ESTONIA

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The Republic of Estonia, its official name, is divided into 15 counties, two of which are islands. It borders the Gulf of Finland to the north; Russia to the east, with Lake Peipus – the fourth largest lake in Europe – and the Narva River forming most of the border; Latvia to the south; and the Baltic Sea to the west. The capital is Tallinn.

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Estonia's territory, with 50% covered by forests, includes a small portion of land on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland and the country has 2,222 islands, over 1,500 of which are in the Baltic Sea. Saaremaa is the largest and one of the 15 counties, known for its Kuressaare Castle, one of its attractions. Unlike most European countries, Estonia is flat; its highest elevation is Suur Munamagi, at just 318 meters. A peculiarity is that winters are long, dark, and cold, with a maximum of six hours of daylight per day.

Throughout its history, Estonia has been occupied by various empires such as Denmark and Sweden, and countries like Poland or the Soviet Union. It gained its first independence in 1918, but the nascent republic was constantly harassed by the Russian Bolsheviks. During World War II, Estonia allied with Nazi Germany to fight against Soviet pressure. Finally, it fell under Soviet influence after the defeat of the Nazis. In February 1990, it declared independence, not without opposition from Moscow. It was not until September 1991 that this independence was accepted by the Soviet Union and ratified by the world. Estonia has been a member of the European Union since 2004 and adopted the euro as its currency in 2011.

The official language is Estonian, although a large part of the population speaks Russian because until 1989 it was the mandatory language. There is no dominant religion in Estonia; in fact, it is one of the least religious countries in the world, as only one-fifth of the population declares belief in any creed.

Another peculiarity of Estonia is that it is considered the most entrepreneurial country in Europe and is also one of the countries with the highest number of startups (organizations developing innovative products or services) per capita in Europe. Technology companies such as Skype, TransferWise, GrabCAD, and Starship Technologies originated here in Estonia. It was also the first country in the world to adopt electronic voting in 2005, and the first where you can vote from a mobile phone.

WHAT TO DO IN ESTONIA?

Being one of the most dynamic countries in the Baltic region, Estonia has many attractions for all tastes. Let's start with TALLINN, the capital, which was the first city in the world to provide free public transport to all its residents. It is a vibrant city that harmoniously combines medieval features with modernity in its old town, where museums, shops, cafes, bars, restaurants, and a relaxed atmosphere are concentrated. From the 13th century, one must visit the Church of St. Nicholas and appreciate ecclesiastical art, the Gothic town hall with its 64-meter high tower offering unbeatable panoramas, and from the 15th century, the Kiek in de Kök tower.

Located southwest on the Baltic Sea coast, PÄRNU is a city with medieval features, but also the "summer capital" of the country. It is very popular for its beaches, luxury hotels, water parks, and spas, in addition to water sports in both the Pärnu River delta and the open sea.

TARTU, to the southeast, is a must-visit for many reasons. It is a university city settled on the Emajõgi River and the second largest in Estonia, as well as the oldest university in the Baltic states. The large student population and the wealth of its museums ensure that there are always cultural events, giving it a bohemian and intellectual character.

To the northeast, on the border with Russia, we go to NARVA where there is a 13th-century castle from which you can see the Russian side with the Ivangorod fortress. In Narva, we can combine culture with nature. There are hiking routes in the Narva-Jõesuu coastal complex, where the beach is combined with the pine forest, as well as hiking and even climbing in the Sinimäe hills. A curiosity of Narva, whose winters are extremely cold with very short days, is that despite the weather, there are outdoor festivals and shows all year round.

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Estonia is one of the highest consumers of culture per capita in the world. The 1.3 million inhabitants make 3.4 million visits to museums, 3.5 million to the cinema, 2 million to concerts, and 1.2 million to the theater each year.

A very local tradition that takes place every five years is "Naiskoorid laulupidu," a singing festival that brings together more than one hundred thousand people and at some point forms a gigantic choir

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