Estonia doesn’t have to struggle to find a point of difference; it’s completely unique. It shares a similar geography and history with Latvia and Lithuania, but it’s culturally very different. Its closest ethnic and linguistic buddy is Finland, yet although they both may love to get naked together in the sauna, 50 years of Soviet rule have separated the two. For the past 300 years Estonia has been linked to Russia, but the two states have as much in common as a barn swallow and a bear (their respective national symbols).
In recent decades, and with a new-found confidence, Estonia has crept from under the Soviet blanket and leapt into the arms of Europe. The love affair is mutual: Europe has fallen for the chocolate-box allure of Tallinn and its Unesco-protected Old Town, while travellers seeking something different are tapping into Estonia's captivating blend of Eastern European and Nordic appeal.
COUNTRY FACTS
Area 45,226 sq km
Capital Tallinn
Country Code 372
Currency Euro (€)
Emergency ambulance & fire 112, police 110
Language Estonian
Money ATMs all over
Visas Not required for citizens of the EU, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia
ESSENTIAL FOOD & DRINK
Estonian gastronomy mixes Nordic, Russian and German influences, and prizes local and seasonal produce.
Pork and potatoes The traditional stodgy standbys, prepared a hundred different ways.
Other favourites Include black bread, sauerkraut, black pudding, smoked meat and fish, creamy salted butter and sour cream, which is served with almost everything.
Desserts On the sweet side, you'll find delicious chocolates, marzipan and cakes.
Seasonal In summer, berries enter the menu in both sweet and savoury dishes, while everyone goes crazy for forest mushrooms in the autumn.
Favourite drinks Õlu (beer) is the favourite alcoholic drink. Popular brands include Saku and A Le Coq, and aficionados should seek out the product of the local microbreweries such as Tallinn's Põhjala. Other tipples include vodka (Viru Valge and Saremaa are the best-known local brands) and Vana Tallinn, a syrupy sweet liqueur, also available in a cream version.
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