Oh the weather outside is frightful, but Tallinn is so delightful... Visiting Estonia in winter is exciting as it offers so many winter activities and things to do which are hard to find in most other countries. It can be cold in the winter so when you finally get yourself together to head outside, put on your warm mittens, silly winter hat and heavy boots, then you want to make sure that your effort of enduring the cold is worth it. Here are some of our unique custom tours which are not listed on any other website and are only offered as tailor made private winter tours for you! Combining several winter activities in one day allows you to take the most out of your stay in Tallinn and the few hours of light we are given each day. Cover photo by Carl-Martin Nisu 1. Ice skating on forest lakes followed by a picnic by the frozen waterfall We all know the ice rinks that open up in the Christmas markets around the world. These are lovely, but for a truly unique experience, you need to get out of the city with a local guide and find the frozen lakes that are tucked away in thick forest from most visitors eyes. As you put on your skates, find the balance and pick up your speed while the ice field in front of you feels endless; you will see that it is a natural playground. Only trees covered with thick snow hats surround you and the dim warm light of a low winter sun reflecting from the ice. The only thing you hear is the grinding of ice under your skates and your friends and family laughing. That's when it really does feel like a winter wonderland. After having fun
Oh the weather outside is frightful, but Tallinn is so delightful… Visiting Estonia in winter is exciting as it offers so many winter activities and things to do which are hard to find in most other countries. It can be cold in the winter so when you finally get yourself together to head outside, put
Here in Estonia we simply love our saunas... Sitting in the hot steam naked with your friends and time to time hitting each other with branches of birch trees - what's not to like? It sounds simple and understandable for the locals, but is confusing for the visitors. So, here is a simple overview of everything you need to know about the sauna culture in Estonia. 1. Local honor the sauna If you have seen how red people get from their face when sitting in hot sauna, then it is easy to imagine how Estonians would look like if you would say something inappropriate about Estonian sauna culture. Locals do not appreciate if someone suggests that sauna is only a Finnish thing. In reality, saunas are as popular, if not more popular, in Estonia than they are in Finland. People have saunas in central Tallinn apartments, in all public swimming pools, and in their cottages. Many go to sauna at least once a week, some go every day, and excuses for going vary from business meetings to family reunions. 2. The real way to go to sauna The sauna procedure itself is simple. You stay in the hot 100°C sauna until you get "comfortably warm". To cool yourself down, you either take a shower or sit in a cozy room in front of the sauna where you can have a cold drink or some snacks. People normally do at least 2-3 of these sauna rounds, but some can spend the entire evening in sauna, going in and out several times. The perfect sauna experience would be in a small countryside house with a lake or a river nearby. Locals love to dip themselves into the water or jump into the snow or an ice hole in winter.
Here in Estonia we simply love our saunas… Sitting in the hot steam naked with your friends and time to time hitting each other with branches of birch trees – what’s not to like? It sounds simple and understandable for the locals, but is confusing for the visitors. So, here is a simple overview
