Built in 1753, this fine building has a Rococo-style central façade flanked by two slightly later neo-Classical wings. Renovated and refurbished, Sagadi now hosts regular concerts.

Although not perhaps the most imposing country house in the region, Vihula’s verdant setting by a lake and river (the Mustoja) certainly makes it the most romantic. In the neo-Renaissance style, it was built in the 19C, replacing an earlier wooden ho..

Despite a tumultuous history which has seen the local population experience highs and lows, the castle of Rakvere retains a proud allure, all the more so if the corrugated iron structures can be imagined away. These house various activities for young..

The museum is well worth visiting, especially on account of its displays dedicated to the city’s history from the 16C Livonian War to the Red Army bombardment of 1944. Objects, models and furniture are displayed over several floors of the castle keep..

A section of the now disused Kohtla mine’s tunnel system has been transformed into a museum. Groups guided by former miners tour the galleries to get a feel for life underground. The numerous slag heaps around the town bear witness to the importance ..

Dominating the village, this convent is a bastion of Orthodox Christianity and its community still numbers over 100 nuns. It was built in the late 19C by Mikhaïl Preobajenski , who also constructed Tallinn’s Orthodox cathedral. Of the six churches o..

Tucked away behind a petrol station, this pleasant 18C residence houses a well-presented museum dedicated to the city’s history. The highlight of the exhibits is a 3D visual recreation of the medieval town.

Dominating the town, Cathedral Hill is a haven of peace. Bearing witness to the ravages of history, the fine brick ruins of the cathedral stand in the middle of a park, the ideal spot for a romantic stroll. A restored section of the building now hous..

This grey building evokes some dark chapters in history. Victims of the repression orchestrated by the KGB – and the Nazis – were held here in these cells (unchanged from those black days), prior to deportation or execution. The grim reality presente..

This museum has a remarkable exhibition on regional history and archaeology on its second floor. Historic costume, reconstructions of interiors (peasant dwelling, manor house, etc), prints and old photos of Võru, and other evocative exhibits recallin..

Pärnu’s historic heritage in the form of old houses and churches is concentrated in the old town. Once finished on the beach, tourists tend to head for the cafés lining its little streets, making this a lively place. The main street, Rüütli, is pedes..

Muhu is reached by ferry across the Great Straits from the port of Virtsu (30min). A good prelude to visiting its big sister Saaremaa, Muhu has fine sandy beaches and characterful villages ( Koguva and Livia with the amazing church of St Catherine ..

Extending southwest of Kuressaare, this long peninsula (32km long and 10km wide) is fringed by low cliffs. Beyond Salme, the road follows the west coast as far as the Sääre lighthouse, in a wild location overlooking the southern tip of the island. He..

Composed of a variety of 19C buildings, this open-air museum takes visitors back in time to experience peasant life during that period. Sights include the farmhouse, outbuildings, a workshop where wheels for agricultural machinery were made, a forge,..

Around the bishops’ castle lies the old town of Haapsalu, a network of charming little streets lined by wooden houses set in pleasant gardens. Stroll on the banks of the town’s own lake, Väike viik , from where a pedestrian path leads on to the Kur..

The walls still standing of the bishops’ castle, the residence of the bishops of Ösel-Wiek from 1260, give an impression of the scale of this place when construction was finished in the 15C. Behind them stands the Cistercian-influenced cathedral of ..

Two hours by boat from Haapsalu, Hiiumaa is Estonia’s second largest island. Taking the road round the island anti-clockwise, visitors will first reach the village of Lõpe (farm museum), before reaching Kärdla, the main town. Hiiumaa has two peninsul..

Built in the 14C, this Gothic, brick church was very damaged in 1944, but has retained a number of the 2 000 terracotta figurines for which it is famous. These sculptures are thought to have been based on Tartu's citizens. The original sculptures are..

The seat of the university is a neo-Classical building with colonnades and a pediment dating from 1809, and houses a sculpture museum (copies of antique arts). But don't miss the Aula : the large, sumptuously decorated assembly hall. In the attic, a..

All the flora and fauna exhibits one might expect in a natural history museum are present here, with reconstructions of wildlife scenes depicting animals in their natural environments. One section in particular is dedicated to the fauna of the Baltic..