Jaanipäev party Song

Tomorrow is a very important day on the Estonian calendar. Jaanipäev is Estonia's most celebrated summer holiday, corresponding to Midsummer Day or the Summer Solstice. The holiday is deeply rooted in both ancient pagan traditions and modern national identity. Core traditions include: bonfires, folk music, lots of foods and drink and being close to nature. "Head Jaanipäeva!"

Tallinn to get new T6 tram line

A new T6 tram line in Tallinn will be introduced in August to provide a fast connection between Kopli, the city centre and Suur-Paala. The new line was created in response to strong requests from residents in North Tallinn to accommodate the growing number of commuters to the Ülemiste business district. 

After a three year pause due to construction work, the Tallinn airport tram service will resume in August and will be operated by lines T2 and T4. Tallinn recently updated its public transport system to add a "T" prefix to all tram lines (e.g., T2, T4, T6) to make the public transport network clearer and easier to understand for both residents and visitors.  

What proportion of income do Europeans spend on housing?

European wallets are being squeezed by high housing costs. This map shows how much of disposable income people spend on housing across Europe including rent, mortgage interest, utilities, and other housing-related costs.

The biggest financial pressure is in Greece, where housing costs take about 35.2% of disposable income, the highest in the EU. Denmark and Germany are also near the top, both above 25%. Meanwhile, countries like Malta, Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Portugal, and Italy show lower shares, meaning housing takes a smaller portion of average disposable income. In Estonia the figure is 17.7%.

The EU average is shown at 19.2%, but the map makes one thing clear: the “housing crisis” does not hit every country equally. In some places, housing is uncomfortable. In others, it is becoming one of the biggest financial burdens in daily life.

Vabamu Museum exhibition: "Estonia Worldwide"

“Estonia Worldwide” is a major temporary exhibition at the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn that explores 150 years of the Estonian diaspora. The exhibition highlights the personal stories of Estonians who have lived, worked, and built communities abroad through three distinct migration waves. For Estonians abroad, this exhibition offers recognition that Estonian culture has been kept alive across generations, borders, and oceans.

The exhibition is curated by anthropologists and historians Martin Vaino, Ede Schank Tamkivi, and Terje Toomistu. It uses personal artifacts, photographs, documents, and video testimonies to answer the question: What does it mean to be Estonian when your address is somewhere else? 

The "Estonia Worldwide" exhibition runs until January 2028. More information can be found here.

Virtual tour of the Estonian Open Air Museum

No trip to Tallinn is compete without a visit to the Estonian Open Air Museum. Located 15 minutes from the city centre in Tallinn’s picturesque Rocca al Mare district, the museum showcases 18th - 20th century rural Estonian life. Situated on 72-hectares of land, the museum features nearly 80 authentic historic buildings that have been relocated from all across Estonia. These buildings include 14 farmhouses, a church, schoolhouse, tavern, and windmills. The  Estonian Open Air Museum is an excellent way to explore Estonia’s agricultural history.

This virtual tour video provides an overview of how fascinating this museum truly is. More information can be found here.

'Estonians' poem by Kristina Ruder

 

 Estonians
The windy sky of the fatherland.
A homely, beloved land.
We are the light day and night.
The earth is more beautiful with us.
We live here and there.
Goodness and joy radiate in us.
A voice rings in our souls
The breath of the river of life carries us.
Colours and winds in the soul.
The path of hope in the air.
Good words are carried by the lips,
They live from generation to generation.

'It belongs to everyone': The history of Estonia's first flag (ERR News)

Today we celebrate Estonian Flag Day / Eesti lipu päev. Estonia holds the record for the oldest preserved original national flag in the world. The iconic blue-black-white tricolour flag, affectionately known as 'sinimustvalge' among Estonians, has a fascinating history, deeply intertwined with the country's fight for survival and identity.

Those aware of its history may already know that the Estonian flag was originally a fraternity flag and that the date celebrated as Flag Day (June 4th) marks the anniversary of its consecration as the flag of the Estonian Students' Society (EÜS) in 1884.

In honour of Estonian Flag Day, ERR News has published an article about Estonia's beloved national flag. You can read it here. 

The historic Estonian Students'Society flag on display after being dug out from hiding in 1991. It underwent professional conservation in 1992.

Photo flashback: Café Marcelle / Jegorov House

In the early 1920s, Estonia's first cabaret dancing couple, 'René and Marcelle' (real names Bernhard Leer and Rosalie Leer), raised a large sum of money to open Café Marcelle in the basement of Jegorov House in Tallinn. Café Marcelle opened in 1925 and quickly became one of the city's premiere hotspots. It was celebrated for hosting The Murphy Band, who were known as Estonia's first professional jazz orchestra. 

