The Raeapteek, Town Hall, Danish King's Garden, Kadriorg, Seaplane Harbour and the Song Festival Grounds are just some of the wonderful sights Tallinn has to offer. Come and explore this enchanting city for yourself!
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
Monday, 6 February 2017
Trip Advisor - Top 10 Hotels for Service in Estonia
Travel website Trip Advisor has named the best hotels in Estonia based on customer reviews for service. Tallinn's Hotell Palace was voted number one followed by the 4 star St.Petersbourg Hotel.
Here are the results:
1. Hotel Palace - Tallinn
2. St. Petersbourg Hotel - Tallinn
3. Savoy Boutique Hotel - Tallinn
4. Swissotel Tallinn
5. Hotel Telegraaf - Tallinn
6. Hedon Spa & Hotel - Pärnu
7. The Three Sisters - Tallinn
8. Hotel Schlossle - Tallinn
9. Padaste Manor - Muhu
10. Solo Sokos Hotel Estoria - Tallinn
To read more please click here: Top 10 Hotels for Service — Estonia
Number of tourists to stay in Estonia increased 7 percent in 2016 - ERR NEWS
According to a press release by Statistics Estonia, a total of more than 3 million domestic and foreign tourists stayed at accommodation establishments in Estonia in 2016, representing a 7 percent increase over 2015.
In 2016, 1.3 million domestic and 2 million foreign tourists used the services of accommodation establishments in Estonia. Compared to 2015, the number of both foreign and domestic tourists increased 7 percent.
Of the foreign tourists to use these services, 46 percent arrived from Finland, 10 percent from Russia and 7 percent from Latvia, representing a year over year increase of 5, 8 and 11 percent, respectively. 2016 also saw an increase in the number of accommodated tourists from Germany, Sweden and Lithuania, while the number of tourists arriving from Asian countries increased throughout the year as well.
73 percent of foreign tourists accommodated came to Estonia on vacation and 21 percent on business trips while the remainder had some other reason for visiting Estonia. 62 percent of domestic tourists were on vacation while 23 percent were traveling for business.
In December 2016, 255,000 domestic and foreign tourists stayed in accommodation establishments, which is 9 percent more than in December 2015. Of these, 151,000 were foreign tourists, an 11-percent increase over December 2015, with more tourists visiting Estonia from neighboring countries and other major tourism partners, including Germany, Lithuania, the U.K. and Asian countries. 104,000, or 41 percent of customers of accommodation establishments, were domestic tourists, representing an 8-percent increase year over year.
In December, 908 accommodation establishments offered services for tourists, including 19,000 rooms and a total of 43,000 beds; 42 percent of rooms and 34 percent of beds were occupied. The average cost of one night of accommodation per guest was €37, remaining at December 2015 levels.
Source: ERR NEWS Number of tourists to stay in Estonia increased 7 percent in 2016
Saturday, 4 February 2017
1920 peace treaty on display for opening of new National Archives building I ERR NEWS
After seven years of planning and construction, the National Archives of Estonia opened its new main building Noora in Tartu this week. Following an invitational event on Wednesday, Noora kicked off a three-day open house on Thursday during which the public is welcome on guided tours of the facilities and can see the original 1920 Treaty of Tartu.
"Noora is the Estonian state and society’s memory," state archivist Priit Prisko told ETV’s "Aktuaalne kaamera." "Predominantly written memory, but not only. Namely the memory that bolsters the Estonian state and society just as people are bolstered by their own memory. If there were no archives, the state would be unable to function normally."
According to Access and Enquiry Department director Tõnis Türna, people interested in learning about their own family history, for example, should not be afraid to visit the archives. The understanding, he said, that the archives are a closed institution meant only for researchers is a thing of the past.
"Everyone for whom it seems difficult to begin and would still like to ask for help from an archivist is always welcome here," Türna said encouragingly. "We are open Monday through Friday; nobody will be sent away."
The open house event at Noora, located at Nooruse 3, Tartu, lasts through Saturday, and includes guided tours of the facility, hands-on workshops, a series of lectures and film screenings as well as the opportunity to see the original Treaty of Tartu from 1920. All events are free to the public.
Archive materials: from records dating back to the 13th century to nearly 10 million meters of film.
According to its website, the National Archives, which also include branches in Tallinn, Rakvere and Valga, collects and preserves records documenting history, culture, nationhood and social conditions in Estonia regardless of time or place of creation or medium.
The collections of the archives include nearly 9 million records, the oldest of which dates back to 1240 — with the oldest on display at Noora, including a seal with the three leopards, or lions, used on Estonia’s National Coat of Arms today, dating to 1252 — and more than 15 million digital images on the web, which represents approximately just 1.5 percent of the archives’ collections.
The National Archives also boast 9.5 million meters of film recordings, more than half a million photos, almost 100,000 maps, 2,200 seals and approximately 1,500 parchments.
The digitized collections of the National Archives can be accessed via the Archives Information System AIS (link in Estonian).
To read the full article, including archive events to be held today, please click here:
Friday, 3 February 2017
Estonia achieves Guinness World Record for largest artwork made from batteries
To mark the opening of the largest Euronics store in the Baltic States, management of the new Tartu branch decided to do something a bit spectacular. They constructed the world's largest mosaic artwork made from used batteries. The mosaic is 25 square metres in size, made of 180,000 batteries and was built by students from Tartu Art College. A representative of Guinness World Records was on site to verify the achievement.
