Trip to Estonia

I’m predicting you’re going to get mixed responses, probably a lot. Is this a trip you can postpone to another time? Add me to those who would not go if it was this week. I’d be a bit nervous, too, about April. Two months from now, the situation may be different for an American going to Estonia, better or worse.

Estonia, unlike Ukraine, is a member of the NATO alliance with American and other EU nation troops stationed there. The NATO treaty obligates all member nations to come to the aid of any other NATO country that is attacked. If Russia attacks Estonia, we are basically in World War III - very different situation than what happened with the attack on Ukraine.

Whether Russia is ever able to take some action against the Baltic countries in the future, where NATO is significantly weakened, it's inconceivable to me that it could ever happen soon. Even if the Russians wanted to now, they are going to be preoccupied with Ukraine for quite a while anyway.

Andrew you have basically said verbatim what my husband is saying to me. 😜. I’m just a bit nervous that Russia will start feeling the effects of our sanctions by that time & start hitting back with attacks on IT, etc (starting with the Baltic countries on their border) thus possibly causing us issues with flights or getting out of the country. I do tend to be the worrier in the family but you’ve made me feel a bit better. I hear Tallinn is a beautiful old town to visit. Fingers crossed all goes well.

I have a trip planned to Estonia and Finland in early May. As of now, I'm going. However, I can always change it. My mind is open. I'm not worried.

Cyn - thank you for your response. My husband tends to push me out of my comfort zones at times 😬. We are also headed to England after Estonia & I feel very safe going there. I agree with you…..we’ll have to just wait & see what transpires.

Frank II - we’re doing Finland & Estonia at the exact time. So….maybe we’ll see you there. 🤷‍♀️
And you’re right. We can always change it.

mspringer47, no one can predict what Russia might do in the world. They are capable of launching a cyberattack anywhere in the world. Their physical proximity to Estonia doesn't make it more likely one would occur there.

Tallinn's old town is lovely.

If you aren't enrolled in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, it may be worth signing up. That program keeps travelers updated on what is happening at destinations, can alert you to troubles while you are traveling in Estonia, and lets the State Department know that you are there.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/step.html

Great idea Dave! Thank you. We’ll do it!

We have a trip planned to Helsinki, Finland, with a ferry trip and couple of nights in Tallinn as well in Mid April 2022. My husband and I were reversed on our thoughts when the invasion occurred with me thinking it would be fine, and my husband having some concerns. However, I spoke with my brother who is currently serving in the United States Military, and the kind of world traveler I aspire to be. He had similar responses to those previously mentioned regarding NATO countries and likelihood of issues that would affect us as travelers. He told us with current conditions no reason we shouldn't go either location. Now, I'm keeping my eye on everything in case the situation changes but as of right now we plan on going!

Thank you for your response! I especially feel good about the opinions from your brother serving in the military. Maybe we’ll cross paths while there. We plan to stay in Tallinn for the week & take ferry across to Helsinki for a day. Safe travels to you!

If Russia attacks Estonia, we won't be safe in US or probably UK either because those countries will also be at war with Russia. It's may be better to go sooner rather than later.

how much is a round trip to Estonia

First of all, great idea! Make sure to get some basic knowledge of the culture and how things work here beforehand, though.

I guess you could pretty much see most of Estonia in a week. However, if you plan going camping/hiking or just relaxing, 10 days could fall a bit short. It all depends on how much you want to see, what interests you, etc.
You could probably look into using buses. The bus coverage is generally pretty good in Estonia and you can probably get almost anywhere you would like to by bus. The tickets are pretty cheap, too.

The overall cost of the trip shouldn't be anything outrageous. We have pretty low prices here for most of the things you will need to buy. The buses are cheap, train tickets are cheap, groceries and commodities are relatively cheap. Technology is quite expensive though, but I wouldn't guess you are coming here to buy computers anyway.

What to expect. Well, first, you should not expect good weather. It largely depends on the season, but we generally have pretty crappy weather. In winter, be prepared for under -20C (not this winter though. This winter sucks.) In summer, we generally have around 18 - 22C. Anything above 25C is very hot for us. At 30C, people have been seen melting into puddles on streets. All in all, you should be prepared for the worst.
You can probably expect to see a lot of nature and forests, especially when travelling in the countryside. We have really beautiful national parks (Lahemaa Rahvuspark, for example) which you should really visit if you have the time.

Bogs, definitely bogs! I camped in Valgesoo last weekend, absolutely gorgeous. Would make a nice set with canoeing on Ahja river, visiting Taevaskoja and finishing the evening at Valgesoo.
On the topic of Tartu,

Some not-so touristy attractions would be pubs Genialistide Klubi and Zavood.

They have their really unique bohemian style to them and they are very Tartu-ish.
Here's my trip report, you may find something useful in it, and I do hope you love Tallinn as much as I do.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/old-favorites-new-places-part-1-tallinn-estonia / omeglz

Just as a follow up to my original question in February - our trip to Tallinn Estonia was a success! What a beautiful city. I’m so thankful that I didn’t let my fear stop me from experiencing this city. We took a ferry trip across the Baltic & spent a day in Helsinki as well but the bulk of our time was in Tallinn exploring the old city. The apartment we rented was a great location & beautiful! I tried different foods that I had never had before which included reindeer & bear. Definitely recommend visiting this area of the world if you’ve not already done so. I appreciate all the input from everyone!

Thanks for the update. Glad you had a good trip!