Cultural Vacation in Estonia

Cultural Vacation in Estonia Ride the Wave of Culture

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Seto leelo – a unique southern Estonia art form that fuses song and verbal improvisation, featured on the UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Tartu, Estonia’s spiritual capital – green and historic, known for its scholars, student life and university founded in 1632, this city in southern Estonia is where Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve devised his geodetic arc.

The Tartu Old Observatory, one of the points on the arc, is featured on the UNESCO world heritage list.

Seaplane Harbour – winner of the Europa Nostra cultural heritage grand prix, the former seaplane hangars and the current Tallinn Maritime Museum point the way for navigators of the history of Estonia on the Baltic littoral.

Art and Design Architecture

Kihnu’s culture – the island of Kihnu will impress with an unusual culture that weaves ancient customs with the present-day and is home to inhabitants who still keep the island’s traditions vital. Kihnu’s culture also holds UNESCO distinction, appearing on the cultural heritage list.

Land of festivals – over 200 festivals a year take place in Estonia – covering music, film, architecture, folklore, theatre and much more. It is a splendid example of cultural diversity. There are enough festivals to fill the entire calendar and many festival venues – islands, lakes, bogs, beaches or just open fields.

Folk culture

Tallinn’s Old Town – medieval atmosphere and a network of streets first laid out in the 13th to the 15th century are just some of the reasons that the historical centre appears on the UNESCO world heritage list.

Diverse architecture – the rustic and simple structures of an agrarian people, but also grand architecture that deserves admiration: manors, medieval fortresses and the monumental forms of Soviet architecture. Considering the small size of Estonia, there are an immense number of manors – 1,200 – of which many are now renovated and converted into hotels, inns and other lodging celebrated for their hospitality.

The world’s freshest-sourced cuisine – Estonian culinary culture is based on probably the world’s purest ingredients, grown in the world’s cleanest air. The result is fresh flavours and fresh ideas.

Colourful cultural emissaries – Estonian cultural ambassadors are beautiful on the inside and out. Composer Arvo Pärt, the Järvi conducting dynasty, pop princess Kerli Kõiv and alterna-rockers Ewert & The Two Dragons are only the beginning. World-renowned models Carmen Kass and Karmen Pedaru also bring the country fame. All told, the country has the greatest per capita number of international models and world-famous musicians.

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Song and Dance Festival – the world’s biggest massed choir and dance performance, attended by tens of thousands people. The Song and Dance Festival is on UNESCO’s list of oral and intangible heritage.

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10 reasons to come to Estonia

The Tallinn cityscape has it all: sprawling red roofs, towering spires and glass pillars.

Estonia – a modern nation with an ancient culture Estonia is a land, nation and state – the crossroads where Northern, Eastern and Western Europe meet.

Russia’s Peter the Great considered Estonia the gateway to the west. For Kalevipoeg, the Estonian national epic hero, it meant a place at the ends of the earth. For visionaries of the information age, Estonia is a rising star, and for Estonians themselves, it’s simply home.

Here, on the peaceful shores of the Baltic, ideas are born – ideas that still seem like science fiction elsewhere.

Estonians are an unusual blend: an ultramodern nation cut from peasant cloth. The president is one of the most Twitter-active heads of state, the communication

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and banking culture has gone digital, and Estonia made news for holding the world’s first electronic elections.

And yet, the country has managed to hang on to its millennia-old indigenous culture.

Estonia is a land of positive surprises, and its nature, silence and the perseverance of its people are a well-kept secret. It’s home to an industrious people who have the privilege of doing global business amidst ancient mires and valleys gouged out by glaciers during the Ice Age. The first president of re-independent Estonia, the writer and film-maker Lennart Georg Meri, went as far as to call nature and peace Estonia’s greatest resources.

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Music is something to enjoy year-round in Estonia and in incredible quantities – Estonians certainly have no reason to be modest about the number of festivals.

They are held indoors and outdoors, whatever the heart desires. The entire musical spectrum is represented – especially in the summer.

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Under the giant arch at the Song Festival Grounds patriotic songs ring out and national flags flutter festively.

Song Festival – a giant choir, breathing as one

The Estonian subconsciousness

Music played an important role in forging Estonian statehood. The national renaissance in the mid to late 19th century had its own soundtrack in the inception of the now world-famous tradition of song festivals, now included on the UNESCO cultural heritage list. Held every five years in July, the song and dance festival set an all-time visitor record in 2009 with 154,000 visitors, which is more than 1/6 of the Estonian population.

Just as quiet and meditative as Estonia’s landscape is Estonian folk music, featuring repetition and a Nordic minimalism. Many of Estonia’s modern composers draw inspiration from it. Veljo Tormis’s “A Curse Upon Iron” is certainly a must-listen for anyone seeking insight into the Estonian national character.

Estonia is also famous for choosing the power of song over violence. The Singing Revolution – a non-violent independence movement where participants sang patriotic songs, culminated in Estonia winning back its lost independence in 1991, after over 50 years of occupation.

Be sure to visit the architecturally impressive Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, the cradle of the Estonian Singing Revolution. Enjoy the superb sea view, test the acoustics of the song festival grounds and try the liberating power of song.

