be a serious effort for a beginner.
The Otep채채 golf
course is unique both for its relief
and for its variable natural environment. The course is lengthened and made more difficult by several landscape obstacles. In the Otep채채
adventure
park everyone can put his or her courage, balance, and judgement to test.
In summer sports competitions swimmers, sub–water orientation athletes, lifeguards, triathlonists, bicyclists, and runners measure their abilities. A running marathon is a healthy pastime for families. The marathon programme also includes a pole walking distance for the less trained participants. More and more often fans of healthy walking and movement find their way to the well kept paths around Otepää.
Take Your Backpack and Go! The greater part of the roundabouts of Otepää is a nature protection area. This, however, does not mean that the forest paths are closed for people. Hiking on foot a traveller can smell nature, gather knowledge, and also to forget the constant lack of time of townspeople. A trip to nature together with an experienced guide can become a surprising adventure both for the adults and the children.
The variable landscape favors adventurous trips on foot, on a horse, by bicycle, and by boat. There are wide opportunities for putting up a tent here; in addition to that accommodation centres offer different hiking packages. A guest can catch fish and crawfish, play tennis and fun–ball, go to the smoke sauna or simply have a quiet trip in the nature. Canoe trips on the rivers and lakes around Otepää always leave a deep impression.
The pride of Otepää is the jewel among Estonian lakes Lake Pühajärv. Pühajärv beach was the first Estonian beach to earn the Blue Flag of friendly environment in 2000. From the boat harbour of Pühajärv several kinds of water craft can be rented. The majority of the lakes around Otepää have well kept beaches.
OTEPÄÄ TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE Tartu mnt 1, Otepää 67404 +372 766 1200 turism@otepaa.ee www.otepaa.ee
TRANSPORT: CLIMATE: LANGUAGE: CURRENCY:
Guests can arrive to Otepää by bus or by car. The nearest railway station is at the distance of 13 km in Palupera. The nearest international airports are in Tallinn (231 km) and in Riga (220 km). Estonia is affected by the proximity of the Baltic Sea - the climate here is generally mild. In summer the average temperature is 20 C (the warmest month being July) and in winter -8 C (the coldest month being February). You must always be ready for a sudden rain. The Estonian language belongs to the Fenno–Ugric group of languages, the closest relative being Finnish. Attendants can generally communicate in English and in Russian. Estonian currency is crown. Exchange rates in January 2006: 1 EUR = 15.6 EEK; 1USD = 12.9 EEK
Otepää was first mentioned in writing in 1116 when a Russian leader Mstislav invaded a castle towards west from Lake Peipus named in Novgorod chronicles as Medvežja Golova (Bear’s Head). It is mostly thought that the place name ‘Otepää’ derives from the shape of the castle hill that reminds a bear’s (‘ott’ in the local dialect) head.
Text by Ruta Rannu Design by OÜ Disain ja Trükk Photos by Jaak Nilson, GeoView, Malev Toom, Toomas Uibo, Annika Metsla, Tiina Viirelaid Translated by Kersti Unt Printed by Triip 2006
This publication is supported by the European Union