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Southern Estonia’s idyllic hilly landscape
Day 2 - Otepää, Võrumaa and Valgamaa Southern Estonia’s idyllic hilly landscape, the area around Haanja, Otepää and Karula, features rounded hills and river valleys in the country’s most extensive upland region, alternating with blue lakes and dotted with castles, manor houses and ancient villages.
Big Egg Hill (Suur Munamägi), rising 318 metres above sea level, is the highest point in the Baltics. On the world scale, it is not very high, but by Estonian standards it’s almost a mountain! The 30-metre high observation tower at the top has an amazing view stretching 50 kilometres in all directions.
The beautiful late 19th century castle of Sangaste is considered one of Estonia’s most elegant manors and is similar in style to Britain’s Windsor Castle. The majestic mansion consists of 1.5 million locally made bricks and now houses a hotel. In the same county is found the mausoleum of military leader Barclay de Tolly, a famous figure from the Napoleonic Wars, which emanates an atmosphere of royalty, and Taagepera castle, Estonia’s most outstanding piece of Art Nouveau architecture Back to South to Karula National Park, Estonia’s smallest national park. It’s a region of fens, lakes, bogs, meadows, flora and fauna, offering a choice of hiking trails. Information can be found at the Ahijärv visitor centre.
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Discover Estonia
Pala
KALLASTE Nina
Alatskivi Alatskivi
Kolkja Kolkja
Pataste Koosa Vara Vedu Vasula
Varnja Tammistu
Vahi
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Kodavere
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GDOV
Kõrveküla
TARTU Luunja
Praaga
Kavastu
Meerapalu
Piirissaar
Piiri Tooni
Melliste
Ülenurme Poka Roiu Võnnu Lääniste Mehikoorma Tatra Vana-Kuuste
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Meeksi Rasina
Ahja VastseKuuste
Maaritsa
Mooste
Leevaku
Valgjärve
Mammaste Krootuse Saverna Tännassilma
PÄÄ
Põlgaste oraste te
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Osula
Nursi
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Niitsiku Leevi Ilumetsa
Tsolgo
Väimela Navi Kääpa
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Lüübnitsa
Mikitamäe
Veriora
Vana-Koiola
Värska
Treski
Orava
Lasva
Kose VÕRU 242 km Tootsi
Otsa
Saatse
Piusa Võmmorski
Obinitsa Loosi Obinitsa PETSERI Kapera Meremäe
~4 hRõuge 30 min Vastseliina
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Peri PÕLVA
Kanepi Parksepa
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Taevaskoja
Vana-Vastseliina
Less than two kilometres from the Latvian border is a farm, formerly owned by members of the renowned freedom fighters known as the ‘Forest Brothers’, a group of Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian guerrillas who waged warfare against Soviet rule during and after World War II. The farm offers a look at how they lived in hidden bunkers and offers the option to spend a night underground
Estonia’s ‘winter capital’ is the small town of Otepää, 44 kilometres south of Tartu, home to the Estonian Winter Olympic gold medallists Kristina Šmigun and Andrus Veerpalu. Winter activities include cross-country skiing on marked trails and in the summer the area is popular for hiking, biking and swimming. For a fun couple of hours the Otepää Adventure Park, located at Tehvandi sports centre has five routes of varying height and difficulty comprising of suspended log walks, rope ladders, tightropes and suspension bridges. A stone’s throw from Otepää is Pühajärv lake, which many consider to be Estonia’s most beautiful, notably for its charming small wooded islands.
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Estonia’s biggest tree, the Tamme-Lauri oak, grows in Urvaste. Estimated to be 680 years old, the giant’s trunk measures about 8.5 metres in circumference. It takes six adults to join hands around the tree.
Day 3 - Setos and Old Believers
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The same county is the site of Estonia’s deepest lake, Rõuge Suurjärv. Small in size, but with a depth of 38 metres.
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The most scenic valley in the Haanja area is Ööbikuorg (‘Nightingale Valley’). In the spring this natural echo chamber comes to life with the incessant calls of nightingales.
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Day 3 - Setos and Old Believers
The World Cup of cross-country skiing near Otepää
Seto women in their traditional clothing
In the south easternmost corner of Estonia, a small fragment of people known as the Setos have clung to their own customs, traditional costumes and language to this day. The Setos are also known for their singing traditions. Their songs, following a thousand year old tradition, are called leelos.
Discover Estonia
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