Andres Lõo, Estonian artist, musician and composer

Estonian musical tastes range far and wide, from primitive dance – the kaerajaan – to rock and oratorios.

To see and hear the future of Estonian pop music, a visit to the annual spring Tallinn Music Week festival is in order. There is no better possibility to gain an overview of the entirety of new Estonian music than to attend this three-day event. Alongside local bands, musicians from all over Europe perform here. Together with Estonian Music Days, which has a classical and jazz focus, these festivals are the breeding ground for contemporary Estonian music.

Festivals such as Viru Folk, the Võru folklore festival and the largest of all in the traditional music vein, Viljandi Folk, have the entire country covered. Along with folk festivals, rock, indie, electronica, classical and contemporary music all compete for a spot on the stage. The international festival Jazzkaar takes place with concerts in Tallinn and other parts of Estonia, Hard Rock Laager in Vana-Vigala in central Estonia, the new pop and indie music festival Schilling in Kilingi-Nõmme in southern Estonia, Augustibluus in Haapsalu... the list goes on.

Estonia is the perfect place for a ‘festival crawl’ – the distances are not long. In a short time, you can get a taste of many different experiences, from raging rock to folk and electronica. One of the most unusual is the electronic dance music festival Patareiv, held in the Patarei naval fortress.

Jerl Norden, graphic designer and guitarist

A folksy spin on modern classical The best-known Estonian composer is probably Arvo Pärt, whose music is characterized by a solemn, meditative mood that transports the listener step by step through the harshest of winters and driest of deserts. Arvo Pärt is associated with minimalist contemporary music and above all the tintinnabuli or ‘little bells’ style he developed. Nominated several times for a Grammy, Pärt’s Da Pacem won a Grammy award for best choral performance in 2007.

The trend in pop music is to go beyond Estonia’s borders and conquer the world. The first one to spread its wings was Kerli Kõiv, who cultivates a bewitching style of pop music with an attire that is distinctive and yet something like Lady Gaga at the same time. Then there’s Ewert & The Two Dragons, with a video that has garnered more than a million hits and a contract with major international label. Also known for crossing borders and pushing the envelope is the oddly named Winny Puhh, which was a popular favourite in its bid for the Eurovision finals in 2013. It didn’t succeed, but the glam, hirsute members of the band made waves with their wild stage show and became the toast of Paris when they performed for the presentation of fashion designer Rick Owens’ 2014 men’s collection.

Winny Puhh’s YouTube video has more hits than all other of Estonia’s top pop groups combined.

The Juu Jääb Festival on the small Island of Muhu is a cosy event with soulful music.

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Music

Music

All colours, all frequencies

Mart Niineste, rock journalist The high water mark in contemporary and modern classical is reached each year with the Nargenfestival on Naissaar Island and the Pärnu Music Festival. The latter features the conducting of Neeme, Paavo and Kristjan Järvi, and young hopefuls from all over the world participating in the Järvi Academy. Worthy of the same acclaim are the Birgitta Festival in the seaside Pirita district, set amidst the ruins of a medieval convent, and the sweeping Leigo Lake Music Festival

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taking place in southern Estonia. As impressive as the music is, the picturesque rolling landscape and the energy of the Leigo farm folk – who constructed an artificial lake and built an island to host the festival – are a close second.

Art and Design

Music

For definitive proof of the high calibre of Estonian pop music, go see a show at clubs like Von Krahl, Sinilind, Kultuurikatel or Telliskivi creative hub.

Other festivals that investigate the historical baggage are Glasperlenspiel Music Festival in Tartu, the Haapsalu Early Music Festival and the MustonenFest, held in various cities.

The Estonian National Opera offers both classical and modern artful dance performances.

Practical hints Viljandi Folk Music Festival takes place at the last weekend of July. Show up at Eesti Etno international music camp with your instrument a week before the festival and get a chance to perform on the big stage with famous musicians from around the world.

Take a boat trip to Nargenfestival to discover Estonian and world musical gems. The festival takes place on the island of Naissaar just 12 kilometres from Tallinn. Charter a boat or arrive by yacht. Instead of an opera house, expect a gigantic barn as the venue.

A music lover for a president

The Telliskivi Creative Campus is a venue for events bristling with positive emotions.

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Estonian musical life is currently still quite similar to the onetime situation in Iceland or Sweden, where the state made it a priority to support creative industries like the music scene. It’s fitting and appealing that one can sometimes run into two-term Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at summer festivals, sporting dark shades and wearing the traditional black jacket of the Estonian men’s folk costume. Perhaps one of the most musically savvy heads of state, Ilves has even agreed to host concerts in the presidential rose garden.

On dusky August nights, enjoy performances by the Moscow, London or Berlin opera theatre or the Russian ballet in the ruins of Tallinn’s Pirita convent at the Birgitta Festival.

You can get to Pirita by walking along the beach promenade, with the famous skyline of Tallinn’s steeples rising behind you. The walk back with the lights of the city blazing is even more impressive.

