Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa wins prestigious hospitality award

Congratulations to Vihula Manor for winning "Countryside Luxury Retreat of the Year" at the European Hotel Awards in Vilnius. The award highlights the manor’s exceptional hospitality, outstanding service, authentic character, natural surroundings, and a refined guest experience. With an impressive overall score of 8.9 on Booking.com, this luxurious retreat offers an unforgettable experience for its guests.

 

 

Located just an hour’s drive from Tallinn, in the heart of Lahemaa National Park, Vihula Manor is one of Estonia’s most enchanting heritage properties. The elegant estate, originally built in the 13th century, has previously earned the title of “Best Historic Hotel in Europe 2020” and is the first and largest full-service 4-star Superior manor resort in the Baltic region. 

 

 

You can visit Vihula Manor's website here. 

Estonia is the 3rd most scientifically influential country in the world

For a country that is often celebrated for its digital innovation and quietly radical governance, Estonia has now achieved something even more improbable - global scientific impact. According to a new analysis of global citation data, Estonia’s research is cited 81.7% above the global average, overtaking even its Nordic mentors, Finland and Sweden. For a nation with a population of just 1.3 million people Estonia has become the world’s third most “scientifically wealthy” country, ranked behind only Iceland and Singapore.

 Further reading can be found here.

The most magical Christmas market in Europe

DNA reveals stone age Estonian girl as chewer of 10,500-year-old ‘gum’

A piece of stone age “gum” chewed by a teenage girl 10,500 years ago has been discovered by archaeologists in Estonia. The prehistoric birch tar had impressions of teeth marks and traces of saliva. Genetics experts from the Institute of History and Archaeology at the University of Tartu extracted DNA from the saliva and concluded it was probably chewed by a girl with brown hair and brown eyes.

The institute holds DNA samples from 20 percent of Estonia’s population, providing scientists with a modern genetic comparison to better interpret ancient DNA. Experts now know that ancient Estonians chewed tar – burnt or heated silver-birch bark – for things like relieving toothaches or used as glue. Birch tar is still used as an adhesive in Estonia today for sealing breaks in pots and tools.

Estonian boybuilder Anastassia Toikka crowned Wellness World Champion

Three-time World Champion Anastassia Toikka has won gold at the 2025 IFBB World Fitness Championships in Spain. Toikka, from Tallinn, is a successful Estonian IFBB wellness and bodybuilding athlete and has won multiple world championships. Tokkia won gold in the 'Master Women's Wellness 35-39 Years Open' category, beating fellow Estonian Kaisa Valtri who came in at 10th place.

The International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) was founded in Canada in1946. It has 204 affiliated nations and is one of the largest and most active international sport federations in the world.

Anastassia Toikka is a professional athlete, certified fitness trainer with a medical degree and a mother of two. Congratulations!

"Sisu: Road to Revenge"- The Finnish action film sequel filmed entirely in Estonia

Estonia transforms into a winter wonderland

The first heavy snowfall of the season has arrived, covering Estonia with a beautiful blanket of white. These stunning photographs capture a glimpse of how beautiful the Estonian landscape looks during wintertime.