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A small and heavily forested country, Estonia is the
most northerly of the three former Soviet Baltic republics.
Not much more than a decade after it regained its independence
following the collapse of the USSR, the republic was welcomed
as an EU member in May 2004. The move came just weeks
after it joined Nato. People from larger countries may
find it odd that there are in fact no distant places in
Estonia – one can travel from one end of the country
to another in just four or five hours without having to
rush.
And yet Estonia is larger on the inside than on the outside,
the “secret” well known and shared by the
locals. It is quite unusual to find such a variety in
landscapes, flora, seasons, weather and moods within only
a couple of dozens of kilometres. At the same time the
traveller in Estonia has plenty of space: on the territory
with a size comparable to that of Denmark or Holland there
are four and twelve times less inhabitants here, respectively.
Everything that you see while travelling around in Estonia
is inseparable from our history. Estonians belong to the
oldest peoples in Europe and were already living on the
coasts of the Baltic Sea at the time when the first pyramids
were erected in Egypt. Since the 13th century we have
been invaded and ruled by Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles
and Russians, but each one of them have left behind also
something good. The Republic of Estonia was declared on
24 February, 1918, and for a couple of decades the people
felt pride in their home country, work, children and achievements.
The vile and destructive occupation by the Soviet Union
which lasted half a century interrupted the natural development
of many spheres of life in Estonia, which until then had
been keeping up well with its northern neighbour Finland.
In 1991 Estonians regained their independence in the course
of the “Singing Revolution” and returned to
their rightful place in Europe and the world.
Most tourists who visit Estonia arrive first in Tallinn.
Since this medieval Hanseatic town, the capital and the
business and cultural centre of Estonia deserves a guidebook
of its own (of which there are plenty available), we will
cover only the most important facts about Tallinn in this
publication. First and foremost we will focus on interesting
places, activities, food and culture in other parts of
Estonia.
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Would
you like to spend some time at the seaside in the midst
of a juniper grove, to go boating or fishing in the sea,
to go cycling or walk with binoculars on Käina Bay
nature trail, to smoke fish yourself, sit at the campfire
in the evening, taste Hiiumaa food and drink?
Come,
make yourself as at home in a comfortable room or a family
cottage.
Between
Käina Bay and Jausa Bay on the road to Kassari, Puulaid
Camping and holiday resort lies nestled among the junipers.
Information: 372 46 361 26; 372 5088 610
puulaiu.matkamaja@neti.ee
Address: Puulaid, Käina vald, 92101 Hiiumaa, ESTONIA
Welcome
to Konse Guesthouse
&
Caravan Camping
Konse
Holiday Camping was opened in 2002. It is a family-owned
business offering its guests good service, privacy and security.
We are situated in the centre of Pärnu, on the bank
of the River Pärnu. It is at a 10-15 minutes walk to
the seaside, beach or cultural and entertainment sites.
Suur-Jõe 44a, Pärnu 80021 Eesti
Telefon: +372 53435092
Faks: +372 4475561
E-mail: info@konse.ee
Entry regulations for cars in Estonia
are the same as those imposed in most other European countries.
If you intend to drive to Estonia from other parts of Europe,
you must be in possession of the following:
- A valid passport
- A national driver's license
- An international driving permit
- Vehicle registration documents
- Green Card insurance cover
- Written permission from the vehicle's owner (if the vehicle
is borrowed)
- A national identity sticker affixed to the rear of the
vehicle
- A first aid kit
- Two red warning triangles in case of breakdown
- Replacement bulbs for all lights
Anyone who intends to drive in Estonia should
also be aware of the following rules and regulations:
- In built-up areas 50km/h max.
- On main roads or highways 90km/h max; some 100km/h max.
- Valid Green Card insurance is required
- Drive with lights on 24 hours a day
- In Tallinn, Pärnu,
Tartu, Kuressaare, and Vilijandi drivers must pay for parking
in central parts of the town, following the traffic signs
- Driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited.
In case of accident, call the police rescue number, 110,
or the general emergency number, 112.
North Estonia – this is a mixture of colourful history
and the dynamic present time, contrasts in lifestyles and
nature, a journey from trendy Tallinn to the quiet of bogs
and romantic fishing villages, an ascent from the primeval
forest to the height of a limestone cliff and a view over
the sea. South Estonia is unique and mysterious: the rich
nature, lakes and hills of the heartland nourish the character
of the hard-working country people, the nostalgic atmosphere
of small towns and the academic-bohemian ambience of the university
town Tartu. West Estonia is characterised by vast expanses
of land, peace of mind and fresh sea air, bays abounding in
birds, juniper fields, pine trees and people toughened by
the sea breeze on the coast.
After having taken the chance to travel in the world after
the regaining of independence, more and more Estonians spend
their summer holidays at home. What could serve as a better
recommendation to a visitor? We wish that you will enjoy
yourselves here are and leave Estonia richer – with
new impressions and knowledge, and a warm feeling your hearts.
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Before
you go get covered for all events
These historic developments would have been extremely hard
to imagine in not-so-distant Soviet times.
Tallinn: The Capital's long history is evident in its old town
Timeline
Estonia was part of the Russian empire until 1918 when it proclaimed
its independence. Russia recognised it as an independent state
under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu.
During the two decades that followed it tried to assert its
identity as a nation squeezed between the rise of Nazism in
Germany and the dominion of Stalin in the USSR.
After a pact between Hitler and Stalin, Soviet troops arrived
in 1940 and Estonia was absorbed into the Soviet Union. Nazi
forces pushed the Soviets out in 1941 but the Red Army returned
in 1944 and remained for half a century.
The rapidly expanding Soviet planned economy brought hundreds
of thousands of Soviet immigrants to Estonia, causing widespread
fear among Estonians that their national identity would eventually
vanish.
Russians account for up to a third of the population.
The legacy of the Soviet years has left a mark which the country
carries with it into its EU era: Many Russian-speakers complain
of discrimination, saying strict language laws make it hard
to get jobs or citizenship without proficiency in Estonian.
Some Russian-speakers who were born in Estonia are either unable
or unwilling to become citizens because of the language requirements.
After a decade of negotiations, Estonia and Russia signed a
treaty defining the border between the two countries in May
2005. The Estonian parliament ratified it soon afterwards but
only after it had introduced reference to Soviet occupation.
Moscow reacted by pulling out of the treaty and saying talks
would have to start afresh.
The Estonian language is closely related to Finnish but not
to the languages of either of the other Baltic republics, Latvia
and Lithuania, or to Russian. The country has unique traditions
in folk song and verse, traditions which have had to be strong
to survive the many centuries of domination by foreign countries.
Estonia has enjoyed strong economic growth since joining the
EU.
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