Eating Out
In 2022, Michelin Guide, an internationally-renowned and prestigious restaurant recognition system, recognized Estonian restaurants for the first time. Estonia now has two "Michelin Star" restaurants, and 29 other restaurants that have earned a place in Michelin Guide. This means that there is definitely some good food to be found in Estonia!
If you are looking for taste experiences outside of the Michelin list, then check out an Estonian restaurant guide titled, "The White Guide." This will help you find the best of the best places to eat in Estonia, organized by category. Don't be surprised if you have to pay quite a lot for the best food, though. Eating in Estonia isn't quite as expensive as eating in Paris or Stockholm, but it's certainly not far from it.
If you want to taste our delicacies, but are not willing to pay high prices, then you might consider cheaper lunch options. Many restaurants offer daily specials during work days.
Theatre
Estonians love to go to the theatre. In terms of theatre attendance per capita, Estonia has been at the forefront of Europe (and the world) for years. Our long winters are perfect for theatre visits! Unsurprisingly, the recent pandemic has lead toward attendance dropping dramatically, which has made life and business quite difficult for certain theatres, especially the private and amateur theatres in the area.
Tallinn has the highest number of theatres, but smaller towns like Viljandi or Pärnu also have well-known theatres, as well. The largest theatres have their own theatre house, permanent staff, and regular performances throughout the year. The smaller spots operate on a project-by-project basis.
Unfortunately, theatres generally only offer programs and shows in Estonian. Theatre is a visual art, though, so why not develop your Estonian and pay a visit to your local theatre? If you are still learning the very basics of the language, then an opera, ballet, or performance art might be more suited for your first visits.
You can find the list of Estonian theatres here:
Concerts & Music
Estonians are famous for their singing. You may have heard about the singing revolution, and our Song Festival, one of the world’s largest amateur choral events. We boast world-famous composers, such as Arvo Pärt. One in two Estonians go to a live concert each year!
We don't have many world-famous names performing in Estonia, but you might have the best chance at hearing some of your favorites when you keep an eye on Estonian music festivals. Summer is the peak time for that, but there are also some cool alternative festivals in autumn or spring, for example, Tallinn Music Week, or Station Narva in East Estonia.
If you are looking for concerts or events to visit, check out the kultuur.info website. It offers an overview of various events.
Estonia's biggest ticket sales websites are Piletilevi and Piletimaailm. You can search for concerts or other events from there by using filter options on the site.
Museums
There are currently 174 museums in Estonia, of which 71 are in Tallinn. In fact, among European countries, Estonia has the most museums per 100,000 inhabitants. We love our heritage and culture, and we like to show it!
If you don't know which museums to visit, then the Estonian Open Air Museum, KUMU Art Museum, and/or Seaplane Harbour in Tallinn would make for great starting points. In Tartu, you must plan a trip to the beautiful Estonian National Museum building, where you'll be able to learn about Estonia's rich history.
Find an overview of our museums here: https://www.visitestonia.com/en/what-to-see-do/history-culture/museums-…
Cinemas
People had been going to the cinema more and more in Estonia, but the pandemic dropped cinema attendance numbers to the numbers of 10 years prior. There are about 50 cinemas in Estonia, and although we don't have many niche cinemas, you'll find the biggest blockbusters in every bigger city in Estonia.
The main cinema chain is Apollo, with cinemas in several cities. For the more avant-garde connoisseur, Tallinn's Kino Sõprus and Artis offer more artistic programs and festival films: the kind that wouldn't necessarily reach wide audiences.
Nightlife
If you like to party, you'll find plenty of opportunities for that in Estonia. In fact, our long dark winter nights and long white summer nights are perfect for the nightlife lover. Our main party capital is Tallinn, which boasts the highest number of bars and clubs of any city in Estonia. The mainstream clubs are in or around our old town, and can be found quite easily. Alternative clubs are spread out a bit further from the main centre, and often in old industrial buildings, or in delightfully-odd-looking settings.
Tartu is our university town, filled with lots of students who usually like to party. You'll find vibrant nightlife there, and if the weather is still good, then the whole town will be buzzing. It is a much cheaper place to party compared to Tallinn, and the bars have less glam and a more down-to-earth vibe.
Pärnu is our summer capital, and "the place to be" in summer if you want to party! Almost everybody in Estonia wants to go to Pärnu during the summertime, at least once. This seasonal surge in popularity will reflect in the prices, which can jump tremendously during June, July, and August.
Find an overview of Estonian clubs and pubs here:
https://www.visitestonia.com/en/what-to-see-do/eat-drink/nightlife-in-e…
Sports
Estonian athletes have won over time 40 Olympic medals as an independent country. You wouldn't guess that a country with a population of only 1.3 million people could have so many sports talents!
People in Estonia enjoy our fresh air and beautiful nature while doing sports activities. Winter is a good time for cross-country skiing: Just grab your skis and head to the forest! There are skiing tracks everywhere. Tennis, golf, running, basketball, football, dancing, swimming: Whatever suits you, you'll find it here. Sports is a great way to meet locals, and to find new friends, as well. Get out and exercise today!
You shouldn't have trouble finding sport clubs in Estonia, at least not in bigger cities. The biggest clubs are My Fitness, GoldenClub, 24/7 Fitness, Reval Sport, and Sparta.
Shopping
Estonia is a country where you don't have to guess when stores are open, as you might have to for Southern Europe. Stores in Estonia are generally open seven days a week, and from 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM. Some supermarkets will open their doors at 8:00 AM and close at 11:00 PM. During holidays, expect supermarkets to close a few hours earlier, but you'll still have enough time to pick up all the holiday food you'll need after your work day is done. In Tallinn, there are also some Prisma supermarkets, which are open 24/7. Alcohol is sold from 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM.
Rimi, Selver, Prisma, Maxima, Coop, and Lidl are the most popular supermarket chains. They all offer quality food. Some chains, like Silver, are on the pricier side, whereas others are a bit cheaper, like Lidl and Maxima. There is also always a possibility of ordering food online. Check out the websites for various supermarkets to see what their respective delivery options are.
If you want to buy clothing or other items, then Tallinn and Tartu have the best shopping centres for that. Search for Viru Keskus, Kaubamaja, Rocca al Mare, Solaris, Ülemiste, Kristiine Keskus, Stockmann, or Tasku, and you'll probably find everything you need there.