Estonia
A Medieval Gem
Estonia, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is a country in Northern Europe that borders the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. It is also a modern, organized, digitally developed country in Europe or the World, where everything in Estonia is done online!
A group of Estonians were fundamental in the invention of Skype. Tallinn is sometimes dubbed the Silicon Valley of Europe and has the continent’s highest number of startups per head of population.
The capital, Tallinn, is known for its castles, churches, hilltop fortresses, the preserved Old Town, and the 314m-high Tallinn TV Tower, which has an observation deck. It is a well-preserved medieval city, complete with ancient city walls made from limestone and brightly coloured buildings lining cobbled streets.
Estonia is a bucket-list country to visit and quite a contrast to the rest of Nordic Europe. To reach Tallinn from Helsinki, you can catch a 2-hour ferry ride that departs hourly.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT
May to the end of August, late spring or summer, is the best time to explore Estonia to make the most of the Baltic beaches. It is also the time of year when festivals are held in Estonia. Summers are relatively short (mid-June to late August), and the daytime can be hot and dry, but the nights cool off considerably. Maximum temperatures hover around 20/22 °C (68/72 °F) but occasionally reach above 30°C.
Climate:
The Estonian climate is Baltic, ie slightly continental, with cold winters and mild, moderately rainy summers.
Winter is the coldest period, with temperatures plummeting to minus 15–20°C. But Winter is a magical time of the year, with lakes, rivers and large expanses of the Baltic Sea freezing over and fairytale forests covered in snow. The best thing about Winter in Estonia are the saunas, where you can thaw and purify your skin.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Language:
Estonian is the official language, but English, Russian, and Finnish are widely spoken.
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Banks & ATMs:
Scandinavian banking groups dominate the Estonian banking sector.
ATMs are widely available found in most main Estonian towns.
Plugs and Sockets:
Slovenia uses two plug types, types C and F.
Plug type C has two round pins, and plug type F also has the plug with two round pins but with two earth clips on the side. Slovenia operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Highly recommended to carry a universal adaptor.
Safety:
Estonia is a safe country to travel to. Its crime rates are mostly low, but be aware of pickpockets and mugging. The capital city of Tallinn can get a bit dangerous, like any other major city, so be vigilant.
The most frequently departed flights to Tallinn are routes from Helsinki (HEL) in Finland and Stockholm (Arlanda) (ARN) in Sweden.
If travelling out of London, there are some great airfares with EasyJet UK.
For international airfares search Skyscanner
