Sightseeing & Attractions

Koidulamuseum

Dedicated to the life of the matriarch of Estonian poetry,thisbranchofthePärnuMuseumishoused the 1850s-era parish school where Koidula grew up and does a great job of preserving the feel of the era. Displays also pay tribute to her father, J. V. Jannsen, an equally important figure in the rise of Estonian national awareness. He founded the first Estonian newspaper, Perno Postimees, and edited it from here. In the backyard of the museum is an open-air pavilion with the atmosphere of Pärnu’s first song festivals, and art and history exhibitions are held in the galleries of the beloved concert venue throughout the year. The younger members of the family will be taken on a discovery tour of the garden by 10-year-old Lydia - Lolla. QJannseni 37, tel. +372 443 33 13, www.parnumuuseum.ee/koidulamuuseum

Admission €6, reduced €3, family ticket €12. A combined ticket (Pärnu Museum, Red Tower, Koidula Museum) is €16 reduced €10, family €32.

Red Tower And The Panoramic Cinema

The oldest building in Pärnu (dating to the 15th century), this plump, round structure once stood guard on the edge of town. It is now smack in the centre and, as you can see, white. It stands adjacent to the only remaining bit of the Old Town wall. The tower houses a museum where you can get acquainted with the architecture of this ancient tower and the medieval town of New-Pärnu. In the Red Tower’s panorama cinema you can watch the animated film ‘Merciless and Merciful History. In the Red Tower through 15,000 years’, which introduces Pärnu’s history, allowing youto experienceaseriesofsymbolicandexciting historical events and see how the surroundings of the city have changed and developed since the Ice Age. In summer 2022 (June 16 - August) the tower also acts as a pop-up tourism information centre. QC-3, Hommiku 11, tel. +372 443 34 88, www.parnumuuseum.ee/tower. Admission €6, reduced €3, family €12. A combined ticket (Pärnu Museum, Red Tower, Koidula Museum) is €16 reduced €10, family €32.

P Rnumuseum

A must for history buffs, this modern museum presents 11,000 years of Pärnu history on two floors, with additional space for temporary exhibitions. The main exhibit shows local developments from Neolithic times right up to the late 1980s, and includes a mini-cinema showing archival films. The institution’s pride and joy is the so-called ‘Stone Age Madonna’. At around 8,000 years old, it is the oldest known human-shaped sculpture in the Baltic Sea area. Other star attractions include a fragment of a 14th-century merchant ship and a glass floor that lets you look down onto archaeological remnants of one of the town’s historic gates. This summer’s major exhibition is “FOR SALE/ NOT FOR SALE” (June 20 - September 30, 2022), introducing visitors to the history of jewellery making and wearing from ancient times to the present day. The focus is on the adornments made of coins thatarecharacteristictoPärnuCountyandunique elsewhere in the world. Q Aida 3, tel. +372 443 32 31, www.parnumuuseum.ee. Admission €10, reduced €5, family €20. A combined ticket (Pärnu Museum, Red Tower, Koidula Museum) is €16 reduced €10, family €32.

Although the ‘Official Summer Capital’ of Estonia is the perfect place to simply do nothing at all, lounging in the sun, people watching, enjoying some good food and drink - there are plenty of things to do and experience in Pärnu.

Spas

The city has had a long history of being a spa destination, even as far back as the late 1800’sand today it remains one of the most spa-centric locations in Estonia. And there are spas for every occasion.

A smaller spa with a good variety of saunas suitable for both couples and families is Viiking Saaga. For an extra romantic experience, Hedon Spa certainly tickles one’s fancy and the sparkling Wasa Resort also creates the perfect mood for ‘two’. If you’ve got something more therapeutic in mind, the long list of treatments at Estonia Medical Spa is just what the doctor ordered. If the kids happentobetaggingalong,themostfun-filledspa canbefoundatTerviseParadiis.Thesearejustafew of the many spa offerings in Pärnu, we’re sure you’ll find one or more that suits your needs.

VIIKING SAAGA

Calmer and cosier than the Tervise Paradiis, this high-quality offering from the Viiking Spa Hotel is more about grown-up relaxation than frenetic play. That said, kids will certainly feel welcome, especially given the theatrical design that makes the whole place seem like Vikings carved it out of a Norwegian fjord. You can sit under waterfalls and make your way down the ‘river’ in the main pool, or lounge in a hot tub with a drink from the bar. But the most fun we had was finding (and trying) the many exotic saunas and massage showers hidden around the pool area. Don’t miss the ‘igloo’sauna on the roof. A 3-hour visit costs €1018.QSadama 15 (entrance from Ringi), tel. +372 449 05 14, www.viiking.ee/en/parnu-spa-viikingsaaga. Open 12:00-22:00; Sun, Sat 10:00-22:00.

Porsche Ring

Porsche Ring is the ultimate driving experience for any car lover. It’s the only permanent racing circuit in Estonia for cars and motorcycles, and the only track that has a FIA Grade 4 license in the Baltics. The complex includes a rallycross track, off-road track, and more. You can rent all sorts of cars to drive, try a Formula 1 driving experience or bring your own car to the track. If you’re more of a spectator, be sure to check their website for upcoming international events.QPapsaare village, Pärnu, tel. +372 58 66 66 36, www.porschering.ee. Open 10:00-20:00; Sun 10:00-18:00; closed Mon, Tue.

Open from May through September.

