ESTONIA

 

This proud, sarcastic, Baltic nation generally finds itself overlooked by European travelers which is tragic considering more than half the country is covered by beautiful, lush forest. Having recently celebrated its 100th birthday in 2018, Estonia is a relatively young country, but its capital city, Tallinn, boasts a historic, well-preserved old town that can compete with any of Europe’s finest! Just a brief 2-hour boat ride from Helsinki, it is a great place to explore for anyone who finds themselves in Northern Europe!

  • Updated COVID-19 Travel Information:

  • Currency:

    • The official currency of Estonia is the Euro (EUR) (€)

      • $1 USD = €0.85

  • Pricing for Leisure Travelers:

    • Average Hotel Expenses = €70-€83/Night ($85-$100 USD/Night)

    • Average Food/Drink Expenses = €16-€29/Day ($20-$35 USD/Day)

  • Pricing for Backpackers:

    • Average Hostel Expenses = €7-€15/Night ($8-$18 USD/Night)

    • Average Food/Drink Expenses = €8-€16/Day ($10-$20 USD/Day)

  • Communication:

    • Estonian is the national language of Estonia, but other languages such as English, Russian, Finnish, German, and French are spoken throughout the country as well.

  • Transportation:

    • Bus: Traveling internationally by bus between Baltic states is easy and popular among backpackers. The main bus company servicing the region is Ecolines. For domestic travel in Estonia, book through GoBus.

    • Train: Similar to above, international rail travel is quite common in the region. The state-owned railway company servicing the area is Estonian Railways (EVR). For domestic travel in Estonia, book through Elron.

    • Airplane: Flying in and out of Estonia is not very popular. The country’s flag carrier (Nordica) only offers direct flights to five destinations, including Tallinn. If you choose to travel by air, I recommend booking through airBaltic or LOT Polish Airlines.

    • Taxi/Uber: There are plenty of taxis and Ubers hanging around Tallinn’s airport and city center.

  • Miscellaneous:

    • Estonia offers free public transportation for its citizens; the same cannot be said for tourists visiting on holiday (sorry)!

    • Estonia is oftentimes referred to as the “least religious country in Europe”.

 
 

TALLINN