The Jegorov House building has an interesting history.

  

In 1918, a wealthy Russian textiles merchant by the name of Iwan Jegorovitš (Ivan Jegorov) purchased a massive block of buildings in the heart of Tallinn's Old Town. He transformed the entire block spanning Raekoja plats, Kinga, Pikk, and Mündi streets into a modern, prestigious commercial and residential complex, designed by renowned architect Artur Perna. During this time Raekoja plats 8 became known as Jegorov House. 

 

Café Marcelle was located at Raekoja plats 8 in Jegorov House. 

 

Jegorov was one of the wealthiest Russians in Tallinn during this period. He was well-known not only for building a highly successful business empire in trade and real estate, but also for his charitable contributions. He gave generously to the Orthodox Church in Estonia, and he frequently supported the poor and orphanages. Jegorov's life was cut short when he was arrested by the NKVD during the Soviet occupation in August 1940. He was deported to the Gulag system and died in a Siberian prison camp in 1942.

 

Iwan Jegorovitš (Ivan Jegorov 1875–1942) 

During the Soviet occpuation of  Estonia, Café Marcelle's name, which was considered too Western, was first changed to Laine and subsequently to Vana Toomas. In 2002, the historic restaurant was completely renovated and named Maikrahvi after a medieval legend. Today, the Maikrahvi complex also includes a café overlooking Raekoja plats, which continues to bear the name of Vana Toomas.

Estonian historic figure: Jakob Hurt

Jakob Hurt was a pivotal Estonian folklorist, theologian, linguist, and academic, often called the "King of Estonian Folklore". A leading figure in the Estonian national awakening, Hurt organised a massive nationwide campaign in the 1870s to collect traditional Estonian stories, songs, and cultural oral history. 1400 volunteers took part in the project, visiting almost every home in Estonia and producing over 124,000 written pages. Hurt's quest to preserve Estonia's oral culture was to be published in a six volume collection called 'Monumenta Estoniae Antiquae' however, due to financial difficulties, only two volumes of folk songs were published in 1875-76, entitled 'Vana kannel' (Old Harp).

During the first Estonian Song Festival in Tartu in 1869, Hurt delivered a highly regarded historical speech urging Estonians to remain loyal to their nation, seek unity, and promote education in their mother tongue. Thanks to Jakob Hurt's tireless efforts and dedication he safeguarded Estonia's cultural heritage from assimilation.

 

 Jakob Hurt (1839–1907) 

In honour of Hurt's work in preserving Estonian culture, his image featured on the 10 kroon banknote.

The Most Amazing Places to Visit in Estonia

59% of Estonians keep old mobile phones

According to Eurostat 51% of people living in the European Union keep an old phone at home. Somewhere in a drawer, a bag, or forgotten on a shelf. In Estonia this figure is higher at 59.1%. The tendency to hold onto things is a common trait in Estonia, deeply rooted in the country's history. Rather than hoarding, it stems from a practical, frugal mindset. 

I have to agree with the data. Here are two of my old phones that I keep in a cupboard at home and I'm sure if I look around in my father's desk drawer, I would find an old Nokia there too!

Bank of Estonia to issue new 2 euro Sipsik coin

For 65 years, Estonian children have grown up with Sipsik, the curious and mischievous blue-and-white-striped rag doll beloved across generations. Sipsik first appeared in the Estonian children's magazine Täheke before being published as a standalone book in 1962 and later film. Now the iconic character will be honoured on a special two euro commemorative to be released on June 5.

 

Sipsik was created by writer Eno Raud and artist Edgar Valter.

 

The new commemorative coin card was designed by graphic artist Vladimir Taiger, who also designed Estonia's kroon banknotes. The text on the coin card was laid out by artist and writer Piret Raud. One million coins were minted in honour of Sipsik  and will enter circulation through banks and retailers next month.

Estonia is the place to be this summer!

Summer will soon be upon us which means now is the time to start planning holiday getaways. Estonia is the prefect summertime destination for those who want to avoid crowds and enjoy comfortable sunny weather that rarely exceeds 25°C. The 'white nights' (19 hours of daylight) enable you to do more during your day. Estonia offers the perfect mix of vibrant, open-air culture in cities like Tallinn and Tartu and relaxing beach getaways in coastal areas such as Pärnu and Saaremaa.

