Estonia Overview

Estonia is the most northerly of the three former Baltic States and borders Russia, Latvia and the Baltic Sea. The country is one of extraordinary natural beauty with numerous lakes and forests, beautiful islands and a stunning limestone coastline. 

The country’s history since the 13^th century has been of a constant battle to win and maintain independence and to create a strong national identity. With the independence of 1991, Estonia is finally entering a period of stable self-rule.

Tallinn is the entry point to the country for most tourists and is a very popular city for short breaks. As the oldest capital in northern Europe, there are many historical buildings and monuments to see in the old town, with the medieval town hall (dating back to the 14^th century) the main focal point. The city is dotted with old churches, among many other remarkable buildings. Today Tallinn is also a vibrant city with many bars, cafés and restaurants as well as some lively nightlife. 

There is plenty to see and do outside the capital and the country is so small that everywhere can be reached in less than five hours by road. Estonia is sparsely populated compared to other European countries and there is a great diversity in terms of the landscape here.

The south of the country is characterised by lakes and hills, dotted with many interesting small towns and villages. The university town of Tartu is the biggest in this region and has a pleasant atmosphere among its many old buildings. 

The beautiful islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa shouldn’t be missed off any tourist schedules and offer some of the best natural beauty anywhere in the country. There is some great hiking all over the country, with many good hiking trails within a short drive from the capital.

Estonia has a temperate climate, with warm pleasant summers and cold winters. Summers see humid days and windy nights. The hottest month is July, with an average temperature of 20°C and highs reaching over 30°C. July is also the most popular month with the tourists. The cities can be fairly busy and hotels booked up.

Winter weather in Estonia can be quite severe and visitors will need to come well prepared. Temperatures can reach as low as -20°C in the depths of winter and in February, the coldest month of the year, the temperature will rarely be above zero.

Studies have indicated that human settlement in Estonia began around 11,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. Radiocarbon dating on finds at Pulli, in southern Estonia suggests that the area was settled in the 9^th century BC. Archaeological research has dated settlements in the northern areas to around the 6^th century BC and this is consistent with finds in southern Finland.

Estonia was invaded as part of the Northern Crusades in the early 13^th century and this began many centuries of invasions. The Danes tried to take a hold of Northern Estonia and held it until 1346. By the late 13^th century, Tallinn was part of the Hanseatic League and wealthy German merchant families were in control of all trade activities. 

Despite several attempts from the people of northern Estonia to rebel against their German rulers and the unsuccessful invasions from Russian armies in the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Estonia remained under German rule until the late 16^th century. By late 1625 Estonia was entirely under Swedish rule and this lasted until 1710, when Sweden lost the country to Russia. 

Modern Estonian history has followed a similar path. In 1918, following the October Revolution, Estonia declared its independence from Russia. This victory was however short-lived as after a period of economic instability, Estonia was invaded and occupied by Russian forces in June 1940. Thousands of Estonian men were forced to enlist in the Red Army and many of the country’s greatest minds were killed during a period of great unrest. 

By 1942, the Nazis had successfully forced the Soviets out and Estonia was ruled by the Third Reich until 1944 when the Russians re-conquered. Estonia was integrated into the Soviet Union and became heavily militarised, mainly due to its proximity to non-communist countries such as Sweden and Finland. Estonia remained part of the USSR until it peacefully declared its independence in 1991. 

Since 1991, Estonia has looked to pursue co-operative policies with Western Europe and had has improved transport links, resulting in the beginnings of a strong tourist industry. This culminated in Estonia signing the EU Accession treaty in 2003 and formally becoming part of the European Union on 1^st May 2004.