Discover the wonder of winter in Estonia

While many countries endure winter, Estonians celebrate it. Ella Foote heads to snow covered Estonia to understand why it should be your next winter destination.

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Estonians don’t persevere through their winters, they welcome them. Rather than moan about the cold, dark and difficult weather conditions they embrace them. They seek and honour the light by burning candles, using lamps and string lights to brighten days and switch their mindset to winter activities.

The culture in Estonia is to spend time outdoors, in nature and align with the natural cycle of the seasons. Estonian’s forage for berries in summer and mushrooms in autumn, they eat local produce, walk, swim in bogs, cycle and celebrate their abundant wildlife. In winter, they do much of the same but switch swimming for ice skating and swap walking for cross-country skiing. They still embrace the outdoors they just lean into the season, rather than hide away from it.

Here’s why Estonia should be your next winter swim destination

Flying into Tallinn over snow cloaked land, fills your heart with the kind of excitement you can only remember when experiencing snow as a child. Winters in the UK tend to be mild and grey, proper winter conditions are fleeting. If you like cold-water swimming then you will love being able to land in Estonia for ice, snow and a different kind of swim experience that is both magical and exciting.

I was lucky enough to visit Estonia last summer and enjoy the long days and white nights where it barely gets dark and time feels endless, so to experience the country in winter was as wonderful but very different. A week before we arrived, Estonia had lows of -18ºc and a fresh dump of snow. I was worried I didn’t have the right kind of kit for those kinds of temperatures but by the time we arrived it had warmed up a little and the coldest we experienced was -8ºc. It meant the snow was still on the ground and there was still plenty of ice and chill to tackle.

Estonia is a small country, so you can cover a lot in a short time. Despite the winter conditions the roads were clear and easy to navigate. All vehicles have compulsory snow tyres in winter, including hire cars, so driving around was as simple as travelling in any other season. We flew to Tallinn via Stockholm from London Heathrow, but there are lots of routes into the country. You could get the train across Europe or a boat via Finland. We started and ended our trip in the capital, Tallinn. A lovely blend of new and old, rich in history and gothic buildings. The old town offers pretty, colourful painted buildings, independent shops and brilliant restaurants.

Food in Estonia is often from the land or locally sourced. It has Scandinavian, Russian, Eastern European influences with lots of fish, meat and fermented foods. Wines are made with fruits and berries rather than grapes and with delicious results. We travelled to Uue-Saaluse Winery in Võru County, between Haanja and Lake Alajärv to learn more. The winery here makes berry and fruit wines from their own raw ingredients and have won prizes for their produce. Owners Maris and Mati welcomed us and explained about how winemaking with traditional grapes is a challenge with the short summers in Estonia but through experimenting and learning they had managed to create some special wines with the climate and landscape they do have. You can visit and enjoy a winemaking tour in warmer months but in winter we were able to dip in an ice hole and warm in their traditional smoke sauna.

Sauna is a big part of Estonia culture and smoke sauna tradition in Võru is on the UNESCO cultural heritage list. It is like traditional sauna, but an Estonia smoke sauna has no chimney for smoke to escape, so instead it circulates in the room while the sauna is heating. Before the sauna session begins, the smoke is released and then you can enter. It’s tradition to let go of worldly worries, be naked and allow yourself time to be refreshed and healed. Ice holes provide a place to cool off and rinse. The act of washing off the soot after the sauna is also seen as a metaphor for washing away old habits, negative thoughts, and emotional baggage.

Tradition, heritage and culture is very important to Estonians and in the southeastern part of the country there is a community where tradition holds a special power. Setomaa, not always an obvious destination for tourists, is home of the Seto people. Seto people have their own identity as Setos, but they are also Estonians. They speak a Finno-Ugric language, have their own folk costume and culture. It is only a three-hour drive from Tallinn and when you visit, you can learn more about the people and their traditions. Visit Setomaa guided us in Obinitsa and I was able to be dressed in the traditional Seto women’s clothes. These clothes are often reserved for special occasions and celebration today, but elements of the clothing are worn and many traditions continue. Being dressed was such an honour and a joy, like dressing up as a child, but with the fantastic historial context too. Women are celebrated in this culture and the clothes show the wearer’s age, social and economic position.

Sticking with history, if you visit February, which is a great time to visit for winter activities and experiences, Estonia celebrates its Independence Day on February 24. Recently this has been celebrated by the winter swimming community by inviting people to dip in the Baltic Sea on Independence Day and stay in the water for as many seconds as the years of independence, this year it was 107 seconds. As well as this there are military parades and speeches as well as traditional foods to eat. I was lucky enough to be able to join the winter swimmers on Linnahalli beach in Tallinn.

There are many cultural highlights and traditions to experience in Estonia, but one I will never forget is being taken on a sleigh ride by sled dogs through the woodland at Small Lapland. A pack of malamutes and huskies live and are cared for by Indie Tours in Small Lapland. Here you can enjoy a sleigh ride as well as getting cuddles and petting the dogs after, before being served a traditional homemade meal. Being led through the snow with sun breaking through the trees brought a child-like glee like nothing else. You leave snuggled up in a sleigh and return with the biggest smile on your face. Guides Mairo and Sirli offer beauty, magic and warmth with their experience and it is anchored in respect and love of the dogs.

While in Small Lapland we were also able to meet up with local Guide Marilin Pehka who offers unique experiences across the area. Marilin guided us when we visited in summer and so we were thrilled to meet with her and be guided again. Her knowledge and passion for the area, nature and what Estonia has to offer is like no other. Whether in the forest, bogs, rivers or small islands there is something Marilin can offer everyone. Her approach is very much about reconnecting with the outdoors if it is something that you have lost or helping to understand and discover the beauty Estonia has to offer. We travelled from her home on kick-sleds to Sportland Kõrvemaa Hiking and Skiing Center where we were able to try cross-country skiing, snow donuts and igloo sauna.

We spent our last night in a ÖÖD Hötel mirror house before meeting with Marilin again for our last day where we enjoyed a private home restaurant in the garden room on Haapse beach. This special meal at Mereaiarestoran was a feast. Deliciously made and enjoyed in a glass house in the garden with sea views, it made a perfect end to our incredible trip. It also provided the opportunity for one last swim in the freezing Baltic Sea before heading home.

Where we stayed

• Nunne Boutique Hotel – Tallinn
• RemoteNow – Uibujärve
• ÖÖD Hötel – Laheranna

Where we ate

• Lee Restaurant
• Uue-Saaluse Winery
• Kalaranna Cafe Resto
• Olde Hansa
• Mereaiarestoran

Our guides

• Marilin Pehka: loodusturism.com
• Liis Kogerman: visitsetomaa.ee
• Indrek Maripuu: remotenow.club
• Mairo and Sirli Marmor: Indie Tours

With thanks to Visit Estonia