Catch a morning ferry to Estonia’s biggest islands, Saaremaa. Eat lunch on the neighbouring island of Muhu, where Estonia’s top restaurant, Alexander, is set in Pädaste manor. Drop by Kaali to see the meteorite crater – “the grave of the sun” – and enjoy opera in the courtyard of Kuressaare Episcopal Castle during Saaremaa’s opera days.

Throw yourself an evening to remember in Tallinn – start at Mekk restaurant to enjoy modern Estonian cuisine, then head to the Estonia Theatre for opera or ballet or a concert and close out the night at Clazz restaurant by dancing to live music.

Art AND DESIGN From dance macabre to the Kumu The most famous medieval work of art on Estonian soil resides in St. Nicholas Church in Tallinn – Bernt Notke’s Totentanz, considered an example of the genre of art macabre. Ethnically Estonian artists only rose to fame in the late 19th century. Among others, the works of Johann Köler, the first such artist of Estonian origin, can be found in the collection of the Art Museum of Estonia. The most outstanding and modern branch of the museum is Tallinn’s Kumu, the recipient of Europe’s Best Museum title. It features a concert hall and five floors of art. The museum was built in the early 2000s and even the walk is worth the trip, passing through the park that Peter the Great had built for his wife Catherine I. One of the key buildings in Kadriorg Park is today home to the President of the Republic of Estonia.

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And that’s not all – textile artist Kärt Ojavee, who splits her time between Tallinn and New York, is gaining renown in the field of smart textiles – designs that fuse fabric and electronics. The playful Tallinn Dolls is also a signal word in Estonian clothing design.

Estonian film Estonian animated films have won much acclaim – people are coming from as far off as Japan to study with Priit Pärn, the unrivalled master of the medium.

To the great joy of children, the Lotte film about an inventive dog-girl who lives in Gadgetville continues to inspire new sequels.

Art outside the capital

The Baroque-style Kadriorg Palace, built by the Russian Czar Peter the Great, is now an art museum.

Modern art is alive and well During the 20th century craze for European kunsthalle edifices, Tallinn’s central Freedom Square also received an update in the form of the Art Hall, which is bound to appeal to every art aficionado.

A number of art events in other Estonian cities are just as important as those of the capital. The Tartu Museum of Art in the university town and southern Estonian hub is hosted in a famously leaning building.

Each autumn, it hosts the contemporary art festival ART IST KUKU NU UT, which focuses on covering edgier issues and asks challenging questions. Fans of naive art make pilgrimages to Viljandi, home of the Kondas centre. In the city known as Estonia’s summer capital, Pärnu, the Pärnu Contemporary Art Museum in the heart of the city sets the tone.

Lots of new design Although Estonian Design is still a foreign concept for some, it appears only a matter of time before it becomes as big a phenomenon as music. Environmental awareness and innovation are the area seeing the most growth.

While attending animated film festivals I have often noticed that people’s faces light up upon hearing I am Estonian.

Estonian animation’s good reputation has made new friends for me.

Chintis Lundgren, animator and painter

A fashion show on a road going through a mire?

We can do it!

One of the outstanding brands in this field is Trash to Trend, a trademark developed by fashion designer Reet Aus and imbued with a recycling and smart salvage ethos.

It’s worth keeping an eye on Estonia’s auteur cinema as well. Film-makers have won major awards at elite international film festivals. The Orrizonti grand prix at the Venice Film Festival went to Veiko Õunpuu’s “Autumn Ball” and the East of the West special prize at Karlovy Vary film festival was given to Ilmar Raag’s “Class”.

Estonian fashion is largely still the domain of handicraft and fine manual dexterity. Basically, our rise into the fashion stratosphere was propelled by embroidery and needlepoint. Haute couture of oneoff auteur work! Hollywood producers making historical films should call us.

Riina Õun, leather artist Fashion designer Liina Viira’s brand Naiiv features woollen but modern designs that borrow heavily from folk costume.

Shining examples of Estonian art deserve a closer look.

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Estonian fashion designer Kriss Soonik’s lingerie is one of the coolest brands in the UK, and the work of the Estonian behind the well-known South American brand Osklen – Oskar Metsavaht – is also available in several countries.

Estonia has its own cartoon hero, a smart dog-girl Lotte from Gadgetville.

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Art and Design

Art and Design

The Estonian Contemporary Art Museum, more of a nod to a punk ethos, is situated next to another unique cultural centre, the Kultuurikatel (Cultural Cauldron), right in the city centre port area. The Cultural Cauldron is one of the most holistic and modern cultural centres in Estonia, featuring a giant black box theatre and concert hall, studios, artists in residence, workshops and guest studios. The STALKER festival promoted by the centre is worth a visit. It’s named after the film

by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, filmed largely in Tallinn and its environs.

tARTuFF – this festival of love films in the student town of Tartu is held right in front of the town hall.

The year’s main event in film, Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival in late November, has several spin-off festivals that cover nearly the entire calendar. The younger siblings of Black Nights include JAFF – Japanese Animated Film Festival and HÕFF – the Haapsalu Horror Film Festival. Tartu, the student town, invites film fans to its love film festival tARTuFF, taking place under romantic meteor shower-streaked late summer skies on Tartu’s Town Hall Square. Documentary buffs should head to the Pärnu anthropology and documentary festival and DocPoint in Tallinn.