 

 

Estonia's summer calendar is packed with major festivals spanning electronic music, folk arts, classical concerts, and heritage celebrations. The Viljandi Folk Music Festival and Tallinn Medieaval Days are two of the best annual events in Estonia. To find more events that appeal to you, click here. 

Reading e-books on the rise in Europe

In 2025, e-book and audiobook purchases were on the rise across the European Union. Reading habits vary widely from country to country with Ireland having the highest share of residents buying e-books or audiobooks online. In Estonia there is still a strong traditional preference for physical books, despite being a highly advanced digital society. Estonians are among the most avid readers in the world and have an incredibly strong culture of owning, reading, and collecting large numbers of books. A typical Estonian home has 218 books and these personal libraries are often a point of great pride.

Video: Exploring Estonian DNA

Despite centuries of foreign rule and occupation, Estonians never lost their genetic identity. Estonians have a very distinct, well-defined genetic profile that sets them apart from most other European populations. Estonians are considered one of the most genetically ancient populations in Europe, with a high proportion of ancestry tracing back to the original hunter-gatherers who settled the region over 11,000 years ago. 

Ross Allen's New Book: 'Estonian Lessons'

Ross Allen, The British ambassador to Estonia has recently published a book about his time spent living in Estonia. In 'Estonian Lessons: What the World Can Learn from a Brilliant Baltic State', Allen expresses his admiration for Estonia’s achievements in environmental policy, human rights, education, culture and digital innovation. Since taking up his post in 2021, Allen has become a fluent Estonian-speaker and has developed a great fondness for Estonia. In his book Allen explores how Estonia has come to excel in so many fields, and what the rest of the world can learn from it. He offers insights from his diplomatic work, but also shares his embrace of local culture, from song festivals to smoke saunas. Having travelled across Estonia's towns, villages, islands and bogs, his understanding of and enthusiasm for Estonia shine through.

Ross Allen’s term as the British Ambassador to Estonia will end in the summer of 2026. This book is a great way to say thank you and goodbye.

'Estonian Lessons: What the World Can Learn from a Brilliant Baltic State' will be released on 1st August 2026 and is now available for pre-order here.

Estonia voted the best country for Solo Female Travellers

A survey conducted by Talker Research in February 2026 has revealed that Estonia was recognised as one of the safest and best destinations for solo female travellers in the world. Estonia was praised for its low crime rate, strong infrastructure, and high comfort level.  The country surpassed traditional favorites for solo safety. 

Why Estonia is recommended for solo female travellers?

High Safety Standards: Estonia is recognised for having low crime rates, with tourists feeling secure walking alone in cities like Tallinn and Tartu, even after dark.

Accessible Exploration: Estonia has a very high Safety Score of 1.2 in some indices, indicating it is very safe.

Charming and Easy to Navigate: Cities like Tallinn offer a mix of medieval history (UNESCO World Heritage sites) and modern, well-connected infrastructure, making it easy to navigate.

Friendly Locals: Despite appearing distant at first, locals are reported to be kind and helpful, contributing to a welcoming environment.

A look at Estonia's population

As of  1 January 2026, Statistics Estonia reported that 1,360,745 people live in Estonia, marking a decrease of 9,250 persons from the previous year due to more deaths than births and negative net migration. 82.2% of the Estonian population have Estonian citizenship, 5.5% Russian citizenship, 4.6% Ukrainian citizenship and 4.3% unspecified citizenship. Nationally, the share of Estonians is 68.5% (933 000), which is the same size as last year.

Women have outnumbered men in Estonia for several decades, primarily driven by a significant gender gap in life expectancy where women live roughly 11 years longer than men. The average age of an Estonian residents is 42.

22 years ago today Estonia joined the EU

Since joining the European Union in 2004, Estonia has rapidly transformed into a technologically advanced, stable, and prosperous member state. The partnership has provided significant financial and security benefits to Estonia, while the country has contributed expertise in digitalization and a strong voice on foreign policy, particularly concerning Russia. After 50 dark years of Soviet occupation, joining the EU and NATO were Estonia's vital strategic imperatives for securing the country's long-term freedom.

Estonia 6th best in EU for renewable energy

Around a quarter of the EU's energy consumption in 2024 came from renewable sources. Trailblazers Sweden (62.8%), Finland (52.1%) and Denmark (46.4%) used the highest share of renewables. Estonia was not far behind its Nordic neighbours ranking 6th (42.2%). Estonia views renewable energy as a critical component of national security, economic strategy, and environmental sustainability, aiming to cover 100% of its electricity consumption with renewables by 2030.