Estonia Hotels

Tallinn
Little known gems are often the most precious and alluring. Estonia's ancient seacoast capital is just that kind of jewel. Tallinn, which at one time or another has fallen under Danish, German, Swedish or Czarist Russian rule, has retained more remnants of its past and in a more complete state than most other cities in Europe. The old city's inclusion on UNESCO's prestigious World Heritage List was dramatic acknowledgment of that.

You can see, feel and touch history everywhere in this overwhelmingly romantic city: it's in candlelight casting shadows on a cavernous stone wall in an old town merchant house, it's in the tree-lined parks that were once the strolling grounds for the aristocracy, and in a Baltic Sea breeze slapping waves at your feet along a shorefront promenade. This is also a city that has won worldwide acclaim for its forward-thinking, state-of-the-art services. Amid all the advances, this inspiring city also hasn't become overly developed or refined: there's a touching genuineness to Tallinn.

Tartu (South Estonia)
Southern Estonia is home to Estonia's second city, Tartu. Tartuans, who host the country's main liberal arts university, have the reputation of being more contemplative, more prone to sitting back over a cup of tea or a glass of beer and philosophizing with a visitor. Tartu has impressive old quarter, featuring the red-bricked St. John's Church, the oldest church in Estonia, fortification walls built by invading Russians and Swedes, and many other sights.

Tartu is a good launching point for exploring the whole of southern Estonia. Any tour should also include the areas in and around Põlva and Võru, home of the Estonian Setus. These ancient peoples have retained their unique language and culture throughout the ages. They're famed for their colorful folk dress and also for their haunting, chanting runic-style of singing. The close-knit Setu villages, with their wooden huts and small, neatly kept farmyards, can feel like a wondrous step back in time.