Tallinn
TAL-linn
Usage
Capital of Estonia. Medieval Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Known as a digital hub
Grammar Note
Name possibly from Danish "Taani linn" (Danish town). Genitive: "Tallinna"
Tartu
TAR-tu
Usage
Estonia's second city and university town. Home to University of Tartu (founded 1632)
Grammar Note
Called the "intellectual capital" of Estonia. Heart of Estonian national consciousness
Lahemaa rahvuspark
LA-he-maa RAH-vus-park
Lahemaa National Park
Usage
Estonia's largest national park. Diverse landscapes including coastline, forests, bogs and manors
Grammar Note
"Lahemaa" means "land of bays". Established in 1971 as the first national park in the USSR
Pärnu
PÄR-nu
Usage
Called Estonia's "summer capital". Famous for white sandy beaches and spa resorts
Grammar Note
Most popular beach resort in Estonia. Attracts domestic and international visitors every summer
Saaremaa
SAA-re-maa
Saaremaa island
Usage
Estonia's largest island. Known for windmills, Kaali meteorite crater, and Kuressaare Castle
Grammar Note
"saare" (genitive of "saar" = island) + "maa" (land) = "island land". Largest Estonian island
Tallinna vanalinn
TAL-lin-na VA-na-linn
Tallinn Old Town
Usage
UNESCO World Heritage medieval old town with city walls, towers, and Town Hall Square
Grammar Note
"vana" (old) + "linn" (town). UNESCO inscribed it as World Heritage in 1997
Haapsalu
HAAP-sa-lu
Usage
Historic resort town in western Estonia. Famous as a destination visited by Tchaikovsky
Grammar Note
Tchaikovsky spent holidays here and composed "Souvenir of Hapsal". A historic spa resort
Narva
NAR-va
Usage
Border city in northeastern Estonia. Faces Russian Ivangorod. Two medieval fortresses face each other
Grammar Note
Faces Russian Ivangorod across the Narva River. Major city for Estonia's Russian-speaking community
Hiiumaa
HII-u-maa
Hiiumaa island
Usage
Estonia's second largest island. Sparsely populated and rich in nature. Famous for Kõpu lighthouse
Grammar Note
Kõpu lighthouse (built 1531) is one of the oldest continuously operating lighthouses in Europe
Viru raba
VI-ru RA-ba
Viru Bog
Usage
Beautiful bog in Lahemaa National Park. Wooden boardwalks lead through a mystical landscape
Grammar Note
"raba" means peat bog. Roughly a fifth of Estonia's territory is covered by peatlands
Harjumaa
Harju County
Usage
Northern county containing Tallinn and nearly half the country's population; the airport, ferry port and main rail hub are all here. Official form Harju maakond
Tartumaa
Tartu County
Usage
Southeastern county with Tartu as its seat; the Emajõgi river crosses it and its eastern edge meets Lake Peipsi. Official form Tartu maakond
Ida-Virumaa
Ida-Viru County
Usage
Northeasternmost county, administered from Jõhvi and containing Narva, Kohtla-Järve and Sillamäe. Known for oil-shale mining and the limestone coastal cliffs
Lääne-Virumaa
Lääne-Viru County
Usage
Northern county seated at Rakvere, taking in the eastern half of Lahemaa National Park and the rail junction of Tapa
Pärnumaa
Pärnu County
Usage
Southwestern county on the Gulf of Riga, seated at Pärnu, including Kihnu island and part of Soomaa National Park. The main highway to Latvia runs through it
Viljandimaa
Viljandi County
Usage
Inland southern county whose seat, Viljandi, is the terminus of the railway from Tallinn. Covers the western shore of Lake Võrtsjärv and Soomaa National Park
Läänemaa
Lääne County
Usage
West-coast county seated at Haapsalu, with the Rohuküla ferry port for Hiiumaa and Vormsi and with Matsalu National Park
Raplamaa
Rapla County
Usage
Inland county immediately south of Tallinn, seated at Rapla; the roads and railway from Tallinn toward Pärnu and Viljandi pass through it
Järvamaa
Järva County
Usage
Landlocked county in the middle of the country; its seat Paide sits roughly midway on the main road between Tallinn and Tartu
Jõgevamaa
Jõgeva County
Usage
Eastern county seated at Jõgeva, running along the western shore of Lake Peipsi past the string of Old Believer villages
Võrumaa
Võru County
Usage
Hilly county in the far southeast, seated at Võru and containing Suur Munamägi, the highest point in the Baltics. The distinct Võro language variety is spoken here
Valgamaa
Valga County
Usage