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A puzzle made from 180,000 used batteries
More photos can be viewed here: Pildid: Tartus sündis Guinnessi rekord
Estonia is hosting its annual sauna marathon in Otepää this weekend
The great thing about being in Estonia is that you have a good chance of becoming the national champion in almost any sport. More than 97 percent of people on this planet belong to countries with larger populations, after all. However, if the sport is kiiking, wife carrying, or saunas, then it’s fairly likely that an Estonian is actually the world champion too.
On that note, the Southern Estonian town of Otepää is hosting the European Sauna Marathon 2017 on Feb. 4. In fact, Otepää hosts the European Sauna Marathon every year because Estonia is still one of just two countries in Europe (and the world) that consider this to be some kind of sport. The other is Finland.
Up to 1,000 participants are expected to strip off at what is usually the coldest time of year and race between 27 saunas, as well as ice holes, hot tubs, and a few surprises along the way. If that’s not bad enough for them, this year ERR will be there to film it.
Expect extremes: This marathon is not for the weak
Average temperatures in Otepää at the start of February are around -7°C, although it is not uncommon for the temperature to drop even lower.
“A couple of years ago we had -20°C during the event,” recalls event organiser Sirje Ginter. “I remember one sauna owner was cutting the icehole on his pond all night because it kept freezing up. There were huge ice blocks in the morning.”
Considering that some saunas can be heated to more than 100°C, that’s a 120°C temperature difference. Nothing for the weak.
There are a wide range of saunas on the course, including a smoke sauna, an igloo sauna, an Indian sauna, a vehicle sauna, a sauna tent, and an inflatable sauna.
“Of course there are always urban people who have never seen the smoke sauna,” adds Ginter.
At the start of the race, each team is given a sauna map to navigate the course, and a sauna card that gets marked at each location they visit.
All team members have to spend at least three minutes in each sauna or incur a 30-minute penalty for any saunas not visited. They can also reduce their time by ten minutes every time all team members jump in a hot tub, and when at least one team member jumps in an ice hole.
There have been a range of colourful costumes over the years, which are often more commonly worn by British stag and hen parties in Tallinn’s old town, including Borat, doctors, angels, brides, Vikings, Spartans, and Soviet military officers. Most participants opt for sauna hats, dressing gowns, and swimming costumes, although the bravest participants do not require any clothes when running between the saunas and their ice hole.
Bring a towel... and a car
Stopping to take saunas isn’t the only thing that makes this marathon slightly unconventional. In fact, the word “marathon” is used very loosely.
For a start, you’ll need a car. The total distance is around 100 km (assuming you don’t get lost), as some saunas are in the neighbouring municipalities of Valgjärve, Sangaste, Palupera, and Urvaste. Previous participants have used everything from Hummers to old Soviet ambulances to get around, although it’s probably best not to use a vehicle with nice leather seats.
“Last year I saw a local guy in the ditch with his car and he couldn’t get out,” explains Ginter. “There were participants in a Hummer who just popped out of the car half naked, took the rope, and pulled this car out. I don’t know what the local guy must have thought about it.”
In addition, the winners are not necessarily the first participants across the line, as the organisers are keen to ensure all traffic laws are obeyed. Participants are gently reminded that the police will be there to make sure the event runs smoothly. Instead, the top three prizes will be randomly allocated among the first 30 teams.
Another key difference with this marathon is that there are no tests for performance enhancing drugs. Instead, competitors are warned not to take one particular performance deteriorating drug, alcohol. Also, participants are not allowed to keep any alcoholic drinks in the car—participants can be checked by the police. Instead, there will be an after party at Otepää’s Kääriku Sports Centre for that.
Last year’s competition: 192 teams, including ambassadors
The format of the competition has not changed much since the first event organised by local businesspeople in 2011, although there were only 60 participants then and the number has increased every year since. The event is now co-hosted by the Otepää Culture Centre, the Otepää Rural Municipality, and the sauna owners themselves.
There were a record 192 teams competing last year, of which 181 were from Estonia. The international participants have included visitors from Latvia and Russia, as well as students, embassy staff, and even ambassadors.
“The Sauna Marathon remains one of the silliest things I’ve ever done and I loved it,” says former U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Levine. “My best advice to those who are actually serious about doing well in the event is to wear shoes that fit and have a driver who knows the area.”
Levine has retained his links with Estonia, as he now works for the Estonian technology company Teleport, albeit from the considerably warmer climes of California, which gives him a legitimate excuse to not attend the competition again this year.
Arguably the most valuable prize is actually awarded to the owners of the sauna that participants select as their favourite on the day.
For all the laughs generated by this competition, it is a lot of fun, and it does do an increasingly good job every year of promoting tourism in Otepää and showing the world that Estonia is a fun, sauna-loving nation.
“The Sauna Marathon is a fun and relaxing event, and we want to introduce Estonian sauna culture and the beautiful places in Otepää,” says Ginter. “Almost all participants complete the course, but there are always those who don’t compete, they just enjoy the saunas.”
Let’s hope Estonia will host the European Sauna Marathon for many more years to come.
Tickets are available here and cost 60€ for each team of up to four participants.
Source: ERR News 1,000 to brave Baltic winter in clothes-optional marathon
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
15 years ago Estonia issued its first electronic ID card
Former Estonian President Arnold Rüütel with his wife Ingrid
January 2017 marked the 15th anniversary of the first ID card issued in Estonia. The electronic ID card is an important foundation of Estonia’s information society that enables secure implementation of e-solutions. Using the ID card to sign documents digitally saves an individual in Estonia at least five business days each year. Electronic ID has enabled Estonia to transform itself into one of the most developed information societies in the world. Most European Union’s digital signatures are given in Estonia.
The first recipients of the Estonian ID card was President Rüütel and his wife Ingrid in 2002.
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