Although Estonian is spoken by just over 1.3 million people worldwide and Estonian theatre is primarily aimed at domestic audiences, NO99 Theatre‘s productions have become recognized throughout the European theatre landscape for their quality.

Practical hints Nearly every Estonian city has exciting artisanartist workshops with a chance to take part in various workshops – Katariina Guild and Masters’ Courtyard in Tallinn, Antonius Guild in Tartu, Maarja-Magdaleena Guild in Pärnu.

Traditional techniques can be observed and learned at Avinurme Wooden Handicrafts Centre and at the Angla windmills in Saaremaa. Inquire into these opportunities once you arrive.

Visit Tallinn’s art and design galleries: The Design and Architecture Gallery in Rotermann Salt Storage, the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design, the Estonian House of Design, Temnikova & Kasela Gallery, and the Linnagalerii, Hobusepea, Draakoni and Vaal galleries.

The Estonian Contemporary Art Museum and the Kultuurikatel offer modern Estonian art and live music all through the summer.

Medieval art is on display at St. Nicholas Church and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Tallinn and in St. John’s in Tartu.

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ARCHITECTURE Estonian architecture: rich but easy to digest

Estonians’ distant ancestors lived in these parts already 10,000 years ago, making Estonians one of the oldest settled peoples in Europe. Estonians, who speak a Finno-Ugric language, have never lost their rustic “me,” as the countryside is still quite close to the cities. Estonia’s diverse architecture can be absorbed in a gulp. Just rent a car for a few days to visit manors, fortresses and Soviet-era structures all over our tiny country.

Design doesn’t change lives, but people design life. Held in September, Design Night is an international festival that lasts several days.

Visit related workshops in Tallinn’s Rotermann Quarter, where new 21st century architecture is interwoven with 19th century industrial building design.

Estonian auteur cinema and art house films can be enjoyed at Sõprus cinema in Tallinn.

The timber architecture of Haapsalu is as beautiful and lacy as the star of local handicraft products – the Haapsalu scarf.

Before architecture, there was the land and its geography. The Estonian word for “land,” maa, bears a passing resemblance to the short form of the word for “I”, ma. As such, it is an apt indication of how Estonians relate to the place in which they live.

Download a free Tallinn design map mobile app and plan a route connecting design boutiques, galleries and museums.

The Maarja-Magdaleena Guild maintains the fine handicraft traditions and teaches those who are keen to learn these skills, too.

Art and Design

In Tallinn’s Old Town, vintage stores such as Fankadelik, Annimari and Foxy Vintage welcome trend-conscious shoppers. Estonian design can also be found at the Telliskivi Creative Complex and Nu Nordik, a shop that is right on Freedom Square. While in Tartu, look up KutshiMutshi, Moda de Lux or Trend Butiik.

Modern design enriches Estonian homes with Scandinavian crispness, natural materials and smart functionality.

Every Soviet-era house has its own tale, some are brimming with them. Every Tallinner can launch into stories of the Viru Hotel, the old post office, the sailing centre in Pirita or Stalin’s tower. Just ask.

Peep Ehasalu, communication director

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Art and Design

Stop by Estonia’s fashion mecca, the Baltika Quarter of Tallinn, with its novel Fashion Street store concept. All of Estonia’s top trademarks are represented and Estonian designer studios also operate nearby.

Manors, the crown jewels of the counties The modern and trendy appearance of the Kumu Art Museum building is equally exciting when viewed from above and below.

Louis Kahn is the world’s most famous architect of Estonian origin, but he didn’t do much work in Estonia.

As he emigrated at the age of five, it’s limited to a few sandcastles on Saaremaa’s pebbly beach. Still, the fact that the architect’s work is considered so archetypal owes something to his Estonian background. It has even been conjectured that some of the features of the Kuressaare castle became etched in the young Kahn’s memory and influenced his work.

Estonian construction: influences of different lands and eras Estonian city architecture and parks bear strong English, French and German influences. Take a stroll and see for yourself in the former Hanseatic League cities of Viljandi, Pärnu, Tartu and Tallinn.

Estonian architectural history has been in stride with Europe since the late 12th century, when crusaders invaded and an 800-year-period of foreign rule began. Danes, Germans, Russians, Swedes – all of them have left traces behind. Castles, fortresses and other historical buildings can be found all over Estonia.

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Whereas the ancient fortresses and citadels were known for their ability to withstand assaults, today’s key question for shopping malls and public squares is skateboardability. The favourite skate park is the Freedom Square in the centre of the city.

The authentic flavour of farm museums and fishing villages Before you head out of Tallinn to see other Estonian cities, pay a visit to places that are closer connected with traditional Estonian culture. The Estonian Open Air Museum at Rocca al Mare shows how Estonian farm families used to live. Smoke saunas, barns and all the rest. The authenticity of onetime village life can be appreciated in northern Estonia’s fishing villages, but Koguva village on the island of Muhu is a splendid example of how a village has survived intact and authentic.

Estonia is a land of manors and estates. Given the relatively sparse population, the country’s over 1,200 manors, representing different eras, styles and materials show how modern the onetime landed nobility was.

