Saarenaa

Do you mean Saaremaa? And if so, where?

I went to Estonia last summer. I didn't have time to go to any of the islands, but I originally thought I might, so I pulled together some sightseeing information from several sources. In case it helps, I'll post it here. I'm sorry I can't provide any personal recommendations.

Saaremaa is an island--Estonia's largest and most developed. It has pine forests and reed beds. There's some bus service, but it's reported to be limited, erratic and day-specific. Proceed with caution if you decide to leave the port city--which I hope is Kuressaare, because that's the only place for which I have any information. This is the tourism website or Saaremaa: www.saaremaa.e

Kuressaare is the largest town on Saaremaa. "Estonia’s answer to Martha’s Vineyard." Rebuilt by wealthy Russians in early 19C. Very picturesque. Seems to have been a sort of foodie destination as far back as 2011. www.kuressaare.ee

• The Tourist Office is in the Town Hall at Tallinna 2: May be closed on Sundays.
  https://visitsaaremaa.ee/saaremaa-turismiinfokeskus/

• Lossi St (becomes Tallinna) lined with stunning stretch of beautiful buildings.

• Kuressaare Raegalerii (Art Gallery), Town Hall, Tallinna 2: Temporary contemporary-art exhibitions. May be closed on Sunday and Monday. Was free as of 2023.

• Vaekoda (Weigh House), opposite Town Hall: One of oldest buildings (1633); converted into a pub at one point.

• Nikolai Kirik (St. Nicholas’s Church, Orthodox): 18C, plainer than Russian Orthodox churches.

• Cobbled alleys W of Vaekoda lead to atmospheric quarter of timber houses, many now shops and cafes. Precise location unknown.

• Piiskopilinnus (Bishop’s Castle, aka Kuressaare Castle), Lossihoov 1: 14C; only intact medieval fortress in Baltic countries. Magnificent; “spectacularly well-preserved”. Grounds always open and free. www.saaremaamuuseum.ee

• Saaremaa Koduloomuuseum (Saaremaa Regional Museum), in castle keep: Labyrinthine interior includes some displays on post-1940 period (uniforms, weapons and newsreel clips mentioned). Wed-Sun 1100-1800.

• Former chapterhouse has spectacular 15C altar by Lubeck master van der Heide.

Food options:

• RAE supermarket, main square. Open daily from 9 AM.

• Pub Vaekoda, Tallinna 3: Lively tavern serving Estonian food in 17C weighing house. Popular with locals and tourists.

• Retro, Lossi 5: Hip café-bar that makes its own pasta and burger buns. Delicious desserts. Probably closed Sunday. www.kohvikretro.ee

• Ku Kuu, Lossipark 1: French-influenced seafood and island produce in elegant former Spa Hall.

This is a destination very popular with Estonian visitors, so there will be shopping opportunities.

Yep. Spent a couple days there on a trip through the Baltics in 2018. Saaremaa (along with its neighbor Hiiumaa) were some of my favorite places. They do seem to have an excess of vowels, though. 😎

They are relatively quiet, rural places, though in mid-summer become popular with Estonians and visitors from neighboring countries (we encountered lots of Finns). No sign of over-tourism or mass tourism here, just quaint "old Europe." With limited time, your options for blockbuster sights will be limited.

The main town, Kuressaare is cute and walkable. There's a huuuge (very large) 14th century fortress (they call it a "castle" but it's typical "star fortress" of the era), very large and in great condition, largest and best-preserved fortress in the region. Vast ramparts, lots of moats and towers, a great place for walking. This is probably the most evident "tourist attraction" on the island.

There are a lots of windmills scattered across both Saaremaa & Hiiumaa, very photogenic and worth seeking out. There's a concentration of 5 large windmills at Angla Hill, lined up in a row on a low ridge (it's not much of a "hill" as the island is pretty flat); the Angla windmills are kind of Saaremaa's iconic view. They're lovingly restored, in great shape, and are located on an old historic farm by the side of the island's main road, so they're easy to find. The farm was where islanders brought their grain for grinding, that is until the Soviets barged in and collectivized things; not surprisingly, the windmills there fell into disrepair and were partially abandoned. The Germans actually bombed them during WWII (really, bombing old wooden windmills on an obscure farm? I guess they had run out of meaningful targets). After Estonia threw the Soviets out they restored the windmills and collected some more from around Europe, so you can now see several different kinds in the same place. The heritage farm where they are located has displays of old Soviet tractors, animals and other farm stuff.

We found a handful of other windmills in various conditions around the islands (some derelict, others restored, a few actually still working on farms). Some out in plain sight, others buried deep in the forests. Several without their "sails", one that looked like it may have been converted to a B&B (inspired by this, we later stayed at a B&B in a windmill on another trip). Keep your eyes peeled for them as you go about.

There's a famous meteor crater(!) nearby. We thought it was pleasant, but not spectacular, just looks like an odd, perfectly circular small "crater lake" (pond in the center of a small, cone-shaped caldera) in a forest.

There are a handful of interesting lighthouses scattered around both islands. One, Kiipsaare (aka “The Leaning Tower of Kiipsaare”), is tall, skinny, abandoned and quite tilted. Built on a sandbar, it has moved around over the years. It now sits offshore in shallow water, and tilts from side to side when the sandbar it sits on shifts. It's cool and weird (we met a young woman working at a tourist info booth who told us she had swam out to it and climbed it the previous summer - brave woman!). Getting out to Kiipsaare may be a challenge (we had a rental car and got lost several times, eventually followed some Finns through rough forest roads, then switched to rented bikes to reach it).

Nearby Hiiumaa (linked to Saaremaa by a cool little ferry) is even more low key, also worth a visit, but probably would be a challenge given your limited time. Hiiumaa also has both windmills and lighthouses. I'd guess your cruise ship will promote the fortress and the Angla windmills; those two, plus walking around town, would probably fill your time.

I have lots of photos and several writeups of our visit. If you're interested, send me a PM for links.

Cheers.