In the medieval Old Town of Tallinn, capital of Estonia

 "In every port in the world, at least two Estonians can be found."

-- Ernest Hemingway
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(in northeastern Europe) Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic states. Its area includes some 1,500 islands and islets; the two largest of these islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, are off mainland Estonia’s west coast. The country is bordered by both Latvia and Russia; its coastline lies on the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. A Baltic gem, offering visitors the chance to enjoy its glorious beaches, pepper the extensive coastline , though the swimming season here is rather short. After all, the Baltics are not renowned for warm weather (something that any visitor to Estonia must know -- and that the short summer is soon follwed by quite a severe winter).

+ Estonia doesn’t have to struggle to find a point of difference; it is quite a unique place. Although it shares a similar geography and history with Latvia and Lithuania, it is culturally distinct. (Its closest ethnic and linguistic neighbor is Finland.). In recent decades Europe has fallen head over heels for the charms of Tallinn, Estonia's captial, and its UNESCO protected Old Town (featured here). In short, Tallinn is now one of the continent’s most captivating cities -- and, in overcrowded Europe, Estonia’s sparsely populated countryside and extensive swathes of forest provide spiritual sustenance for nature-lovers.

+ Tallinn's medieval Old Town was built by German crusaders in the Late Middle Ages and is in magnificent condition, with the medieval city walls and towers almost completely intact, making it one of Europe's best preserved medieval old towns.  This jumble of 14th- and 15th-century architecture with its medieval walls, needling spires, and twisting, cobblestone streets is also the site of many of the city's important historic attractions and museums, including the House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads, St. Catherine's Guild, and the 15th-century Guildhall that now houses the History Museum.

+ Elsewhere in Estonia, where residents have a special love for nature, many of them will tell you that they would rather sit under a tree in an empty forest or hike in a national park than almost anything else. Indeed, Estonia's tranquil, laid back, and unspoiled Baltic islands provide a popular getaway for anyone wanting to expolre nature. Popular destinations include Hiiumaa ( the second largest island of Estonia), Karula National Park (the smallest national park, located in South Estonia), Lahemaa National Park (east of Tallinn, with 1000km² of bays, peninsulas, and forests), Matsalu National Park (one of the autumn stopping grounds for migratory birds in Europe), Saaremaa (including the town of Kuressaare and one of few well-preserved medieval castles in the Baltics) Soomaa National Park (a peat bog formed from a glacier melt from around 11,000 years ago), and Vilsandi National Park (covering 238km², including 163km² of sea and 75km² of land, plus 160 islands and islets),