Southern county on the Latvian border; its seat Valga is a town split across the frontier, and the winter-sports town of Otepää lies here
Põlvamaa
Põlva County
Usage
Inland southeastern county seated at Põlva, containing the Taevaskoda sandstone outcrops on the Ahja river and part of the Seto cultural area
Viljandi
Usage
Hilltop town overlooking Lake Viljandi, with the ruins of a Teutonic Order castle and a folk music festival each July. About two and a half hours by train from Tallinn
Kuressaare
Usage
Main town of Saaremaa island, centred on its medieval bishop's castle and spa hotels, and the hub for buses around the island
Rakvere
Usage
Seat of Lääne-Viru county in the north, marked by its hilltop castle ruins and a large bronze aurochs statue. Trains on the Tallinn–Narva line stop here
Võru
Usage
Southeastern county seat on Lake Tamula, used as the base for trips into the Haanja uplands and to Suur Munamägi
Valga
Usage
Border town split down the middle by the frontier; the Latvian half is called Valka. Its station is where the Estonian and Latvian railways meet
Jõhvi
Usage
Administrative centre of Ida-Viru county in the northeast, a junction on the Tallinn–Narva rail and road corridor from which buses fan out to the surrounding towns
Kohtla-Järve
Usage
Oil-shale industrial city in the northeast, unusual for being made up of several separate districts scattered over a wide area. Most residents are Russian-speaking
Sillamäe
Usage
Port town on the Gulf of Finland in the northeast, whose planned 1950s Stalinist-era centre survives largely intact
Narva-Jõesuu
Usage
Seaside resort where the Narva river meets the Gulf of Finland, with about 7 km of sandy beach backed by pine forest, some 20 minutes by road from Narva
Paide
Usage
Seat of Järva county near the geographical centre of Estonia, marked by the octagonal Vallimägi tower on its castle hill
Kärdla
Usage
Only town on Hiiumaa island and its centre, about 30 minutes by road from the Heltermaa ferry port and the hub for the island's airport and buses
Otepää
Usage
Hill town in the south known as Estonia's winter capital and its cross-country skiing centre; neighbouring Lake Pühajärv is a summer destination
Keila
Usage
Town about 25 km west of Tallinn on the commuter rail line, where the tracks split toward Paldiski and toward Riisipere
Paldiski
Usage
Port town about 45 km west of Tallinn, the terminus of the commuter railway and the site of the South Harbour with ferries to Sweden
Muhu
Muhu island
Usage
Island linked to Saaremaa by the Väinatamm causeway; ferries from the mainland dock at Kuivastu on this island, so all road traffic to Saaremaa passes through it
Vormsi
Vormsi island
Usage
Estonia's fourth largest island, about 45 minutes by ferry from Rohuküla to Sviby. Long home to a Swedish-speaking population, whose ring-cross gravestones remain
Kihnu
Kihnu island
Usage
Small island in the Gulf of Riga whose living traditions, including the striped woollen skirts, are on the UNESCO intangible heritage list. About an hour by ferry from Munalaiu
Setomaa
Usage
Cultural region of the Seto people in the far southeast, known for Orthodox faith, the Seto language and the polyphonic leelo singing. Obinitsa is its main village
Tallinna lennujaam
Tallinn Airport (TLL)
Usage
Estonia's main gateway, only about 4 km southeast of the centre; tram 4 and bus 2 run to the terminal door and reach the city in roughly 15 minutes. Full name Lennart Meri Tallinna lennujaam
Tartu lennujaam
Tartu Airport (TAY)
Usage
Small airport at Ülenurme about 10 km south of Tartu. Scheduled service is limited, so check what is operating before relying on it
Kuressaare lennujaam
Kuressaare Airport (URE)
Usage
Airport on Saaremaa island, about five minutes by road from Kuressaare, with scheduled light-aircraft flights to and from Tallinn
Kärdla lennujaam
Kärdla Airport (KDL)
Usage
Airport on Hiiumaa island about five minutes from Kärdla, with scheduled flights to Tallinn that serve as a fallback when weather stops the ferries
Pärnu lennujaam
Pärnu Airport (EPU)
Usage
Small airfield northwest of Pärnu, used mainly by light aircraft serving the islands of Kihnu and Ruhnu
Vanasadam
Old City Harbour
Usage
