Estonia - Paradise of the North

Ilus Eesti, beautiful Estonia. My family's homeland. Estonia's countryside and people have an endearing gentleness about them which you fall in love with slowly and imperceptibly. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Estonians' courage and determination to survive despite centuries of repression, tyranny and foreign occupation. This blog aims to promote Estonian news, history and culture and seeks to enlighten readers about everything this unique country has to offer.

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Estonia Ranked the Best Country to Live in 2026

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Estonia has been ranked the world’s best country to live in 2026, according to the latest Rumavi Global Relocation Index. Estonia topped the...
Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Estonia continues to be No. 1 in Europe for education

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According to the OECD’s 2025 PISA results, Estonia ranks the best in Europe and is among the top ten best education systems in the world. On...
Saturday, 5 September 2026

Ülle Madise - The Next President of Estonia

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On Wednesday, 2nd of September 2026, the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) elected Ülle Madise as the next President of Estonia. She ran as an...
Wednesday, 2 September 2026

Estonia's Education System: Why are Estonians so Smart?

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The 1st of September marks the beginning of the new school year in Estonia. This year 14,700 children started first grade in Estonia, receiv...
Monday, 31 August 2026

On this day in history

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After half a century of brutal Soviet occupation, Russian troops finally left Estonia on 31 August 1994. On this day World War II officially...
Sunday, 30 August 2026

Today in history

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90 years ago today, on August 30, 1936, a memorial monument dedicated to writer Anton Hansen Tammsaare was unveiled in front of the Albu Mun...
Saturday, 29 August 2026

Photo flashback: Narva-Jõesuu 1890

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This beautiful colourised photograph of a family in Narva-Jõesuu was taken in1890.
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About Me

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Tania Lestal
I am an Estonian-Australian with a deep love for my ancestral homeland. My family originate from Nõo county near Tartu which is located in Southern Estonia. Many members of my family left Estonia due to the Soviet occupation and have since branched out and resettled across the globe. After WWII my grandparents spent time living in a DP camp in Hamburg before emigrating to Australia. Today we are the only Lestal family in Australia. We have relatives in Germany, England, Canada, Austria and of course Estonia. This blog showcases all the things I love about Estonia and I also promote Estonia as a travel destination through my work as a freelance travel writer. My articles have been published in Explore History Magazine, Wanderlust, Estonian World, Azuria, to name but a few. If you would like to get in touch, please direct any comments, enquiries or suggestions to the following email address: estonia.paradise.of.the.north@gmail.com
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