About Estonia:
Conquered by Peter the Great, Estonia remained part of the Russian Empire for two centuries. National awakening began in the 19th century (language, culture, education). Estonia Declared independence in February 1918 amid the collapse of the Russian Empire. The country fought and won the War of Independence (1918–1920) against Soviet Russia and German forces and became a Democratic Republic until the late 1930’s. In June 1940 the Soviet Union annexed the country, followed by Nazi German occupation from 1941-1944, after which came a second Soviet occupation from 1944 to 1991 that resulted in mass deportations, collectivization, and Russification. Armed resistance (Forest Brothers) continued into the 1950’s.
“The Singing Revolution” (1987–1991) was a nonviolent movement that enabled Estonia that led to independence from the Soviet Union. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Estonians began taking advantage of their unique and rich cultural tradition, particularly in choral music, to encourage a national reawakening. Estonians gathered in the thousands and eventually hundreds of thousands to celebrate their heritage in song. Raising the banned Estonian flag while gathering en masse and singing banned patriotic songs, the movement eventually gained the support of the republic’s ruling Communist Party in defying Moscow, faced down Soviet tanks, and successfully declared Estonian independence that led to the restoration of independence on August 20, 1991. Soviet troops fully withdrew by 1994.
Estonia joined the European Union and NATO in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2011. Estonia developed into one of the world’s most digitally advanced societies: almost all public services are available online (e-Residency, digital ID, online voting, etc.). Estonia is the birthplace of Skype, Wise (formerly TransferWise), Bolt, Pipedrive, and many other startups.
Estonia is roughly the size of Denmark, or somewhat larger than Maryland (smaller than West Virginia). About half the country is forest. Thousands of islands (especially Saaremaa and Hiiumaa), bogs, lakes, and a long, indented coastline. Very low population density outside Tallinn. Strong Nordic/Baltic identity with Finno-Ugric roots (Estonian is closely related to Finnish). The country places a high emphasis on education, technology, and nature.
Geographically the country can be broken down as follows:
Eastern Estonia – more industrial, larger Russian-speaking population, Lake Peipus border with Russia.
Northern Estonia (Tallinn and the surrounding area)
Southern Estonia – Tartu (university city and intellectual capital), rolling hills, denser forests
Western Estonia & islands – Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, coastal resorts, more rural and traditional.
Catholic places of interest in Estonia:
Tallinn: Capital city and most populated and developed city in the country.
Traveling to Estonia:
Traveling to Estonia is straightforward: fly into Tallinn, take a ferry from Helsinki or Stockholm, or arrive by bus/train from neighboring Baltic countries.
By plane: (Most Common)
Tallinn Airport (TLL) is Estonia’s only international airport, located 2.5 miles (4 km) from the city center. Airlines serving Tallinn include Ryanair, airBaltic, Lufthansa, and Finnair. Insider tip: flying to Helsinki and taking the 2‑hour ferry to Tallinn is often cheaper.
By Ferry:
Helsinki → Tallinn: 2 hours, €15–45, multiple daily sailings (Tallink/Silja, Viking Line, Eckerö Line).
Stockholm → Tallinn: overnight ferry (15–16 hours, €40–150).
By train: Daily service from Latvia to Valga (5-6 Hours)
By Bus: Lux Express buses from Riga (4–5 hours) and Vilnius (9 hours).
By Car: Easy road access from Latvia and Lithuania. Land border with Russia is currently closed to tourists.
Pasport and visa requirements for Estonia:
Most travelers from Europe do not need a visa since Estonia is in the Schengen Area. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and many others can enter visa‑free for up to 90 days within any 180‑day period. Passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and valid 3+ months beyond departure. If not visa‑exempt, apply for a Schengen short‑stay visa (Type C).