Tallinn's passenger port, about 1 km and a 15-minute walk north of the Old Town. All Helsinki ferries leave from here. It has two terminals, A and D, so check which one your sailing uses
D-terminal
D-Terminal
Usage
The eastern terminal of Tallinn's Old City Harbour and the main berth for the large Helsinki ferries, including car sailings. About a 20-minute walk from the Old Town
A-terminal
A-Terminal
Usage
The western terminal of the Old City Harbour and the one nearer the Old Town, also serving Helsinki sailings, with a tram stop close by
Virtsu sadam
Virtsu harbour
Usage
Mainland ferry port for the islands: the crossing to Kuivastu on Muhu takes about 30 minutes and continues by road to Saaremaa. Roughly two hours by bus from Tallinn
Kuivastu sadam
Kuivastu harbour
Usage
Ferry port on Muhu island where the Virtsu crossing arrives; from here it is about an hour by road over the causeway to Kuressaare on Saaremaa
Rohuküla sadam
Rohuküla harbour
Usage
Ferry port about 9 km west of Haapsalu, with sailings to Heltermaa on Hiiumaa and to Sviby on Vormsi
Heltermaa sadam
Heltermaa harbour
Usage
Ferry port at the eastern tip of Hiiumaa; the crossing from Rohuküla takes about an hour and a quarter, and Kärdla is a further 30 minutes by road
Sviby sadam
Sviby harbour
Usage
Ferry port and gateway to Vormsi island where the Rohuküla boats arrive. Sailings are few, so check the timetable before setting out
Munalaiu sadam
Munalaiu harbour
Usage
Small ferry port about 40 km southwest of Pärnu, serving the islands of Kihnu and Manija
Paldiski Lõunasadam
Paldiski South Harbour
Usage
Harbour at Paldiski about 45 km west of Tallinn, from which ferries sail to Kapellskär in Sweden
Balti jaam
Balti jaam (Tallinn main station)
Usage
Tallinn's main railway station, just northwest of the Old Town below Toompea and five minutes on foot from it. Every train — to Tartu, Narva, Viljandi, Paldiski and the rest — starts here
Ülemiste
Usage
District next to Tallinn Airport and its railway station: the first stop out of Balti jaam for eastbound and southbound trains, also served by tram 4
Tondi
Usage
Commuter rail stop in southern Tallinn that doubles as a tram and bus interchange on the way between the centre and Nõmme
Nõmme
Usage
Pine-forested residential district in southern Tallinn, full of wooden houses, with its commuter rail station at the heart of the neighbourhood
Keila raudteejaam
Keila station
Usage
Junction about 25 km west of Tallinn where the line splits toward Paldiski and toward Riisipere. Signs and displays simply read Keila
Tapa raudteejaam
Tapa station
Usage
The country's principal rail junction: the line from Tallinn divides here toward Narva and toward Tartu, so it is a common place to change trains
Aegviidu raudteejaam
Aegviidu station
Usage
Station between Tallinn and Tapa, the eastern end of the commuter service and the usual access point for the Kõrvemaa and Lahemaa hiking trails
Rakvere raudteejaam
Rakvere station
Usage
Main stop on the Tallinn–Narva line; the town centre and the castle hill are within walking distance of the station
Tartu raudteejaam
Tartu station
Usage
Tartu's railway station on Vaksali street southwest of the centre, about 20 minutes on foot from the town square. Around two hours from Tallinn by fast train
Narva raudteejaam
Narva station
Usage
Eastern terminus of the line from Tallinn, in the centre of Narva. The journey from Tallinn takes about two and a half hours
Viljandi raudteejaam
Viljandi station
Usage
Terminus of the branch line running south from Tallinn; the town centre and castle ruins are about 15 minutes on foot
Valga raudteejaam
Valga station
Usage
Station on the Latvian border where the line from Tartu ends and where connections toward Riga are made
Tallinna bussijaam
Tallinn Bus Station
Usage
Departure point for long-distance coaches across Estonia and to Riga and beyond. On Lastekodu street southeast of the centre, reachable by tram
Tartu bussijaam
Tartu Bus Station
Usage
Long-distance coach terminal on Turu street in central Tartu. Buses to Tallinn run several times an hour and take about two and a half hours
Viru väljak
Viru Square
Usage
Square just outside the eastern gate of the Old Town and Tallinn's busiest city-bus interchange; the airport bus 2 calls here
