Author: Annika Prangli

Lahemaa - a sensation among visitors coming to Tallinn and realising that in a country of only 1.3 million people, untouched nature is just a few steps away from the busy capital. Since the first companies started to take people to Lahemaa National Park and tourists started to share their experiences on TripAdvisor, there were suddenly lines of people in front of Tallinn Tourist Information Centre, demanding a day trip to Lahemaa which during the peaks season is most often sold out. To be absolutely clear - Lahemaa is gorgeous. It is a perfect opportunity to see the nature, beautiful coasts and lush bogs and obtain a glimpse of Estonian history by visiting the romantic manors in the area. If you are looking for a day packed with an abundance of sights, then read no further and book a day trip before it is sold out. Warning! Watch out for what you expect from a "national park" - it is not a fenced area where bears and wolves are kept so that tourists could go on safari and take selfies with them. A national park in Estonia simply means an area that is protected for its ecological value and spectacular nature. Wolves, bears, beavers, foxes and what-not do live in this wilderness, but are very good at minding their own business and typically stay away from the tourist crowd. So where to go if you want to explore the nature but also stay away from tourists that already leave a large footprint on Lahemaa's ecology?   Here are some ideas for you... Escape to tiny Prangli island just off the coast of Tallinn Prangli - although only 30 km from Tallinn, with a population of only about 100 people, it is an island undiscovered even by most Estonians. In case the