A journey through Estonia

Juniper and Light

Four regions. Ten nights. The long light of the north.

10Nights on this route
4Regions
Jun to AugBest months
1Party. Yours alone.

A signature route. Your dates, length and pace are yours.

The route

A loop through the north, the bogs and the islands.

Estonia is small. The drives are short, so each region gets nights of its own.

The route through EstoniaFrom Tallinn east to Lahemaa National Park, south to the bogs of Soomaa, west by ferry to the islands of Muhu and Saaremaa, and back to Tallinn.Gulf of FinlandLatviaRussiaTallinnLahemaaSoomaaMuhuSaaremaa
RoadFerryWhere you stayVisited The ferry runs from Virtsu to Muhu. Routes are simplified and positions approximate.
01 Tallinn · 3 nights

A medieval town, still lived in.

The Old Town early, before the cruise ships come in. Wooden houses in Kalamaja. Kadriorg Palace and its park.

Dinners in a young and serious food scene, chosen for you.

The airport is about fifteen minutes from the Old Town.

02 Lahemaa · 2 nights

Manor houses and boulder fields.

Estonia’s first national park. Restored manors at Palmse and Sagadi, fishing villages, and the boardwalk across Viru bog.

A night in a manor, with the park and the sea close by.

From Tallinn, about an hour by road.

A wooden boardwalk crossing a raised bog, with dark pools and small pines under a blue sky
route-2.jpg 1600 × 1200px · landscape 4:3
03 Soomaa · 2 nights

The bog at first light.

A national park of bogs, rivers and forest. Bog shoes at sunrise, and a canoe on a slow river. A traditional dugout, if you would like one.

Making and paddling these canoes is a tradition recognised by UNESCO.

From Lahemaa, about three hours by road.

A red canoe on a still, misty river, with autumn trees reflected in the water
route-3.jpg 1600 × 1200px · landscape 4:3
04 Muhu and Saaremaa · 3 nights

Islands of juniper and windmills.

Thatched farmhouses and juniper on Muhu. Windmills at Angla, the Kaali meteorite crater and Kuressaare Castle on Saaremaa.

Bicycles, empty roads and long evenings by the sea.

About half an hour by ferry from Virtsu. Tallinn is about three hours back.

A castle tower with a conical red roof above a stone rampart, and a wooden bridge over the moat
route-4.jpg 1600 × 1200px · landscape 4:3
A day on the route

A day in Soomaa.

A day from the middle of the journey, to show its pace.

Illustrative. Your days are designed around you.
  1. 05:30

    The bog at sunrise

    Bog shoes, a guide, and mist lifting off the pools.

  2. 08:00

    Breakfast at the farm

    Rye bread, smoked fish, eggs, and berries from the forest.

  3. 10:30

    By dugout canoe

    A traditional dugout on a slow river, the way people here have moved for centuries.

  4. 13:00

    Lunch by the water

    Soup over a fire on the riverbank.

  5. 15:00

    The afternoon off

    A hammock, a book, or a walk in the forest.

  6. 18:00

    Sauna

    Wood-fired, by the river. Then the river.

  7. 21:00

    Dinner in the long light

    Late, slow, and still light outside.

Who is travelling

The same route, shaped around who is coming.

Here is what usually changes.

As a couple

Slower, quieter, more time alone.

  • A manor house room with the park to yourselves.
  • The bog at sunrise, just the two of you and a guide.
  • A wood-fired sauna by the river, then dinner in the long light.
  • A thatched farmhouse on Muhu with no neighbours in sight.

With friends

Room to be together, and room to split up.

  • A whole farmhouse or manor wing for the group.
  • Canoes on the river, and a sauna evening together.
  • A food night in Tallinn, kitchen to kitchen.
  • Bicycles on the islands, at everyone’s own speed.

With family

Short drives, open space, and things children remember.

  • Short drives, with plenty of stops on the way.
  • Boardwalks and bog shoes, which children love.
  • Windmills and the meteorite crater on Saaremaa.
  • Rooms together, and early dinners.

On your own

Your own pace, and company when you want it.

  • Tallinn on foot with a guide who grew up there, then the evening to yourself.
  • A canoe on the Soomaa rivers with a guide, at your own pace.
  • A wood-fired sauna with a host who shows you how it is done.
  • Bicycles on the islands, and dinner in a farmhouse kitchen.
What we look after

Ferries, manors and every long evening, looked after.

01

Stays

Four and five star hotels and boutique stays, each one we would choose ourselves.

02

Guides

Local guides for the Old Town, the bogs and the islands.

03

Transfers

A private car and driver, and the ferry booked ahead.

04

Timing

We set the hour for every site, so the crowds mostly pass you by.

05

Someone to call

A named contact in Estonia and one at Truvela, throughout your journey.

06

Changes

If the weather turns or your mood does, we change the day with you.

Begin

Built once, around you.

Tell us when you would like to go and who is coming. We take it from there. Your proposal is free, with no obligation.

Or write to hello@truvelatravel.com