Estonia

From a reluctant Soviet state to one of the European Union's brightest young stars, Estonia has undergone something of a transformation in recent decades – and finally, the world has woken up to its many charms.The smallest and arguably most scenic of the three Baltic states (which also includes <a href="/country/latvia">Latvia</a> and <a href="/country/lithuania">Lithuania</a>), Estonia is a wildly beautiful land of pristine forests, biodiverse wetlands and remote offshore islands; its natural assets offer a spectacular contrast to the brooding, gothic aesthetic of its medieval capital, <a href="/city/tallinn/2477">Tallinn</a>.In <a href="/city/tallinn/2477">Tallinn</a>, the cobbled streets are peppered with historic churches, monuments and cosy cafés, not to mention a burgeoning restaurant scene that pays homage to the country's Baltic and Nordic heritage. The nightlife is pretty lively too, which has made it a popular destination for stag parties, although not everybody has welcomed that.Most adventure travellers escape the city and make for the primeval forests and lakes of rural Estonia. And who can blame them? These areas offer landscapes and ecosystems which have, for the most part, been lost in much of <a href="/region/europe">Europe</a>. More than 1,000 lakes shimmer in the Estonian countryside, while bogs and swamplands cover an astounding one-fifth of the country. These habitats are a haven for birds and birdwatchers.Estonia's natural wonders are an impressive sight across the country's national parks; most notably, Soomaa, in the heart of the country, and Lahemaa, on the northern coast, which rewards visitors with challenging hikes and impressive views of the Baltic Klint, a 1,200km-long (745 miles) ridge of limestone cliffs that stretches from <a href="/country/sweden">Sweden</a> to <a href="/country/russia">Russia</a>. Elusive wolves, bears and lynxes can also be spotted in these parts.Estonia's history, like that of its Baltic neighbours, has been almost singly devoted to maintaining independence from its powerful neighbours, most notably <a href="/country/russia">Russia</a>. Annexed by Stalin in 1944, Estonia never entirely became the Soviet republic it might have done, retaining its language and culture far more strongly than other members of the USSR. This plucky, independent spirit endures in Estonia today.

Estonia

Estonian Cuisine