Hobujaama
Usage
Tram and bus interchange in the Rotermann area east of the Old Town, the usual place to change for the ferry terminals A and D
Vabaduse väljak
Freedom Square
Usage
Square at the southern edge of the Old Town with the War of Independence victory column, an underground car park beneath it and bus stops around it
Kadriorg
Usage
Park and residential district about 2 km east of the centre, the terminus of trams 1 and 3, containing the palace and the Kumu art museum
Kopli
Usage
District on the peninsula northwest of central Tallinn, terminus of trams 1 and 2, with former shipyards and rows of wooden tenement houses
Kesklinn
Kesklinn (city centre)
Usage
Tallinn's central district, taking in the Old Town, Freedom Square, Kadriorg and the harbour. The word appears constantly in addresses and signage
Põhja-Tallinn
Põhja-Tallinn (North Tallinn)
Usage
Coastal district north of the Old Town covering Kalamaja, Telliskivi and Kopli, and containing the seaplane hangars of the maritime museum
Kalamaja
Usage
Neighbourhood immediately north of Balti jaam, lined with 19th-century wooden houses; you pass through it walking from the Old Town to the harbour and maritime museum
Mustamäe
Usage
Southwestern housing district of Tallinn, home to the technical university and a large hospital, linked to the centre by city buses
Lasnamäe
Usage
Tallinn's largest residential district, east of the airport and harbour, with a large Russian-speaking population and a dense network of city bus routes
Haabersti
Usage
Western district of Tallinn containing the zoo and the open-air museum at Rocca al Mare, about 20 minutes from the centre by city bus
Pirita
Usage
Seaside district about 6 km northeast of the centre, with a long sandy beach, a yachting marina, the convent ruins and the TV tower
Toompea
Usage
The limestone hill forming the upper Old Town, with Toompea Castle housing parliament, the cathedrals, and two viewing platforms over the lower town
Raekoja plats
Town Hall Square
Usage
Central square of the lower Old Town in front of the town hall, filled with cafe tables in summer and the Christmas market in winter. The usual reference point for directions
Tallinna raekoda
Tallinn Town Hall
Usage
Completed in 1404 and the only Gothic town hall surviving in northern Europe; the Old Thomas weathervane on its spire is the city's emblem. The tower can be climbed in summer
Viru värav
Viru Gate
Usage
The pair of gate towers at the eastern entrance to the Old Town, the most-used way in from Viru Square
Aleksander Nevski katedraal
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Usage
Onion-domed Orthodox cathedral of 1900 on Toompea hill, standing directly opposite the parliament building
Toomkirik
St Mary's Cathedral (Dome Church)
Usage
Lutheran cathedral on Toompea and the oldest church on the Estonian mainland; its tower gives a view over the Old Town and harbour
Oleviste kirik
St Olaf's Church
Usage
Church in the northern Old Town with a spire of about 124 m; in summer you can climb the stairs to its viewing gallery
Niguliste kirik
St Nicholas' Church
Usage
Medieval church in the Old Town now used as a museum and concert hall, displaying Bernt Notke's Danse Macabre
Paks Margareeta
Fat Margaret
Usage
Round artillery tower beside the Great Coastal Gate on the north side of the Old Town, housing the Estonian Maritime Museum with a rooftop view of the harbour
Kiek in de Kök
Usage
15th-century artillery tower south of Toompea, now a museum and the entrance to the underground Bastion Tunnels
Kadrioru loss
Kadriorg Palace
Usage
Baroque palace begun for Peter the Great in 1718, now a museum of foreign art, with formal gardens open to walk in
Kumu kunstimuuseum
Kumu Art Museum
Usage
Main building of the Art Museum of Estonia at the far end of Kadriorg park, showing Estonian art from the 18th century to the present
Tallinna teletorn
Tallinn TV Tower
Usage
314 m tower in Pirita with an observation deck at 170 m looking over the city and the bay, about 20 minutes from the centre by bus
Lauluväljak
Song Festival Grounds
Usage
Open-air arena east of the centre beyond Kadriorg, home to the national song festival held every five years and the site of the Singing Revolution gatherings