En route to Altja and Käsmu fishing villages is Palmse manor. If your soul cries out for nature, you’ll find over ten nature trail maps at the nature centre located in the Palmse manor complex, all leading to routes in surrounding Lahemaa National Park.

In the north-eastern corner of Town Hall Square is the Raeapteek, founded in 1422, one of the oldest still operating apothecary shop in Europe.

A symbol of Tallinn is Old Thomas – the guardian of the city and friend to children which adorns the Gothic Town Hall tower. In the summer months, the tower can be climbed. Climbing the 115 steps to the top is an easier undertaking than the ascent of the highest church steeple. The 258-step road to Calvary presented by St. Olaf’s Church can be vertigoinducing for some.

Lahemaa National Park has other exciting manors: Vihula Manor appeals with its eco-spa and distillery where old traditions are kept alive, while Sagadi Manor shines the spotlight on forests – one of Estonia’s greatest resources.

The old and new sides of Tallinn Boasting well-preserved medieval buildings and architectural ensembles from later eras, Tallinn is an impressive architectural gem. The Old Town is on the UNESCO world cultural heritage list thanks to its unique buildings and medieval network of streets.

Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) is the heart of the lower Old Town, encircled by restaurants and bars which provide convenient shelter from the elements.

Old Thomas holds the post since 1530 and is the most recognized man in the entire city.

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Architecture

Architecture

The Alatskivi Castle was built at the end of the 19th century and it is one of the most picturesque Neo-Gothic structures in the Baltic States.

Practical hints

Architecture

Keep your senses on high alert when walking in Tallinn, especially in the Old Town. You might hear wonderful choral music wafting out of one window, instrumental music from another, while the aroma of freshly brewed coffee emanates from a third. Once there was a violinist playing Vivaldi in the middle of Kalamaja Park on a Sunday. That street musician might just be Tallinn’s best pop-up secret.

Andres Siem, Tallinn native

Take a walk through Tallinn’s Rotermann Quarter and visit the Estonian Museum of Architecture in the Soolaladu (Salt Storage).

The F-hoone Restaurant at the Telliskivi Creative Campus is just a few steps away from gourmet bars and designer and eco-product shops.

Tartu – the heart and soul of southern Estonia The university city of Tartu, the heart of southern Estonia, is a city of parks, bisected by the majestic, navigable River Emajõgi (Mother River). Laid out on the banks of the valley, Tartu is Estonia’s secondlargest city. Students make up about one-sixth of its population.

The construction of the Cathedral on Toome Hill started in the 13th century, and a large part of the church is now in ruins. The choir part of the timeravaged edifice is home to the University of Tartu History Museum, which exhibits historical gems inside and outside.

Due to war and fire damage, the city’s appearance has gone through many changes. The current city centre has a Neoclassical look, but the unique St. John’s Church from the 13th and 14th centuries is just a few steps away, covered with terra cotta figurines. There are about 1,000 of the sculptures, making St. John’s unique in Europe. Just as impressive is Karja’s St. Catherine’s Church in the northern part of the island of Saaremaa, the Baltic gothic church with the most sculptures.

Beneath the pillars of the University of Tartu circulate plenty bright young minds and wireless data, too.

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Tartu’s city also features a mix of the architecture of different eras. Alongside the functionalism of the 1930s, the suburbs have prefabricated concrete architecture from the 1970s to the 1990s. The riverside quarter of Supilinn (Soup Town) stands out with its low-key working-class charm, and above it, the more upscale historical district of Tähtvere with its park and song festival grounds.

Discover the architectural gems of Tallinn with the seven volumes in the Guide to Contemporary Architecture in Tallinn series, which can be picked up at the Soolaladu or a tourism information centre.

Be sure to take a look at the wooden architecture, rare in many other parts of Europe, in districts such as Kalamaja and Kadriorg in Tallinn, and Supilinn and Karlova in Tartu. Tram, which goes through Kalamaja, Kopli and Kadriorg, is a perfect choice. Also marvel at the wood lace architecture in the resort towns Kuressaare, Haapsalu and NarvaJõesuu. Ruhnu Island is home to the oldest extant wooden building in Estonia, Mary Magdalene Church from 1643.

Tour the manors of Estonia by car. Plan your own route or follow our tips. Start from Kõue-Triigi manor in central Estonia; pop into Lahemaa’s manors in Palmse, Sagadi and Vihula; while in eastern Estonia, visit Kukruse “Arctic” manor and Mäetaguse manor; in southern Estonia Alatskivi, Olustvere, Sangaste and Mooste manors – the latter is home to the Estonian Phototourism Centre. The manors offer lodging and meals fit for a king, spa service and other amenities and attractions.

Visit the seaplane hangars, which received the Europa Nostra Grand Prix in 2013. At the Lennusadam (Seaplane Harbour), fly above Tallinn, board a real submarine and take a trip around the world in an underwater cinema.

Go out for a walk in the port area in Tallinn’s city centre, which connects the Kultuurikatel, Patarei sea fortress and Noblessner harbour.

Discover the underground tunnels in Tallinn’s bastions, where you can take a trip back in time – and forward.

