Estonia Walks: Supilinn, Viru Bog and Valaste

Estonian towns reward slow walking, and the national parks have free boardwalks. These routes are listed from easiest to longest. Fees are in euro. Planks and cobbles turn slippery when wet, so shoes with a good grip matter more than anything else you pack.

Route 1: Pärnu old town and beach (2 to 3 hours)

  • Begin at the Red Tower (Hommiku 11). Adults pay €8, discount tickets are €6 and a family pays €17. Posted hours differ between listings, so confirm before you go.
  • Walk to the 1927 mud baths building at Ranna pst 1, where Hedon Spa & Hotel now operates.
  • Finish along the beach promenade past the Rannahotell of 1937, by the architect Olev Siinmaa.
  • Getting there: the coach from Tallinn takes about 1 hour 25 minutes to 2 hours, because the railway line closed in December 2018.

Route 2: Tartu hill and wooden district (half a day)

  • Raekoja plats, the town hall square, has the kissing students fountain.
  • Toomemägi hill: cathedral ruins behind barriers, and the University of Tartu Museum.
  • Supilinn: wooden streets with vegetable and berry names, including Kartuli (potato), Herne (pea), Oa (bean), Marja (berry), Meloni (melon), Kauna, Kõrvitsa and Selleri.
  • Tartu Botanical Garden (Lai 38): the grounds are free, and glasshouses open daily 10:00 to 17:00 with a small charge.

Route 3: Tallinn on foot (a full day)

  • The UNESCO Old Town is free. Tickets are needed for towers, museums and wall sections.
  • Seasonal extras: St Olaf’s platform (to 31 October, €10) and the Hellemann Tower wall walk (16 April to 14 October). Nunne, Sauna and Kuldjala wall sections run from 1 June to 31 August.
  • Beyond the walls: Kalamaja’s wooden houses, the Telliskivi creative quarter, Kadriorg Park and the Pirita seafront promenade (about 2 km).
  • Visitor public transport costs €2 for 1 hour, €5.50 for 24 hours, €9 for 3 days and €11 for 5 days.

Route 4: Viru Bog boardwalk, Lahemaa (about 2 hours)

  • Drive from Tallinn, turning off the E20 toward Loksa at the 52nd kilometre near Kolga. The car park holds 91 cars.
  • The trail crosses the bog for 3.5 km, with a tower about 11 m high at 1.3 to 1.4 km. A 5.7 km forest road leads back.
  • Keep to the planks unless you are with a guide on bog shoes. Late April to June, nesting birds can limit bog-shoe walking to boardwalks.
  • It costs nothing. The trail description has more.

Route 5: Valaste (short)

From the platform at Valaste waterfall in Ida-Virumaa, follow the nature trail, which stays open round the clock. The fall is over 30 m. The nearby cliff edge is unfenced, so stay behind it.

Planning

  • RMK trails and boardwalks are free under everyman’s right, but manors inside parks charge to enter.
  • Autumn and winter days are short, so start before noon.
  • To add a guide in Tallinn or Tartu, browse Estonia walking tours on Viator .

Read more: day trips in Estonia and bus tours in Estonia .