Lennusadam
Seaplane Harbour
Usage
Maritime museum on the Kalamaja waterfront, set inside 1917 seaplane hangars and displaying the submarine Lembit and historic vessels
Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum
Estonian Open Air Museum
Usage
Open-air museum at Rocca al Mare in western Tallinn, with farmhouses, windmills and a church moved here from around the country and set in woodland
Pirita klooster
St Bridget's Convent ruins
Usage
Ruins of a 15th-century convent near the mouth of the Pirita river; its tall gable wall still stands and the site hosts open-air concerts in summer
Toomemägi
Toomemägi (Cathedral Hill)
Usage
Park-covered hill right behind Tartu's town hall square, with the red-brick ruins of the cathedral and the Angel's and Devil's bridges
Tartu Ülikooli peahoone
University of Tartu main building
Usage
Classicist building of 1809 with a white colonnaded portico, on Ülikooli street about three minutes' walk from the town hall square
Eesti Rahva Muuseum
Estonian National Museum
Usage
Opened in 2016 on a former airfield at Raadi about 3 km north of central Tartu, covering Estonian and wider Finno-Ugric everyday culture
Emajõgi
Emajõgi river
Usage
About 100 km long, linking Lake Võrtsjärv to Lake Peipsi and cutting through the middle of Tartu, with a riverside promenade and boat landings
Suur Munamägi
Usage
At 318 m the highest point in the Baltic states, at Haanja in Võru county; its observation tower gives a very wide view on a clear day
Peipsi järv
Lake Peipsi
Usage
Very large lake on Estonia's eastern edge, the fifth largest in Europe; its eastern shore is Russian territory, while the Estonian shore has Old Believer villages and sandy beaches
Võrtsjärv
Lake Võrtsjärv
Usage
The largest lake lying entirely within Estonia, between Viljandi and Tartu. It is shallow and known for its eel fishery
Narva jõgi
Narva river
Usage
River of about 77 km running from Lake Peipsi to the Gulf of Finland; it forms the Estonia–Russia border and passes through the city of Narva
Kaali meteoriidikraater
Kaali meteorite crater
Usage
Meteorite crater field on Saaremaa about 18 km northeast of Kuressaare; the main crater is roughly 110 m across and holds a small lake
Kuressaare piiskopilinnus
Kuressaare Episcopal Castle
Usage
14th-century castle on the shore at Kuressaare on Saaremaa, the best-preserved medieval castle in the Baltics, housing the Saaremaa Museum
Narva linnus
Narva Castle
Usage
13th-century castle on the riverbank in Narva, its keep known as Pikk Hermann and its interior housing the Narva Museum. About 15 minutes on foot from the station
Haapsalu piiskopilinnus
Haapsalu Episcopal Castle
Usage
13th-century fortress and cathedral in the middle of Haapsalu; the ground inside the walls is a public park open to walk in
Soomaa rahvuspark
Soomaa National Park
Usage
Park of bogs and floodplains straddling Viljandi and Pärnu counties, known for the spring flood called the fifth season and for its dugout canoes
Matsalu rahvuspark
Matsalu National Park
Usage
Wetlands around Matsalu Bay in western Estonia, a major migratory bird stopover where tens of thousands of birds can be watched from hides in spring and autumn. Visitor centre at Penijõe
Kõpu tuletorn
Kõpu Lighthouse
Usage
Lighthouse on the western peninsula of Hiiumaa, in use since 1531 and among the oldest still working in the world. Its internal stairway can be climbed
Panga pank
Panga cliff
Usage
Limestone sea cliff on the north coast of Saaremaa, up to about 21 m high and the tallest on the island
Valaste juga
Valaste waterfall
Usage
Estonia's highest waterfall, dropping about 30 m over the Ontika cliff in Ida-Viru county; it freezes into columns of ice in winter
Käsmu
Usage
Coastal village inside Lahemaa National Park, called the captains' village for the sea captains who came from it; glacial boulders line its shore
Palmse mõis
Palmse Manor
Usage
Restored baroque manor in Lahemaa National Park that also holds the park's visitor centre, making it the usual starting point for exploring
Taevaskoda
Usage
Devonian sandstone outcrops along the Ahja river in Põlva county, with a marked footpath linking the greater and lesser cliffs
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