Visit Tallinn’s TV Tower, where the newest attraction is called Edgewalk, a spine-tingling traverse along the edge of the 175m-high terrace – unique in northern Europe and the Baltics. The tower also boasts a modern restaurant.

Tour the country’s fortresses! Hermann fortress in the border city of Narva has survived with its imposing bastions, while Kuressaare’s Episcopal Castle is the best-preserved medieval citadel in the entire Baltics. Haapsalu’s own Episcopal castle is the haunted on moonlit August nights by the White Lady apparition.

Rakvere’s fortress offers medieval enthusiasts to engage in swordplay, make gunpowder and ride horses.

The giant domes of the Seaplane Harbour Hangars conceal both the bottom of the sea and the boundless sky.

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Architecture

Right across from the Old Town, bohemian Kalamaja (Fish-House) is the fastest developing quarter of the city. A number of modern restaurants and cafes have opened up in the post-industrial Telliskivi (Brick) Creative Complex. Telliskivi Creative Incubator is home to indie band tryout rooms, start-ups, iconoclastic artists and many other people driving the city’s leap into the future.

The island of Kihnu is unusual for the toughness of its women and the beauty of its nature. The women of Kihnu still wear folk costume as their everyday clothing. The importance of women to the island came from the fact that the men of Kihnu have always been fishermen and left the everyday running of the household to the women. The stripes and colours on the Kihnu skirts are like a barcode that those in the know can read. For instance, folk costumes indicate whether the wearer is single or married. Older women clad in showy folk costume can be seen operating motorcycles with sidecars!

FOLK CULTURE Estonia as a breeding ground for small cultures Estonia is home to a surprising number of smaller cultures. The Setos inhabit the south, Old Believers reside on the shores of the great Lake Peipus, and the island of Kihnu’s folklore is featured on the UNESCO intangible heritage list. On the largest island, Saaremaa, much of the mythology is centred on the actions of mythical giants. Saaremaa islanders are, after all, descended from Vikings! All these cultures are worth discovering.

Our bestselling authors on international markets are Jaan Kross’s “Flying in Place”, Jaan Kaplinski’s “The Same River” and Kivirähk’s “Rehepapp”. Kross’s “The Czar’s Madman” is the Estonian language work that has been translated into the most languages – 24 of them.

The best route to the Old Believers is the Onion Road, which is rich in contrasts in terms of lodging and places to eat. In the autumn, people flock to the region to buy onions, which are organically grown, hand-tended and prized for their flavour.

Mihhail Krassohhin, onion farmer

Giants and their everyday lives, modern folklore and virtuality In the winter, Estonians tend to go into a kind of indoor hibernation where virtual reality becomes more important. It’s no wonder that children learn how to code software as soon as they go off to school.

Programming is a logical skill to have for a people who were already close to 100% literate in the 19th century.

Skype was developed by Estonians, incidentally.

The Setos, a unique fragment of a people in southeastern Estonia, have their own language, a Russian Orthodox faith and distinctive folk costumes. Each year the Seto Kingdom is proclaimed, delighting fans of the local song and cuisine. Setomaa is like a country within a country. Even the metal pop rock of Winny Puhh mentioned earlier has some Seto influences. That’s quite a lot for a microculture, isn’t it?

Estonia’s largest lake (shared with Russia) and Europe’s fourth-largest, Peipus’s shores are inhabited

by Russian Old Believers. Their Slavic-style onestreet villages with houses close together are unique in Estonia. Museums in Kolkja and Varnja display traditional clothing, household items, tools, photos and books.

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Mythologically, Estonians have spent centuries in a virtual reality, and centuries from now presumably virtual Estonians will find their deserved place in cyber folklore. The newest updates to Estonian folklore were penned by writer Andrus Kivirähk, whose “Rehepapp”, a comical take on Estonians under their medieval German overlords, has been translated into French, Finnish, Norwegian, Hungarian, Latvian and Russian.

The best known Estonian writer internationally continues to be the late Jaan Kross, who delved into European history through the spectrum of Estonia.

Even little girls appreciate the folk attire charm.

The motor race of the old ladies of Kihnu is a unique spectacle.

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Folk culture

Folk culture

Beautifully embroidered aprons and motley skirts are important parts of Estonian folk attire.

FOOD Just like the poster boy of Japanese cuisine is sushi, the quintessential Estonian food is dark rye bread. Give hamburger and pizza a miss and try karask, barley soda bread spread liberally with egg butter. Savour kali, a soft drink made from malted rye, sugar and yeast, instead of Coke.

The land needs working on even in the 21st century and organic farming is on the rise in Estonia.

Estonians consider themselves a rural people, with good reason. In the 19th century, German dominion was broken, little by little, and finally – in the chaos that followed World War I – statehood was secured.

After centuries of serfdom, it took only a few decades to make lightning progress from agrarian labour to having their own newspapers in Estonian and their own country. Besides being a rural nation, Estonians are also the world’s most non-religious people. It is a hotly debated issue, but the likeliest explanation is that most Estonians simply don’t declare their relationship with God in as many words.

The atheism attributed to Estonians is more of an animist belief on a subconscious level. Also called paganism by Christians, the native folk religion is more of a simple life-affirming worldview that focuses on people’s direct contact with life and nature.

