Europe

There simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck by its scenic beauty, epic history and dazzling artistic and culinary diversity.

CASTLES

We went through central Latvia to explore some famous castles and palaces. Our first stop was the Castle of Livonian Order in Sigulda. It was built in 1207 in Gauja valley by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword (military order comprised of German “warrior monks”). It was destroyed and...

CĒSIS

Today we crossed the border with Latvia. At the first gasoline station we paid the highway fees for a week (12 tones / 22 € – it would be 2 € cheaper if we would do it online). Our first impression is that towns and villages look poorer than Estonia and also many roads are in...

PÄRNU

We spent two nights in Pärnu – the ultimate summer holiday destination in Estonia. It is a very quiet and cold place with a large sandy beach, numerous restaurants, cocktail bars, spas, and a relaxed, laid back vibe. Pärnu (Perona) was founded by the bishop of Ösel–Wiek around 1251...

TALLINN

We made it to Tallinn – the capital city of Estonia, just by chance, during the 27th Song Celebration and the 20th Dance Celebration. The Song Celebration tradition began with the first Song Celebration organized by Johann Voldemar Jannsen in Tartu on 18–20 June 1869. One of the...

TARTU

we spent two lovely days in the leafy town of students, intellectuals, and creatives. It is home to one of Northern Europe’s oldest universities. Tartu is very compact, with most sights, restaurants, and nightlife nestled across a couple of parallel streets. We have parked on the main...

KUREMÄE CONVENT

Late afternoon the rain was not so heavy so we made one more stop for evening mass at The Pühtitsa Dormition Convent, located in the center of Kuremäe. It had a great unforgettable spiritual atmosphere. It was established in 1891 and is the only functioning Russian Orthodox nunnery in...