Fun On Wheels

Want to speed things up? In Pärnu, there are plenty of bicycle rentals and the electric scooters are widely popular as well. Bicycles and scooters not fast enough for you? You may want to check out the fast and furious go-karting track at City Kart

If that still isn’t fast enough for you there’s an actual race track at Porche Ring where you can get yourself strapped into a race car and get some serious speed on. Needless to say, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Cruises On The Water

Pärnu is on the Baltic Sea afterall, naturally it plays an important role for both visitors and tourists alike and naturally no trip to the seaside would be complete without some boating fun. Pärnu YachtClub offers info on boat and yacht rentals, various sailing lessons, boat tours and pretty much any other nautical delight you can dream of - except for submarine rides.

Sinised Lained (Blue Waves) offers some great cruises on Pärnu Bay as well as yacht rentals with or without a hired captain (naturally only if you have a boating licence).

Likewise, a lovely river winds its way through Pärnu to the sea, and PärnuCruises offers some great river tours which allows for a slower-paced and relaxing sightseeing experience, from an entirely different perspective. For those that truly yearn for a seachange, they also offer cruises on Pärnu Bay, including the popular 2-hour sunset cruise.

Surf Centres

One of Pärnu’s biggest attractions is the long, natural sand beach and offers up numerous eateries, bars and even two surf centres. And while Estonia may not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking of surfing, you’ll be able to enjoy kite surfing, paddle boarding and the like here. The Pärnu Surf Centre both rents out equipment and offers lessons - no matter the weather. Likewise, the Aloha surf centre also has a lot of various equipment such as kayaks and skimboards, as well as lessons for those who happen to be‘surf curious’.

P Rnucruises

Sit back and relax on a day or evening sunset cruise on one of the three ships operated by Pärnu Cruises, departing from Lai 2, next to the bridge in the town centre. Enjoy a 1-hour cruise to Reiu Bridge and back on MS Pärnu or hop on board MS Katamaraan that takes you to a cruise on Pärnu Bay. In the evenings, watch the sunset during the 2-hour sunset cruise. Admission €12, kids €7, family (2 adults + 2 kids) €28. Both ships have a small café onboard offering snacks and drinks. Check the website for departure schedules. Starting from June 2022, a third ships will take passengers to the Fishing Village on Sauga river where you can hop off to spend more time there - eat and partake in the locally offered activities, and take a later cruise back to the centre. Q Lai 2, tel. +372 56 37 31 53/+372 53 58 33 01, www. parnucruises.ee.

Keep The Balls Rolling

For those fascinated by round and rolling objects, the bowling and ‘GlowGolf’ minigolf at Pärnu’s newest entertainment venue OKOK may just be a perfect choice for your whole gang, both for the young and the more experienced of ballers. Specifically for the most experienced - have a world-class day out at the links at the Pärnu Bay Golf Links, or, if racket sports are more your thing, head over to whack some balls at the Pärnu Kalev Tennis club.

OKOK. ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

Pärnu’s newest entertainment venue will raise the bar in terms of fun and giggles for both young and the young-at-heart - and the experience is certainly more than OK. You can test your skills at a good old-fashioned game of darts or spacious bowling alley, featuring 10 lanes that all can be adjusted with bumper rails for the little ones as well. Or, why not challenge yourself with the modern, interactive and special effects-filled ‘GlowGolf’ minigolf, inspired by the Estonian nature, sightseeing objects and all four seasons - and finally, the futuristic adventures of the VR Room where you can go on a space adventure, one in the rugged outdoors, visit an under-sea world, ski down a snowy mountain slope or take part in a lifelike archery battle (we promise the arrows are virtual as well). The on-site snack and drinks bar offers up some great pub-grub and finger foods for a quick pick-me-up as your action and adventures will certainly leave you hungry and thristy for more.QLai 18, Pärnu, tel. +372 59 06 99 79, www.okok.ee/. Open 12:0023:00; Fri 12:00-00:00; Sat 10:00-00:00; Sun 10:0022:00. Prices starting from: bowling 19€/h, GlowGolf 5€/per person, darts 5€/h,VR set 0.30€/min.

Activities With Small Kids

OUTDOOR PLAYGROUNDS & PARKS

IfyouhappentobeinPärnuwiththewholefamily, and want a chance to enjoy some non-beach related action, there are loads of great activities the kids will also enjoy. For fun that won’t break the bank, playgrounds are always a good bet - one of the largest just so happens to be at the beach and can be found off Ranna pst. Others can be discovered at Vallikääru or Munamäe park, the latter also has a skateboarding/scooter ramp for kids that seek that sort of thrill.

And last but not least - just 6 km outside of Pärnu you’ll find Lotte Village theme park, the largest theme park in the Baltics with more than a hundred attractions.

Indoor Playgrounds And Fun

A great spot for those that like to live life in the fast lane, Traffic City offers up loads of electric mini-vehicles and tracks. They don’t really travel at breakneck speeds though, so your kids would come out of the ‘heavy’ traffic here without a scratch.

For a less coordinated and extremely bouncy experience, head to the aptly named trampoline centre UP.

PÄRNU

Traffic City

What can be better than educational fun! Here childrencanplayfullylearnhowtobesafeintraffic.They can have fun and drive in electric cars and ATVs, and follow the same rules that apply in real traffic while doingso–thereareintersections,trafficsigns,traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, a petrol station, etc. QLina 24, tel. +372 527 80 11/+372 56 46 11 00, www.liikluslinnak.ee/. Open 11:00-20:00. The price is €0.25 per one minute of driving.