The characters and events of Estonian folklore are also indicative of the direct link to the environment.

Unlike the next door Finns’ more mystical national epic “Kalevala”, Estonia’s “Kalevipoeg” focuses on everyday activities and relationships. The mythical characters are described as giants and supernatural, but they’re more like ordinary people in what makes them tick. These giants have left “footprints” in many places in Estonia. Quite a few valleys are considered in legend to be a place where Kalevipoeg might have napped, or boulders to have been stones cast by the epic hero.

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Kalevipoeg himself reminds one of another epic hero, Hercules – he’s somewhat headstrong and unmannered. As the legend goes, Lake Ülemiste, the lake that people arriving at Tallinn Airport see from the air, was created when Linda wept after the death of her spouse.

Practical hints Experience a unique ethnic culture in southern Estonia’s Seto Kingdom day each August. Also visit the nearby Obinitsa Farm Museum and Seto Farm Museum, where local food is served in handmade crockery.

Spend a day on Kihnu Island for an authentic cultural experience. Visit the museum and the lighthouse and don’t miss the local smoked fish.

Estonia’s ice roads connecting mainland and islands offer an unforgettable experience! If you arrive in Estonia in winter, find out whether the ice roads are open, and take a trip to Kihnu, Saaremaa, Hiiumaa or Vormsi island, if conditions permit.

How to get to the Onion Road? From Tartu, start out by driving toward Alatskivi. After visiting museums in Varnja and Kolkja, drive

Berry crisps are a healthy alternative to candy. through 8 km long Raja village, and stop at the lakeshore cemeteries. The Old Believers chapel there is worth a visit for a look at unique Old Believer icons. Try the onion pies and Peipus fish delicacies at Kivi tavern in Alatskivi, where tea is served Russian-style from a samovar. You can stay the night at a hotel in Alatskivi manor or in straw-bale houses on the shores of the Peipus.

How to identify true Estonian handicraft? It’s not made in China. Nor is it Russian dolls or amber. Estonian souvenirs include woollen socks, mittens and sweaters, whose magic eyes protect the wearer from evil spirits. Or opt for Muhu slippers and cell phone sleeves featuring a recognizable floral pattern on a black background. The fragrance of a juniper beer mug, cutting board and wooden butter knife will all bring back the memory of the Estonian nature years later.

Beets and carrots are the source of many healthful yet mouth-meltingly satisfying cakes. Children eat them with gusto, especially if they don’t know that, besides chocolate, it also contains those “awful” vegetables.

Kätrin Maidla, food blogger

All people in Estonia love picking what the forest has to offer.

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Folk culture

Dairy products are one of the calling cards for Estonian food. For a delicious curd sweet, caramelize dark rye bread with a little sugar on a pan, layer it with curd cream, top with a few spoonfuls of cowberry jam. Curd snacks (kohuke) can be found in any store – chunks of milled curds covered with a chocolate shell or glaze.

Food

Folk culture

Instead of potato crisps, try berry crisps – a dried fruit product developed in Estonia. This is a naturally sweet ecologically pure confection that was dehydrated at low heat, preserving vitamin content. The selection is wide: from cowberries and blueberries to blackcurrant and raspberry. All full of natural vitamins and no additives.

I’ve been living in Estonia for three years now, but it’s hard to understand that Estonians eat blood sausage around Christmas. It seems to go against reason, but the taste buds know something good when they experience it.

Guntis Grīnfelds, programmer

The world on your plate

Food

The salty delicacies of this kitchen on the shore of Lake Peipus are dried fish and onion.

Estonians are accustomed to harvesting or foraging their own food, as they still have a close tie to nature. Berries are cooked down into jams or juice, mushrooms are marinated, orchard fruit becomes wine... Estonians also supply their own herbal teas and medicinal plants. If you visit a rural area, you’re sure to find homemade preserves on the table. And be sure to visit local markets, where Estonian goods are sold.

A small country, many local cuisines The Nordic climate and the distinct seasons offer an opportunity to stimulate the sense with flavours characteristic of every time of year. Regional traditions – with influences from Scandinavian, Russian and German cookery – also shape the Estonian food.

Fish caught from the sea are cherished in coastal and island cuisines. Estonians love the countless Baltic herring dishes and all manner of freshly smoked fish.

If you’re looking for a luxurious experience, try eel, or look for lamprey (similar to the eel) when in NarvaJõesuu. And while travelling the Romantic Coastline in western Estonia, you can go on a real fishing trip with true coastal fishermen.

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Sprat canapés have become my bread and butter, if you will. It’s so simple to make but so, so tasty. Once I couldn’t say hello to then German ambassador Henning von Wistinghausen because he was over at the sandwich platter the whole time.

Dining establishments specializing in Estonian cuisine are popular and the charming simplicity of the Estonian foods have won fans elsewhere in the world.

For instance, “Seto Kitchen through Generations, from Meremäe” has placed high at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. And “Essential Nourishment” won a gold medal at the Living Now Book Awards, awarded to the world’s best lifestyle books. The latter

volume’s author Marika Blossfeldt’s farm is open by advance arrangement to visitors who wish to find out more about the principles.

