Travel Estonia

Welcome to Estonia!

The Republic of Estonia is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. Estonia is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia. The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland, and 2,200 bigger or smaller islands and islets on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The total area of Estonia is 45,339 square kilometres. The capital city of Estonia is Tallinn with a population of about 454,000.

Tallinn (Image by harald heuser from Pixabay)

About Tartu

Tartu is a second largest city in Estonia. Tartu is an old city, but also forever young.

In Tartu you find yourself in a green city – parks spread out here, and the winding Emajõgi River beautifies every season throughout the city. In summer, it is relaxing to walk along the banks of the Emajõgi and swim at its beaches. Tartu’s old town offers delightful examples of architectural styles from the Middle Ages to modern contemporary architecture. In summer, the city center is dotted with cafes, and shopping centers are within walking distance. Thanks to its universities, Tartu is known as a city of science, promoting science through museums and events to its residents and visitors.

Tartu is the European Capital of Culture in 2024. Interesting cultural events take place in Tartu throughout the year, look at the event calendar.

Tartu (Image by Makalu from Pixabay)

Interesting facts about Tartu:

  • The first written records of Tartu date from 1030
  • Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia
  • The area of Tartu is 38.8 square kilometres and population about 97,435 inhabitants with ethnic composition: Estonian 76%, Russian 19%, others 5%
  • The Emajõgi River (in english: The Mother River) connects the two largest lakes of Estonia, and flows for the length of 10 kilometres within the Tartu limits
  • Distances to other cities from Tartu: Tallinn 186 km, Narva 184 km, Pärnu 178 km, Riga 250 km, St. Petersburg 315 km
  • University of Tartu was founded under the name of Academia Gustaviana in 1632, it was the second university founded in the Swedish Empire.
  • From the 13th century until the end of the 19th century, Tartu was known in most of the world by its historical name Dorpat.