Top-flight Estonian chefs show their skills at competitions, and have been in the finals of the prestigious Bocuse d’Or. Estonia’s cafe culture is also highly developed. A walk through the centre of any Estonian town confirms that impression. An apple-rhubarb crumb cake the way granny made it can be washed down with Italian espresso while admiring barn swallows executing pirouettes.

Culinary culture is naturally folk culture as well. The diversity of the Estonian table can be glimpsed at food festivals: pickle, dandelion, Baltic herring and garlic festivals and all manner of fairs, especially in the summer and autumn, breed an irresistible fondness for Estonian food.

Recommended culinary souvenirs from Estonia: Vana Tallinn liqueur and a sprat tin (Tallinna kilud) featuring the skyline of Tallinn’s Old Town.

Food

which is a good example of Estonian resourcefulness – it was made from the residuals from the granary before storing new grain. Rye, barley and peas were mixed, rinsed of dust, cooked, dried and ground into the kama meal. It is considered best enjoyed with fermented milk and, optionally, some sugar.

Anni Arro, cafe proprietor and chef In eastern regions, over by Lake Peipus, ask for dishes made from lake fish, and be sure to try the local dried fish. The region is also known for its onion dishes and all sorts of savoury pies. South of the Peipus region, by the Russian land border, you’ll find the Seto cuisine. Be sure to taste sõir, made from curds with the addition of caraway seeds, garlic or spring onions. And the local fermented mushrooms are something not made elsewhere in Estonia.

Estonian cuisine is also enriched by the dishes from the Viljandi region in the heartland and their inhabitants the mulks. Barley groats and meat is stewed and combined with potato in the nourishing Mulk Porridge (mulgi puder) and if you replace potato with sauerkraut, you have Mulk sauerkraut (mulgi kapsas). This part of Estonia is also the home of kama,

Estonia’s colourful competition tray in the final of Bocuse d’Or 2013.

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Complete the intriguing Estonian culture crossword! E like Estonia is already there. What about the others? All answers can be found from this booklet. a

A very famous Estonian model

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Estonian giant and national hero

b

Tallinn Old Town is part of the ... World Heritage List

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Common false belief about Estonians – Estonians are...

One of the largest amateur choral events in the world, a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

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High spirited girl-dog from Estonian full-length cartoons

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Author of „The Czar’s Madman”

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Very old university city in Estonia

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A type of bread Estonians use to make sandwiches

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Non-violent path Estonia took to free itself from Soviet occupation

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Crazy Estonian band, was part of Rick Owens’ fashion show

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Setomaa polyphonic singing tradition

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Symbol of Tallinn, guardian of the city

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Sweet and sticky confection that probably was invented in Tallinn

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Beautiful lakeside festival ground in the southern part of Estonia

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Andrei Tarkovsky´s movie filmed in Estonia

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Estonian composer of classical and sacred music

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Program that is connecting people all over the world, made by Estonians

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Estonian president who is known as quite a melomaniac

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Summertime is when outdoor cafes truly blossom: just choose a nice view, sit down and enjoy!

Practical hints Medieval food can be enjoyed in an authentic interior at Olde Hansa restaurant in Tallinn and Schenkenberg tavern in Rakvere’s citadel.

Modern Tallinn’s most sophisticated and cutting-edge restaurants and cafes are in the Old Town (Leib Resto and Aed, Ribe, Tchaikovsky, Chedi), near the port (Neh), the edge of Rotermann Quarter (Ö and Sfäär) and the Telliskivi and Kalamaja area (Kukeke, Kolm Sibulat, Moon, Elutuba, Klaus, Pudel).

Pure local and organic food are served by Põhjaka manor restaurant near Paide, OKO in Kaberneeme, Mahedik in Pärnu, Fellin in Viljandi, Alexander in Pädaste manor in Muhu, Aed restaurant and NOP cafe in Tallinn.

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Estonian specialities can be enjoyed in various places in Estonia – Lümanda Söögimaja on Saaremaa Island, Palmse and Altja tavern in Lahemaa National Park, Estonian Open Air Museum’s Kolu tavern in Tallinn.

The home restaurants are e.g. MerMer on the north coast, Ööbiku Gastronomy Farm in central Estonia and Tammuri farm in southern Estonia.

Combine dinner with astonishing views. Seek out Tallinn’s high-rise restaurants – at the top of the TV Tower (Estonia’s tallest building), Horisont at Swissôtel, Lounge 24 at Radisson Blue, Komeet in the Solaris mall, and Number 9 in the EU House.

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a) Carmen Kass b) Unesco c) Slow d) Lotte e) Tartu f) Singing Revolution g) Leelo h) Marzipan i) Stalker j) Skype k) Kalevipoeg l) Song Festival m) Jaan Kross n) Rye bread o) Winny Puhh p) Old Thomas r) Leigo s) Arvo Pärt t) Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Food

L And no doubt Tallinn and Lübeck will continue to debate which is the true hometown of marzipan.

Both are old Hanseatic League cities. The best way to sample the arguments in favour of an Estonian origin is to visit the Kalev Marzipan Museum on Pikk Street.

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Enterprise Estonia, Estonian Tourist Board© 2013 Text by Andres Lõo

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